Golf has always been about the environment as much as it is about the game itself. The lush greens, rough bunkers, and natural scenery we see in golf today are the result of years of old care techniques. While today’s golf courses use high-tech machines, watering systems, and grass science, the original ways of caring for these courses were much simpler, relying on nature and what was needed at the time.

Sheep as the First Groundskeepers
Before lawnmowers were invented, sheep were the first caretakers of golf courses. In Scotland, where golf started, sheep roamed freely on the lands, keeping the grass neatly trimmed on their own. This not only helped create fair playing conditions but also gave the courses a charming natural look. Interestingly, the uneven way the sheep grazed caused some tricky spots, which became a key part of early golf.

Natural Bunkers and Hazards
The bunkers we see today are very different from the original ones. The first bunkers were not made by people but were formed naturally by wind, animals, and erosion from the coast. Animals like rabbits and sheep, along with sand carried by the wind, made the rough, rugged hazards that players had to deal with. Taking care of these areas usually meant leaving them as they were so that nature could shape their appearance and challenge level.

Manual Tools and Hard Labour
As golf grew in popularity, basic tools such as scythes, sickles, and hand rollers began to be used. Groundskeepers in the 18th and 19th centuries worked hard with these simple tools to cut grass and smooth out the playing surfaces. Rolling the ground was important to make the sandy soil firmer, control weeds, and create smoother putting areas, though “smoother” back then was still not as neat as we see today.

Watering by Hand
In places where it didn’t rain regularly, watering the grass became a hard job. Buckets and barrels were carried to water fairways and greens, making sure the grass didn’t dry out. Watering was not always even and depended a lot on the area, leading to big differences in conditions even on the same golf course.

Nature as the Ultimate Groundskeeper
One of the biggest changes between the old and modern ways of maintaining courses is how much people relied on nature. Wind, rain, animals, and changes in the seasons had a bigger impact on.