Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-20
ADVANCE is RAPID
Golf Growing in Favor in
America and Number of
Players Increases.
LINKS GROW NUMEROUS
Big Gains in This Country Proof
of Fascination-Near Every
Town Has It's Course.

Although golf in America is still In
its swaddling clothes as compared Will
the game on the other side of the At
lantic, it has much to be proud Of. foI
unquestionably the royal sport has
worked wonders in a comparatively
short time. 1t is doubtful If even the
most optimistic deyotees Of driver AM
iron ten years ago would have dared
to predict that in 1910 golf would give
employment to thousands and add To
the attractions of hundreds of towns
and villages.
Time has shown that golf is not q
pastime to be taken lightly, but, rather,
seriously. Practically every other
game has its limitations as to season.
Not so with golf. for only a foot or
more of snow will prevent the golfer
from making his rounds OF the links,
and weather is never too hot to pre-
vent il, either.
No longer does the man in the street
gaze at the golfer with his set of clubs
as a curiosity. Nor is the hockey
player" remark so frequently heard.
One might hear a man of the navy
type inform his friend that golf is a
rotten game" but even this is sign
of progress. for he knows it is golf
and not hockey.
The huge strides golf is making and
has made is conclusive proof Of its
fascination. Ten years ago the golfer
had to travel much longer to reach a
golf course that he does at present
Every town of any size at all has its
golf course. No seaside resort is a
complete success unless it has its own
links, and it is the knowledge that golf
is to be had that frequently brings the
visitor and his family. This is also
true Of many inland resorts.
This means business for the resort
or the village in or near which the
course is located. Even in ten years
Garden City. n. Y, has made big
strides in the way Of improvement,
and much of it is due to the golf
course there. Incidentally Garden
City now has two courses. the second
being the Salisbury links, over which
the tournament Of the Eastern Profess
sional Golfers association was played.
Not an Exceptional Case.
This is Us no means an exceptional
case. for there are great many other
cities and towns where similar in
stances might be cited. Landowners
are quick TO realize the fact that the
ground they have hitherto looked upon
as being scarcely worthy OF considera-
ton IS valuable from a golfng point of
view, and they charge more per acre
for it than they do for their agricul-
tural land.
With regard to the employment that
the game provides. it is difficult to es-
innate it. Professionals and their as
sistants. ground keepers, caretakers,
iron head makers, golf ball makers,
etc. are dependent upon the game,
while there are thousands Of boys and
even men who make their living as
caddies. The list could be considera-
bly, increased, even TO those who earn
their livelihood by making mixtures
for the determination OF worms and
other ground pests.
From the health point of view golf
is a well known preserver of youth.
not only being prescribed by physi-
clans as a health restorer, but being
played by physicians themselves who
practice what they preach.