Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-30
GOLF A POPULAR SPORT.
The Famous Old scotch Game Is So
ciety's Latest Pastime.


cfety's Latest Pastfme.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Golf is fast becoming popular. Among
society people 1t has got to be quite the
thing. This favorite Scotch game can be
traced so far back that the exact date Of
its origin is lost While it's adoption in this
country has been slow it is now firmly
rooted, and this season promises to be its
greatest. In their search for something
new the society folks have seized upon it,
and many are learning the game
Golf Is not limited to any particular class
Of individuals. Ladies' and children can
play the game as well as men, and In nearly
all the golf clubs which have recently been
organized the women show as keen an in
terest as the men themselves. Its devotees
claim there is no game under the sun IKE
golf. and as a thorough hcalth-giving exer-
else 1t possesses all of the necessary quail
ties.
The first regular club organized in this
country was the st. Andrews Golf Club.
whose grounds are now situated at Gray
Oaks, short distance above Yonkers, but
within the corporation limits. This club
was organized in 1883, and for the first few
years the members played on various fields
around Yonkers. This year. however. new
grounds have been secured at Gray Oaks,
where the game can be played on a more
systematic basis. A farm of about $50
acres has been secured. and the old-fash-
Toned farmhouse has been converted into a
comfortable and coy clubhouse.
The grounds, or links, cover a space of
about two miles, and there are In this cir
cult nine holes. The holes are about ia
inches In diameter. and are placed In what
are called putting green's These putting
green's are well-leVeled plots of ground from
IS to 90 feet square, and the object IL to
fba favVo
number Of strokes. The circuit leads over
hills. sometimes across streams, bitches,
railroad tracks, as the case may be, and
the skill Of the player Is shown in IoftIug
ards, as they are called. to a position where
he can get good stroke to send 1t down to
the next hole.
Each time the ball is "holed," It is taken
ing" ground, short distance from tho
holes. The player, In starting mis- ball
again In play, may. II he desires, take q
little soft earth. and. making a mound
about half an inch to an inch in height,
place his ball on top of this, which Is the
tee" and then drive 1t as far as he can
toward the next hole.
While in play. the ball must not be touch
ed or moved from the spot where 1t falls.
Should the ball land in one of the hazards,
as in the bottom Of ditch or close to a
railroad track or stone wall, 1t may
quire several strokes to place 1t in a more
such state of affairs may count seriously
against player. since 1t Is desirable to
make as few strokes as possible.
The balls are made of gutta percha, very
hard. and about one and one-half inches
In diameter. They are struck with clubs,
with long. slender shafts. at one end of
which are projecting heads of hard wood,
backed with lead or malleable iron. There
are several different shapes of the striking
ends, adapted to the varieties of play, as
long drives. raising the ball in the air to
clear an obstruction, and others.
When these various features are under
stood, together with the fact that before
finishing a game the player walks fully two
miles and sometimes more, and that too,
over hills and many rough places, there is
no question about the exercise afforded by
golf. Then as there Is no time limit, the
players can rest as much as they please
in going the rounds Of the links