12 THE AMERICAN GOLFER

Solons of Meet Annual Conclave of the United Stales Golf Association Discusses Important Issues

By A. T. Packard

HERE is a very great temptation to particulars with regard to the national cham- chance, especially the younger players, will put the cart before the horse in an pionships and was kept standing by an be barred, but the former rules on eligibility Taccount of the annual meeting of the ovation which lasted five minutes. At last, will be abandoned and entries not on the list United States Golf Association. To one who Bob could be heard and announced that the of those who have qualified in previous na- attended all the meetings of the annual ses- National Amateur would be held at The tional tournaments must come from the asso- sion, there is no question of where the interest Country Club, Brookline, Mass., September ciation of which the player is a member. centered. Far and away in the lead were the 4-9 inclusive; the National Open at the No Discussion of Rules two sessions of the Green section, under the , Glencoe, Ill., July chairmanship of W. A. Alexander, chairman 11-14. and the Women's National at Green- HE outstanding surprise of the meeting of the Chicago Greens Committee. But tradi- brier Golf Club, White Sulphur Springs, W. Twas that no report was made by the tion must be observed and the really more Va., September 25-30. Executive Committee on harmonizing the important association matter of the annual It will be noted that but six days are rules, the playing of the stymie and the use meeting must come first. of ribbed clubs. Publications of reasons for The annual dinner was a part of and im- this omission are slightly out of order, but it mediately preceded the annual meeting. It can be said that no public statement will be was held Saturday-evening, January 14, in HANDS AT THE HELM in order until after the annual meeting of the the French room of the Drake. It wholly Western Golf Association, and probably none dissipated a grave doubt as to the possibility The election of officers at the an- will be made until the February meeting of of giving value received in these arid days nual meeting of the United States the Executive Committee. for the charge of $6.50. It was worth the Golf Association for the ensuing And now we get back to the interesting price, even without a Volstead silhouette year resulted in the adoption in full meetings of the Green section. W. A. which disappeared after gravely winking the of the recommendations of the Alexander alone is enough to inject plenty of other eye at the speaker's table. nominating committee, as was ex- interest into such a meeting and he was ably pected. Recommendations of the nominating com- backed by Chairman Piper, E. J. Marshall, mittee were unanimously adopted. President Herewith are the officials who will of Inverness; President W. F. Brooks, of Albert R. Gates of the Western Golf Asso- serve the organization during the Minikahda; Chairman Hood of the Green ciation and President Findlay S. Douglas of current year: section of the Detroit District Golf Associa- the Metropolitan Golf Association served as President — J. Frederic Byers, tion; J. F. Ling of Skokie and a host of in- a committee to usher newly-elected President Allegheny Country Club. quiring green chairmen, professionals and J. F. Byers to the chair. Vice-Presidents—Robert A. green keepers. President Byers dwelt on the need of a Gardner, , and Wy- In his first annual report, Dr. Piper an- national association of golf clubs and pledged nant D. Vanderpool, Morris County nounced that the Green section would not himself to work without stint in an effort Golf Club. be a year old until April. It began with to have the U. S. G. A. worthy of that dis- Secretary — Cornelius S. Lee, seventy members and now has three hundred tinction. He gave the Green section of the Tuxedo Golf Club. and ninety-seven, with every prospect that it association credit for doing more than any Treasurer—Edward S. Moore, soon will have a great majority of the two other agency for the advancement of Ameri- National Golf Links. thousand or more golf clubs in the country in can golf and called on Chairman Piper. His Executive Committee—Roger D. its membership. The benefit to smaller clubs address was well received, and more will be Lapham, San Francisco Golf and is greater in proportion than to larger clubs, told of his work when it comes to an account Country Club; John R. Lemist, Denver Country Club; James D. and the suggestion was made, that a special of the Green section meetings. Following effort be made to get the smaller clubs as this address, ex-President Frank Woodward, Standish, Jr., Lochmoor Club; Alan D. Wilson, Merion Cricket members, the larger ones being certain to of Denver, paid a high tribute to the work enter in a short time. of Dr. Piper and gave him full credit for Club; Thomas B. Paine, Atlanta first suggesting the Green section of the as- Athletic Club; Azariah T. Buffinton, The Green section has more than paid ei- sociation, five years ago. Fall River Country Club; Albert D. penses. Two fifths of the total expense has Locke, Brae-Burn Country Club; been in getting out the monthly bulletin, in Urge Cut in Costs Bonner Miller. St. Louis Amateur which is published the results of all tests and Athletic Association. experiences in keeping greens and fairways OR the first time in the history of the in the best of condition. The present mem- association, President Byers brought for- Nominating Committee for 1923 F —James F. Burke, Oakmont Coun- bership fee, including the bulletins, is $15 a ward the question of deflation in golf ex- year. The section is self-supporting and, penses. He favored a cancellation of the try Club; David H. McAlpin, 2nd., National Golf Links; Walter L. with the advent of new members, the dues many numerous charges which every golf club Ross, ; H. Chandler will be decreased if desired. burdens itself with and bringing total costs Egan, Waverly Country Club, and to where the ordinary income is capable of William E. Stauffer, Audubon Golf Extending Scope of Work being stretched to cover the cost of golf. To Club. HE work of the Green section has been make the question concrete, he called on Mr. Tforced to go far beyond the original idea Julian W. Curtiss, president of A. G. of growing the best turf. There is hardly a Spalding & Bros., to say what had been and golf club problem that does not come to the would be done in the direction of golf econo- allotted to the National Amateur instead of Green section for settlement. Consideration mies. Mr. Curtiss declared the highest price the eight days of the 1921 championship. is being given to various plans for a six of his company's golf balls this year would This means that the eligibility committee, of months' course where the science of green be seventy-five cents and that other articles which James D. Standish of Detroit, is keeping can be taught. There is an active would be reduced in proportion. He did not chairman, will do its best to restrict the en- demand for such graduates. The various enter into particulars, but hinted broadly tries at Brookline to less than 100 and thus ways of enforcing economies are a constant that one of the greatest savings was in the do away with the necessity of playing a study. direction of durability in golf implements qualifying round on the Saturday preceding. Chairman Alexander was an emphatic ad- and added that some interesting developments The qualifying rounds will be played on vocate of the deflation of golf expenses. He in that direction would be announced shortly. Monday, September 4 and will be followed believed every man had a right to play golf Robert A. Gardner, chairman of the Tour- by the customary five days of match play at and that he should be able to exercise this nament Committee, was called on to announce thirty-six holes. No player who has a (Continued on page 34) 34 THE AMERICAN GOLFER

