Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-28

A business depression does not dis
courage the American golfer. InfoF-
nation cleaned by inquisitive govern
mental agencies at Washington leads to
the conclusion that the game thrives
on slackness of business.
Early reports for this year indicate
that more golfers than ever are visiting
the courses, both public and private.
Definite censuSes show that while in
the prosperous year of 1929 there were
1,605,000 golfers, in 1880, regarded by
many as the worst year in their expert
ence from the point of view of bust
ness activity and profits, the number
has risen to ,B97 600. 1t is confidently
predicted that when the figures for 1881
are in they will show a total of 2,O00,-
900 golfers.
Many golf clubs have been in finan-
cial difficulties, but one. rarely hears of
the abandonment of such an enterprise.
Many thousand members of golf and
country clubs are posted for dues, but
the game goes on. Some clubs have
warped their rules into extensions of
time for delinquent members because
nearly every one is in the same boat.
The game goes on.
The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce has figures showing that
there are S,6ts golf clubs or country
clubs where golf Is played in the United
States and 554 municipal courses, main
tanned at public expense as q part Of
city parks. The introduction of these
municipal golf courses, to which any
person is admitted to play at q nomi-
nal cost, has done much to change the
game from rich mans sport to one In
which almost any one can participate.
New York State leads all others in
the NUMBER OF golf courses with total
OF 4SS. Most of these are clustered
around New York City, adjacent to the
large suburban towns which have grown
up on the periphery of the metropolis.
Illinois stands next. This suggs SITS with
good reason that golf, although requir-
ing large open spaces, is a city mans
game. That most of the golf courses
should be found in the environs of the
largest cities Is natural. The desire of
the city man. whose vacation makes it
Impossible Tor him to see the green
country constantly, Is for a breath of
the open along with his exercise and
sport
California stands third in number of
golf clubs, with 325. The great metrop-
Oils OF Los Angeles accounts for many
OF these, but the fact that California Is
holiday State counts for much SO
many people 60 tc California for pleas
ure and so man" elderly persons settle
there In retirement that a numerous
golf population is inevitable.
Farmers Play Golf.
Florida, although also a holiday State,
comes nowhere near the Golden Gate
State as golf center. 1t reports but
165 courses.
There Is one outstanding case which
tends to reverse the idea Of COLTS being
purely q city mans game and one found
IN pleasure resorts. 1t is furnished by
Iowa, perhaps the most typical farm
State in the Union. With no very large
cities, with farming the chief industry
and schemes for farm relief one of the
leading topics OF interest, the Com
nonwealth, nevertheless. has 208 golf
courses. Texas, another outstanding
farm State, has 1913 courses, but Texas
has populous cities and, anyway, is SO
large that one naturally expects to find
record figures there.
1t Is interesting to note how the sport
varies In popularity. Kentucky is q
large and populous State, with topo-
graphic and climatic conditions perfect
for golf, and yet the entire State shows
but so courses. Perhaps Kentuckians
feel that 1t is a waste of bluegrass to
use 1t for green's and fairways when it
might pasture blooded horses. II it were
practicable TO Craze race horses on golf