The Washington herald., 1921-06-05
tBy HENRY LITcHFIE.p wEsT)
Author of Lyrics of the Links" /"

Author of Lyrics of the Links.-
With a nucleus of 200 ardent
golfers. who were possessed of en-
thusiasm. confidence and a little over
$l,z0o In the club treasury, the Co.
iumoia Country club at Chevy Chase.
on whose course the open champion
ship will be played July 1872, 1ezi,
was organized in 1909. Its predeces-
sor was the Columbia Golf club,
which was formed on September 20.
1888, with membership Of nine
men.
In those days. p.arly a quarter Of
century ago. there was apparently
no such thing as the high cost of
golfing. The initiation fee at first
was s2. although in 1898 Il was
raised to IS and later to $40, with
dues nxed at one dollar a month. II
Is interesting to read the old record
OF expenses, which shows that lab
orers were paid 81 a day for
pounding the greens" and cutting
the grass. A driver furnished his
own horse and rolled the greens for
$2.5o a day and covered nearly. the
entire course Of nine holes in one
days work. The ''professiohal"
charged $40 for laying out the
grounds In contrast to those hg-
ures II may be stated that the mem
bers of the Columbia Country club
recently met and contributed almost
10000 for the purpose Of ensuring
the perfect tournament condition of
their present course.
Winning Score 10-.
1t is quite evident that the men
who brought the Columbia club into
existence had more enthusiasm than
skill. The first tournament was held
on Thanksgiving day. 1888. The
event was conducted in a delightful
go-as-you-please fashion. the pres
ent strict rules governing tourna-
ment play being absolutely un-
known. One OF the club members,
being compelled TO leave the city,
was allowed to make his round on
the afternoon before Thanksgiving,
scoring l20. AS the holiday was
stormy and sleety. and as the lowest
score then turned in was 1873 IL was
decided that the men who played on
tournament day were unfairly handi-
capped and the four players were
given another opportunity to contest
for the prize-a pewter cup costing
Sl.3S-when the winner made 107.
The net low score in a tournament
at a later date was made by a player
with the generous handicap of so.
His gross score was l42. Another
player who was given an equally
large handicap made 17e. One OF
the scratch men had a gross score
of III. In this remarkable .tourna-
ment DR.. L. Lee Harlan, who is still
a member of the club, gave promise
of future golfing by playing from
scratch and scoring 81, which was
regarded as Il great achievement He
afterward became champion of the
District of Columbia and of the Mid
die Atlantic Golf association and
was a consistent winner of club
tournaments for many years
Club Forced to Expand.
Out of these unique beginnings.
the Columbus club developed into
an organization which was COM
pclled. because of increased MEM
bership and the growing popularity
of the game, to abandon its nine
uOlc course anu lIS n
farm house and secure larger terri
tory. This was found on Bright
wood avenue, not far from the SOL
diers' home and almost within a
stones throw of the first site. A
mansion, formerly occupied by a for
mer mayor of Washington and still
in good condition upon a command
ing knoll. was speedily converted
into a comfortable clubhouse, with
sufficient locker space. dining and
grill rooms and wide porches. Upon
this property IS holes with artificial
and natural hazards were construct
ed and the course was a real test
o fthe game.
These grounds were. however.
only leased, and the real estate syn
dicate which owned them threatened
to oust the club in order to develop
the property. The members met
this embarrassing situation in cour-
ageous fashion by deciding to sur
render their lease upon it's expira-
tion and establish themselves per-
manently upon a purchase location
and erect a clubhouse which would
not only accommodate a member
ship of 500. which was the limit
fixed, but would be credit to the
golfing fraternity, of the national
capital. Only about 200 men were
willing to embark upon this VEN
ture, but they contributed 500
apiece and each agreed to secure a
new member. This agreement was
faithfully kept and thus $4,000 was
added to the $1,000 in the treasury.
The name of the organization was
changed from the Columbia Golf
club to Columbia Country club in
order to attract nongolfers. al
though as a matter of fact the per-
centage of actual golf players is to-
day probably higher in the Column
bia club than in any similar or
ganization.
Buys Present Site.
After a careful inspection of
many properties, the club finally
decided to purchase a tract of 135
acres situated in Chevy Chase. 'front.'
ing on Connecticut avenue extend
ed. Immediately north of Washing
ton, and on the line of a well-man-
aged and convenient trolley service,