Solons of Golf Meet (Continued from page 12) right, no matter what his income. pay all the expenses of the section, He condemned the saying that golf one club alone having saved over $800 was a rich man's game. Golfers were on its seed bill. His section is fram- waking up to the silly outside ex- ing a budget for adoption by all penses saddled on golf clubs. Every Detroit clubs and which will make a effort should he made to foster the very material reduction in expenses. growth of public courses. He believed a maintenance cost of $13,000 a year was ample for a first- E. J. Marshall, chairman of the class, eighteen-hole course. green committee of the Inverness club advocated the spending of money A Plea For Public Links on the up-keep of the course and NE feature of decided interest blandly bowed acknowledgment at the O attending the meeting of the as- statement that the Inverness course sociation in full was a discourse on was in the best shape of any course public golf courses by Robert W. in the country. Mr. Marshall is one McKinlay, a Forest Preserve Com- of the wheel horses of the green sec- missioner of Chicago. Following is a tion work and his remarks were given brief digest of his very interesting the closest attention. talk: Chairman Hood of the Detroit sec- tion produced a mass of figures to "Three years ago the voters of Cook show where economies could be in- County saw fit to elect me a member troduced. There are twenty-six clubs of their County Board and for the in his section and they have joined in benefit of out of town delegates, I various methods to curtail expenses. wish to explain that a County Com- An agreement has been made with a missioner of Cook County is under the seed house to furnish all the seed for law also a Forest Preserve Com- the twenty-six clubs on a cost plus missioner, acting in a dual capacity, 10% basis. This has resulted in a as it were. saving of much more than enough to "We have in our County a Forest JANUARY 28 35

Preserve which surrounds the city of other at Edgebrook, with the possi- Chicago and comprises at the present bility of a nine hole course opposite time approximately 22,000 acres. the Beverly Country Club, and other Eventually this will be increased to a locations still in view. maximum of 40,000 acres and the "I would like to impress upon this people of our municipality will have association the fact that the demand at their door one of the greatest to play the game of golf in this sec- natural parks to be found anywhere tion of the country at least, far ex- in the land. ceeds the available playing space. "The greater portion of this land is Corroborating this statement, I might covered with trees but interspersed say, that at Olympia Fields, during are areas of cleared land. Being a 1921 on three eighteen hole courses, golf bug, as soon as I became a mem- 60,000 persons played, while at Lin- ber of the board, I took the initial coln Park, on a nine hole public steps to bring about the building of course, 105,000 persons played. public golf courses in the Forest Pre- "The members of this association serve District. I found myself the should realize that the Chick Evanses only Commissioner playing the game, and Bob Gardners of the future may but I am glad to say that others have be recruited from the ranks of the since seen the light of day and before public course players and caddies of long I hope to be able to report that the private links. It would therefore every Commissioner is a golfer. appear to me that this association "Through the organization of the should utilize its great influence to Cook County Municipal Golf Associa- the end that the thousands of men tion, we stirred up new interest in the and women, who in our country today, public movement, and, by desire to play golf and cannot do so bringing pressure to bear upon the on account of the scarcity of public Forest Preserve Commissioners, I am courses, may, in the near future be glad to report tonight that we will able to gratify their desires. In so have in playing condition next season doing, you will be contributing to two new eighteen hole golf courses, the physical and moral well being of one being located at Palos Hills, the the American people."