Golf with Which Is Incorporated "Golfing," Established 1894
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J. H. TAYLOR, OPEN CHAMPION OF GREAT BRITAIN FOR THE FIFTH TIME GOLF WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED "GOLFING," ESTABLISHED 1894 VOL. XXXIII AUGUST, 1913 No. 2 EARLY GOLFERS OF WEST VIRGINIA BY F. F. FLYNN The writer is evidently unaware of the number of known instances where golf was played in the United States previous to its successful introduction at the formation of the St. Andrews Golf Club. However, as this is a delightful account of one of this number of early outcroppings of the game in the United States, it is with pleasure we are able to place on record so full and interesting an account of it. ACK in the Allegheny Moun- climate was ideal, the scenery grand and tains, a couple of miles from his neighbors congenial. B the famous resort nearly three It was in the early days of the first thousand feet above sea level, on Cleveland administration in 1884 that Dry Creek, there nestles between Lionel Torrin, a young Scotch tea two commanding ranges a valley planter, arrived from Ceylon, India, that is more Scotch in the character- with several sets of clubs and a quantity istics of its scenery than anything to of balls to visit his uncle, George Grant be found in the South. Here, at "Oak- of London, whose place, Greycliffe, was hurst," the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rus- one of the magnificent estates in Green- sell W. Montague, of Boston, was the brier County. In India, England and first golf organization in the country. Scotland Torrin was noted as a crack It was informal and there were half a golfer and when he wrote George Grant dozen members onlv but regular medal that he was coming for a visit to the plays were a feature and for six suc- States, the latter knew that time would cessive Christmas days the players met hang heavily for his nephew if there in what might be termed the first series were no links. of annual tournaments in the United At an adjoining estate were Alex- States. ander and Roderick Mclntosh Mc- In the '60s, '70s and '80s a small Leod of Dalvey, near Forres, Moray- coterie of Scotchmen and Englishmen shire, Scotland. When Grant sug- with varied interests settled in Green- gested a golf links, the two McLeods brier County. They were all gentle were enthusiastic, as was Mr. Monta- folks; one was a hardwood lumber ex- gue, a Harvard '1\ man, who had porter, another had vast fruit orchards, played at St. Andrews and a number a third tarried and settled because the >f the other clubs in the old country. Copyright, 10n, by CLIFFORD L. TURNER. All riglils reserved. RUSSELL W. MONTAGUE. GEORGE GRANT - »the i ALKXAXIiKi: E. JIcLEOD RODERICK McINTOSH EARLY GOLFERS OF WEST J'IRGIM.l 77 They hadn't thought of it before. the drivers and brassies were longer But why not? The country was like a and narrower than those now used. bit of the bonnie heather hills of Scot- The balls brought over from Edin- land set like a jewel in the heart of the burgh were gutty, larger and much Alleghanies. heavier than ours and always sank in Mr. Montague offered his place as water. They had little or none of the the most convenient and centrally lo- bounce of the present-day ball. How- cated for the proposed course. The ever, the Oakhurst players have al- two young Scotchmen from Dalvey ways insisted that they never got as were assisted bv Grant and Montague. much pleasure out of the game any- They all set to work, and, with the where as at their own links with their assistance of their farm hands and old clubs and balls. negroes, the course was ideally laid out. Many and amusing were their ex- It stands today a monument worthy of periences. They were looked upon by A VIEW OF OAKHURST, SHOWING THE SEVENTH HOLE IX THE DISTANCE AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN the most famous and ambitious of pro- their neighbors and friends as victims fessionals who have laid out and de- of an insane fad or hobby. They were veloped well-known courses throughout the subjects of great curiosity. One the world. The Montague place was afternoon a tally-ho party drove over admirable for golf links, and, the first in from the hotel to call on the Montague the States, was the sportiest to be had. family. They alighted to find a game Conditions were entirely different on. They watched the progress of the then. The cups still in the ground