Golf set:Clock Golf

Manufactured around 1900 by sports-equipment supplier A. G. Spalding Company of New York, this "clock golf" set appeared at the beginning of Americans' burgeoning interest in golf. Golf enthusiasm exploded at the end of the 19th century as Americans became increasingly aware of the advantages of outdoor exercise. In 1890 there was only one golf course in the entire country, but by 1900 there were more than 1,000. Along with a number of other sports, including lawn tennis and croquet, golf presented an ideal form of exercise for those interested in refined outdoor activities. While the sport appealed primarily to the wealthy, clock golf brought the game into backyards throughout the country. Requiring none of the expense or vast open space necessary for regular golf, clock golf required only a bit of lawn and the equipment supplied in this set: 12 numbers, a ball, and a club. Players placed the 12 numbers along the edge of a circle to represent the face of a clock. After making a hole at any point within the circle, players went from number to number, trying to putt the ball into the hole; whoever completed the course with the fewest strokes won.