Ava Romero
The famous quote, Golf is a good walk spoiled, is often attributed to Mark Twain, but there is no evidence that he ever said this. The earliest attribution to Twain was in 1948, decades after his death in 1910. The quote has also been attributed to others, including a jockey named Sam Loates, novelist Harry Leon Wilson, and tennis players the Allens. The Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira, New York, was named after the writer, who lived nearby, but there is no indication that he played golf or had any particular interest in the sport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Did Mark Twain play golf? | There is no evidence that Mark Twain played golf. However, there is a public 18-hole golf course named after him in Elmira, New York. |
| Who came up with the quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled"? | The quote has been attributed to various people, including Mark Twain, Sam Loates, a jockey, a "northern Gael", and "the Allens". The earliest attribution to Twain was in 1948, decades after his death in 1910. The earliest known use of the quote was in 1901, by a tennis player named F. |
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What You'll Learn
- Mark Twain's quote about golf being a good walk spoiled is misattributed
- The quote was first attributed to Twain in 1948, decades after his death
- The earliest record of the quote is from 1897, by an anonymous author
- Other attributions include Sam Loates, a well-known jockey, and a northern Gael
- The Mark Twain Golf Course in New York is named after the writer, who lived nearby
Mark Twain's quote about golf being a good walk spoiled is misattributed
The quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled," is often attributed to Mark Twain, the famous humorist from Missouri. However, this attribution is currently unsupported and is likely a case of misattribution. The earliest citation of this quote was in 1897, and it was attributed anonymously, with later citations crediting well-known jockey Sam Loates, "a northern Gael", and "the Allens".
The quote appeared in a Liverpool Post clipping that circulated in papers across the U.S. before being attributed to Twain in a 1948 Saturday Evening Post story. The substance of the quip was in circulation during Twain's lifetime, but the specific phrasing of "good walk spoiled" has been linked to William Gladstone, although this claim is also questionable.
The misattribution of quotes to famous individuals is not uncommon, as highlighted by language expert Fred Shapiro, who notes that many well-known turns of phrase were never actually said by the people to whom they are attributed. For example, the quote, "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax," is often attributed to Albert Einstein, but there is no evidence to support this claim. Similarly, the quote, "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded," is often associated with Yogi Berra, but it was first attributed to an obscure woman in Montana in the early 1940s.
In conclusion, while the quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled," may be amusing and insightful to some, there is insufficient evidence to attribute it to Mark Twain. The true originator of this quip remains anonymous, and the phrase's popularity may be due to its appearance in various publications in the early 20th century, including newspapers, books, and periodicals.
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The quote was first attributed to Twain in 1948, decades after his death
The quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled", has been attributed to Mark Twain, but its origin is disputed. The earliest attribution to Twain appeared in 1948 in the Saturday Evening Post, decades after his death in 1910. This significant time lag raises suspicions about the accuracy of the attribution, as it provided ample time for myths about Twain's witty remarks to circulate.
Indeed, the quote's origin can be traced back much earlier, with several individuals credited with similar quips. In 1897, an anonymous source made the first recorded version of the joke, which was followed by attributions to well-known jockey Sam Loates, "a northern Gael", and tennis players "the Allens". In 1901, the joke appeared in a newspaper in Enniscorthy, Ireland, and in the US periodical "Golf and Lawn Tennis", without crediting Mark Twain.
In 1903, H. S. Scrivener included the joke in a book chapter, attributing it to "the Allens" again. The following year, in 1904, popular novelist Harry Leon Wilson used a variation of the joke: "Golf has too much walking to be a good game, and just enough game to spoil a good walk". Wilson's version of the joke appeared in his 1905 novel, "The Boss of Little Arcady".
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, the quote continues to be associated with Mark Twain, even in contemporary times, demonstrating the enduring nature of misattributed quotations. This case highlights the challenge of accurately attributing quotations to their original sources, especially in an era before the widespread use of the internet and digital records.
