I do not think anyone really can say when the game of golf was first played, but there are many stories about the start, Robin Williams has a great story about the start of golf.
The Scott’s who are given credit for the game, organized a club in St. Andrews, Scotland in 1754 and called it the Society of St. Andrews Golfers.
Some 70 years of developing and expanding the game, King Willam 1V became a patron of the club, and the name was changed to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
I had an opertunity to see this golf club and it is really a historic place.
MyGolf1 