The earliest is a noble play.So called noble sport. Not expensive, just because the early aristocracy play.

It is often seen as such, and you can certainly find a certain snobbery in some golf clubs - but this is true of many other activities too. Part of the perception of golf as snobbish comes from the fact that it can be expensive, and there have been - and sometimes still are - clubs and organisations that like to be 'exclusive', which can often mean looking down on others.
However, nowadays golf is more accessible to many more people than before, and there are a lot of people who just enjoy a morning at the golf course without any worries at all about the right gear or 'fitting in'. If you join a club and get to know people, you should find that there are members who aren't at all well off but treat themselves to a round of golf at weekends, or just go for a sociable day out with friends - there is room for everyone, and the main thing is to find a course that you like and isn't too expensive.