A PICTURE THAT EXPLAINS ITSELF Jack Fleck, new Open Champion, is a study in repressed elation following his defeat of Ben Hogan in the play-off. San Francisco Chronicle Photo JULY 1955 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT Published by the United States Golf Association Pei mission to reprint articles herein is freely granted [unless specifically noted otherwise) provided credit is given to the USGA Journal VOL. VIII, No. 3 JULY, 1955 Through the Green ___________________________________________________________ 1 The Club President Looks at his Manager _____________________ L. Alan Passmore 5 New Western G. A. Headquarters -------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 A New Champion and New Inspiration-------------------------------------- Joseph C. Dey, Jr. 8 The Easiest Way Becomes a Habit __________________________ Orville Henry 14 Joe Conrad’s Victory in the British Amateur ----------------------------------------------------- 16 Do You Know Your Golf? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18 The Girls’ Junior Championship _____________________ __ ___ Mrs. John Pennington 19 The Referee: Decisions by the Rules of Golf Committees-------------------------------------- 21 Turf Management: USGA Green Section Turf Research at Oklahoma A. and M. College___________ Dr. Wayne Huffine 25 Losses of Ammonical Fertilizers From Sprinkler Jets D. W. Henderson, W. C. Bianchi and L. D. Doneen 28 Bengeyfield Succeeds Wilson ----------------------- 30 Green Section Grant for 3entgrass Studies in Oklahoma----------------------------- 31 Worth-While Meetings _________________________________________________ 32 It’s Your Honor: Letters 33 Published seven times a year in February, April, June, July, August, September and November by the UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION 40 EAST 38th ST., NEW YORK 16, N. Y. Subscription: $2 a year. Single copies: 30c. Subscriptions, articles, photographs, and correspondence, except pertaining to Green Section matters, should be sent to tne above address. Correspondence pertaining to Green Section matters should be addressed to USGA Green Section, Mid­ Atlantic Office, Room 206, South Building, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Md.; to USGA Green Section Western Office, 1709 W. 8fh St., Los Angeles 17, Cal.; to USGA Green Section Southwestern Office, Texas A. and M. College, College Station, Texas; to USGA Green Section Northeastern Office, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J., or to USGA Green Section Southeastern Office, Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Ga. Entered as Second-class Matter March 3, 1950, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 8. 1879. Edited by Joseph C. Dey, Jr., and John P. English. Managing Editor: Frank C. True. All articles voluntarily contributed. USGA COMPETITIONS FOR 1955 (Dates entries close mean last dates for applications to reach USGA office. For possible exceptions in dates of Sectional Qualifying Rounds, see entry forms.) Championship Amateur Public Links Junior Amateur Girls' Junior Women's Amateur Entries Close Closed Closed August 3 August 8 Sectional Qualifying Rounds Completed July 19 None None Championship Dates Team: July 9 Indiv.: July 11-16 August 3-6 August 15-19 August 22-27 Amateur August 12 August 30 Sept. 12-17 V enue Coffin Municipal G. C., Indianapolis, Ind. Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind. Florence C.C., Florence, S.C. Myers Park C. C., Charlotte, N. C. Country Club of Virginia, Richmond, Va. Senior Amateur August 26 Sept. 8 Sept. 26-Oct. 1 Belle Meade Country Club, Nashville, Tenn. Overheard at the Open Two young professionals saluted each other on the first tee at the Olympic Coun­ try Club in San Francisco, just before start­ ing their second rounds in the Open Cham­ pionship, and they did it on this wise: First player: "Hey, Robert, stay cool today.” Second player (sheepishly): "Aw, gee First player: "Just let it be a slow burn.” Second player: "Aw, but at the seven­ teenth yesterday—” First player (interrupting): "I know. I blacked out there myself.” The Dignified Students of Auld St. Andrews We cannot remember whether golf or the university came first to St. Andrews, but the charming Scottish city has long been a center of education and culture. St. Andrews University attracts students from many parts of the world. It is co­ educational. The young men and women wear bright red gowns, and a lovely pic­ ture they make as they walk about the city or sit and chat softly near the ruins of the old castle or stroll across the links. But beneath those dignified red robes beat spirited hearts. College students, it would appear, are pretty much the same the world over, or so it would seem from the following preparations which some St. Andrews students effected on the Old Course the night before the Walker Cup Match started: 1. All the flagsticks were removed from the cups. They were neatly laid out on the first fairway spelling "BRITAIN.” 