Why is the VW Golf called the rabbit?
To recap, the VW Golf was originally called ‘Rabbit’ in America because Volkswagen believed that the association with the sport of golf might hamper sales of the car (even though we know the car isn’t named after the sport – as per this recent article we released).
What is the meaning of the word golf?
Golf – Meaning of Word Golf A common misconception is that the word GOLF is an acronym for Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. This is a 20th century joke and definitely not true. It is now generally accepted that the ‘golf’ is derived from an old word meaning ‘club’, though this in turn may have older cognate roots dating back to ancient times.
What is the origin of the Scottish word ‘golf’?
Goff, gowf, golf, goif, goiff, gof, gowfe, gouff and golve have all been found in Scottish documents. The first documented reference is spelt ‘golf’, but most people believe the old word ‘gowfe’ was the most common term, pronounced ‘gouf’. Certainly, the word ‘gouf’ is found extensively in written texts, long after ‘golf’ was the acknowledged game.
Where did the term ‘gouff’ come from?
Allan Ramsay referred to ‘gouff’ in his Elegy to Maggy Johnston in 1711. Dr John Rattray, the winner of the Silver Club at Leith in 1744, 1745 and 1751, refers to the ‘Gouffers’ in a letter in 1752. The Loudoun Gowf Club maintains the tradition of this terminology. In Gaelic the word is ‘goilf’ and a golf course is ‘raon goilf’ or ‘cùrsa goilf’.