What is the origin of golfing?

Despite a common belief that "Golf" is an acronym for "Gentleman Only, Ladies Forbidden", the Word can be traced back to similar Words in ancient Scottish, German, and Dutch (among other early European languages), and all of these Words meant "club", or something very similar. It appeared in writing in 1457, when the King outlawed the game due to it taking up time he believed should be spent in Archery practice.