El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-09-16
The Game Of Golf, Often
Termed the Sport Of Kings
ORIGINATED IN SCOTLAND

THE concluding chapter of the
| 1910 contest for the amateur
golf championship of America
/ VIII be written at BrOOkline. Massa-
/ chusetts, tomorrow. This championship
! IS one of the coveted hOnOrs of the
/ gOlfing world and always has been a
well contested event. Last year the
| victory went to r. y. Gardiner who, at
| Wheaton. Illinois. defeated II. c. Egan
| in thirty-six hole match, four up and
| two TO play. In the amateur champion
| ship the match form Of playing is used
the score being reckOned by the num-
Der of holes. In the United States open
! championship the play was what is
! known as the medal game. where the
score is reckoned by strokes and
/ George Sargent of Hyde Manor, Yer
, mont, won it by setting a new record
of 29O
Now Established in America
Golf has become one of the estab-
lished sports in America and may fairly
be said TO have succeeded horse racing
as the sport Nof kings With president
Taft a golf enthusiast. as well as a
baseball fan, golf practically has be-
come the game of American official
life It's beginning in America dates
back many years. but as a well organ
lied sport with a competent national
body to supervise it, the game had it's
beginning in the United States in 1894
In that year five of the leading clubs
of the country got together and laid
the foundations of the United States
Golf association, which has become the
recognized court of last resort in all
matters pertaining to golf in the Unit
ed States. At this time there is con-
siderable complaint on the part Of
those interested in
alton over the fact that only 25 per-
cent of the golf clubs of the country
belong to the national organization
Inc membership of a club in the ma
uonaI organization entities the mem
bers of the club to take part in all of
the national championship contests.
and costs only SO year per club
There are about 1000 recognized
golf clubs in the United States today.
and some 25 in Canada. 1t is estimated
that the membership of these clubs ap-
proximates half a million. There are
many links throughout the country.
yet only comparatively few Of them
are extended enough to justify being
called Dy that name Near Chicago an
old race track and fair grounds has
been converted into a golf course and
there one may play upon the payment
OF a stipulated fee per annum. Here
Otio mas IIne picture or the passing
or horse racing and the rise of golf as
the favorfte sport Of prominent Ameri-
cans In the days of Washington il
was to the turf that the official life of
the nation turned for its amusement.
and the first president often took part
either as judge. an owner, or a specta-
eor IN the racing events of his time. In
these latter days one would hardly ex
pect to see the president at the. track
side, but he is likely to be found on
the links when his official duties will
permit
First American Club.
The first golf club in the United
States was the St Andrews club Of Yon-
kers' New York, organized in 1883. At
that time the links consisted of six
holes from $50 to $50 yards apart. This
club was named after the historic St.
andrews club in Scotland, which is
the foremost gOlfing organization of