A measure of the dramatic growth in golf in these islands during the years leading up to the outbreak of the first World War is that more than 150 clubs - 35 of them Irish - were established between 1901 and 1914. As it happens, there will be 15 centenaries this year, of which the Co Derry club Castlerock is the only Irish one.
Some dubious foundation dates have already been celebrated here, making a recent move from the Royal and Ancient especially welcome. Historian Fiona MacDonald has been authenticating the critical dates, on their behalf and that of the British Golf Museum.
In compiling a list of foundations from 1901 to 1914, she checked records with each club, verifying them against entries in early editions of the Golfing Annual and Nisbet's Golfing Handbook. In this context, it is interesting that Killiney GC have decided on an institution date of 1903, which conforms with R and A records, despite a claim in The Irish Golfer of May 1904 that the club was formed in 1902.
"Our centenary committee considered that claim, but decided to accept 1903," said Killiney secretary/manager Michael Walsh. So, where certain other Irish clubs were guilty of jumping the gun, Killiney believe they are doing things by the book, literally.
Interestingly, Irish golf experienced steady growth until 1909, when developments tapered off noticeably. In the event, upcoming centenaries in this country are: 1902 - Kirkistown Castle, Athenry; 1903 - Bangor, Kenmare, Killiney; 1904 - Whitehead, Dundalk, Holywood, Roscommon, Tuam, Wicklow; 1905 - Dunmurry, Castlerea, Hermitage, Rosslare, Skerries; 1906 - Athy, Berehaven, Dunfanaghy; 1907 - Spa, Borris, Milltown, Ennis, Scrabo; 1908 - Delgany, Strabane; 1909 - Laytown and Bettystown, Douglas, Thurles.
The R and A view is that, where no records exist, the first mention in a golfing annual should be used to determine the correct foundation date. The celebration of the opening of the course or clubhouse was not considered acceptable, unless it was accepted the club was not founded until that day, or no other information was available.
Meanwhile, the most spectacular launch in the history of golf remains that which marked the birth of the Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles in 1926. At the time, the first hole was a 115-yard par three, which is now the 165-yard fifth. In the event, the honour of hitting the opening shot was given to the club secretary, Claude Wayne, who proceeded to have a hole in one.
As a consequence, a hole-in-one club was formed within Bel-Air so that now, when somebody scores an ace, the drinks for members and their guests are on the house. And how often does this occur? "About once a month," said the club professional Eddie Merrins. Which sounds like an absolutely splendid idea.
"I hate shopping. I have never liked it. I don't like picking out things. I'd rather go play golf."
- Tiger Woods explaining why you won't be seeing him at the January sales.
Toilet papers
Be assured this column has no intention of descending into toilet humour, but two fascinating items of news caught my attention this week. The first concerned the installation of television advertising screens over the urinals at the Hammersmith Palais, and the other had to do with the lavatory cubicles at Prestwick GC.
You may be interested to learn that following on the experiment among male theatre-goers at the Palais, it is envisaged 1,000 such screens will be installed at 100 locations in Britain over the next 12 months. But at Prestwick, the objective is no more ambitious than to provide the comforts of home for the readers of broadsheet newspapers. (It seems unthinkable that members might be tabloid readers, even in the WC).
Prestwick, as devotees of the Royal and Ancient game will be aware, was founded in 1851 and played host to the first British Open nine years later. It was also the scene of Christy O'Connor's first Dunlop Masters triumph in 1956. Anyway, the fact that the club is playing host to the British Amateur Championship this year as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations focused attention on some refurbishment.
A club memo advised that the lavatory cubicles should be dimensioned "so that a broadsheet newspaper may be read in comfort". It went on: "While the importance of this characteristic to some members is recognised, it is not at this stage planned to supply reading material." Meanwhile, the club chairman, Colin MacGregor, commented: "Some of the members are quite large and a number of them said that, when we did the refurbishment, they wanted plenty of room." There is no suggestion, however, of matching the dimensions of the massive Cardinal bunker, which characterises Prestwick's famous third.
Elder's multi-racial play
A rather special treat for me when Tiger Woods won the US Masters in 1997 was to meet Lee Elder, who spoke with great affection about tournament jousts with Christy O'Connor snr. Now, having become the first black player to compete at Augusta National in 1975, he could be the first of his race to captain a major golf team. In a letter to US Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, Elder's wife, Sharon, has outlined why her husband should be skipper of the American side for the Presidents Cup matches in South Africa in 2002. Apart from his Masters breakthrough, Elder broke down another significant barrier by playing in South Africa, as Gary Player's guest, in the repressive days of apartheid.
He went on to compete there several times and has had a school named after him. "I think it should carry some weight that I was the first black to play multi-racial sport in South Africa," said Elder, who was a member of the victorious 1979 Ryder Cup team. "To captain the Presidents Cup team would just about outweigh it all."
More money for women
In a highly significant development for women's professional golf, more than half the 37 events on America's LPGA Tour this year will have prize funds of at least $1 million. And the target is to have all of the tour's purses up to $1 million by 2003.
This is considered to be quite an achievement by the LPGA, in that it doesn't benefit from the massive television contracts which boost the coffers of its male counterparts in the USPGA. In fact, the women have to buy television time for most of their tournaments.
"I think it reflects how strongly our sponsors feel about the LPGA," said the tour's commissioner Ty Votaw. And he has a point, when one considers that Karrie Webb, Annika Sorenstam and Meg Mallon each had more than $1 million in tournament earnings last year.
Yet, the hard fact is that the women remain 10 years behind the men. For instance, in 1991, 22 events on the US PGA Tour had prize funds of $1 million or more, though the leading moneywinner, Corey Pavin, had to settle for earnings of $979,430.
This day in golf history . . . On January 6th, 1957, Nancy Lopez was born in Torrance, California, and by the age of 12 had won her first important title - the New Mexico Women's Amateur Championship. Five years later, she turned professional and was runner-up in her first tournament, the Colgate European Open at Sunningdale. After five more events that year, she had earned $23,000 to be 31st on the LPGA money list. One of the game's most talented and charismatic woman players was on her way.
Teaser: In strokeplay, a competitor returned a wrong score because his scorecard did not include a penalty he had incurred. The competitor was unaware that he had incurred the penalty. The competitor's marker (a fellow-competitor) was aware of the penalty, but nevertheless signed the card. The facts were discovered before the result of the competition was officially announced. The competitor is, of course, disqualified (Rule 6-6d). Is the marker also subject to disqualification?
Answer: Yes. The committee should disqualify the marker under Rule 33-7.
