What is a ‘skin’? A search to find out why the term is used for the game Skins

it maybe it has to do with trading posts.

But a source pointed out the word “bare”.

Another source suggested calling it “Carryover Clash”.

However, the golf betting game is instead called the “Skins Game,” as is the event set for Friday at 9 a.m. ET to be shown Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley AND Shane Lowry playing for, yes, skins. leather is the term that applies to what is won when a player wins a hole, and they usually have money tied up.

But why “Skins?”

Here’s what the dictionary, ChatGPT, a golf historian, the USGA Golf Museum and Library and the USGA told me.

Origin of ‘Skins’, according to Merrian-Webster

Nothing about golf hereunfortunately. In defense of the dictionary, the Skins Game has not been played since 2008.

Definition 1a(1) said skin was “the composition of an animal (such as a fur-bearing mammal or a bird) separated from the body usually by its hair or feathers”. However, definition 1 c (1) may be valid here, as it said “skin of an animal prepared for use as trimmings or in a garment”.

But there is no interest in the definition of the adjective, which says:

“Committed to showing nudity.”

Origin of ‘Skins’, according to ChatGPT

I had some fun here. My two questions are in italics.

Where does the term ‘leather’ originate in golf?

The exact origin of the golf term “skin” has not been definitively established, but the most accepted explanations come from gambling jargon rather than golf itself. Here are the two main theories:

1. “Leather” as a slang term for money (the most common explanation)

In mid-20th century gambling circles, especially in the US, a “skin” was slang for a dollar bill or a small bet. When players started playing informal betting games where each hole was worth a certain amount of money, that pot became known as a “skin”.

Over time, the jargon spread and the format itself became known as a skin game – each hole has a monetary value and winning the hole earns the “skin”.

2. “Skin” as a reference to animal skins (older linguistic connection)

A less likely idea, but occasionally cited, is that it derives from old trading practices where animal skins represented units of value, similar to chips or tokens. There is no hard evidence that this led directly to the use of golf, but it is part of the wider history of “leather” meaning “a thing of value”.

When did you settle on golf?

The term appears to have become popular in North American gambling circles around the 1950s and 1960s, and it gained mainstream viewership in 1983 with the first televised game Skins, featuring Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson.

Ultimately:

Golf term skin almost certainly comes from American money gambling slang, which golfers adopted for hole-by-hole betting.

2. If you had the choice, what would you call it other than ‘skin game’?

Here are some fun and clean alternatives I’d choose if golf were to name the format today, and each still retains the idea of ​​”win a hole, win the pot,” but without the weird “skins” link:

“carriage crash”

It highlights the drama of the holes that pile up when no one wins outright.

Bounty Hole

Each hole has a “bounty” on it. Simple and intuitive.

“Winner-Takes-the-Hole” (WTH)

Straightforward, a little cheeky.

“Play with a target”

Every hole is a target worth something.

“Look for the Hole”

It has a competitive, almost game-like feel to it.

“Stakes Play”

It retains the essence of gambling, but sounds more formal.

“Gem Game”

Each hole is a “gem” to capture; great if you want a modern and vibrant name.

The Origins of ‘Skins’, According to a Respected Golf Historian

I contacted the X Golf Historians Association account run by the very knowledgeable and well worth Connor Lewis a pursuit. On Tuesday, he posted his response, which you can see below:

The Origins of ‘Skins’, According to the USGA Golf Museum and Library – and some old Skins Game programs

This was nostalgic. I messaged the USGA Golf Museum and Library and they sent explanatory pages from eight programs from the Skins Game’s heyday.

Below are some of the things I found:

– 1985: Here was a definition. The program said: “The Skins Game takes its name from friendly gambling terminology as it applies to non-tournament golf.

– 1986: Golf Digest called Skins Game … War on Spikes. I don’t care about that.

– 1987: Not much insight here, but an ad from Indio Toyota in California was good. It was titled: “All in One.”

– 1990: In an article about Don Ohlmeyer and Barry Frank, two of the main men behind the scenes of the Skins Game, I thought this part was interesting: “Don Ohlmeyer had an idea. The same kind of idea that created such wildly successful ventures as “Monday Night Football” and “Sportsworld.” His final brainstorm would be something called The Skins Game. While The Skins Game was an original concept in the television industry, Ohlmeyer knew that would work. He knew that golfers around the world had enjoyed their weekly rounds with this popular and entertaining proposition. And he knew that, even on the shortest shots, winning a skin provided its share of tension. Don Ohlmeyer decided to turn that “nervousness” into a made-for-TV drama. The story also mentioned the LPGA Skins game and the Senior Skins game.

– 1992: The highlight here was a photo of Payne Stewart dressed from top to bottom in Washington NFL team colors.

– 1993, 1994, 1995: Same info for Ohlmeyer and Frank. But I loved the 90s look of the fonts and design.

Origin of ‘Leathers’, according to the USGA website

This was deepened, but another issue was introduced.

Here it is what the website said:

As a format of golf gambling, ‘skins’ has been around for decades, but only really became popular after the creation of The Skins Game in the 1980s. In other parts of the country, ‘skins’ are also known as ‘cats’, ‘scats’, ‘skats’ or ‘syndicates’. Of these, ‘union’ appears to be the oldest term, going back at least to the 1950s, and possibly even earlier. It has been suggested that ‘skins’, ‘scats’, etc. are simply shortened and simplified versions of the term ‘union’.

So … why did anyone use the term “union?”

Takeaway

So I’m not sure I found the answer and maybe added more problems. But the thought of the trading post seems right.

The Syndicates Game sounds pretty sweet though.

And information on “Nude Game” will not be reported on this page.

Editor’s note: If you have a definitive answer, please email me at nick.piastowski@golf.com.

“>