Golf as we know it was played in Scotland throughout the 1400s, but it was not until 1764 that the first 18-hole course was created on the St Andrews Links. There are many ancient variations of club and ball games, from Song Dynasty China (960–1279) to 13th-century Holland.
This Curation looks from early 17th-century Dutch colf to a 2004 statue of distinguished Scottish professional golfer Ben Sayers. Lavery's sunny golf course at North Berwick, Mancini's young golfer in a kilt and Ian Greig's sympathetic 1946 portrait of Toby Johnson, the last caddy master of North Berwick Golf Club, are among my own favourites.
Whether your game is played mainly off the fairway or out of the rough, if you love golf, this Curation is for you.
Artists featured in this Curation:
Esaias van de Velde I (1587–1630),
Adriaen van de Velde (1636–1672),
Pieter de Hooch (1629–1684),
David Allan (1744–1796),
Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760–1803),
William Bradley (1801–1857),
Charles Lees (1800–1880),
George Earl (1824–1908),
Sidney Pike (1846–1907),
Robert Clarkson (c.1853–1924),
and 14 more
See all
Charles Andrew Sellar (1855–1926), Briton Riviere (1840–1920), Joseph Syddall (1864–1942), William Reid Dick (1878–1961), John Lavery (1856–1941), Edmund Walter Wimperis (1865–1946), Antonio Mancini (1852–1930), John Archibald Alexander Berrie (1887–1962), Kyffin Williams (1918–2006), Ian Greig, Alfred Egerton Cooper (1883–1974), Harold Riley (1934–2023), Terry Duffy (b.1948) and
Ed Robinson
24 artworks
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A Winter Landscape 1623
Esaias van de Velde I (1587–1630)
Oil on oak
H 25.9 x W 30.4 cm
The National Gallery, London
Image credit: The National Gallery, London
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Golfers on the Ice near Haarlem 1668
Adriaen van de Velde (1636–1672)
Oil on oak
H 30.3 x W 36.4 cm
The National Gallery, London
Image credit: The National Gallery, London
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The Little Golf Players c.1660
Pieter de Hooch (1629–1684)
Oil on panel
H 63.5 x W 46.5 cm
National Trust, Polesden Lacey
Image credit: National Trust Images
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William Inglis (c.1712–1792), Surgeon and Captain of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers 1787
David Allan (1744–1796)
Oil on canvas
H 129.5 x W 105.1 cm
National Galleries of Scotland
Image credit: National Galleries of Scotland
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The Golf Players
Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760–1803) (after)
Oil on panel
H 40.6 x W 29.2 cm
National Trust for Scotland, Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse & Garden
Image credit: National Trust for Scotland, Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse & Garden
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George Fraser
William Bradley (1801–1857)
Oil on canvas
H 111.8 x W 91.5 cm
Manchester Art Gallery
Image credit: Manchester Art Gallery
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The Golfers 1847
Charles Lees (1800–1880)
Oil on canvas
H 131 x W 214 cm
National Galleries of Scotland
Image credit: National Galleries of Scotland
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Going North: King's Cross Station, London 1893
George Earl (1824–1908)
Oil on canvas
H 77.2 x W 115.2 cm
National Railway Museum
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The Golf Links 1900
Sidney Pike (1846–1907)
Oil on canvas
H 30.5 x W 46 cm
Lancaster City Museums
Image credit: Lancaster City Museums
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Golf Links, Ganton Sands Quarry, Yorkshire 1909
Robert Clarkson (c.1853–1924)
Oil on canvas
H 35.5 x W 96.5 cm
Atkinson Art Gallery Collection
Image credit: Atkinson Art Gallery Collection
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Golf Caddie on the North Inch, Perth
Charles Andrew Sellar (1855–1926)
Oil on board
H 54 x W 36.8 cm
Perth & Kinross Council
Image credit: Perth & Kinross Council
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Portrait of Dr Frank Clowes 1906
Briton Riviere (1840–1920)
Oil on canvas
H 127 x W 101.6 cm
Nottingham City Museums & Galleries
Image credit: Nottingham City Museums & Galleries
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Lady Golfer 1920s
Joseph Syddall (1864–1942)
Wood
H 40 x W 8 x D 10 cm
Chesterfield Museum & Art Gallery
Image credit: Chesterfield Museum & Art Gallery
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Joyce Newton Wethered (1901–1997), Lady Heathcoat Amory 1920–1961
William Reid Dick (1878–1961)
Bronze
H 40 cm
National Trust, Knightshayes Court
© the copyright holder. Image credit: National Trust Images
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The Golf Course, North Berwick 1922
John Lavery (1856–1941)
Oil on canvas
H 63.5 x W 76.2 cm
Tate
Image credit: Tate
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Forest Row, Sussex, the Golf Course
Edmund Walter Wimperis (1865–1946)
Oil on paper
H 25.5 x W 35 cm
Towner
Image credit: Towner
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The Young Golfer
Antonio Mancini (1852–1930)
Oil on canvas
H 213.3 x W 152.2 cm
Leeds Museums and Galleries
Image credit: Leeds Museums and Galleries
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Archie Compston, the Golfer c.1935–1940
John Archibald Alexander Berrie (1887–1962)
Oil on canvas
H 127 x W 101.6 cm
North Yorkshire Council
© the copyright holder. Image credit: North Yorkshire Council
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Golfer Resting 1940–1950
Kyffin Williams (1918–2006)
Oil on board
H 20.3 x W 26.7 cm
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales
© Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales. Image credit: Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru / The National Library of Wales
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Toby Johnson 1946
Ian Greig
Oil on canvas
H 34 x W 26.6 cm
East Lothian Council
© the copyright holder. Image credit: East Lothian Council
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Right Honourable Lord Brabazon of Tara (1884–1964), President of St Andrews Golf Glub 1958
Alfred Egerton Cooper (1883–1974)
Oil on canvas
H 116.8 x W 91.5 cm
Royal Air Force Museum
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Royal Air Force Museum
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Study of a Golfer c.1985
Harold Riley (1934–2023)
Oil on canvas
H 101 x W 76 cm
University of Salford
© the artist's estate. Image credit: University of Salford
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Out of the Green 1990
Terry Duffy (b.1948)
Oil on paper
H 147 x W 108 cm
Leicestershire County Council Artworks Collection
© the artist. Image credit: Leicestershire County Council Artworks Collection
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Ben Sayers (1856–1924) 2004
Ed Robinson (active 2004)
Wood
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Andrew Mackie / Art UK
Explore artists in this Curation
View all 24-
Esaias van de Velde I (1587–1630) -
Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760–1803) -
George Earl (1824–1908) -
Pieter de Hooch (1629–1684) -
Antonio Mancini (1852–1930) -
Charles Andrew Sellar (1855–1926) -
William Bradley (1801–1857) -
Charles Lees (1800–1880) -
Ian Greig
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Alfred Egerton Cooper (1883–1974) - View all 24