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The earliest record of the quote is from 1897, by an anonymous author
The quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled", is often attributed to Mark Twain, the famous humorist from Missouri. Twain, who lived near a golf course in New York that was named after him, has become one of the most misquoted men of all time, with dozens of quotes mistakenly attributed to him.
In 1948, The Saturday Evening Post published an article about the genesis of golf in Scotland, attributing the quote to Twain. This was repeated in The Reader's Digest that same year. However, Twain had died in 1910, and there was a suspicious lag before the quote was attributed to him. This lag is long enough for Twain to absorb the myth of quip-slinging literary giants.
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Other attributions include Sam Loates, a well-known jockey, and a northern Gael
The quote, "Golf is a good walk spoiled," has been attributed to Mark Twain, among others. However, this attribution is unsupported. Instead, other sources attribute the quote to Sam Loates, a well-known jockey, a northern Gael, and the Allens.
Sam Loates, born in 1865, was a British thoroughbred horse-racing jockey and the Champion Jockey of 1899 in his home country. He came from a racing family, with three brothers who were also active jockeys. Loates rode his first winner at 17 years old and rode his first Derby winner, Harvester, at 19. In 1898, he completed a hat-trick of Classics, winning the Derby-St. Leger double on Sir Visto and the Oaks on La Sagesse.
The term "Gaels" typically refers to the people of Gaelic Ireland and Gaelic Scotland. Gaels of northern Britain referred to themselves as Albannaich in their own tongue and their realm as the Kingdom of Alba. The Gaels have a long history dating back to early Scotland, where they lived alongside the Picts, Britons, Angles, and Vikings. Over time, the term Scots came to be associated with the Gaels in general.
The quote in question, expressing a less-than-favourable view of golf, has been attributed to Sam Loates, a well-known jockey, by some sources. However, it is important to note that the original citation in 1897 indicated an anonymous attribution, and later citations mentioned not only Sam Loates but also "a northern Gael" and "the Allens."
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The Mark Twain Golf Course in New York is named after the writer, who lived nearby
The Mark Twain Golf Course in Elmira, New York, is indeed named after the writer, who lived nearby. The course is a public 18-hole golf course in the Town of Horseheads, owned and operated by the City of Elmira. It was designed by the famous golf course architect Donald Ross and built in 1937 as a public works project during the Great Depression.
The course bears the name of the famous writer, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain. Twain lived nearby in the latter part of his life, and his legacy is remembered in various ways in the region. Twain reportedly had a mixed relationship with the game of golf. While he is often quoted as saying, "Golf is a good walk spoiled," there is some debate about whether he actually said this.
The quote "Golf is a good walk spoiled" is attributed to Twain in an article published in the Saturday Evening Post in August 1948. However, earlier citations of this quote exist, with some sources claiming it was first said by a well-known jockey, Sam Loates, or a "northern Gael." Despite this debate, the Mark Twain Golf Course proudly bears the writer's name, and its history is an interesting connection between the world of golf and one of America's most renowned authors.
The course's name serves as a reminder of Twain's literary legacy and his impact on American culture, even in the realm of sports and leisure activities. It is a unique tribute to a writer who continues to inspire and entertain readers long after his death. The Mark Twain Golf Course is a testament to the enduring influence of Mark Twain's literary genius, showcasing how his wit and wisdom continue to shape not only literature but also the fabric of American society and its recreational pursuits.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no evidence that Mark Twain played golf. However, there is a golf course named after him in Elmira, New York, as he lived nearby.
It is often claimed that Mark Twain said "golf is a good walk spoiled", but this is unlikely. The earliest attribution to Twain was in 1948, but Twain died in 1910. The phrase was first used in a 1903 book about lawn tennis and was also attributed to a jockey, Sam Loates, and novelist Harry Leon Wilson.
The Mark Twain Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course in Horseheads, New York, that was built in 1937 as a public works project during the Great Depression.
The phrase "golf is a good walk spoiled" is a joke that pokes fun at the game of golf, suggesting that it makes a simple walk too complicated and competitive. It is a barb from non-golfers and a self-deprecating joke for golfers.
