Evening star., 1898-09-03
Golf Holds a Permanent Place Among
American Sports.
PREPARING FOR THE TOURNAMENT
Crack Players to Meet at the
MonistoWn Links.
RULES FOR THE CONTEST

Written for The Evening Star.
When the royal and ancient" game OF
golf was first introduced on this side OF
the Atlantic there were those who did not
hesitate to proclaim 1t fad that would
soon die a natural death when the novelty
of it had been exhausted. Instead Of this
interest in the Scottish game has steadily
grown stronger and more universal. a
greater number of people are playing golf
this summer than played it last, and when
next season comes around 1t will show a
still farther increase. Golf may have been
fad to start with. but 1t is now we'll past
the fad stage 1t has developed into a
permanent fixture among our outdoor
sports.
The extent of this popularity may be de-
termined when it is stated that over
S15.O00,000 are expended each season on
the game by its devotees. This vast sum
represents only what is spent in the way
of club dues, for necessary equipment. such
as balls, bags etc. far caddy fees, trans
pcrtation to and from the links, and for
the special clothing in which the golfer
garbs himself when he turns out upon the
green's" Large as these figures are. they
are probably under the mark rather than
over 1t, for there are some GIL golf clubs
in the country today, having a combined
The property of the various clubs club
houses and the ground occupied by the
links, no doubt represent many millions
more that have found permanent invest
ment in the game. But this by means
fixes the limit. In addition to those clubs
that owe their existence to golf, there are
numerous private courses that wealthy
fashicnables maintain at their country
places for the use and entertainment of
themselves and their friends There are
n v of ,r{r 10
that are sufficiently extensive and so per-
fcctly kept UP that they deserve to rank
with the best club courses These links.
club and private, are scattered all over the
country; indeed il would be difficult to
name a locality that does not boast a golf
course of some sort,
Rather Expensive.
From what has been said of the amount
of money annually spent on golf, it might
appear that it is game which only the
very rich can afford to enjoy. While this is
in measure true. still many individuals
play golf at an expense of less than 500 a
season, which, of course, means rather
close figuring. On the other hand many
players Spend anywhere from $500 to 81 900
each year on their favorite pastime, though
they probably get no more real satisfaction
from 1t for that reason than do their more
restricted fellows.
Heavy as the expenses of some American
players are, 1t is doubtful if any OF our
millionaire enthusiasts have yet equaled the
worthy Earl of Wemyss. who resided In
East Lothian, Scotland, late in the last
century, and who was familiar figure on
the famous Gosford links. He ended by be-
coming so enamored Of the sport that he
finally built himself a golf house, near the
course; the result. according to John Kerr's
Golf Book of East Lothian" was "the
present palatial building, or at least the
main portion thereof. The earl, though he
mi ma p-f,a hot ha ,,cybf epn1f
Gosford, never inhabited it. When 1t was
completed in the year 1900. the idea got
about that sea sand having been used in
the building, it was damp and unhealthy.
The earl therefore added to the old building
and made tn 1T his house, and the new man
sion stood teranttess till 1t put in
der and tensnted by the present earl in
1880. The cost of the mansion when it was
built at the end of the century was f1O0, 900
At the end of the ninety years during
which it stood unoccupied the accumulated
value at 4 per cent, with compound inter
est, woIld be above three million pounds
This will doubtless stand for a long while
to come as high water mark in the matter
of what a man can do to make golf costly
when he really tries.
The Annual Tournament.
Just at present golfers all over the coun-
try are looking forward to an event of un-
Usual interest. This event is the tourna-
1nent that will decide the amateur cham
rionship of America. The contest viii be
held during the week of September 13 at
the Morris County Golf Club, Morristown.
n. j. These yearly contests have grown in
Importance each succeeding season as in
terest in the game has deepened. Last
years was held at Chicago and resulted in
A. j. Whigham carrying off the amateur
championship honors. The one of the pre-
ceding year was played on the Shinnecock
course. Both of these tournaments were
largely attended and served to create an
enthusiasm for the sport in quarters where
1t had not previously been known. Judging
from present Indications the tournament of
1898 will prove to be the best contested,
most largely attended, and by long odds the
most interesting golf championship contest
played In the United States
The great number of clubs In the imme-
diate neighborhood of New York and the
nearness of Morristown to the former city,
Is OF itself a guarantee of numerous en-
tries Some of the best players In the east
nave Signified their intention of participant
Ing, while the more distant cities, such as
Boston, Detroit and Chicago, will be well
represented by many of their best players,
who VIII come to try. for the very highest
honors the royal and ancient sport has to
offer for skill and cleverness. To prepare
for the contest the Morris County Club
during the last few months, has devoted not
only money, but time and thought as well
to the task of putting the course in the
best possible condition.
Links in Fine Condition.
Willie Weir. the club professional, and
the greens committee have bestowed weeks
OF the closest personal attention to every
part OF the links, with the gratifying result
that they have succeeded in securing a
course that has but three or four EQUALS in
the country. TO do this great many i'm
portant changes and extensions have been
made In the grounds. The course was for
merly 5,O67 yards long, for the eighteen
holes, but the alterations that have been
made have extended 1t by 900 yards, and it
now enjoys the distinction of being the
longest strictly first-ciass eighteen-hole
course In the United States or Canada.
There is no seint of space, the greens are
all large and in perfect condition The ma
lority of them are 100 feet square The first
hole Is 25S yards from the tee. 1t is placed
directly In front of the club house. SO that
the broad and spacious piazza offers an ex-
ceiient point of vantage from which to view
the start The total distance of the out
holes are 2,S23 yards, and the last half Of
the course. or IN holes. is 3,122 Yards.
This makes 1t the longest course in the
country.
Prominent Players.
prominent among the players who will
snow their skill on the Morristown course
a m