2. A TV scoreboard was carried 300 yards and placed at the edge of Swilcan Burn, a brook guarding the first green. 3. A "No Cycling” notice was torn down and thrown in the Burn. 4. A "No Passing” sign was stuck up in the 18th cup. 5. An officials’ tent was removed and re-erected 400 yards from the course. 6. A British Railways information tent was taken down. Its nine-foot sign was re-erected over the door of Macintosh Hall, the women students’ residence. It took Andrew Nicoll and his green­ keeping staff nearly three hours, working against the clock, to have things ready for PlaY- So goes student life in dignified St. Andrews. How Many Golfers? The National Golf Foundation estimates that more than 3 per cent of the nation’s population plays golf at least ten times a year, but a Gallup poll indicates that 33 per cent (16,500,000) of the men and 18 per cent (9,500,000) of the women have played at least one round of golf. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 1 NEW MEMBERS OF THE USGA REGULAR Clay Center Country Club, Kans. Coral Ridge Country Club, Fla. Glen Oaks Country Club, Pa. Grantwood Golf Club, Ohio Grants Pass Country Club, Ore. Grove City Country Club, Pa. Hartwell Golf Club, Ohio Hillcrest Golf Club, Wis. Hillcrest Golf BL Country Club, S. D. Ives Hill Country Club, N. Y. J. O. Porter Golf Club, Ga. Kingstree Golf & Country Club, S. C. Kinston Country Club, N. C. Ould Newbury Golf Club, Mass. Rochester Country Club, Ind. Rocky Ford Golf Association, Colo. Ruby View Men’s Golf Association, Nev. Silverado Country Club, Cal. Stockton Golf and Country Club, Cal. Tippecanoe Country Club, Ind. Tomahawk Hills Country Club, Kans. Twin Hills Golf and Country Club, Mo. Western Village Country Club, Okla. ASSOCIATE Bridgman Country Club, Mich. Lake Morey Inn Golf Course, Vt. A Junior Goes On Joe Campbell, a crew-cut blond of 19 from Purdue University and Anderson, Ind., has won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship, and we are particularly gratified because he is an alumnus of our own Junior Ama­ teur Championship. Joe was a quarter­ finalist in 195’3. In the final of the col­ legiate play, he defeated John Garrett, of Rice Institute, 3 and 2. The balance of collegiate golfing power has long since swung definitely from the East. Louisiana State University won the team championship when its four players made an aggregate 36-hole score of 574. Team play is held in conjunction with qualifying, in which Johnny Pott, of L. S. U., tied the record set a year ago at Houston, Texas, by Don Albert, of Purdue. Pott, who is also 19, scored 69-67 —136. The other members of the L. S. U. team were Jim Mangum, Scotty Fraser and Cecil Calhoun. Njorth Texas State was second, with 583; Oklahoma A. and M. third, and Florida, Houston and Stanford tied for fourth. Southern Methodist, which was defending, tied for eighth, with Purdue. Play was over the Holston Hills Coun­ try Club course, in Knoxville, Tenn. Walker Cup By-Play A trip abroad with a United States Walker Cup Team is an unforgettable ex­ perience, not just for the high-quality golf, but even more for the spirit which prevails and for the little human incidents which always arise. The spirit of this year’s team was re­ markable, and in some aspects was not unlike the better side of college days. Don Cherry, who sings delightfully as a professional, was always ready to oblige— without a fee. Joe Conrad somehow acquired two nicknames. No one seemed to know why he was called "Smoky Joe,” but "Gay­ lord” was tagged to him because, as one teammate said, "He is so unlike a Missis­ sippi River gambler.” On Mother’s Day the Team was on the SS America, in the middle of the ocean. But two mothers in Portland, Oregon, and San Antonio, Texas, were remembered by their sons. Bruce Cudd and Joe Conrad radio-telephoned their mothers. That’s the sort of young men who represented you in -the Walker Cup Match this year. It Wasn’t Long Ago ... Time flies, for some of us, and the proof came not long ago when Edwin C. Vare, of Merion, Pa., was elected captain of the 1956 golf team at Yale. Nkd is the son of Mrs. Edwin H. Vare, Jr., the former Glenna Collett, and it wasn’t so long ago that she was captain of our Curtis Cup Team and the winner of six Women’s Amateur Championships. 