British Have Joys, Troubles, Staging Big Championships by PETER ROSCOW
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British Have Joys, Troubles, Staging Big Championships By PETER ROSCOW WAY back in October 1952, the Woking, and many others—each taking on thinking cap was placed on the head a Hole. Isn't that the answer to the ever- Aand a start was made in preparing for difficult problem of coping with large the big event. Advice was sought from moving crowds?" The Secretary's wife and most generously given by that ex- replied, "You've got it. Let's go to sleep." pert in organisation, the Ganton Secre- The alarm clock was, for once, super- tary. Gordon Wright brought out all his fluous. The Secretary was wide awake and correspondence in connection with the itching to get going. On reaching the previous Ryder Cup Match in 1949, and Club, he telephoned to the Chairman of though enlightening the new Wentworth the Committee who seemed to think that Secretary, left the latter in no doubt of the idea was worth consideration. A the magnitude of the operation that lay luncheon was arranged for the 13th of ahead. December to which the Captains and Sec- The major difficulty was at once evi- retaries of 25 golf clubs within a 15 mile dent. Whereas the Scarborough Corpora- radius of Wentworth were invited. After tion had given valuable assistance in both the meal the Wentworth Secretary pro- the financial field and in that of organisa- pounded his ideas and included the sug- tion, it was obvious to the meanest intelli- gested method of control at each hole. gence that Virginia Water, with the best The reception was overwhelmingly en- will in the world, could not attempt to thusiastic. The scheme was adopted. A give aid in the same way as Scarborough, Press conference was held at Wentworth Leeds or Southport had done previously. and a draft of the "Drill" was sent for In fact, the job must be tackled by the typing. Five hundred copies were printed P.G.A. and Wentworth Club alone and and issued among the Clubs volunteering. unaided. During the summer of 1953, all the So off we started with no money in the Clubs involved (now 27 and 2 Golfing So- bank and fully aware that no subsidy cieties) visited Wentworth for rehearsals would be forthcoming. Big crowds would of their respective holes. These rehearsals surely attend the match, particularly as the 1953 Ryder Cup Match was to be played near London for the first time in We've had many articles on how history. Big crowds used space, but the to run big tournaments and Carl Burma Road is heavily wooded and gaps Jehlen, Baltusrol's gen. mgr. added from green to tee in many cases were his very valuable contribution on narrow. that subject, in his address at the So a contractor was engaged to cut Club Managers' convention. down, grub out and generally clear gaps Up to this time GOLFDOM has wide enough to permit easy passage for never carried a piece on how a big spectators. Together with this operation, British championship is run. The work commenced on levelling a number of British have done some excellent large areas on the estate to enable them jobs on Ryder Cup matches with to be used as car parks, and by the time Gordon Wright at Ganton and Peter this was completed, space had been found Ro»cow at Wentworth as ringmas- to park over 10,000 cars and 150 coaches. ters of the latest two Ryder shows In December, 1952, the Wentworth Sec- in Britain. retary awoke one morning around 3 a.m. Maj. Roseow wrote the accom- He just had to awaken his wife to declare panying article for the information —in the famous words of Miss Yvonne of fellow members of the British Arnaud—"I have an idea. I've got the golf club secretaries' association. 'drill' for crowd control, I'm sure," he de- clared. "One Golf Club—one Hole. Berk- —THE EDITOR shire, Sunningdale, Camberley Heath, proved most valuable, and produced many moned Board Meeting in London at which excellent suggestions for better crowd big and drastic action was taken. control. However the dark clouds passed over, From many complimentary comments the sun came out and by the morning of on the stewarding on the two Match the first Practice Day we were ready and Days, it would seem that this noble band itching to begin. of volunteers did a splendid job. We, at What happened from the opening day Wentworth, are most grateful to the 1,100 until the final thrills on Saturday evening stalwarts who worked so efficiently, that is now known to all who were here, and the Wentworth Flying Squad—the mobile to thousands who viewed on T.V. and read reserve—was hardly called into action at the papers. all until sent to assist at the historic inci- Not for four years shall we see another dents at the 18th hole on the last day. Ryder Cup match in this island. We won- To go back to the early part of the der who will have the honor of staging it. year, preparations were made covering a It is mighty hard work but a lot of fun. wide field of activities. Police and cater- Lastly, may a word of admiration be re- ing arrangements, ticket selling at the corded. The sportsmanship shown by the entrances, ingress and egress facilities for two teams can surely never have been the resident on the Estate, television and finer. The Americans, players and officials sound broadcasting, roping of the entire alike, were charming people to entertain. West Course with the thin red line, privi- We hope we looked after them satisfac- leges for Members and their guests— torily. We were sorry to say farewell to erection of stands, these and a host of them. other items all needed attention and care- Some Ryder Cup Statistics ful preparation. (a) 12 miles of thin red sisal twine was As the months passed, the tempo quick- used to rope off the fairways round the ened and for the three months just prior Course. to the match it was a case of Ryder Cup (b) 2,800 stakes carried the twine. priority for virtually every item. In fact, (c) Ascot Race Course Staff carried out the last four weeks were hectic indeed. the sale of tickets at eight entrances to Day by day, lorry after lorry brought in the Estate. cargoes of tubular scaffolding and boards (d) The Mobile Bank, provided by the for the many stands, marquees and tents for snack bars, first aid posts, lavatories National Provincial Bank (Egham Branch) and cloak rooms, etc., etc. Television engi- received 568 callers during the match, neers swarmed around the 7th Green and handled all the gate and car park monies, 8th Tee burying almost a mile of cable together with the shops' monies from the and even a greater distance of overhead stores trading at Tom Haliburton's shop telephone wires. Post Office engineers and all the catering establishments. joined in the general jamboree, while (e) The Wentworth Secretary swal- walkie talkie experts carried out extensive lowed 24 sleeping pills between the 21st tests to ensure efficient communication September and the 2nd October. from all parts of the Course to the score (f) The Dunlop Co. Ltd. provided board near the Club House. (gratis) the many directional sign posts and boards used on the Course and in the By the 21st of September, all seemed car parks. to be going according to plan. The sched- (g) Litter left behind after the match ule was up-to-date and if anything, we was well up to Test Match standards. were ahead of time. Needless to say the (h) The American Team occupied the crises appeared. And they were what our Ladies Dressing Room for the whole week. American friends would describe as The Ladies used other quarters! "really something." It would be unfair to (i) A set of false teeth in an empty publish the full details, but to get the ship match box was found by a Steward on back on to an even keel took a deal of the 16th Hole. doing. Most desperate measures were (j) The four Ice Cream Bombes served taken in the twinkling of an eye. Gangs at the Banquet in the club after the of men were summoned to our aid and match were so frozen that they had to be they worked for three days at the maxi- attacked with venom and a meat chopper mum pressure. by the Wentworth Chef. Vive les Beiges. The second crisis occurred only four (k) The profits on Bar Sales were not days before the opening of Ryder Cup —as has been quoted—£9,999 19s. 9d. week and necessitated a hastily sum- They were in fact £10,000 exactly!!! .