▁el dest ▁son , ▁was ▁playing ▁golf ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 6 . ▁The ▁Royal ▁Black he ath ▁G olf ▁Club ▁traces ▁its ▁orig ins ▁from ▁these ▁Scottish ▁no blem en , ▁thus ▁claim ing ▁a ▁pre - 1 7 4 5 ▁foundation ▁date . ▁Although ▁it ▁is ▁certainly ▁the ▁oldest ▁English ▁golf ▁club , ▁and ▁the ▁oldest ▁out with ▁Scotland , ▁ ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁evidence ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁golf ▁club ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁as ▁is ▁sometimes ▁claimed . ▁This ▁acc ol ade ▁is ▁claimed ▁by ▁The ▁Royal ▁Burg ess ▁G olf ing ▁Society ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁who ▁date ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 7 3 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁record ▁of ▁North ▁American ▁golf ▁was ▁a ▁cons ignment ▁of ▁ 9 6 ▁golf cl ubs ▁and ▁ 4 3 2 ▁golf ▁balls ▁which ▁was ▁sh ipped ▁from ▁Le ith ▁to ▁Char l eston , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 3 ; ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁September ▁ 1 7 8 6 ▁Scottish ▁mer ch ants ▁established ▁the ▁South ▁Carolina ▁G olf ▁Club ▁in ▁Char l eston , ▁the ▁first ▁golf ▁club ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Play ers ▁ ▁Several ▁Sc ots ▁golf ers ▁are ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁G olf ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁Play ers ▁marked ▁* ▁are ▁also ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Sports ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame : ▁Will ie ▁Anderson * ▁( 1 8 7 9 – 1 9 1 0 ) ▁Tommy ▁Arm our * ▁( 1 8 9