Article on Golf In America Even Older Than First Thought

[boogielicious]

From Geoffshackelford.com

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/12/2/golf-in-america-even-older-than-first-thought.html

A hat tip to Luke Kerr-Dineen for a fun Tommy Braswell story in the Post and Courier of Charleston on a University of Edinburgh find suggesting the first golf clubs and balls were shipped to America in 1739, not 1743 as first thought.

To put that date in perspective, Kerr-Dineen points out:

The first train was nearly 100 years away from being conceived, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was 15 years away from being founded and George Washington was just 7 years old.

[k-troop]

It's cool to think about golf history in America.  Golf is probably one of the only areas of history where Americans can really compete; we are a very young nation, but we've had golf since the beginning.

I lived in Savannah, GA for 3-1/2 years from 2006-2009, the entire time in Savannah's historic district.  Started out in the garden level of an 1840s townhouse, then moved into a federal-style home a block from the river that was built in 1790.  It was amazing to be in that house every day knowing that it was one of the oldest houses in the United States.  Someone who had the money to build a house like that in downtown Savannah in 1790 was most likely part of Savannah society--quite fascinating to think about who might have dined or stopped by for a drink in that house.  George Washington spent four days in Savannah in 1791, after all.

Also had a chance to play Savannah Golf Club, founded 1794, several times while I was there.  The course was moved in 1888 onto land covered with Civil War earthworks and fortifications.  The course design implemented the earthworks, and several of the holes work through and around great earth mounds leftover from the Civil War.  Two of my favorite things in the world--golf and history--together in one place.