Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1915 — THINKS WE SHOULD PROVIDE GOLF COURSE [ARTICLE]

THINKS WE SHOULD PROVIDE GOLF COURSE

Former Townsman Says It Should Be Considered in Connection With _. Public Play Ground. Dr. E. C. English is in receipt of a letter from his brother-in-law, Louis F. Hopkins, of Chicago, that is devoted to the subject of golf and The Republican is pleased to be given the privilege of publishing the letter. It reads: ' March sth, 1915.

Dear Ed: I notice by the Rensselaer paper that there is a movement on foot to start a public park and playground. In reading this article it occurred to me that the city of Rensselaer should not lose sight of the fact that the future will demand more and more the installation-of a golf course, and in selecting a site for this park they should take this in view. There is nothing more that a community needs for the sake of the health of its people than a golf course and it is getting to be a practice all over the country for cities to install public links in connection with their parks. You are not very familiar with the game of golf, but if you would once get into it you would be just as much of a bug as all the others. One beauty of the game is that a poor player enjoys it just as much as a good player. It is a child’s game and a game for the middle aged as well as for the old folks and girls and ladies can play it just the same as others. A father enjoys playing with his son or daughter and on Sunday afternoons the golf links around Chicago are crowded with men and their wives playing together and probably their children with them. This is the beautiful part of the game. It can be arranged with a handicap, so that a good player can play against a poor player. Nearly every summer or winter resort is compelled to put in a golf course, in order to attract j>eople there. In times gone by the fishing probably was the main attraction at resorts, but it is not much good any more so that they have to get something else and most of them have found out that if they wish to attract the people they must have a golf course. Rensselaer will be up-to-date if it lays out a links and if they do not consider this soon they will be behind the times. It is certainly an excellent way for the young people of the community to spend their summer vacation and you will find, if you can interest Rensselaer in this, that it is something they will never regret. It is the exercise and the fresh air that develops everybody physically who gets interested in the game. You ought to put forth considerable effort to get people interested in this idea and I believe it will go through.