Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-05
VERY POPULAR.
The Golf Hero Replaces the Foot
Ball and Athletic Champion.
Correspondence of the Disnatch.)


Correspondence Of the Dispatch)
NEW YORK, September 4.-Golf is to be
more popular than ever this fall. The
autumn Is the ideal time of year for
golfers. and society will devote especial
attention to the fascinating sport. In
cidentally, 1t may be remarked that the
golf hero is rapidly coming to the front,
and his niche in the Temple Of Fame mas
become the shrine of society's devotion.
The popular ignorance respecting the
history of golf in America is lamentable,
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 COM
pare with IL. and. Ike cycling, Its spell
has enthralled all KINDS and conditions
OF men and women, young and old, rich
and poor athletic and of sedentary tastes.
Golf has levelled all 1t is an old tale on
the links how on December Y, 1894, 1--WE
men, after dinner at the Calumet CLUB,
in this city, put their heads together and
formed the United States Golf Associa-
ton with a membership of five clubs
the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. the ST.
Andrews Golf Club. of Yonkers the
Country Club, OF Brookine; the Newport
Golf Club, and the Chicago Golf Club.
On that day was sown the grain OF mus
tard-seed. To-day there are enrolled In
the United States Golf Association 80
clubs II OF which are associate. and "
OF which are allied members. New York
leads the van with 81 clubs. Massachu-
sets comes next with Is, and New Jersey
Is hard on her heels with II. Pennsyl-
vania has .; Connecticut, 4; Illinois, b;
little Rhody" 8; Ohio, 2; and several OF
the Western States apiece The seven
teen associate clubs which control the
workings Of the United States Golf Asso-
citation are: The Chicago Golf Club. the
Country Club. of Brookline, Mass; New
port Golf Club ST. Andrews Golf Club,
OF Yonkers n. Y; Shinnecock Hills Golf
Club, Southampton. l.. l.; Essex County
Club, Manchester, Mass; Philadelphia
Country Club; Lakewood Golf Club; Nor
ris County Golf Club. Morristown, n. j.;
Meadowbrook Club, Hampstead, L. IL;
Tuxedo Golf Club Tuxedo Park, n. Y;
Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass;
Washington Golf Club; Philadelphia
Cricket Club; Ardsley Club, Irvington-on-
Hudson; Onventsia Club. Lake Forest,
H.. Knoliwood Country Club, Elmsford
Westchester county, \. Y.
But, In considering the proportions that
golf mas attained 1t is TO be remembered
that hardly 10 per cent. OF the golf CLUBS
at present flourishing in the United states
are under the control of the United states
Golf Association, though the influence Oh
that body Is in certain respect paramount.
The association is represented in the
West only by Illinois and Colorado. Yet
the game flourishes near every city on
the Pacific Coast and in every section
bordering on the eastern slopes Of the
Rockies Private links are fast coming
TO be considered an Indispensable Access
sorry 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 bland
ishments Of the game that charms the
effete East.
Just now the tendency in the growth
of the game is not towards the forming
of new clubs, but towards the improve
ment and enlargement of the old clubs.
ONLY the other day the St. Andrews club
relinouished its nine-hole course at Yon-
kers, almost historic ground in the eyes
Of the American golfer, for a new elgh-
teen-hole course at Mt. Hope. The pil-
lionaire golfers who make up the Afusiey
Club. following suit, have enlarged their
links and have now an eighteen-hole
course which, like the Mt. Hope one, Is
about 6.0O0 yards long. Both the 81. An
drew's Club and the Ardsley Club are out
after the championship Of 1898.
The open tournaments scheduled Tor
the Metropolitan Golf Association, when
covers a radius Of sixty miles around