New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-11
THE GOLF OF TO-DAY.
MARVELLOUS SPREAD OF THE GAME IN
THIS COUNTRY

n
FAD. But THE RESULT OF THE IN
HERExr ExcELLENC1Es or
THE sPOET-sOME TEN
DENc1Es OF TO-DAY
one Of tho ingenious persons who make inter
estinc statistical paragraphs for the newspapers
has discovered that the money spent OH so'i III '
country would have paid the expenses OF the ->'''
IN Tin. SPANISH war. This is not absolutely "c-
CITRATE but il is well enough TO serve AS an mus
tration Few people realize tho extent 10 WIN"
golfng has noursn.d. II has spread Win an INC
/ enthusiasm that Americans are accustomed 10 ac
cord to a popular outdoor sport and ihat ~ S"!i"s
A., good deal In fact golf has made more progress
here in FIVE years than It has abroad IN 'he sam
number OF decades. Wherever people OF setu'u
means have established their summer MONIES eo'i
links has become almost necessity.
Some idea Of the rapdity with when inns M
tIonaI game of Scotland has insinuated itSeit may
no gathered from tho fact that ten years ago 'ne'e
was no, a regularly organized golt Gu" J" "N
country while to-day the Metropolitan NS'. IA w,
Of This city alone represents more thah ~" '''o
pavcr- All this means vast QUIZ! J" D''
houses grounds and implements for inc Squirt
EXPENDITURES BY SINGLE CLUBS
Tho sbnnccock Golf club. Long Island. IS
said to have spent OC0 since It's organizations "
,so, and tho Morris County Golf Gun. wh're '"c
amateur championship is Ia be held IN Sep''i"p'''
could doubtless show q similar expenditure ~ "
instance Of the money paid for go'f INNS " ''"'
soid tina, the Chisclhurst club Is r"port"" 10 nave
anon, ,1so0OO in purchasing its clubhouse anu
grounds and not long ago the country III" W
proolIno voted the sum OF N20" to increase ~
poIang facilities. These ~" merely given ~ II
lustrntons. When Il Is r"m"mbereh 'h"' soii va"
sprcod 20 AL parts OF the country ana tha' 'hou-
sands Of links are now I'm existence i y '"NS W 80
tina, the total figures must be large.
,o,os vrinkcs in this royal and ancient sport INC
variety and completely Of implements oner'n 'o
tho golfers use amaze the visitor 10 the s''i 'Op
Modern ingenuity and skill have wrouE"' a''"'
changes sincc the middle of the htteeh'n ''",,'S
uhcn. tho game vas first played In Scothh'' '"''
( ,u. ,h,cb to-day are manufactured from sea
.,,od .,,tta nercha were then OF the most ptim'Ne
type According 10 old accounts they were "o'"',e
moro than a wad OF feathers tightly Wrapper III
leather castings.
The clubs of polished steel with which the Ko'e'
a, to-day Is familiar different from the rousn-
y, h.x, blocks OF wood out 81 which tho od-tithe
c,ub-mokers fashioned tho implements or me gam
A fow wears ago most OF the things sol''' "''''
were imported from abroad. but now ever! "'P"'
mont store has f. array Of goods fore's"- ,.'''
Golf bollq however still in large demand MAJ"
/ ufac,urers abroad have expressed astonishmeh' ~
/ ,hn enormous demand when American players nave
created for alt'Iougn iho game has scarcely n'e'
,a,,od berc tho orders FOR goods OF various KINGS
exceed those from any other country
sr-RMIsE THAT LEADS NOWHERE
How so, orisnatnd Is question over which
there has been a good deal ~ enthusiastic ou' PC
yerird study. Theories haN" h'eh "'N""''"
r,nidl,. that they no longer starte any ono. Inc
matter has settled down into regular SUBJECT TOT
a,.rsslo, Ike bime,allism. one authority mas as
covered tina; tho game grew up from inc custom ~
Scottish shepherds ~ knocking stone 'h'o "oe
with their shepherds sticks and perhaps TINS
theory IL good as any .
II is Interesting to note. however. tnat "heh s'''
a., c,mc into favor In Scotland prohbitory laws
were enacted asainst g. In order that II might not
interfere with the practice OF archery for IN mos"
d,ys the bow and were the chief Instruments
-, war The business Of lub-making hah become
90 ,mportant by the time OF James III that In 1913
UIs Majesty appointed regular ciub-maker to the
-o,,l eolr.rs ~ this time golf had taken a hrm
hold as one OF the national pastimes ana was even
countenonced by royalty itself II - said IL was
during game on the links or Leith that TO 'harIes
was handed the letter telling him OF the irish
rebellion.
TO the Ct Andrews Club now TN possession
y, us suaclous links nj Mount Hope. must he given
the credit OF introducing the game into this c"un-
try This was In 1855 when the very meaning OF
the word golf scarcely known mere. Even ,h'n
tho club was better known the Apple Tree
Gang" for It's members had no clubhouse ana were
occustorned 10 meet for play under an old apple
,-c. in Yonkers John Reid. PECULIARLY called the
Father Of American Golf" vas one o' inc ind"-
fa,igabie workers for the club. and until recently
fla president. Last season the old grounds Al ~.
Andrews we're abandoned for a new course AT Mount
Hone where a commodious clubhouse ana an
cigh, ccn-hoe links provide more ad"anai" accom-
nodaiions for ia Increasing membership.
THE FIRST Long ISLAND CLUB
Following ST. Andrew among tho pioneers Of
the game on this side Of the water was the SHINE
cock HIS club. which was organized In september
/ Of 1891 There was a. one time good-natured
/ rivalry between Shnnccock and st Andrews a.
/ 20 which was the elder for when the Long Island
payers established their links nothing was known
! NJ the Annie Tree Gang" Hut the claims ~ ~.
/ Andrews are now well subsjantiated and SHINE
/ cock mus, be RELOCATED 10 second place Roth
are among the most prominent eolhns organza-
tlons OF the East and Shnnecock In particular has
/ won enthusiastic praise from men whose opinions
on golf are Of sterling worth.
not ALI. IN THE ASSOCIATION
-Four years ago the United states Golf Associa-
/ ,io, uas ORGANIZED This VAS IN December. 1874.
when five OF the leading clubs sent Representatives
10 the Calumet cub in this city 10 discuss the
/ aGvisabnity OF forming a league and holding Ma
/ tional championships. The clubs represented were
the Shinnecork IIlls 81. Andrews. Country club
Of Brookline Newport and Chicago golf clubs; and
/ from these original hve has sprung associo-
/ ton whose members hail from almost every state
, I'm the Union. But while a majority OF the better
. known organizations arc Included In the list, tn.
association fai's represent ~ per cent o. IN.
links actually in use. There are countless small
4 clubs and private which have never APP
piled for membership
In the West particularly one ia amazed A. tho
d enormous number OF private clubs which have
sprung up The OF converting the old prairie
soil into IDEAL turf FOR the game IA 50 small
that it needs little indurement to establish We'll.
appointed course.
The practical utility or the United States Assoc
. citation has been sbundantly proved. Doubtless II
F was the American love for Organization which has
cropped up In many sports that led to such
| carN formation Of the lcaguo IN Eng.and. whore