The History Of Golf In America Part One

It all started long ago in 1743 which was one year before the formation of the Company of Gentleman Golfers; there is an actual shipping record of 96 golf clubs and 432 golf balls delivered from Leith Scotland to a Mr. D. Deas in Charleston, South Carolina. This shipping order size obviously suggests that the shipment was destined for a group of golfers. Then again Mr. David Deas may have been an eccentric. It is also believed that another golf club or society was organized in Savanna Georgia around the same time period.

It took until 1888 for the first permanent golf club to form. The location was in Yonkers New York. The St. Andrew’s Golf Club was formed by a Mr. Johnny Reid and a crew of golfers who came to have the nickname of the “Apple Tree Gang”. Reid and his friends were exceptional devotees of the game of golf. Initially all that was available was 3 hole golf course that began and ended near the landmark of a large apple tree.

Many consider that Reid is the father of American golf while others would insist that Charles Blair Macdonald – a gold enthusiast, writer and golf course architect deserves the honors.

Macdonald, whom The “Golf Journal” termed the “True Pioneer of American Golf”, was the driving force behind the creation of the pivotal Chicago Golf Club, the first 18 hole golf course in the United States of America. This was in 1892 that Macdonald, the golf pioneer, was able to lay the groundwork by convincing and persuading 30 Chicago business associates to pitch in the princely sum at the time of $ 10 apiece so that a nine hole golf could be constructed and developed. This golf site was to destined to become the prestigious and historic Downers Grove Golf Course. Later the next year an additional 9 holes were added to complete the first 18 hole golf course in America.

Macdonald, who had studied in Scotland at the St. Andrews University, is also credited with development of golf course architecture in the United States. Best known of his works is the National Golf Links course on Long Island, Along with that Macdonald left his mark by both assisting in and in creation of the USGA – the United States Golf Association.

The USGA emerged in the wake of a dispute between the St. Andrew’s Golf Club and the Newport Rhode Island Golfing Clubs. In the summertime of 1894 each hosted an invitational golfing tournament, amazingly enough without the apparent knowledge of the other club . Each golf club declared the winner of their tournament to be the “National Amateur American Golf Champion”. Humorously enough a sore loser , in the person of McDonald himself , ignited the debacle and then suggested to clear the air that an official golf tournament be organized and arranged by an official golf organization . Of course this golf tournament administrative group would be be in charge of the the event.

What followed was a meeting of the delegates from Newport Golf Club, St. Andrews, the Chicago Golf Club, Shinnecock Hills Country Club and the Country Club in Brookline Massachusetts. These delegations founded the Amateur Golf Association of the United States which later to become known as the USGA . The foundation of the USGA were laid on December 22, 1894.

Thus golf was on its way to become the mainstream prestigious recreational sport of America.

About the Author

Syd Z.Nohcud
Glendale Winnipeg

http://www.sellyourmanitobacottage.com

http://www.glendalegolfs.com

Scottie Pippen at the Chicago Bulls Charity Golf Outing

Golf Digest: Classic American Courses $34.95 The world?s best-selling golf magazine brings to life 50 classic courses of the United States, such as Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Merion, and more.

Golf Courses Of The PGA European Tour $49.95 The official record of the PGA European Tour in words and pictures. A stunning and informative guide to some of the most spectacular, well loved and legendary golf courses in the world. Peter Dobereiner depicts the charms and pitfalls that contribute to Europe?s great courses. Brian Morgan?s magnificent photographs depict the extraordinary variety and visual appeal of the different courses. Peter Dobereiner was an award-winning golf correspondent for many years. He has also achieved widespread acclaim as a golf course designer. He remains an internationally syndicated golf columnist and has written more than twenty golf books. Brian Morgan is one of the world?s best known golf photographers. Gordon Richardson has been writing on golf for twenty-five years and is a regular contributor to British, American and Italian golf magazines.

Golf Digest: Golf’s Greatest Players, Courses And Voices $60 Golf Digest Magazine celebrates its 50th Anniversary with this fabulous coffee table presentation of the best courses, instruction, legends of the game, Golf Digest covers, great finishes at the majors, letters, and more. Each of the seven sections include: Section One: A Sense of Place – Section Two: Playing the Game Right – Section Three: Characters and Character – Section Four: Major Voices, Major Events – Section Five: From the Gallery – Section Six: Crusades – Section Seven: The Rest of the Best. This beautifully illustrated book contains over 100 pictures, along the writing of the games best such as Herbert Warren Wind, Dan Jenkins, Nick Seitz, and Henry Longhurst. Instruction is provided by Harvey Penick, Byron Nelson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods, Dr. Bob Rotella, Tom Kite, and more. This book will sit handsomely in anyone?s library.

All Courses Great And Small $21 Open the pages and travel on a circular tour of the English and Welsh landscape, and discover the golfing pleasures found there. From the heathland in the north and center to the linksland on the coasts, England and Wales present an extraordinary variety

Comments are closed