For some people, Golf made no sense at all: chasing a tiny ball across the field, suffering the heat or rain, with the mission of put it in a hole on the ground…

Nevertheless, only those ones who have played it, knows the passion it originates: a sport of strength and dexterity, control and physical control, but not only that, is a mental game, purely strategic, where the enemy to defeat is yourself. They also know that Golf  is played under ever changing circumstances, and nature is an active player, trough the terrain, the wind and the climatological conditions. The essence of the Golf is a challenge to your own self.

Anyhow, Golf is everything but new, it is maybe one of the oldest sports. There are many disputes among its origin: Holland establish that the etymological origin of golf, lies on the word “kolg” which means crutches; France claim its origin based on their ancient games “Paillemaille” and “Coulpe; Spain had a game called “cachiporra al palo” which will translate to something like “club to the stick”. Also, there is some evidence on ancient paintings and murals on Italy and China, where some activities similar to golf are depicted.

Its origin could have happened on may places at the same time. But, officially, its in Scotland on the middle age when Golf starts its modern era, and it is precisely on this country, where the first golf club is established on 1794: The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

As regards to México, despite its recent popularity, the Golf history goes back to the XIX century. According to the Mexican Golf Federation, its on the mid century when golf starts on our country, as a result of the arriving of ships to the ports of the Orizaba, Tampico and Ensenada, that came because of the mining activity on those areas, carried out by British companies. Finally on 1894 the first golf club is established: “Club de Golf de Santa Gertrudis”. Between 1894 and 1927 there were created other 16 more clubs, among them, the México Country Club, Guadalajara Country Club, Chapultepec Heights Country Club and the Monterrey Country Club.

On 1926 arises the predecessor of the Mexican Golf Federation. Some of the first statutes of this association were:

“To foment and preserve on the Mexican Republic a mayor possible interest on the golf game…”
“…to enforce and duly interpret the position of the amateurs regarding this game, rules, uniforms…”
“Translate to spanish the rules and arrange the economic means to achieve its distribution”
“To annually organize ladies and amateurs tournaments, deciding over the place and circumstances.”

This last declaration is of special relevance, regarding to the organization of ladies tournaments, showing its equality of genre, specially when the right to vote for women was established until 1953.

Later on, on December the 3 of 1976 its created the Mexican Golf Federation, which has as a mission to “foment and impulse the development of Golf on the Mexican Republic”.

On modern days, the Golf expansion on the country, and the passion that created on the course of it, naturally drifted to the fusion of Golf and Tourism. The idea of establishing a symbiosis between golf resorts and nature is nothing new. But still very attractive.

Specially the state of Quintana Roo, had specialized on this niche, offering and ample selection of Golf Courses (more than a dozen courses), perfectly capable of sate the requirements of every golfer. Most of the courses, created and incredible mixture with the mayan jungle and the Caribbean, creating a unique experience.

For many, the dream is to live by the sea…
For many others, to live on a Golf course…
For some other, to live in Playa del Carmen…

But there are some that are not dreaming the dream any more. They are living it:

Welcome to Grand Coral Riviera Maya.

Sources:
1. Federación Mexicana de Golf www.fmg.org.mx
2. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews www.theroyalandancientgolfclub.org/