DaveK said:
Some comments :
"When Van Cortlandt Golf Course opened in New York City in 1895, it became the first public golf course in America. There were other golf courses in the U.S. by that time - perhaps 100 or more - but Van Cortlandt was the first built for the masses."
from
http://golf.about.com/cs/historyofgolf/a/hist_oldestuspu.htm
"The Shinnecock Hills club gets credit as the first to have a real course built on rural turf. The area chosen was along of the Great Peconic Bay on Eastern Long Island and shares were sold at $100 each. A clubhouse was erected and in 1891 play commenced."
from
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=30310&select=6936&select2=2
The Royal Montreal Course, the oldest in North America, remains quite exclusive I believe.
Golf hasn't always been an accessible game.
Dave
There are LOTS of courses that claim to be the first...
"Oakhurst
AMERICA'S FIRST GOLF COURSE
Established in 1884, Restored for play in 1994.
Sand Tees ~ Hickory Clubs ~ "Guttie Balls" ~ Sheep Grazed Fairways.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2000."
The distinctions vary but include:
The first actual holes.
The first 9 holes.
The first 18 holes.
The first "organized golf club"
The first club with a club house.
The first private club
The first public club
...and the list goes on.
But the FACT of the matter is that golf was BROUGHT to North America by Scottish/English immigrants who, for the most part were not anything resembling wealthy.
And the game WAS played by the masses on pasture land all over the U.S. in its earliest days buy DIRT POOR people like Snead and MOST others who became top name pros.
But most importantly, today the game is played MOSTLY by non-wealthy people who play the public links which outnumber the private clubs by about 2-1.
And MANY play with ENTIRE sets that can be bought at WalMart for less than $200.00 INCLUDING THE GOLF BAG!!!
I got hustled at a public course out of greens fees plus $50.00 by a guy who looked like he slept in his cloths and propositioned me...an 11 handicap at the time...to a match where he used only a 2 iron, 6 iron and sand wedge.
Beat me 81/84.
(-:
