Around the 19Th Hole

462THE AMERICAN GOLFER employment of two neighboring courses for the qualifying round, at Merion. It is doubtful, however, if that experiment will be repeated. The primary idea was to save time. to confine the play to one week, and so save at least a day in the qualifying stages. It sounds plausible. But a merely casual insight reveals no sav- ing at all in point of time and a rather unsatisfactory net result. For the large majority of the contestants have to spend the time ostensibly saved in learning BOTH courses. Not only that, the playing qualities of each are quite dissimilar. Certainly this proved true of Merion. No two courses are alike, even when immediately ad- jacent. It is hard enough to get ac- quainted with one. Besides which, too great a premium is placed on local knowledge . too great an advantage THE United is given the local contestants. States Golf As- sociation lends The West course at Merion is a fine itself perhaps one in its way, but has little in com- somewhat too mon with its vastly superior neighbor, readily to ex- the East course, in respect to either periments in the the character of the putting-greens or playing of the the nature of the approach shots. The amateur cham- one demands a low pitch and run, the pionship. Apart other a high pitch with a minimum of from the change from eighteen run for the approach, while the put- holes to thirty-six for the match-play ting-greens are totally dissimilar in rounds, there have been in the last de- speed. So that a man requires to pos- cade three notable differences in sess skill of the highest order to adapt method. In 1902, at Glen View, the himself to these widely divergent con- numerical system of the draw was ditions. The two courses might fur- tried, with sixty-four qualifiers. This nish a fine test for match play, 18 proved a fiasco. The ultimate winner holes on one in the morning and 18 tied with twelve others in the qualify- on the other in the afternoon, but it is ing round for sixty-fourth place, too severe an ordeal for a qualifying showing the absurdity of the govern- round. ing principle of the system. Bearing all these things in mind, we Then, in 1903, at Nassau, the scarcely anticipate any recurrence of British method of all match play was the experiment tried this year at tried. And now we have just wit- Merion. .even if there were enough nessed another new departure—the of such courses to requisition. THE AMERICAN GOLFER463 ECHOES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP Atlanta Athletic Club was won by Robert THE LONGEST DRIVER at Merion in T. Jones, Jr. In this event only those who the amateur championship did not were under sixteen were eligible and the winner, who might be termed in the "pee- prove to be Jesse Guilford, the "siege- wee class," was the youngest as well as the gun" who created such a stir in the smallest of the sixteen entries. His father's 1914 championship at Ekwanok by summer home is on the club grounds and reason of his long hitting. There were "Little Bob" is on the course with his clubs from morning until dark. Although he is several others who out-distanced him not yet ten he has done the Atlanta course at Merion, notably Mr. Robert Gard- in 97. He had little trouble in winning any ner, Mr. Oswald Kirkby and Mr. D. of his matches and won his final match Clarke Corkran. These were probably from Howard Thorn on the fifteenth the longest hitters in the whole field. green." For that matter, young Robert T. And we reproduce here a photo- Jones, Jr., of Atlanta, was not so far graph of the youngster as he appeared behind. at that time. APROPOS of young Jones, he did not come by his present game by accident. IN SURVIVING the second round at It is the result of many years of per- Merion, Mr. Clarence B. Buxton, of sistent play. He has been playing Pine Valley, the Philadelphia City since he was 7 years old. He is now champion, earned a little matter of 14—15 next March. He started in $5,000 for Pine Valley, this offer hav- under proper auspices, having been ing been generously made two years taught by Stewart Maiden, the profes- ago by Mr. R. Wistar Harvey to the sional at Atlanta. Maiden, by the way, Pine Valley Golf Club for the general has turned out two other youthful development of that magnificent prodigies—Perry Adair, who is now course if any Philadelphian golfer 19 years old, and Miss Alexa Stirling, survived two rounds in an amateur who is only 17, both of Atlanta. championship. As a matter of fact, We reprint the following from THE Mr. Buxton lasted until the third AMERICAN GOLFER of August, 1911: round, when he was put out by Mr. "The first Junior championship of the D. Clarke Corkran, of Baltimore. 