are players over several holes without cumbersome, thick and heavier than comment. Finally, one of the men ex- those used today. Clubs, too. have pressed the disgust of the others when changed somewhat when the latest are he remarked: "Well, I did play compared with those first used in the marbles when I was a kid. but by gad United States and still in Mr. Monta- this is the first time I've seen men gue's possession. Solid brass was used play! It may he a fine game for a in the construction of all the heads in canny Scotchman, but no American will the iron clubs and the wooden heads of ever play it except Montague." • HB 78 EARLY GOLFERS OF WEST VIRGINIA Rev. R. H. .Ma- ditch. After he had son, a well-known played over a hun- Virginia clergyman dred strokes h e of the time who had made the hole. He heard much of the closed the incident odd game that was by remarking that being played back it was a "science," in the mountains, not a game. went over one after- From time to time noon in time to see various members of the golfers drive off the organization, from the first tee. which called itself As the last player, from the beginning Mr. Montague, in the "Oakhurst no uncertain terms Medal," went expressed his dis- abroad to their gust when he sliced homes in the British a drive which took Isles and brought him into the ditch. back the latest in D r. Mason re- clubs and balls, as marked that it was well as Scotch easy and insisted tweeds and other that any baby could golfing clothes. play. Montague The fact that the handed him his clubs and balls driver and told him were passed by the to see what he could RUSSELL W. MONTAGUE AT THE Customs House at do. Mason missed PRESENT DAY AND ALECK SMITH New York without and topped the ball several times be- any question was extremely interesting fore a sliced drive landed him in the in the light of an experience had several LOOKING TOWARD THE FIRST GREEN FROM THE MONTAGUE HOME EARLY GOLFERS OF WEST VIRGINIA 79 years later by George M. Donaldson, "Your what?" demanded the minion **• another Scotchman, who joined the of Uncle Sain. Oaklmrst coterie. "My golf clubs, my sticks." He arrived from his native heather, Then noting the blank amazement and after all his luggage had been of the man, who by that time was ORIGINAL CLUBS USED IN UNITED STATES AS THEY LOOK TODAY. A GUTTY BALL IN FOREGROUND stamped with the official seal passing deeply engrossed in a minute examina- them into this country, the inspector tion of one of the clubs he had taken noticed his bag of golf sticks. from the bag, Donaldson asked: "What's this you have here?" he "Surely, my man. you play golf?' asked. "Play what r" "My golf sticks," laconically replied "Golf," almost screamed the then ,Grr HOME Donaldson. irate Scotchman. 80 EARLY GOLFERS OF WEST VIRGINIA "You don't mean to tell me you plav Young Torrin, the inspiration of tne a game witihh thish— h this " stam- Oakhurst Medal, has interests in India, mered the inspector. "Well, it may he though, since his marriage several a stick that you play a game with, but years ago, lie makes his permanent home I don't pass these until I know more in England. about them. I never saw anything like The McLeod brothers, dashing, them before. I shall have to get an handsome chaps, now live at their an- official ruling about them." cestral home at Dalvey, and George H e called Grant, though in another in- he retains his spector. I t interests i n was finally de- Greenbrier cided to hold County, and the bag up, 0 w n s thou- after Mr. sands of acres, 1) o naldso n 1 s living i n considered he London at had bee n present. grossly insult- Grant w a s ed by one of one of the the inspectors most popular remarking residents ever that " t h e y known in the w ere in o r c West Virginia like elongated Country. H e blackj acks or j was a crack implements of I shot, had hunt- murder. ' ed big game Three weeks India and, later, after an ' imong the best official ruling of hunters in had been sent the state, sus- on b y the tained a repu- Treasury De- tation made in partment a t England when Washington, he was a mem- the clubs were ber of the f o r w a r d e d Cambridge without fur- team that de- ther ado to feated Oxford Donaldson a t LIONEL TORRIN in the first Oakhurst. English i n - Ten years or more ago the club dis- ter-university shoot in the '60s. banded. The coterie of golfers broke George Donaldson lives at Wood- up with the departure for various parts man, W.