Igalufa ngumdlalo osebenzisa iiklabhu zegalufa ezahlukeneyo (iiklabhu) ukubetha iibhola zegalufa zibe yimingxunya. Igalufa ngumdlalo onobuhle obukhethekileyo, ovumela abantu ukuba bazilolonge kwindawo entle yendalo, bahlakulele iimvakalelo zabo, bahlakulele ukuzilima kwabo, kwaye banxibelelane ngezakhono. Waziwa ngokuba "ngumdlalo wefashoni nomhle".

Igalufa yaqala eScotland ngenkulungwane ye-15, kwaye igalufa yokuqala yayidlalwa kakhulu ziinkosana kunye neenkosi. Ngokuthandwa nokuphuhliswa kwezixhobo zegalufa, igalufa yaqala ukuthandwa phakathi kwabantu abakumgangatho ophakathi. Ngenkulungwane yama-20, ngokumiselwa kwemithetho kunye neenkqubo zegalufa, iminyhadala yegalufa yamazwe ngamazwe yayiqhutywa kakhulu. Ngeminyaka yoo-1820, igalufa yaziswa eAsia, kwaye igalufa yaziswa eTshayina ngo-1896, nto leyo eyaphawulwa kukusekwa kweShanghai Golf Club eTshayina. Ngowama-2015, iVolvo China Open yama-21 yaphela eShanghai. UWu Ashun uphumelele ubuntshatsheli. Eli lixesha lokuqala umdlali waseTshayina ophumelele ibhaso loMdlali weNyanga we-European Tour.

I-United States Golf Association kunye neRoyal Ancient Golf Club yaseSt Andrews eNgilane ziyaziwa njengezona zinegunya lokutolika nokuhlaziya imithetho yegalufa. [3] Imincintiswano yegalufa ebaluleke kakhulu kwihlabathi ibandakanya iNdebe yeHlabathi, i-US Open kunye neminye imicimbi.