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What: “Beacons of the Game”

Where: The Golf Channel

When: Today at 5 p.m.

The Golf Channel, now seen in 18 million homes, has struck again with a well-produced, well-researched, slick-looking, informative special. This one takes an in-depth look at the evolution of golf with a journey through time to give a better understanding of the history and purpose of golf organizations.

As narrator Jack Lemmon says in the beginning, these organizations “embrace and protect the traditions of golf.”

The documentary is actually a history of the game, with its organizations used as the focal point. It begins with a look at the game that originated in Scotland in the 1500s when strokes were not counted.

The first organizations were the Edinburgh Golf Club, formed in 1744, and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, created 10 years later. As Edinburgh grew and engulfed its golf courses, St. Andrews became recognized as the home of golf. The first rules committee was formed there in 1897, and to this day is responsible for golf’s global solidarity.

The history of golf in the United States is traced to David Dees of Charleston, S.C., the first provincial grand master mason in the U.S. It is known that he ordered 96 golf clubs and 432 balls from Scotland in 1743.

The first golf club in the U.S. was the St. Andrews Golf Club in Yonkers, N.Y., founded by Scotsman John Reed on Nov. 14, 1888. Yonkers is also where the Amateur Golf Assn. of the United States, now the USGA, was founded on Dec. 22, 1894.

The creation of the PGA of America, the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour are also covered. If you are a golf enthusiast, or just a history buff, this show is highly recommended.