The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-22
DEMAND GROWING
FOR CHEAPER GOLF
Thousands Are Unable to Keep
Up With Rising Cost of
Game.
by JOHN G.. ANDERSON.

The evolution of golf is caused prin-
cipally by the satisfying of the de-
mands and the needs of players. Sec
tional rivalry starts the demand for a
more up to date links. while specific
attention to the trapping round the
greens as one instance, satisfies the
need of those who must be skilled in
playing the Kind of a shot which golf
on championship course and in
championship event absolutely requires.
Good golfers usually come in the wake
OF good links and in no other way.
Improvement in golfng implements. in
the ball. in mental attitude. in judgment,
have all gone through an evolutionary
stage quite apparent to the casual on
locker. Grand clubhouses, million dollar
links. golf sticks at $40 n club have
been put into the historical setting. In
what direction, therefore. is the next
growth?
Unless we err grievously the demand
of the time is for cheaper priced golf.
Really the sums of money which are
being asked-and readily granted-for
club dues and club memberships are
mounting to heights undreamed Of before.
instead of the work and the fretting
Of club officers, of governors with their
names TO notes calling for large loans
from neighboring banks, there are to-
day very few golf clubs which start
and are not underwritten by members
before clubhouse rises from the ground.
Ii is easier to get couple Of hundred
members az $1,000 each for stock GER
tificates than il was ten years ago to
secure a like number at dues OF 80
and no initiation fee. The reorganiza-
ton periods through which many clubs
have gone in the past four years have
put the members In the way OF realizing
far more than par on their investments,
and, naturally, when member knows
that his certificate for which he paid
81, 600 will bring 5000 in the open market
he will not kick any If the yearly dues
seem to be high, provided he gets links
service.
But what of the chap who looks with
longing eyes at the game. who can at
ford to pay fifty dollars for a set OF
clubs, but who cannot pay out for an
indeterminate period one or two thou
sand dollars and who cannot afford In
these days of high costs OF everything
to pay an initial outlay of two hundred
or a hundred and fifty dollars initiation
fee and yearly dues of the same? There
are thousands OF these men, probably
as many in every section as there are
golfers Public links take care or few
of this group. for the incident delays
and other inconvenience stamp out the
enthusiasm Big men. some not golfers
even. nave not only recognized this con-
dition. but IT, the past have planned, SO
far with little enough success. to meet
the wants. But the needs some time
soon Will be satisfied.
plan Was a Failure.
II will be remembered that few
years ago a proposition was presented
TO the public whereby IL a thousand or
so Joined the plan at hundred dollars
each there would be constructed withln
three-qunrters OF an hour of New YORK
several golf courses and an ample ciup-
house. At no time would II be neces-
sary 10 raise the dues. for more golf
links would be constructed TO take carr
of the increasing membership should u
lump toward the thousands. Inc trial.
tho testing out of the golfing pulse, was
a dire failure. The time was not ripe
Three years after this another group
OF interested men gave TO tnc puplic
their plans for a golf club which was 10
have membership of from ten to TWEEN
ty thousand. The dues were TO be put
$40 and the links TO be within easy COM
muting distance OF New York city. Three
or four links were planned with at
tendant clubhouse comforts which were
to be in the reach not only. OF the
chaps we have mentioned. but to the
thousands upon thousands OF visiting
golfers who come 20 New York. There
didn't seem to be any flaws In the
scheme. There would have been unqual-
flied success Of course " the venture
had gone through. We Say "of course"
for we can name but three instances
OF downright failure Of a golfing club
or proposition out of thousands. But
money became a bit too tight and neces-
sary capital was deferred for a time.
However. like many another form OF
amusement, when the demand becomes
strong then action holds sway. Who