A Century Ago,
Public Golf Exploded
in America’s Heartland
By Preston Dunaway
If I had any money, I could spend money on Ryder Cup tickets for this weekend's tournament at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
The Ryder Cup is unique because it only happens every two years. Above all, though, the Ryder Cup serves as a reminder that golf is no longer a rich man’s game — especially in the Midwest.
At this year’s tournament at Whistling Straits, golf fans from all over the world will descend upon Sheboygan County, Wisc., to rediscover the simple truth that watching golf is fun. Somewhat unsurprisingly, golf in Midwest America has always been about the common golf fan.
One hundred years ago, golf in America saw a period of incredible growth, setting real estate developers — particularly in the Midwest — into a flurry to design and build golf courses to attract new residents. For example, cities like Detroit saw a ten-fold increase in the number of golf courses between 1900 and 1921.
A large part of the growth in golf in the Midwest during early 20th century could be attributed to the Spanish Flu, a global pandemic that forced folks to think of creative ways to spend their time outdoors, in the fresh air and in the sun. One newspaper, writing during that pandemic, encouraged Americans to spend time on the golf course: “The pure, fresh air that you breathed in is like long draughts of crystal water. ... There are many of us who would not think of walking three miles and yet if you play eighteen holes that is the distance you will have walked.”
As the game grew, common folks looked for ways to avoid the hassle and stuffiness that playing golf at private clubs presented. Midwesterners led the charge to develop municipal golf courses that allowed a normal guy to “go out onto the links, unsling his bag of clubs, and tee off with perfect freedom.” Chicago, for instance, had nine public courses open to the public in 1922 — and in that same year, the city and surrounding area signed contracts to build more than 50 municipal golf courses.
Courses were built, and golfers flocked to the Midwest because of the abundance of accessible public links that it offered. So much golf was being played during this time that a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer noted Midwesterners “now play seven days a week and are disappointed that there are only twenty-four hours in the day. The play is not confined to men of wealth but is indulged by all classes. The municipal courses have done untold good in propagating the sport.”
Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to another renaissance for the game of golf. Last year, Americans —working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic — played nearly twice as many rounds as in previous years, according to the Wall Street Journal. And major golf tournaments like the U.S. Open have seen viewership numbers grow by the millions.
The 2021 Ryder Cup in Wisconsin is a great reminder that golf in Midwest America has always been for the common golf fan. A team competition where America’s best compete against Europe’s best, fans at the Ryder Cup will dress in costumes and wear painted faces and wave flags and cheer and drink beer and laugh. And no one will ask, “Are you a member of this club?”
Preston Dunaway has a passion for writing and has published several articles on how Bobby Jones, Augusta National, the Atlanta Braves, and the pinball machine industry shaped gambling laws in Georgia. He is married to Elizabeth, a wonderful woman that put him through law school. They live in Atlanta and love to travel. In law school, Preston self-published Le Couteau, a fun story about golf and courage under pressure — a great read for a short flight and available on Amazon Kindle.
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