464THE AMERICAN GOLFER A COMPARISON of the scores made been carefully thought out before- on the East and West courses at hand, for the general conduct of the Merion in the qualifying round of the tournament. There was not a single amateur championship shows an aver- detail that had not been provided for, age of 79 21/32 strokes for the West and everything worked like clock- course as against 82 5/32 for the East work. course. Of the thirty-two who quali- THE GALLERY at Merion was, next fied, twenty-one had better scores on to that at Apawamis in 1911, when the West course and eleven worse. Mr. Harold H. Hilton won our ama- THE GENERAL STANDARD of putting teur championship, without doubt the during the entire championship was largest in the history of any of our not of a very high order. No man championships. On Monday, the putted brilliantly qualifying day, no at any time, and less than 1,400 certainly no one automobiles were putted consistently parked near the well throughout. clubhouse and Probably the one nearly 2,000 on the who attained the day of the final. highest average as It is pretty safe to a consistent putter assume there must was Mr. Robert have been a gallery A. Gardner, but of between 7,000 in the final his and 8,000 on the work on the greens last day. Taken all was far below that in all, the gallery of his previous was splendidly performances. handled. If any- "Chick" Evans thing, a mistake putted very stead- was made in keep- ily in the final . ing the crowd too much better than far back from the was anticipated. players. They were ROBERT T. JONES, JR., as he appeared when he was He has, however, 9 years old. not allowed to go still a lot to learn any nearer than of the art. There was no excuse for from 60 to 75 yards. The result was poor putting at Merion, as the greens that at times they became very restive were particularly good. and in one or two instances actually stampeded. GREAT CREDIT attaches to the Merion Club for the superb condition into AT A MEETING of the U. S. G. A. at which they rounded the course gener- Merion it was decided to raise the ally, despite the handicap of drought. money prizes in the national Open Mr. Hugh I. Wilson deserves great championship from $900 to $1,300. praise for his work in this direction, Hereafter the first prize will be $500 as also does Mr. Robert W. Lesley, instead of $300. The other prizes, ac- who was omnipresent in the super- cording to the new arrangement, will vision of all the details, which had be as follows: Second, $250; third, THE AMERICAN GOLFER465 $150; fourth, $100; fifth, $75; sixth, MY MASHIE $65; seventh, $55 ; eighth, $45; ninth, Tune—"I've Been Working on the $35; tenth, $25. Railroad" Recognizing the increased burden I've been working with my mashie put upon the clubs holding the cham- All the livelong day; pionships, owing to the larger entry I've been working that damned mashie, list and other incidental expenses, the Just to get the ball away. Executive Committee have decided to Once I hit a pretty good one, increase the amounts appropriated by Right up to the pin it goes, several hundred dollars. At present But it's hell to be a-playing the club holding the amateur cham- Way up on the hose. pionship receives from the U. S. G. A. EVERY LITTLE HEADACHE $1,250 toward defraying expenses and for the women's championship $1,000. Tune—"Every Little Movement" Every little headache has a meaning ON THURSDAY, Sept. 7th, a dinner all its own; was given by the Philadelphia Golf Some from drinking cocktails, some Association to the officers of the U. S. from whiskey have been known; G. A. and contestants in the amateur And when you get that funny feel- championship at Merion. Here are ing, some of the songs which enlivened the And your head begins a-reeling, evening: Then it's time to go a-wheeling In a taxi to home, sweet home. DIVOTS FULLY SEVENTY-FIVE PER CENT of Tune—"My Bonnie" the players in the Amateur champion- My Caddie, I've got just a notion, ship at Merion used putters of the Oh, Caddie, come over and see, Schenectady type. I flubbed, there was quite a commotion, So bring back that divot to me.

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