A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1545-1685
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Golf-ball, n. Also: goulfe-, gouff-, gowffe-, goiff-, gof-ball; golf-, goif-baw, gouff ba. [Golf n.1] The ball used in playing golf.(a) 1585 Waus Corr. II. 341.
Ye will remember to bring with yow ane dossen of commoun golf ballis 1601 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 81.
Ane dosan of golf ballis 1637 Banff Ann. I. 78.
He sauld twa of the golf ballis to Thomas Urquhart(b) 1598 Edinburgh Testaments XXXI. 322.
xxxij gouf ballis 1614 Criminal Trials III. 289.
I will bring with me … cannone billetts … brokkin lyke goulfe balls vpoune the castelle 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III. 174.
Ane nomber of gowffe ballis 1642 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 286.
The said day [the council] grants licence … to John Dickson of making gouff balls within this burgh 1664 Carstairs Lett. 110.
Bid him send you a dussen … of good gowffe balls a1646 Wedderb. Voc. (J).
Pila clavaria, a goulfe ball(c) 1610 Edinburgh Testaments XLVI. 160.
Thrie goiff ballis at iiij s iiij d the peice 1612 Ib. XLVII. 123 b.
Fyve scoir tuell flok goiff ballis 1613 Misc. Spald. C. V. 89.
Jhone Allan, … convict for setting ane goiff ball in the kirk yeard, and striking the same against the kirk 1646 Edinburgh Testaments LXII. 10 b.
Twa dussane and ane half of gof balls(d) 1545 Aberd. B. Rec. XIX. (J).
Three dossoun and thre goif bawis 1568 Edinburgh Testaments I. 153.
Thre dosan of golf bawis, price thairof xxiij s. 1685 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries LVIII. 356.
A lether pock with some gouff baes
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"Golf-ball n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/golf_ball>
