# Skins game **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 27, 2001, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080 "2001-02-27T18:11:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fracrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a6a055/32.png) [@fracrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fracrat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/1 "2001-02-27T18:11:18Z")
Have you seen Scottish women? Or their wonderful food? Mmmmmm, haggis! Can’t blame them for opting for a round of golf! ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/2 "2001-02-27T18:29:28Z")
Welcome to the SDMB. A link to the Staff Report is appreciated. It is [What’s the origin of a “skins game” in golf?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mskinsgolf.html) But I think there might be a few Scottish people around to dispute your statements. Personally I find Scottish women to be quite tasty, and Scottish food to be quite good looking. I don’t care for golf, though. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/3 "2001-02-27T19:26:24Z")
_waiting for one of our fine Scottish lasses to come in, so **fracrat** will realize the magnitude of his error…_ I agree with you about haggis, though. I don’t like oatmeal, either, even if it is mixed up with tasty meats. ---
**Author:** ![barrydraper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c2a13f/32.png) [@barrydraper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barrydraper)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/4 "2001-02-27T21:40:36Z")
As a Califorian I must tell you that gambling is perfectly OK here as long as you are on a Native American Reservation. You can have your “Skins Game” at any golf course that is on a reservation. I don’t recomend bringing any furs or pelts, though. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/5 "2001-02-27T22:47:16Z")
Scottish here on both sides. Clan MacGregor. You don’t know what you’re missing. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/6 "2001-02-28T00:13:08Z")
I assume that “Tom Robinson” is the golfcourse architect that I get when searching for his name on “Google.” And I’m sure he know much about golf. If I don’t know his name, and he is in the golf hall of fame, for this I’m truly embarassed. After reading his fanciful explanation of the origin of “skins” as a golf term, we are left waiting for the “real” SDAB member to provide us with the etymology. I can only offer the term _skin game_ as reported by Mathews in _Dictionary of American Slang_. The term goes back to the 1860’s in US slang, and refers to a game of chance where the players have little chance against the house. How this could have permutated into today’s golf game, I haven’t a clue. Perhaps they aren’t connected. Can anyone connected to the SD offer a cite in print as relates to golf, prior to say, the 1960’s? If I have missed something here, and made a fool of myself(again), well, it _was_ a great bottle of wine. PS :::visualizing **JILL** in plaid undies::: ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/7 "2001-02-28T04:19:11Z")
> [@](#): > > PS :::visualizing **JILL** in plaid undies::: **samclem** , why you would picture any Scot as wearing undies, is a mystery to me. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2001, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/8 "2001-02-28T05:10:43Z")
[http://www.standrews.org.uk/history/history.htm](http://www.standrews.org.uk/history/history.htm) History of golf at St. Andrews going back 600 years. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/9 "2001-03-01T05:36:54Z")
I would propose that [this site](http://www.lag.com.au/questions/learn16.htm) answers the question of the origin of “skins” game with a bit more logic. While I have yet to examine each assertion that Mr. Wright makes, he and I have a similar suspicion about the origin. ---
**Author:** ![cameron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@cameron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cameron)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skins-game/56080/10 "2001-03-03T16:19:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JillGat \* > \*\*Scottish here on both sides. Clan MacGregor. You don’t know what you’re missing. \*\* Is that front and back? (Sorry, couldn’t resist).