The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
eoIws MECCA IN AMERICA.

~ SAAA"- - Ht-N11N
To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir. Ihave read
| with great interest the very entertaining article
by MIR. Caspar Whitney published In the October
number OF Hdrpcr's Monthly and entitled Tho
| Golfers Conquest Of America" The article Is
| so generally accurate and exhaustive that 1t is
with some reluctance l venture to call attention
TO one or two mlsapprehensions OF tho author In
regard to the formation of the Shinnecock Hills
Golf Club, though l feel quito confident that Mr..
whitney and all others interested In golf will
welcome any calculated to add to
tho historical accuracy of any account of the
development OF tho game in America on what
may now, ] think latter tho Chicago tourna-
men!). be fairly called national lines. On page
800 of the October number of Hurper's occurs
the following paragraph: "Yonkers is but
one of the many sleeping places for New
York business men, and 1t was to be
expected the golflng contagion would spread to
the associates of the st. Andrews men, and by
them be carried to tho other abiding places of
New Workers.. From skeptic to convert, and
from convert to missionary, was the usual
course. which, before two years had passed.
many times multiplied the original golnnR crew.
From st. Andrews the fever was carried to tho
far END of Long Island, at Southampton, where
in 1890 ~ play began on ground moro than any
other in this country adapted to golanR. Here,
UOU, WIS TCIonIcu III 1ohheIS cApoTlonC0-A
few faithful ones, loyal despite much good
natured quizzinR, and, finally, general adoption
of the ancient and royal game. Once converted.
interest increased, players doubled. and in
1s91-92 the present links were laid out, and one
of the disappointed clubhouses in this country
While recognizing the generally appreciative
spirit in which the above is written. l wish to
point out that 1t was not from SonkerS that
came the golhng Inspiration of shinnccock.
That golf was played BY a half dozen or more
honored members Of the st. Andrews Club,
s sRinnss g 5hi thss i t. iva, W"s p Pl1 SS,ss p sn1Sns yssF:
under a like influence. and that It was played in
Texas, as I have been informed BY one Of our
are all interesting facts connected with the his
tory Of the game IN America; 1t is also a fact
spring, OF 1891. from the French watering place
p pene s%'n to Be- t Sei's 1em ps THAT sso dine Of h sMo
namely, Mr.. Duncan. Cryder and the late Mr..
latter, amidst many discouragements, having
been the chief factor in the establishment q
had been Incorporated tthe first Incorporated
golf club in the United States. Sept. %, 1891.
munity for three or four months, on a perma-
nent links, by a large and constantly increasing
c nn%Sor of s, ent nnnrss ZIG PLAYERS; with on z large
Of us. 80 far as l know. was informed of the
fact that the game, had already been played at
was in the month Of October. 1891, just
six years ago. and about three, or four
at shinnecock. that the writer had the good
fortune to receive a call from Mr.. John c.
T Ter, , EIyek r. t and nra Learned d. from him df Ifs f9F i, III, ,ho
United States. A game on the YonEers links
was at once arranged between us, the first. 1 be-
ferent clubs, though 1t was not until nearly four
years later. July II. 1895. that the first team
the Shinnecock and .Tu: sio clubs on the inks
or the last,named clutS remember that Mr..
not having been ahead of New York in this
somewhat experimenting ,eolting event. In the
pied what may. | think, be fairly called a shift
ing and uncertain links. situated in the suburbs
which the clubs were kept Of Mr.. John Reid's
house, divided with, a friendly apple tree ION
honor NJ fnrnisSiine ~ tba pi1 Ena5 Were nuhs' the
Yonkers Club.
Without in any way wishing to detract from
the laudable efforts and active interest and en-
thusiasm of the other pioneers of the game in
this country: | think, the above is a fair state
as a broad general proposition. that in the sum.
mer Of 1891. and not till then. golf was In the
to be contracted by any one exposed to its infiu.
ence, but that it was at Shinnecock that the
na.sD d to nr sttr p.eyG attention. Sn E Te" and q tb snf eTssas
IL TO be a fact that its raDid spread in this coun-
try. was the direct result of tho influence, more
or less unconscious, OF healthy English outdoor
life upon its American counterpart. first sub
communicated on the neutral
ground of France; and that this infiu-
ence was exerted largely by means Of
letters written by the members OF the
American tennis and hunting contingents
who frequent the French watering places 10
their friends in this country. telling them of the
wonderful ex cellence and popularity Of the game
wherever it had been introduced. and its threat
ening aspect over against their own heretofore
about three years for gol to have established
itself In this country on an enduring basis after
its first substantial Introduction in 1891, while
II required about 800 years after 1t was first
known in England to accomplish the same re-
suit as between Scotland and England. is an In.
problem: but certainly the Rev. Sgd
ney Smiths famous remark about a Scotchman.
surgical instrument and Il joke has, in the case
of the comparatively recent hilarious English
acceptance of golf, been more than amply re-
s.. l.. PARRISH.
FRS SWTEDT I'm