Wearing a snappy red jacket, checked vest, knickers and high stockings he also sports a small cap.

A golf club, of the old fashioned cleek or a mashie type rests gently in his right hand. His name is John Reid and his is known as the ?father of American golf?.

Many had a hand in bringing the game to the states, but he alone established the first permanent golf club in the United States.

The seeds that he sowed would within a few decades bring into being the most influential golf country in the world.

While there is proof that golf was brought over to American as early at the end of the 18th century it didnt take hold until about 100 years later. Golf was accepted in Canada long before it was accepted in the United States.

There were several problems with establishing golf in the United States; the birth pains of a new country meant it was not totally suitable.

People were so involved in creating a new country there was little time for a new game that didnt involve a great deal of activity!

They were more interested in horse racing and even baseball when it was introduced than they were in golf.

Leisure was a rare commodity and few people had the time or the inclination to spend time knocking a little white ball around an open pasture with a bent stick.

Newspaper after the Revolutionary War referred to ?golf clubs? and ?golf greens? but there were no references to golf competitions.

The clubs were evidently social in nature and had nothing to do with playing golf.

The first golf course built in America came about on Washington s Birthday in 1888, Reid had planned to wait until spring to surprise his small group of friends.

However, when the day dawned bright and clear he got his group together, took them to a cow pasture, and set up 3 short holes, the cups were dug with the head of one of the clubs, and we had the first golf course.