organizing of the thirteen colonies into the United States of America.
Since childhood, we have always known how and why the United States came to
be. Many golfers, however, may not know the beginnings of the United States
Golf Association (USGA).
Where rebellion against the British in Massachusetts sparked the American
Revolution that led to our independence as a nation, a less violent but
certainly no less contentious incident sparked the creation of the USGA.
The clubs of St. Andrews in Yonkers, New York and Newport Golf Club in
Newport, Rhode Island hosted invitational tournaments in 1894 where each
club claimed their winner as the Amateur Champion of the United States.
This impasse along with needing to bring uniformity to the Rules of Golf and
the Rules of Amateur Status led to golfers representing five clubs meeting
in New York City during the fall of 1894 to form the Amateur Golf
Association of the United States, the forerunner to United States Golf
Association.
Much like the delegates to the Second Continental Congress, delegates came
from St. Andrews and the Newport club as well as Shinnacock Hills, New York;
Chicago Golf Club, Illinois; and the Country Club in Brookline,
Massachusetts.
The Association was born December 22, 1894. In October 1895 the U. S.
Amateur and the U. S. Open championships were played for the first time at
Newport Golf Club. Since that time, the USGA has grown to over 10,600 golf
course with 171,000 holes. Over 680 of these clubs hold qualifying rounds
for state or USGA golf championships.
So on this holiday weekend, join with millions of other American citizens in
pursuit of happiness by playing several rounds of the great game of golf.
Don't forget to stop by Golf Etc. located in the Best Buy Shopping Center on
Apalachee Parkway for all your golfing needs.
