Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-01-20
GOLFING ON THE ICE.
On Skates with Swinging Step They
Sweep the Frozen Waters
of the Deep.

most powerful new sport of the winter
is golf on ice. This is like golfng on
land, with a few important differences,
but the persons who golf upon the ice
are the same ones who golf on land.
The popularity of the sport will not al
low it to die during the months when
the earth is covered with snow too deep
for running across the links On land
In the neighborhood around New York
the most popular place for ice-golfng is
the Hudson river when it is frozen stiff
as a sheet of ice and is covered with
snow, from up above the Palisades down
to where the river finds the harbor
The way to play golf on ice is to
mount upon skates and chase a ball
over a certain course. So far it is like
golf on land. The necessary attribute
of golf on ice is that one should be a
very expert skater, and that one has en-
durance and strength and can be COM
Portable in cold weather.
When the Gould family went up to
the ice carnival at Montreal just year
ago upon that memorable tour when
Count de Castellane proposed to Anna
Gould, one of the prettiest sights they
saw was the Montreal ice-golfers. Pref
ty English girls with warm clothes and
red cheeks swung the golf sticks high
in air and made flying descents upon the
ball, chasing it as though on wings. A
game of golf on Ice progresses faster
than a game of golf on land, and more
space is covered in one link than there
is in whole country golf course.
The girls of the Hudson-those hearty
daughters of millionaires who persist i'll
living along the banks of 1.-THE Rhine of
America most of the year-began ice
goling this winter. Their plan is to lay
out links in the form of a course. The
course is marked by trail of fine dark
sand which is sprinkled upon the ice, or
upon the snow that covers the ice of the
river. There isn't over handful in a
mile of trail, but it is enough to mark
the course
The ''teeing hole" lies upon the bank
of the river You start your ball along
the trail, keep it going with as few
strokes as possible on account Of the
score, and finally drive it ashore and into
''tee" The second link lies further
on, and the tee in this case is on The OPP
posite shore of the river, maybe mile
across. All skate along to see fair play,
and the little caddy keeps close 70 the
players heels.
On the return course the trail lies
down the middle of the river and the tee
is pile of snow with hole sunken in
it for the ball. This is very difficult to
make" as the smoothness of the ice
and the smallneSs of the hole carries the
ball on and around instead of in. But
it can be done. The etiquette of the
teeing ground is the same on ice, as on
land. Not a word must be spoken at
the tee, until the ball has been safely
landed in the hole. The length of a
proper golf course on ice, instead of
being the regulation distance of five
miles, is always twenty-five. Those who
do not care to skate can drive along the
river bank, or upon the ice, and watch
the game.
If millionaire could buy ice ponds
with money, it is sure that George Van
derbilt would have golfng on ice at the
opening of his home Biltmore, in North
Carolina, this week. Every other out
door sport has been provided. There is
beautiful pond there that occasionally
freezes over, but the crust is never thick
enough for so many players and their
spectators. But there are all things in
readiness for golf on ice, and if the cold
snap comes they will have it.
The Seward Webbs, whose Shelbourne
Farms, in New England, is the ideal
country place in the world, have lovely
winter golf course that lies over frozen
lake. When the land is passed and the
player reaches the lake, she has her cad
DIV slip on skates, and the two strike
out after the ball. The tools required
for golf on ice are the oval and fat ones.
The round and pointed sticks and clubs
are not needed. There are no obstruc-
| lions on the ice like fences, but there
are snow drifts that require frequent
lofting of the ball. In fact. for golf on
ice particular science is required. The
average player would strike straight
ahead and be obliged to come back; and,
finally, waste more time in returning
than would be allowed for good game.
Back upon the Rockefeller country
places that adjoin each other in the
Tarrytown region there is lovely spot
that nestles quietly enough in the hills
to tempt another Rip Van Wrinkle to lie
down for long slumber. TO this spot
the golf craze has penetrated, and lit
tie house has been put up for the play
ers. They gather in here as though in a
clubhouse. get warm, eat little lunch
cons, and start out upon the chase across
the ice. They can easily cover twenty
| five miles in an afternoons golhng en-
| ice.
Hitherto the Meadow Brook club peo-
ple-who entertained the Duke OF Mari
| here and who bring their guests from
| the Pacific coast every fall for the
| hunting languished during the
| deep-snow season. But this fall the
waters nearest them, the Sound, the
bay, the open bit of harbor, wherever
there is strip of ice, has been called
| into play for ice gol6ng. There may be
| as many links as one pleases, according
to their newest rules, all to be decided
the day before by committee, who
are governed by the state Of the
| weather and the ice.
Golfng upon the ice is a special sport
| with the young millionairesses and de-
butantes. They have opportunity for
so many pretty poses. Nothing is more
graceful than skating, and the playing
| Of a game upon the ice is beWitchingly
| becoming.
A very clever ice golfer is Miss Amy
Bend, the very blond, baby-faced young
woman, in her second or third season,
who is reported engaged to Willy 4.
| Vanderbilt Miss Bend COLTS III the
| Shelbourne farms house parties, and
at the many country places where she
is a guest this winter.
Mrs. Ogden Mills and Mrs. Burke
Roche. both of which beautiful matrons
are the mothers of twins, skate a 4 great
Mrs. Burke-Roche, with her two sturdy
boys, and Mrs. Mills, with her pretty
little girls, can be seen skating every
pleasant day. Their favorite spot is a
| club ground in New York city upon