Apple Tree Gang
Preserved but no longer current.
The name given to John Reid, and his friends, from Scotland, who were responsible for the introduction of Golf into U.S.A. in 1888, at Yonkers, N.Y. The name was coined in 1892 when Reid and his friends moved to their 3rd " course " at Yonkers — a 34-acre orchard which yielded six holes.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Apple Tree Gang” mean?
The name given to John Reid, and his friends, from Scotland, who were responsible for the introduction of Golf into U.S.A. in 1888, at Yonkers, N.Y. The name was coined in 1892 when Reid and his friends moved to their 3rd " course " at Yonkers — a 34-acre orchard which yielded six holes.
Is “Apple Tree Gang” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.