the sport comes from england during the victorian era, where it was played by the upper-class as a game to be played after meals. it has been suggested that simpler versions of the game should be developed by british military officers living in india during the 1860s or 1870s, who brought it back with them. a row of books stood up along the center of the table as a net, two more books served as rackets and were used to continuously hit a golf-ball.