Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-02

Il an expensive game-a game for quality
folks and out Of the reach Of the masses.
This has been done by the organization
Of clubs with expensive settings. club
houses more OF less elegant in their ap-
pointments. retinues Of servants and
general appeal to those who have money
to spend. This Is why we ask for public
links, supported at public expense, that
people who cannot afford the high-priced
luxury may enjoy the game. get the glow
Of health and acquire the bodily vigor that
ought TO go with good citizenship. AS 1
understand the game. It has been played
in Scotland and elsewhere over grounds
by no means perfect lawn and with clubs
home made and crude. The game can be
made expensive, of course, but with public
links the expense is reduced to the mini
mum.
Miller park has Of late years been grow
ing into a beautiful place, winding drives,
beautiful trees and a handsome sward. II
is largely as nature made It. 1t has some
spacious and level commons with few trees,
and these we are trying to utilize for the
links. The park is much used by those
who ride and drive. but not by picnickers
or sight-seers, who have not yet learned
the beauties OF the place. The park board
is we'll equipped to take care of the greens
and the expense after once opened Will
not be great. Other cities have golf links
in the parks-Des Moines two, Louisville,
Cleveland and Chicago have links or are
establishing them. The expense so far
incurred in Miller park is very small in
deed. Riverview has It's animals, secured
at considerable expense. and their care Is
no small item. Hanscom has its flowers
fountains and lake.. These are luxuries
for which the public pay. Doubtless hun
dreds of our citizens never saw the animals
in Riverview park. 1t is our privilege to
go there at any time. So with golf links
in Miller park. Hundreds of citizens may
never use them, but it is their privilege
Those who have signed the petitions for
the links are enthusiastic; some Of them
are large taxpayers and realize that the
public foots the bill when a park is i'm
proved.
I'm order that the links may be popu-
iarized a club is being organized. 1t has
on it such names as w. II. McCord, Colt
Campbell e. p. Boyer, one of the cham
pion golf players of the city; ]. B. Stew
art, I'd, Harry Lawrie, q well known en-
thusast; Councilman Nicholson, F. j. Hoel
who would rather play golf than eat. The
object in having organization is to place
the club in a position to affiliate with
other clubs, conduct tournaments and Sc
cure footing in associations. The organ
tzers have in mind the erection OF a club
house of modest dimensions in year or so
and of securing grounds adjacent to the
park for larger links. There is a large
waiting list at both Field and Country
clubs which could be utilized in forming
this new organization, and since the meet
Ing of the park board Thursday all that
now remains to be done is to see that the
links are laid out and kept in shape"
The Western Golf association has inau-
gurated a team competition of four play
ers from any golf association in the world
which will be played annually over the
links of the Chicago Golf club, Whea ton,
Ill, and consist of d contest at thirty six
holes, medal play. Total medal scores of
each team to count. The first competition
will be played onSMonday, August 7, 1905.
Any golf association in the world composed
of clubs is entitled to enter one team of
four players for this competition. The as
sociation team having the lowest total
score will have Its name engraved on the
Olympic cup and each member OF the win
ming team will receive a silver replica, En-
tries for the Olympic cup competition will
close on Saturday. August g. 1906, at the
club house Of the Chicago Golf club,
Wheaton, Ill. All entries must be made
| through an officer of an association. The
privileges of the club house and grounds
| are extended to all contestants for one
week prior to August Z. 1t should be dis
| tinctly understood that the Olympic cup
| competition is an association team match
| not a club contest However, II so desired
| by any association, all the players COM
| prising it's team may be selected from a
| single club. member of the associa ton.
| There is no entrance fee.
Golf at both of the clubs is the premier
| game far as the number of contestants
| are concerned, and the numerous cups fur
| nish plenty of match play so that interest
is always keyed up, Every Saturday sees
| the start on play for one of the cups given
| by the clubs and by private parties and the
rest of the week is generally consumed in
winner. There are forty or fifty entries al
| the Field club for nearly every cup, and
still there are a hundred who do not con.
| slider that they have become proficient
enough in the game to try against the
| cracks. Many are practcng with the in-
tention of going to Chicago or st. Louis &c
one of the big tournaments and the experts
are busy showing the proper strokes From
present indications Miller park Golf and
Tennis club will soon be knocking at the
door for chance to send some of its play.