Old Missoula

Missoula Golf 1900 – Misadventures of a Goose Slayer

Golf Season Ends.

Story of the Member Who Use His Brassie.

Missoula, Dec. 3. – The Missoula Golf club has closed its season and will not resume play till next year. By that time it is expected that the affairs of the club will be in such shape that its course will be improved by the addition of a club house and other necessaries. The course itself is an excellent one and the members have had a pleasant season of play this year. Its location is admirable and its surroundings are pleasant. Aside from the wanton destruction of some of its property by malicious boys, the club has had a prosperous season and it will open next year with an enthusiastic membership. The final meeting of the directors was held last week and the business for the year was concluded.

Perhaps the most brilliant achievement in local golf circles this year was the killing of a goose by one of the members, whose only weapon was a golf stick. On the flat on the south side of the river near where the links are located, a flock of geese was seen to settle the other night. One of the club members saw the birds and, scenting a good Thanksgiving dinner, seized the first thing that lay at hand, which happened to be a golf stick, and cautiously approached the geese. The approach was successful and as soon as the golfer came within range of the first goose the bird was dealt a terrible blow with the brassie. The goose dropped. The rest of the flock flew to the river, but the one that had been hit with the brassie was past flying and was taken home in triumph by the golfer. Not for a day or two was it discovered that the geese were tame and came from a place across the river. Then the sporty tinge of the affair was lost. An apology and explanation were made to the owner of the birds, and the former was accepted in a most courteous spirit. That closed the incident. But it has proved that the brassie is all right.

The above article appeared in The Anaconda Standard on December 4, 1900.

The flat in early Missoula is sometimes defined as the area near present day Reserve Street, bounded on the North by 7^th St. and the South by Buckhouse Bridge. The area today harbors two modern 18 hole golf courses.

https://newspaperarchive.com/anaconda-standard-dec-04-1900-p-16/