El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-20

wv TASHINGTON, D. C. March 20
w The month OF March has been
a record breaker for the num-
Der of important golf events which
have been scheduled for it and in every
part of the country the results Of
these tournaments have been eagerly
awaited by an increasing number Of
men and women who each year are
becoming enthusiastically Interested
GClf is a game for all the year round
Even upon a comparatively cold day
the enthusiastic golfer can manage TO
keep his blood in active circulation dur
ing a brisk run around his course,
while upon a warmer day he may take
the exercise more leisurely-
GOl6 Fans Increasing
The golf ians' are increasing in
number every season and their interest,"
is becoming quite as keen as that Of
the baseball fans" Golf as game
appeals to a larger class of people than
any other outdoor sport It Is equally
suitable for men and women, bOt1
young and old The individual is de-
pendent absolutely upon his own skill
His chances for winning cannot be
spoiled by some one else. A poor
pitcher may ruin the chances of the
best baseball batter IN the world The
tennis player is dependent largely
upon the skin Of the server, but the
golfer has a chance for free, individual
achievement Each player makes his
strokes in his own time and his game
may be suited entirely TO his physical
capacity
Free Links Are Urged.
The healthfulneSs Of golf as an eN-
ercise is being recognized by the park
commissioners in a number of cities,
who are planning public golf grounds
which shall be free TO the public. One
OF the last official recommendation
OF president Taft was that public golf
links be established in the District of
Columbia, in order that the benefits
of the game might be within the reach
OF those who were not able to pay for
membership in the country clubs in
the locality Within the past ten
years, thousands of men and women
have taken up golf and with the eStab-
lishment of public golf links it is
ceasing to be looked upon entirely as
a rich mans game.
Men of Advanced Years Enjoy Game.
John D. Rockefeller is probably the
richest golf player in the world and
his enthusiasm has done much to con-
vert other miillonalres OF advanced
years who have retired from strenuous
careers of active business life. Flor
ida is the gathering place Of these
millionaire golfers, and il is said that
at one time last year no less than a
billion and a half Of dollars were rep
resented by the men assembled upon
the golf links of one of the well known
resorts The number of really old
men who are applying themselves to
golf indicates, as one of them recently
said, that the game is the best rem
edy in the world for Osleritis." Last
November Thomas o. B. COngdon, a
retired ship builder of New Jersey,
celebrated his SD birthday by going
the rounds of a nine hole course, al
though the weather was cold and the
course in bad condition. Mr.. COngdOn
did not take up golf until he was 81
years old and he never had been an
athlete when young, but he has ac-
uuired a skill which makes him for
midable adversary to most Of the
younger members of his club. He be-
liCves that the wonderful eXpanse of
self interest in the United States dur
the greatest value in prolOnging the
usefulness of aged men and predicts
that during the next generation it will
be less unusual to find centenarians
upon the golf course than it is to find
OctOgenerians there now.
First Club Founded in 1754.
Golf is really a Scottish game and.
with a few minor exceptions. is played I
according to the rules and laws of the !
Royal and Ancient Golf club of St.
Andrews, which was founded in 1774.
i was played by a few persons in I
but. was comparatively unknown here !
until the St Andrews club opened its
links at HOnkerS, y. Y, in 1856. In /
1890 II was little heard of. but bv
1905 il had so spread in popularity
that there is no longer a city or town !
Jf large size in the country which has
not its golf links and there are now
hundreds of private golf courses. It
first gained popularity as an outdoor
sport in the east, but is now in vogue {
everywhere.
Golf in Porto Rico.
Even in Porto Rico the American |
army officers have established a golf