The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-05

Special Correspondence of the Globe.
NEW YORK, Sept. 4-Golf is to be
more poular than ever this fall. The
autumn is the ideal time of year for
golfers, and society will devote espe-
cial attention to the fascinating sport.
Incidentally it may be remarked that
the golf hero is rapidly coming to the
front, and his niche in the temple of
fame has become the shrine Of So
ciety's devotion.
The popular ignorance respecting
the history of golf in America is Ia
mentable, so, therefore, the following
facts should prove of great interest.
Like the Biblical grain Of mustard
seed, so has been the growth of the
royal and ancient game Of GOLF in
the United States Outside of cycling
there has been nothing to compare
with it, and like cycling it's spell has
enthralled all kinds and conditions of
men and women, young and old, rich
and poor, athletic and OF sedentary
tastes. Golf has leveled all. 1t is the
old tale on the links how on Dec. %,
1894 five men, after dinner at the
Calumet club in this city, put their
heads together and formed the United
States Golf association, with a mem
bership of five clubs-the Shinnecocll
Hills Golf club, the st. Andrews Golf
club, of Yonkers; the Country club, of
Brookline; the Newport Golf club and
the Chicago Golf club. On that day
was sown the grain of mustard seed.
Today there are enrolled in the United
States Golf association eighty-nine
clubs, seventeen of which are associate
and seventy-two of which are allied
members. New York leads the van
with thirty-one clubs, Massachusetts
comes next with fifteen, and New Jer-
sey is hard on her heels with fourteen.
Pennsylvania has nine; Connecticut,
four; Illinois, five; Little Rhody,'
three; Ohio, two, and several of the
Western states one apiece. The seven
teen associate clubs which control the
workings of the United States Golf
association are; The Chicago Golf
club, the Country club, of Brookline,
Mass; Newport Golf club, st. Andrews
Golf club, of Yonkers, N. Y; Shine
cock Hills Golf club, Southampton, L.
l.; Essex County club, Manchester,
Mass; Philadelphia Country club;
LdhSWOOu NTOl1 SIOO, AhOiAlo OOaiAIJ
Golf club, Morristown, N. j.; Meadow
brook club, Hampstead, L. L.; Tuxedo
Golf club, Tuxedo Park, n. Y; Myopia
Hunt club, Hamilton, Mass; Wash
ington Golf club; Philadelphia Cricket
club; Ardsley club, Irvington on-Hud-
son; Onwentsia club, Lake Forest, Ill.
Knollwood Country club, Elmsford,
Westchester county, n. Y.
But, in considering the proportions
that golf has attained, it is to be re-
membered that hardly ten per cent of
golf clubs at present fiourishing in the
United States are under the control of
the U. S. G. A, though the influence
of that body is in certain respects par
amount. The association is represent
ed in the West only by Illinois and
Colorado Yet the game 1ourishes
near every city on the Pacific coast
and in every section bordering on the
eastern slopes of the Rockies. Pri-
Vate links are fast coming to be con-
sdered an indispensable accessory to
the grounds of every Fashionable house
along the Pacific slope and the wild
and woolly West generally speaking,
has fallen a willing victim to the
Establishments Of the game that
charms the effete East.
Just now the tendency in the growth
of the game is not towards the form
ing of new clubs, but towards improve