The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-05
CLERGHMEN IN GOLF.
Luck OF Judge stevens in Having the Rev.
MIR. Hughes as Partner.

Luck or JuuBe ste'ens IN HAVING the Rev,
MIR. Hughes as Partner.
Sunday golf at least until after the morn.
ing services are over Ia under tho ban n,
the olergymen. but tho game has the nearly
unanimous support Of the cloth as wees-
day recreation. In Scotland and parts Of
England, Sunday golf Ia against tho law
and the players are liable to penalties
az Sabbath breakers. although they ara
no longer placed in the stocks for all 20
jeer at who pass that way. In this country
local option seoms to govern Sunday
recreatons OF the athletic sort. and as 10
golf the spread Of the game among tia
clergy may lead TO n moro general under
standing between the cloth and laymen
Save on links aloof from populated centres
and so isolated that whatever transpires
there is OF concern only to the members.
there will always be some differences be-
tween tho teachers and the worldly on the
propriety OF Sunday golfing Should the
two classes reach an agreement. II seems
not to be too much to conjure up mil
enium in which the golf balls will not rattle
in tho cups until after the church bells
have ceased TO ring on the Sabbath.
According to one who has looked up
u
grounds OF the Paulist Fathers, at their
summer home near Lake George, at leas,
three years before the first 81. Andrews
course near the Yonkers apple tree played
over in 1888. To some young priests who
had studied in Scotland and England, be-
coming learned in the -nuld game IA well
as in theology. has been given tho credit
OF short practice course at Lake George
in 1885 or 1889. II was not course In tbs
modern definition, nor does the Apple
Tree gang claim 10 having had such a
course.
In the appreciation Of golf all creeds and
denominations are as one. with the ardor Of
drives and flnesse OF putting as keen with
Bishops as in oura tes, or among priests
ministers or rabbits, 80 there is no need To
make a list OF some who especially excel
in the game a church directory. Ten years
ago the Rev. W. s. Rainsford was the fore
most golfcr of the olerics, and he may stil
be entitled 10 the distinction. But Dr.
Rainsford has not golfed at tournament
in some years. He played first in Ireland
and Canada and, when golf came 70 New
York, DR.. Rainsford hailed the game as an
old friend In the first regular national
championship at Newport in 1895, he put
out ia turn Richard Peters and James Park.
only losing TO Charles f. Sands, who was
the runner UP that year. The following
New Years Day DR. Rainhord won tho
cup presented by George j. Gould at the
Lakewood Coli Club and he was in the
front rank Of the players a decade ago.
The Rev. H. Bottome played somewhat
in the tournaments Of that date and also
the Rev. Roderick Terry. At the present
arr very many. while several have won
signal honors in the tournament play OF
the past season. At the Wilmin gton, Del
Country Club, in October. ire chief prize
OF thu nreetlng, a cup press nted by Col.
BEN amin Nields, president OF tho club. was
won in clever style by the Rev. F. +. Briggs
who defeated Elmer H. Mitchell, by 4 1p
and 10 plny In Great Britain, naturally
for they have been at the game
longer. there are more scratch players in
proportion among the clergy than there
are in this country Until the last moment
before sailing the Rev. II. {. NJ. Croom-
had been counted on to tour in this country
with the Oxford and Cambridge Society's
team in 1903.
Team play and the competitions OF the
at the home club are the favorite
forms Of the game with the clerical gofers
in this country. Al the Frankford, Pa.
Country Club the Rev. Joseph II. Wood
was the captain of the second team last
season and proved 10 be very efficient
Official. A Philadelphia clergyman, the
rev. oIIOn NdIi, ltaH pIStJtu tIlOIt lHdi
once with the picked ten Of tho Philadelphia
Golf Association in the annual matches
with the Metropolitan Golf Association
and at Bala last spring he defeated Percy
R. Pyne, ID, OF the New York team aud
former intercollegiate champion by 3 up
The Rev. Dr. Carr has a high rank on tho
team OF the Huntingdon Valley Country
Club. his home club. and at the tourna-
nenl for Philadelphia Golf Association
in September. over the links Of
The st. David- Golf Club, he won the much
coveted Philadelphia cup, beating George
A. Crump in the final on the nineteenth
hole.
In the event OF that remarkable hap
peninE that is always dancing with the
alurement OF will-o'- the-wisp before the
golfng vision and which il seldom confessed
without some corroborating evidence a.
hand by a player, the making Of a hole
10 ! it il evident that the lucky mortaI
Is doubly fortunate should he chance 10
have Clergyman as his opponent This
rare juxtaposition of events occurred last
,sason with Judge Frederick Stevens II
Trenton on Sept 30, when playing with
he Rev William VI. Hughes OF Morris
own, for he holed out on the i65.yaTd
seventeenth hole OF the Morris County
Inks on the tee shot.