Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-17

What does We ancient game Of golf
cost the PLAYERS of the United States
annually?
The question is so broad. embracing so
many details. that it almost precludes
an answer, and when one considers there
are almost 10000 playing members in
the more than 500 clubs in the United
States-clubs some of which are so ultra
exclusive that one must needs be a MIL
lonaire to keep up with the expense at
tached to a membership, while others
are so generally open to the public that
golf is brought down to level with the
cost of the theater, base ball and week
end eXcursions-one can readily see no"
the problem resolves itself into one of
averages and estimates.
There are golf clubs whose courses are
open to players of medium means. while
there are others in which a membership
entails an outlay equal to small for
tune. but, fortunately for the golf play
ers in general, these clubs are few III
number The great majority of clubs
in the United STATES most of them aff1l-
lated with the United States Golf Asso-
citation. and whose membership takes &C
tive part in tournaments, call for a imam
cial outlay which, while not IN the neigh
borhood of a fortune. is big enough to
give pause to even a man of considerable
means.
When trying to compute the actual
cost to golf players OF the United states
the estimated number of clubs, including
the big and little, ultra exclusive and
modest ones is considered together
with the estimated cost Of golf to players
Of all kinds of clubs, and an average is
drawn from the total
Some one has said that many players in
the United States Golf Association make
outlays of more than $1,000 each year.
This perhaps. is true, but TO oHSet II
there are a great number that play golf
throughout the season without the aver
age cost reaching $50.
There are fifty-nine associate clubs in
the United States Golf Association ana
in each the membership is not far below
the 700 mark. Then there are 2o6 allied
clubs, the membership of which will
average about 800 each. IN these clubs
the annual dues will amount to perhaps
$500 per member. Besides this there are
some clubs whose members pay as high
as 81, 600 for the privilege of the course
aside from the membership fee, but these
are few.
Outside of the United States Golf AS
ISOLATION there are perhaps 800 eoif CLUBS
with memberships ranging from IND eaci
to 100 each. At these clubs the member
ship fees are also relatively smaller and
range from $50 to 500 year
Some one has attempted TO compute the
number of playing golf followers in the
United States by estimating the number
of clubs averaging the NUMBER OF mem
bers (estimated) in each and nndinS the
sum total. There are 3l5 clubs IN the as
ISOLATION. with an average neIlpetsIlp
PLAYING membership OF the association
11O,2JO In the 500 other clubs, not afflli-
ated with the association, the MEMBER
ship average has been estimated at LOO
III, hrin N total a
Is 900 players. Taken together the hgures
show that the estimated number OF play
ing golf club members IN the Initeo
States Is 1920, and this Is, perhaps
| all too small an estimate
The first cost to these players is the
entrance or club fee, which varies &C
| cording to the location, size and pres
| tige Of the club. Where some clubs
embrace a membership that pays from
$500 to $500 per member, there are others
| in which the membership pays only
| from $50 to 500. An estimate is struck
by placing the average annual fee at
$50 per member. Then. with TINS as
basis. one finds that 1920 golf players
pay annually s9.262. 500 for club fees,
aside from the costs incurred in actual
play.
Then comes the cost of golf clubs, balls
bags. travelling expenses, caddying, re-
freshments and the thousand and one
things incident to a trip to country
Climb golf course. mere IL where Il
wide diversity of opinion is possible. for
there are no two golf players who will
spend in a year amounts on incidentals
that are anywhere near equal. One will
say that his expenses do not reach 500 a
year, while others say they have no way
of estimating this cost. None, however
who follows golf closely as a player can
say that 1t costs him less than half
hundred a year, while great majority,
were they so inclined to keep an accu-
rate expense account of what they spend
in small sums here and there. would be
amazed to know how much they really
spend while playing golf.
Some players go every day to the links
others two or three times or perhaps
only once a week. Some go in motors
others in trolleys. many drive and many
walk. Here, again. is a wide gap I'm the
relative cost of travelling expenses Aside
from the travelling expenses from one s
home to the links. there are the tourna-
ment expenses. entrance fees and trips to
other courses. One English player re-
Gently declared his annual expenses for
golf in year would amount to $500.
Ia