Etymograph

English

golf

Golf comes from Middle Scots golf, probably from Middle Dutch colf ‘club’.

  1. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500colf‘club’uncertain
  2. Middle Scotsmoderngolf
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1894same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Middle Dutchc. 1150–1500colf‘club’uncertain
  2. Middle Scotsmoderngolf
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1894same form

Earliest quotation: 1894, Rudyard Kipling: “Last mystery of all, he learned to golf.”

first attested The word is first known in English from the 17th century as a borrowing from Middle Scots golf, gouff (as stated in the etymology)

The story

The word is first known in English from the 17th century as a borrowing from Middle Scots golf, gouff. Although the etymology is uncertain, the most likely origin is that it comes from the Middle Dutch colve, colf (‘club’), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kulbaz (‘club’), related to German Kolben (‘piston, rod’), Swedish kolv (‘piston, rod’), Old English clopp (‘rock; cliff’), English kelp.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.

Every English word from Middle Dutch colf

Today it means

noun A ball game played by individuals competing against one another in which the object is to hit a ball into each of a series of (usually 18 or nine) holes in the minimum number of strokes.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Middle Dutch colf / golf

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