The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-08-21
ODD STATISTICS ON GOLF.
AMERICANS MORE DEVOTED TO 1T
NOW THAN ARE SCOTcHMEN.
tremendous Amount OF Money spent
Annually on This Sport-Ihcre Are
100000 Players in This Country
sixty square Miles OF Courses.

history of sports in this country dur
ne the past tive years has been the
enormous increase in the scope and
growth of the game of golf. In 1875
here were hardly twenty golf courses.
pr what We're called such by courtesy
N those days, in the United States.
md the game was mildly played by
ew hundred CNpatriatCd EngliShmcn
md Scotchmcu. who. not coming TO
his country young enough To interest
themselves in baseball or football
were forced TO fall back on the only
sport they knew which was adaptable
o their circumstances.
Now there are over 100000 players.
md with customary enthusiasm the
American is more devoted to 1t than
wen its godfather. the Scotchman.
There are to-day 1900 regularly organ
zed clubs with members hips ranging
rom - to 1900, to say nothing Of MI
he private links scattered throughout
he country. for nowadays no rich
mans country place is complete with
nut at least n nine hole course.
All this has come about i'm five years.
The clubs and balls with which the
game is played are so inexpensive that
me never thinks OF the tremendous
mount of money annually spent on
his sport, nor Of the amount of wood.
ron and gutta percha which is re-
Iuired 10 supply the demands OF a sea
on. TO say nothing of the sums in
vested in land and club buildings. \
few moments mathematics. however.
will serve TO show that they are ire
nendous
TO begin with. there are easily POO
200 players in this country Each
eight clubs, and be usually has AT
least as many more AT home. This
gives a grand total of 100000 clubs
in this country.
Accidents are constantly causing
shafts to break. Even the best of
wooden heads will give way in time.
and as there is no one in the world rs
particular and changeable in all that
pertains to his clubs as golfer. il is
safe TO assume nat each of the POO
300 will acquire four new clubs a
year. This means 100000 clubs. and
as the proportion Of irons at $50
each is about equal To that OF wooden
clubs at $3.50 each. The clubs Will az.
erage 81 apiece. or 81 100000
This is for the purchases OF 1909
alone, the expenditures in obtaining
he original set having been SG.4OO. 900.
which brings the total for clubs TO
late up to 100000. Of these new
hubs 100000 are of wood ana 100000
of iron. The wooden clubs will aver
age Al inches in length, so that placed
md 10 end they would reach $4,000. 600
inches. ,S33.333 feet, Gil. III yards. or
i4T miles. The 100000 iron clubs ay-
rage 10 inches in length. would reach.
f placed end TO end. 100000 inches.
100000 feet, 333.333 yards. or $50
niles. If the total number Of new
hubs that Americans will buy this sea
son were, therefore put end to END
hey would reach j3G miles. or from
New York to Buffalo or a little he
rond.
OF the 100000 old clubs in this
100000 are of wood and
100000 of iron. Surprising they av-
rage the same length as the new ones.
although as a mottor. Of roct th.,. ar.
probably an inch longer. due To the
Cardon craze for short c1,,. W., ,ird
hat tho old voo1on c1,,I,s ,I,o,,I ,.,..r
q end vouId roacl, - soo 900 i,,i.a.
100 600 f.at / fcG ccr ,.o,d. ar 81
uiles rho old iro,s ,.o,,Id ro,,i, "a
,OO 600 inches g cG..GeG foot - .,,, .,.,,
ards or 12G2 mills rbc ,vo,Io,, .,,,I
ron Clubs together tbar ,ro,,IJ r.,,.,
,Oq7 miles or from Now yo,r. to D,,,
yer Ndd on 52c nile of ,ris so,.,,,...
.l1hs and Won bor. n linz ,,.I,i,l, LII
.eacb from Now Yorl, - s,It 1,t.o
,itv At rho prcsort r,tc ar s,.nd q.
voi,l1 therefore toI.o ,ho,, I'll.
hours or tbrcn and , bolr d. f.
mako tho trim l,,. r,u
clubs will bc found to weigh ON ou
average fifteen ounces ,pi.co Op tl,ie
,1sis the total number ,r ,i,,,. ~
.cadv ON hand womb vsiyI, ~ 400 on,
,uuces or 1000 OpO Mound. rr.i,.l,,
.ar will carry 20 900 u,rud. ~, tt..
T. would take train of 1000 c,rs f.,
ransport the vciobt A. am. ..,,. ..,,..
inds twenty cars q vcrv t,,.sr, t,r1
iftv would bovo In ,c ,ttartc1 a..
his monster. and if ,vould r.a.b iest
-arJs or pasrl, ,,.. mill,
n tho clubs were p,ot.d I'd, i.c,.. az