How to play the golf history timeline game

This deck covers landmark moments in golf: the founding of championships and governing bodies, rule changes, famous shots and record runs. A sentence under each card explains what happened. You're sorting the moments by year. One begins on the timeline with its year showing. For every new card, choose a gap; a right answer reveals the year, and a wrong one still moves the card to its real place and takes one of three lives.

Institutions and equipment changes are the tricky cards, because they don't come with a famous face to date them. The player-driven moments are easier if you know the greats, but several involve the same star at different points in his career. The deck reaches from the game's Scottish beginnings to recent comebacks, and the founding events of the American game bunch surprisingly close together.

Want a longer game? On the deck tree you can tick this deck alongside any other one measured in release years and dates, and they shuffle into a single timeline together.

What's in the deck

Here are 28 of the 30 cards you might be dealt, with 2 more in the deck. Their values stay hidden until you place them.

The First Open Championship The inaugural Open Championship was played at Prestwick in Scotland, won by Willie Park.
The First U.S. Open The United States Open Championship was contested for the first time.
The USGA is Founded The United States Golf Association was established to govern the amateur game.
The First U.S. Amateur The U.S. Amateur Championship debuted, won by Charles Blair Macdonald.
The PGA of America Forms The Professional Golfers' Association of America was founded in New York.
The First PGA Championship The PGA Championship was played for the first time, won by Jim Barnes.
Ouimet Stuns the Pros Amateur Francis Ouimet won the U.S. Open, sparking American golf's boom.
The First Ryder Cup Match The USA faced Great Britain in the inaugural Ryder Cup at Worcester.
Jones's Impregnable Quadrilateral Bobby Jones won all four major amateur and open titles in a single season.
The First Masters at Augusta The inaugural Masters Tournament was held at Augusta National Golf Club.
Sarazen's Shot Heard Round the World Gene Sarazen's albatross at Augusta's 15th forced a playoff he won.
Steel Shafts Approved The USGA legalized steel shafts, replacing hickory in championship play.
Nelson's Eleven Straight Byron Nelson won eleven consecutive PGA Tour events in one season.
Hogan's Comeback Ben Hogan won the U.S. Open at Merion sixteen months after a near-fatal car crash.
Palmer's Charge at Cherry Hills Arnold Palmer birdied six of the first seven holes to win the U.S. Open.
Nicklaus Turns Professional Jack Nicklaus won the U.S. Open as a rookie pro, beating Arnold Palmer.
The PGA Tour Splits Off Tournament pros broke from the PGA of America to form their own touring organization.
Nicklaus Wins the Career Slam Twice Jack Nicklaus completed a double career Grand Slam of the four majors.
The Tournament Players Championship Begins The event that became THE PLAYERS Championship was staged for the first time.
Elder Breaks the Masters Barrier Lee Elder became the first Black golfer to play in the Masters.
The Ball Size Standardized A single uniform golf ball size was adopted worldwide by the governing bodies.
Watson's Chip at Pebble Beach Tom Watson holed a chip on the 17th to snatch the U.S. Open from Nicklaus.
Woods Turns Pro Tiger Woods left the amateur ranks to begin his professional career.
Tiger's Record Masters Tiger Woods won the Masters by twelve strokes, the youngest champion to that point.
The Tiger Slam Tiger Woods held all four professional major titles at once across two seasons.
The Solheim Cup Begins The women's team match between the USA and Europe was launched.
Woods Wins on a Broken Leg Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in a playoff despite a leg injury.
Golf Returns to the Olympics Golf was contested at the Olympic Games for the first time in over a century.