The recent acquisition of Hendrick Avercamp’s 17th-century painting *Colf Players on the Ice* by Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum has reignited longstanding debates over the origins of golf. The museum, which purchased the artwork for $13 million, described it as a significant addition to its collection and one of the finest examples of Dutch winter landscape painting. The image depicts a well-dressed man teeing off on a frozen lake, engaging in a game known as “colf,” prompting some to question whether the roots of golf lie in the Netherlands rather than Scotland.

Pieter Roelofs, head of fine arts at the Rijksmuseum, highlighted the existence of early 16th-century Dutch and Flemish prints that illustrate colf being played year-round, with winter activities taking place on the ice. Roelofs suggested that Dutch or Flemish immigrants may have introduced the game to the British Isles. While acknowledging the absence of definitive written proof that the Dutch were the first to play this type of game, he emphasized the cross-border spread evident from the historical imagery.

The painting, which will be shown from October 3 at the Stedelijk Museum in Avercamp’s hometown of Kampen, holds importance as one of the earliest artworks to focus centrally on colf. Avercamp, often regarded as the pioneer of Dutch winter scenes, specialized in depicting ice-related activities such as skating and sledging.

Despite these points, the claim that golf originated in the Netherlands faces strong counterarguments. Scotland is widely recognized for having the earliest golf courses, with the first formal rules documented in Edinburgh in the 18th century. Records from the early 16th century mention James IV purchasing golf clubs in 1502, predating Avercamp’s painting by over a century. Mary, Queen of Scots, is also believed to have played golf at Musselburgh in the 1560s, and there are 16th-century records suggesting people were admonished for playing golf on the Sabbath.

Neil Millar, a pharmacology professor at University College London and an avid golf historian, argues that although colf and modern golf share some similarities—such as using clubs and aiming at a target—the idea that colf directly evolved into golf lacks strong documentary support. He points out that many continental stick-and-ball games eventually lost popularity, while the Scottish game took firm root, evolving into the sport known globally today.

The National Library of Scotland acknowledges 17th-century Dutch tiles depicting golf-like scenes but maintains that the game's documented history is deeply tied to Scotland. Joep Haffmans, a Utrecht-based antiques dealer specializing in such historical items, noted that stick-and-ball games appeared in various cultures throughout history, including Roman times, suggesting the concept is widespread rather than specific to one nation.

The St Andrews Links Trust, responsible for preserving the Old Course in Scotland, emphasized that golf was played on the grounds as early as the 1400s. The Trust reiterated that, while multiple claims exist about the game's invention, St Andrews remains the accepted home and source of modern golf.

This renewed discussion underscores the complex and multifaceted origins of golf, reflecting a shared cultural history that spans nations and centuries.