The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-09-04
THE FIRST GOLF MATCH GAME
IN THE UNITED STATES

Twenty years ago today the first
American championship golf match
was played. The game was then con-
sidered society fad and was played
in regal setting at Newport, r. |.
OF the twenty contestants, w. G. Law
renee of Newport was declared the
winner and the first American anna
teur champion. Golf in the United
States is said to date from the estab-
lishment of the st. Andrews Golf
Club at Yonkers, New York, in 1888.
South Caroiinians, however, claim
that it was played in their state a
century before, and point to the files
of the Charleston City Gazette, where
an item under date of September Is,
1888, 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, generations before Columbus
made known that there was an Ameri-
ca. One prominent American educat-
or has said that he read an account of
a golf game written by the ancient
Aristotle, and had found reference to
the sport in the bible. 1t is also
claimed that Holland was its place of
origin. In the earliest records of
Scottish history, literature and even
legislation, golf occupies a prominent
place Over four centuries ago the
sport had so overwhelmed archery,
the soldiers training, that the Scot
fish legislature decreed that 1.-The foot
! ball and golf be utterly cryit doun and
nocHt usit" Forbidden to the masses,
! it remained a royal pastime. King
James II played a game with an Ed
! inburg shoemaker: Queen Mary was
| found playing on the links two days
after the death of her royal consort,
! Darnley. The news of the great
Irish Rebellion came to King Charles
! while he was lifting the ball over
! the links at Leith.
Today golf, beginning as society
fad in the United States, has become
! pastime at which vast fortune, es-
/ timated as high as $50,000,000, is spent
every year in the United States.
! There are said to be more than 200,-
coo ctive players who are driving the
gutta purcha balls over links whose
! combined acreage in the United
States is nearly twice is large as the
District of Columbia. Some of the
American Club Houses are veritable
! mansions one in the middle west has
! cost to date over $750,000 for the golf
! ing course, the club house and the
equipment. The exact amount of
money reaped annually by the Ameri-
can caddies is not definitely known,
paid in Great Britin, which is estimat-
! ed at S12,500,000 Other items that go
, to make up the annual tribute to golf
are clubs and bills.
The vlue of the clubs in use is esti-
mated at nearly $1,O00,000, while the
! balls are valued at over $6,000,O0O.
Golf has spread throughout the world
In Europe there are scarcely coun-
try without it's golf links and players,
Japan has one of the finest courses in
the world. Mexico is rpidly becoming
known for it's links. While all classes
have taken to the sport with the en-
thusiasm, 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 the English
born queen to play the game. The
German Emperor, prohibited by a
physical ailment from participating in
the sport, nevertheless, is an enthusi-
asst and frequently follows his son, the
Crown Prince, about the links at Pots
dam. President Wilson, and his pre-
decessor, Mr.. Taft, are devoted to the
game.