The transcript from the 1898 USGA Annual meeting offers a glimpse at just how differently golfers viewed amateur and professional golf. Up until 1898, the US Amateur and the US Open had been held at the same site, with the Open immediately following the Amateur. While St. Andrews (NY) had offered to host both tournaments, that arrangement was not popular among many of the clubs, and Morris County had expressly requested the Amateur but did not want (and would not take) the Open. Much of the discussion was procedural and/or repetitious, but here are just a few interesting excerpts from the transcript of the meeting:
Granville Kane: The idea is that some clubs might care to hold the amateur championship and do not care to hold the open championship. Therefore, I should say that the two events should be held by separate clubs on separate links.
. . .
S. L. Parrish: The open event seems to be unpopular, so far as I make out. Are we liable to run into this condition of affairs, that everybody will be scrambling for the amateur event? We are liable to be placed in the position of whether, anybody would be willing to take the open event, One represents cream and the other skim-milk, and we should consider whether those who wish the cream should not be compelled to take it diluted. And I would like to ask an expression of
opinion from these gentlemen, when they were called upon to make application for the open event, whether it is the opinion of the golfers here tonight that the open event would be liable to obtain a candidate, because, if it does not, there is nothing in our constitution or by-laws to compel a club to accept the open event.
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H. P. Toler: It seems to me to be unfair to ask the amateurs who are making progress to play through a week's hard work of amateur competition and then to enter into the professional game. It is hardly a fair competition. If anybody is to be favored, it seems to me the amateur should; and the professional handicapped, if there is to be anyone handicapped. It seems to me to be better to separate the two events. I don't wish to make it as a motion, but it seems to me the executive committee should determine which club should hold the open and which the amateur event.
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S. L. Parrish: There is one element there. The executive committee has been allowing a certain amount of money to the club which held the combination event. Now, I apprehend that some clubs would not take the open event, on the ground of the expense. In other words, they would not feel that the bother and trouble of it was warranted by the honor. If, on the other hand, a certain amount of money was appropriated to the club which held the open event, with the understanding that the club which held the amateur event should pay its own expenses, I think it might possibly create 'an' equilibrium. In other words, the amateur event would be rewarded by honor, -and- the open event would be rewarded by a certain amount of cash.
. . .
I've read other articles discussing whether the US Open should be dropped all-together. I wonder how golf would be different today had the Open not survived?
Anyway, after much discussion they first voted to split the two tournaments in time, agreeing to hold the Open and Amateur at least three months apart as had been suggested by Champion Golfer H.J. Whigham via letter. Thus the Open would be held in June, and the Amateur in the fall. Next they turned to the question of who would host the Amateur. As Morris County had only offered to hold the Amateur, and as St. Andrews would not agree to host only one, the vote of who would host the Amateur would decide the issue of whether the tournaments would be split.
The tenders of the two clubs indicate two very different approaches and may evidence the first time (or one of the first times) that a course was ever altered in order to better its chances of being awarded a Major. Also, one can see that even early on logistics was a major consideration. Again from the transcript:
The President: I was about to say that it is now in order to receive tenders for the holding of those events under those conditions.
R. H. Thomas: I would tender the use of the Morris County links for the amateur event at the dates fixed by the executive committee.. If I may be permitted to say just a word, which seems to me to be very apt here, after the sentiment expressed tonight. The matter came before us last fall, and we determined to call in the best talent within reach in this country, to have them look over our course and make inspections and to suggest changes and improvements of every kind. In the event of their finding that so many changes were not necessary, they were asked to make suggestions as to the improvement of the course as laid out. They were asked to go over our course; they were not permitted to confer together in any way. At a later period, amateurs were invited and asked to go over the course and make their recommendations. Based upon their recommendations, we mapped out a series of changes and improvements, and went before our board of directors and asked them to appropriate the amount necessary to carry out the improvements. The money was appropriated. We have at Morristown, coming from New York to Morristown', twenty trains daily and twenty returns. Each and every one of them will stop either at the club house or at the station, five minutes' walk from the club house. We have hotels and accommodation for players and visitors; and for those who would perhaps want to be more independent than others, there is a hotel at Summit, New Jersey, fifteen minutes from the golf course, We will give you a course of 6,000 yards actual playing length, and we as. for your support.
T. C. Ten Eyck: I wish to say that I have no doubt at all that if the amateur championship should beheld at Morristown, everything will be done to make the event a successful one. We know the ability of the Morristown Club to suitably entertain visiting golfei's, and I have no doubt the event will be a great success.
Morris County's more activist approach won the day, by a vote of 19 to 13, and Mr. Ten Eyck immediately and graciously moved to make the vote unanimous, and his motion passed. Next, they decided to leave it up to the Executive Committee to find someone to host the Open. Eventually Myopia (which had not been present at the meeting) agreed to take the tournament.
Some other changes were made to the format of the tournament, but those are the portions I found most interesting.