Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-24
THE ROYAL GAME OF GOLF.
By Frederic J.. Haskin.

cording to the rules and laws of the
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of st. An
drews. which was founded in liza. 1t was
played by a few persons in America as
FAR back as colonial times, but was COM
| paratively unknown here until the st.
Andrews Club opened it's links at Yonkers.
] n. T.. in 1885 In 1890 it was little heard
of, but by 1906 it had SO spread in popu-
I iarity that there is no longer a city or
| town OF large size in the country which
| has not its golf links, and there are now
| hundreds of private golf courses. 1t first
gained popularity as an outdoor sport In
| the east, but is now in vogue everywhere.
| Even in Porto Rico the American army
| officers have established golf course
within the historic boundaries of San
Juan. The caddies are black in color,
| speak both Spanish and English with
fuency. and are as apt in their sugges-
| tons as to plays as are the caddfes OF
| old Scotland. In the Bahama Islands
| golf courses are planned for the benefit
! of the winter visitors. who enjoy the
sport in tropical Surroundings, while out
| side of Havana, Cuba, an eighteen hole
| course recently has been laid out by q
| golf expert OF worldwide standing.
Golf matters in the United States are
chiefly under the control of the United
U. s. Association Asso c iation.
Numbers $50 Clubs. numbers a5o
| clubs. At the annual meeting, held In
| January, the announcement was made OF
several minor changes in the rules of
| the Royal and Ancient Club of st. An
drews. Scotland The former president,
Silas II. Strain of Chicago, visited Great
Britain last year and placed the American
association in close touch with the rules
committee of he ancient organization.
| The American Golf Association recently
| has opened a sort of a clearing house for
| the purpose of keeping the clubs In
touch with the professional players. and
also with green keepers who are capable
of looking after the conditions of golf
| courses.
| This later is a more important matter
| than at first seems apparent. Much OF
the progress of the game is dependent
| upon the condition of the course. For
| this reason a certain kind Of grass is to
| be preferred, and a number of competent
seedsmen find it we'll worth their while
| to give their attention entirely toward
| the cultivation of grasses best suited to
| golf courses in the various parts of the
] United States. A short, bent grass is the
/ one usually found to be best. Glover is
| not suitable, DIS IL duSoIpo iHoislufc dAu
| has a tendency to make the course
| "draggy for the ball. Then, the proper
amount of moisture to be supplied is
being studied with scientific accuracy. 1t
| varies WITH the seasons and the different
| localities
| Golf Is unquestionably the oldest game
| in existence and many stories are given
as to it's origin. The principle of striking
ball with stick for sport existed be-
| fore the twelfth century, for an old re-
&c y,, r;ctn 70 fol
| and seven maximum baliones," which was
| dated in 1147 These were balls and mall
| let's used in a primitive manner of GRO
quet. 1t included long driving, and drives
| Of two hundred yards are recorded in an
| cent times. The natural forms of sticks
were branches of young trees and sap
| lings with crooked roots, which sug-
gested the method of hitting a ball. In
| 1888 James l of Scotland issued royal
| edict against "Gouff' because interest in
| this bid fair to overcome that of archery,
and the archer's skill was deemed neces-
| sary for the protection of the country. In
| the reign of King James VI, in the six
| teenth century, balls were brought from
| Holland. the game began anew in Scot
| land, and from that day never has been
| out of favor with the highlanders and
lowlanders.
The derivation of the word is much
disputed. The Dutch called 1t "aet Kol-
| ven' at the
Derivation of Name time they sold
Much in Dispute. s sae oa''I = 70 SHINE nne
| lar game was played by the Scandina-
vians at even an earlier date and the
| Icelandic or Morse word for cudgel used
| for striking the ball was "Kolfr." Prof.
Patrick Geddes suggests that the begin
ming of golf. as 1t is played today, was
| the rabbit holes on the ST. Andrews fore
| shore which suggested reach for the
balls. Shepherds herding sheep upon the
| narrow strip of pasture swung their
shepherds crook at the white pebbles
| which abounded there.
The Americans, even in the short time
in which they have been active in golf.
have achieved sufficient success to render
them worthy opponents in any part of
the world. Walter ]. Travis of the Gar
den City Club won the British champion
ship In 1904 and since then ]. d; Travers
has taken the same honor. Harry Vardon
has been five times open champion, in
Guiding a tie in 1911 with Frenchman,
| Arnaud Massey. The president of the
golf club of Paris has asked the presi-
dent of the American Golf Association to
have American play at La Boulie imme-
diately after the British open at Hoy
lake, June 10 to p. The American Or
ganization has Endorsed the project and
1t Is expected that 1t will be one of the
most important golf events of the world.
| A difficulty has arisen because of the
conflicting dates in America. Unless SOME
| Of these can be changed, those who go
abroad must forsake the American open.
| AS their travelling expenses and goodly
| sum besides are Insured, the foreign trip
already has been accepted by several of
| the professional players and 1t is proba-
BILE that some Of the American events
scheduled will be postponed until Sep
| TENDER.
/. TWELVE FIREMEN HURT.
Rlaze in Ralfim0re Causas nannane