Sport plays a central role in Scottish culture, with many independent sporting competitions and governing bodies. The two main football codes in Scotland are association football and rugby union, though football is more dominant. Scotland is also known for its golf courses and has a long history with sports like shinty, cricket, and ice hockey. A wide variety of other sports are also played in Scotland.

1. Sport in Scotland

2. INTRODUCTION Sport plays a central role in Scottish culture. Scotland has its own sporting competitions and governing bodies, such as the Camanachd Association, Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Rugby Union, Cricket Scotland, and the Scottish Cyclists' Union. The country has independent representation at many international sporting events, for example the Football World Cup and the Cricket World Cup, as well as the Commonwealth Games; although notably not the Olympic Games.

3. Football codes England v Scotland (1872)

4. Ever since the 19th century, the two main football codes in Scotland are association football (which is more commonly referred to as just "football" or "fitba") and rugby union, though the former being significantly dominant since World War II. Some others are also played. The history of football in Scotland includes various traditional ball games, for example the Ba game; some of these early games probably involved the kicking of a ball. England playing Scotland in the first-ever international football game(The Oval, 1872)

5. Nestling beneath the shadow of theEildon Hills, the Greenyards at Melrose in Scotland is the original home of rugby sevens

6. Cricket Cricket has a much lower profile in Scotland than it has south of the border in England. Scotland is not one of the ten leading cricketing nations which play Test matches, but the Scottish national team is now allowed to play full One Day Internationals, and takes part in the Cricket World Cup, in which Scotland reached the final tournament in 2007. Scotland has a well established recreational cricket structure. Scotland has co-hosted the 1999 Cricket World Cup along with England, Ireland and Netherlands. Ryan watson india odi

7. Golf Scotland is the "Home of Golf", and is well-known for its many links courses, including the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield and Royal Troon. The first record of golf being played was at Leith Links in 1457. Scotland is at the forefront of international golf, with some of the world's premier courses being located there. The most famous courses, such as St Andrews tend to be on the east coast's dunelands, which are known in Lowland Scots as "links" - this word has passed over into golf terminology as meaning a course. There are also major courses at Gleneagles, Ayrshire, East Lothian and Loch Lomond Tommy Armour, 'The Silver Scot'

8. Shinty Shinty or camanachd is the traditional game of the Scottish Highlands, although historically it hade a wider range. It is still played widely across the area today, with clubs also based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Fife and Perth, and in most universities. Its governing body is the Camanachd Association (in Scottish Gaelic, Comunn na Camanachd) who are based in Fort William. The sport's premier prize is the Scottish Cup, more popularly known as the Camanachd Cup. Shinty also has the honour of having provided, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the world's most successful sporting team, Kingussie Camanachd. Shinty was formerly played through the Winter but has recently become a primarily Summer game. It has common roots with the Irish sport of Hurling. Women's shinty

9. Croquet The Scottish Croquet Association, formed in 1974, has responsibility for croquet in Scotland. Notable Scottish croquet players include Compton Mackenzie.

10. Elephant polo Elephant polo is not in fact played in Scotland, although it came to wide attention when a team of Scottish Ex-Pats representing Scotland has won a couple of tournaments in South India.

11. Ice Hockey Scotland has a very long successful history of ice hockey. Scotland are host to the oldest ice hockey team in Britain which are the Fife Flyers. At the moment there are four Scottish teams competing in the UK-wide Elite Ice Hockey League. Edinburgh Capitals have been in the Elite Ice Hockey League since it was formed and in 2010 they were joined by the Dundee Stars and the newly formed Braehead Clan and in 2011 the Fife Flyers were admitted as both their previous league and the Newcastle Vipers went bust creating an opening. Scotland has produced 3 of the top British Players of all time in Colin Shields, Tony Hand and Stephen Murphy and at the moment there is a plan in action to make Scotland a hotbed of Ice Hockey talent.

12. Lacrosse lacrosse in Scotland goes back to 1890 at St Leonards School, Fife, where women's lacrosse had been introduced by Louisa Lumsden. Lumsden brought the game to Scotland after watching a men's lacrosse game between the Canghuwaya Indians and the Montreal Lacrosse Club. Scotland fields three national teams - men's, women's and an indoor side

13. Basket codesBasketball basketballscotland is the governing body of basketball in Scotland. Basketball itself was originally invented by James Naismith, a Canadian of recent Scottish family origins, when he was in the USA. Netball is played mostly by girls from the age of ten to fifteen, and is popular in private schools. JAMES NAISMITH

14. Racquet sports There are several former raquets courts in Scotland: Eglinton Castle, Fyvie Castle, Kinloch Castle (Isle of Rum). However, the game is not much played anymore. Interior of the Eglinton CastleRacquets Hall in 1842.

15. Martial arts A wide range of martial arts are practiced in Scotland, but are usually administered at UK level.

16. Fencing Scotland has produced some Olympic Standard fencers, and there is a small presence in the universities and big cities. Most Scottish fencing tends to be with the foil. Judo Scots have been very prominent on the podium at the Judo events at the Commonwealth Games. Karate Karate groups run in Scotland.

17. Climbing and mountaineering Climbing is popular in some parts of Scotland. Notable climbers include Harold Raeburn.

18. IDIOMS OF ENGLAND

19. Jargon IS APPLIED IN THIS WAY jargon and lingo (for speech and occupational), slang (not cultured popular speech), and cannot (sects and criminals)

21. Dosh - Money / Cash "I have a lot of dosh to give.“

22. Gobsmacked - Incredibly surprised."I was shocked when I saw my birthday presents.“