Instead of repeating the story of the oft-dubbed "Father of American Golf," I am providing an early NY Times article on the establishment of St. Andrews in 1888 in Yonkers:
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F00C12FE3A5812738DDDA80B94D8415B858DF1D3A couple items of interest:
1. John Reid is not to be confused with John "Jack" Reid, who we will hear about later.
2. The article emphasizes the murkiness of early American golf history. This account notes that Robert Lockhart introduced the game to Reid, while others note that Reid asked Lockhart to procure clubs on his trip to Scotland, indicating he was familiar with the game prior to Lockhart's voyage.
3. The article also notes the rapid rise of the game at St. Andrews, which mirrors the growth of golf in this country prior to the turn of the century. The course moved several times due to the growth in interest. One wonders if St. Andrews was the first club with a waiting list, and if Andrew Carnegie was ever on it prior to joining.
4. I found the article's take on St. Andrews as a men's only golf club, and not a country club, to be of particular interest. It has been asserted that Reid's wife was one of the first women to play golf in America, however, a short while later she would not be able to play at the club her husband founded.
Course List:
St. Andrews (1888)