The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-03


ments Increase the Expenditure Greatly
Many Millions Invested in LINKS and
ClubhOusss - GOIT-CIrcuIatcd Money.
Il wish der money desc folks spend on
golf was in my pockets sighed the caddie
boy as ne laid down tho bag Of clubs. -It's
der one best bet dat I wouldn't work no
more"
The remark ioated into the club smoking
room through an open window and a group
Of members took il as the text for their
after gOlfing talk.
IF the lad had mentioned yachting, mo-
toring, racing or even baseball. commented
a newcomer TO the links. the wish you'd
have been better founded. Golf is the
cheapest Of pastimes."
Perhaps it Is to one who uses a public
links and has no club dues TO pay" r~ejOined
the club statistician. yet to all others the
cost Of the game fOots up to a pretty total
at the years end. although | agree that for
the healthFul ~enjoyments 1t returns golf is
cheap at whatever price,
well, l don't see how the cost is to amoun
TO much the novice came back at him.
Take my case; I've paid 500 to join the
club and $50 for the years dues; my set Of
clubs and bag cost me SIS and a box Of balls
50. that's all"
"YOu have paid a caddie boy 50 cents
each time you have gone eighteen holes.
and your luncheon. drinks n cigars each
visit nave cost at least So said the statis-
tician. Then there is you railroad ticket
to be counted in and also the $40 you have
paid Sawney for coaching"
Hold onl" broke in the novice. Il take
a trolley car to the club and wherever l
am luncheon and incidentals would prob
ably cost as much as here. Don't blame
golf for hunger or thirst"
when you get older you will bless golf
for the appetite it brings n the good di-
gestion that waits on it," interrupted a
veteran. -You two chaps are arguing in
away up the air."
81 figure that a club mans golf costs him
little as a running charge but caddie fees.
which will o exceed 1920 a year, or $40 n
month, unless One plays a daily ound.
Club dues are a fixed charge, say $50 the
first and $50 the succeeding years.
A outfit Of S25 goes to the first years
e New clubs and repairs do not
amount to more than $40 a year, for the
rubber cored ball does not injure wooden
clubs as the solid ball did.
Each heart knOweth its own bitterness
as TO the number Of golf balls busted or
lost each month. Ten dozen a year. costing
at top rates 800, would be an outside esti-
mate for it.
I'm other words, a mans golf should cost
him about slOO the first and t275 each sue
ceeding year.
what about lunches and all that?' asked
somebody.
why figure them? They are fixed charges
whether we go golfing or not. As to
transportation to and from the course, the
modes Of conveyance rangs from trolley
cars to automobiles and rant be averaged.
FOR really, people are always moving about
in this world and golf compels no extraor-
binary OUTLAWS OF this sort.
course Whenever a player makes a
journey simply to play in a tournament his
travelling and living expenses may prop
erly be charged to golf. Cutting the trip
10 the three days Of actual play and allowing
one day zach way TO travelling 1 suppose
$50 is about the LEAST a player from New
York ran get through on at nearby towns.
exclusive Of railroad tickets.
And when you go to tournaments further
away each New Yorker will spend from
1000 to $4,000 on golf all by his lonesome"
said the statistician. Including the ma
tlonal championships the records were
printed OF eighty-ive tournaments for men
in 1905.
This years crop will be greater when
the returns are all In. II each put only
q. 900 into action the total spent at golf
tournaments for 1903 would have been
$4,000.
"Geel" whistled the novice member
That's going some. eh2"
Take another broad view Of the ex-
penditures personally on golf" continued
the golfer Of calculations. -and try to Ak
at s275 per capita tho money put into the
game each year by tho players. But how
can you estimate the number Of players9
well, the American Coli Guide has a
list Of l.IDA clubs and links. The largest
and best clubs are In the United States
Golf Association, which has 2s7 members.
There are afty-eight clubs in the Metro
poItan Coli Association-the New York