He was a Scottish professional golfer in the 19th century but he predicted bullet trains, driverless golf carts, televisions and digital watches.
In a book published in 1892 with uncanny echoes of 16th century French seer Nostradamus, golfer Jack McCullogh also predicted that women would start dressing like men and do all the work while their menfolk took to the golf courses full-time.
Now the little-known book, “Golf in the Year 2000 or What Are We Coming To” by McCullogh under the pseudonym J.A.C.K is up for auction.
“This book is a cross between Nostradamus and the tale of Rip van Winkle because the main character goes to sleep on March 24, 1892 and wakes up on March 25, 2000 to find all these amazing changes,” said spokesman Philip Gregory of auction house Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh who are holding the sale on Saturday.
Driverless golf carts became a reality in the 1980s, Japan’s bullet train went into operation in 1964 and digital watches were all the rage in the 1970s.
McCullogh even predicted international team golf competitions like the Ryder Cup which was first played in 1927.
Golf is also an increasingly popular sport across the world and women are rising to the top of business leadership.
Michel de Nostradame is credited with having foreseen many of the key events in history from the fire of London in 1666 to the destruction of the Challenger space shuttle in 1986.
But unlike McCullogh writing in clear English, his predictions are hidden in 942 cryptic poems that have generally been deciphered after the events they foretell.
