The Washington herald., 1914-09-06
AMERICAN GOLF
DATES 20 YEARS
First United States Champion
ship Match Was Played
at Newport, R. |.
WAS THEN SOCIETY FAD
W. C. Lawrence Captures First ANA
teur Title-St. Andrew Club. of
Yonkers, Is Oldest Club.

Twenty years ago the first American
championship golf match was played.
The game was then considered society
fad and was played in regal setting at
Newport, r. l. OF the twenty contest
ants, w. G. Lawrence, Of Newport. was
declared the winner and the first Amer
ican amateur champion
Golf in the United States Is said to date
from the establishment Of the St An
drews Golf Club, at Yonkers, n. Y, in
1855. South Carolinians. however, claim
that il was played In their State CEN
tury before, and point to the files Of the
Charleston City Gazette, where an item,
under date of September 5 TI8, states:
- There Is lately erected that
pleasing and genteel amusement the golf
baan."
Golf was played in Scotland. said by
many TO be its place Of birth, genera
tions before Columbus made known that
there was an America One prominent
American educator has said that he read
an account of a golf game written by the
ancient Aristotle, and had found refer
ence to the sport In the Bible. 1t also Is
claimed that Holland was its place OF
origin. In the earliest records of British
history, literature. and even legislation.
.
More than four centuries ago the sport
had so overwhelmed archery, the SOL
dier's training, that the Scottish legisla-
ture decreed that the fut ball and golf
be utterly scryit doun and nocht usit-'
Forbidden to the masses, II remained a
royal pastime King James II played q
game with an Edinburgh shoemaker;
Queen Mary was found playing on the
links two days after the death OF hei
royal consort, Darnley. The news Of the
great Irish rebellion came to King
Charles while he was lifting the bal
over the links at LeIth.
Today golf, beginning as a society fad
in the United States. has become a pas
time at which a vast fortune. estimated
as high as $4,000 900. is spent every yeal
in the United States. There are said tc
be more than 10000 active players whs
are driving the gutta percha balls ovei
links whose combined acreage In th'
United States Is nearly twice as large a
the District OF Columbia Some OF th'
American club houses are veritable man
sions; one In the Middle West has cost t.
date more than $4,000 for the gol
course, the club house and the equipment
The exact amount of money reaped an
nuaIly by the American caddies is no
definitely known but IT probably equali
the amount paid in Great Britain, which
is estimated at 81. 50O. 90. Other item!
that go to make up the annual tribute t.
golf are clubs and balls. The value o.
the clubs in use is estimated at nearly
81. 100000, while the balls are valued a
more than s6OOoOoo.
Golf has spread throughout the world
In Europe there is scarcely a country
without its golf links and players. japan
has one OF the best courses in the world
Mexico is rapidly becoming known fol-
its links. While all classes have taker
to the sport with enthusiasm, kings and
queens. not to mention the lesser lights
of royalty and the nobility, are ardent
devotees. King Alfonso has his private
links in Spain and has taught his Eng
lish-born Queen to play the game. The
German Emperor. prohibited by a physi-
cal ailment from participating in tbs
sport. nevertheless Is an enthusiast, and
has frequently followed his son. tn,
crown prince. about the links at Pots
dam. President Wilson and his predeces
sor. Mr.. Taft, are devoted to the game.