2 USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 SPORTSMAN’S CORNER When the Metropolitan sectional qualifying rounds of the Amateur Public Links Champion­ ship ended, Gus Manganello, of White Plains, N. Y., and Harry Glick and Robert M. Joyce, of New York, had qualified for the three places allotted. In New York the Metropolitan Golf Asso­ ciation had generously agreed to contribute funds to cover the allowable expenses of one player. However, it is a rule of the competi­ tion that funds raised by a section must be divided equally among the section’s qualifiers. HARRY CLICK ROBERT M. JOYCE CUS MANGANELLO Each section in which qualifying rounds were held is authorized to provide a limited amount of financial assistance to entrants who qualify for the Championship, which is being held this year at the Coffin Municipal Golf Club, Indianapolis, Ind. This created a problem which Manganelllo and Glick solved in a real sportsmanlike way. They got together and agreed the entire ex­ pense fund of the MGA should be turned over to Joyce, who is only 18 and otherwise might not have been able to go. A Golfer’s Prayer Francis C. Truitt, of Indianapolis, Ind., a member of the USGA Junior Champion­ ship Committee, has arranged to distribute a card with a golfer’s prayer among boys who compete in the USGA Junior Amateur Championship, August 3 to 6, at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. The spirit of sportsmanship sought in this prayer is by no means applicable to juniors or golfers only. It might well be sought by every athlete. The poem: Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life, I ask but a chance that is fair. A chance that is equal to all in the strife, A chance but to do and to dare. And if I should win, may I win by the code With my faith and my courage held high. And if I should lose, may I stand by the road And cheer as the winners go by. Watch Your Amateur Status A manufacturer of golf accessories is conducting a contest for golfers who pur­ chase his products and who make holes in one. The grand prize will be an ex­ pensive automobile. Those who take part in this contest should, of course, under­ stand the acceptance of a prize of retail value exceding $ 15 0 is a violation of Rules l-2a of the USGA Rules of Amateur Status. MEN’S HANDICAPS FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Effective this year, handicaps submitted by amateurs as a basis for eligibility for the Amateur and Senior Amateur Cham­ pionships must have been computed in accordance with the USGA Golf Handicap System for Men (1953 edition). Either basic or current handicaps will be accept­ able. While the USGA has long maintained a handicap qualification as a basis for eligi­ bility of amateurs in its championships, it has not previously specified the method by which these handicaps should be com­ puted. Scores to be recorded shall be only those made when the player has complied with the Rules of Golf. Scores made under “winter rules”, general “teeing up” or “preferred lies” must never be used for handicapping purposes. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 3 USGA Film On Etiquette Thus far there have been more than 375 bookings of the new USGA motion picture entitled “The Rules of Golf — Etiquette.” The film, which recently was awarded a Recognition of Merit by the Film Council of America, is a 16 mm. Kodachrome with a running time of 17j4 minutes. , The importance of etiquette is empha­ sized visually through various violations of the code in the course of a family four- ball match. Ben Hogan appears in several scenes. Robert T. Jones, Jr., makes the introductory statement. The shipping of prints is handled by National Educational Films, Inc., 165 West 46th Street, New York 16, N. Y., which produced the film in cooperation with the USGA. The rental fee is 015, which in­ cludes the cost of shipping the print to the renter. Bob Hope On “Manners” "I can’t get along without golf, but I could easily dispense with one thing—the player who adopts golf as a necessary evil rather than a healthy sport,” writes Bob Hope in an article titled "My Rules For Golf” in the July issue of Coronet. "Believe me, whether you play in a hometown foursome or a charity tourna­ ment, these players—beginners and vet­ erans—are all too many,” continues Hope. "For all they really feel about golf, they might as well tell you that a caddie is something to put tea in. . . . Whether you’re in Hogan’s class or a hacker like me, the rules of good manners are the same for everyone. "... Good manners in golf, as I and everyone else who loves the game see them, go deeper than merely obeying the rules. If you’re naturally thoughtful, you’ll get by most of the time, but, in the excite­ ment of the game, you may forget that it’s courteous not to move or talk while someone is making a stroke. . . . Don’t, if you’re a spectator, unnerve the players by happy 'Halloos!’ of greeting, or wav­ ing scarves like a semaphore to attract the attention of Mr. Jones on the other side of the fairway. Please remember—this is a golf match, not a bull fight.” Luck to the Babe Mrs. George Zaharias has the good wishes of the whole golfing world in her new effort to return to competition. The gallant lady had expected to defend her Women’s Open Championship at Wichita, Kansas, this month. Instead she underwent a spinal operation in Galveston, Texas, to correct a ruptured disc, apparently aggra­ vated when she pushed her car, which was stock in soft sand, about three months ago. Necrology William C. Hunt, of Houston, Texas, passed away early in June at the age of 72 during a game of golf at the River Oaks Country Club. Not long before, he had scored a par 71 at River Oaks. He had been a pioneer in Houston golf, formerly was President of River Oaks, and had served as a member of the USGA Executive Committee, 1944 through 1949. Francis B. Dickinson, of Des Moines, Iowa, passed away in May. He served since 1948 on the Sectional Affairs and Public Links Committees. He was Pres­ ident of the Iowa Golf Association in 1951 and President of the Wakonda Club in 1948 and 1949. He was -very active in promoting golf and the better understand­ ing of the Rules throughout Iowa. He was the son of the late Warren Dickinson, one of the great golfers of an­ other era, who was a member of the Ex­ ecutive Committee in 1907. Frank H. Chapman, of Philadelphia, passed away last month at his home at the age of 88. He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Golf Association of Philadelphia for the last twenty-three years. He was one of the charter members of the Whitemarsh Valley Country Club and helped design the course. Taking the position as Sec­ retary-Treasurer of the Golf Association of Philadelphia for "just one year” back in 1933, he served continuously in that capacity until his death. 4 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY. 1955 THE CLUB PRESIDENT LOOKS AT HIS MANAGER by L. ALAN PASSMORE President, Union League of Philadelphia The dictionary defines a profession as a calling or vocation which requires education. From my observation, I believe that the title "club manager” fulfills this definition of a profession. In fact, I think that serving for a few years as manager of even a fair-sized club is a liberal educa­ tion in itself. Such a position requires some study of dietetics, of cost accounting and home economics, of interior decorating and engineering, combined with a certain knowledge of labor relations and, last but not least, an understanding of elementary psychology. From a background covering nearly thirty years of experience as a member of a board of directors, house committee and officer of three fairly good-sized clubs, I will try to make a few observations which I hope will be helpful. We hear a man referred to as successful. In certain ways I feel that such a state­ ment is incomplete. Few individuals are successful by their own efforts alone, and in no field with which I am at all familiar is this more true than in club manage­ ment. No club manager can be successful without the full confidence and coopera­ tion of the officers, the board of directors and the committees, the membership at large and the other employees of the club of which he is the manager. You may say that that is true of an executive in any line of business, but I believe it is more pronounced in club work than it is in most other lines. To use the organization of which I am currently the president as an example, I will ask you a An address, in part, delivered before the annual convention of the Club Managers Association of America in Philadelphia, Pa. question: In what other line of business would the general manager be likely to have personal contact with a large propor­ tion of 3,300 customers? In what other line of business would the personal likes and dislikes, the personal habits and wishes of so many become the problem of one manager and one or two of his top as­ sistants? Unreasonable Members A large proportion of club members are amenable to reason. Some necessary rules and regulations may have to have ex­ planations to satisfy the membership at large, but, unfortunately, human nature being what it is, there does crop up from time to time a member who cannot see why he cannot do thus or so, why he can­ not have this or that, regardless of the effect on other members or the problem that would be imposed upon the staff if his particular wishes were to be granted. It is these cases that call for real diplomacy on the part of a club manager. He does not want to, nor should he have to, run to an officer or a committee member except in extreme cases, but he can only function well in this regard if he has the full cooperation and backing of his officers and committees, and also a full understanding of the reasoning which lies behind these rules and regulations under which he has to operate. I have often wondered what guides the thinking of some people when they be­ come members of a club. I am sure that the services that some of them demand in their clubs are not supplied in their homes or in the business institutions they repres­ ent, and I am sure could not be expected USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 5 in some of the hotels they may visit. I have always tried (and so has our man­ ager) to meet any reasonable request of any member as long as it does not inter­ fere with the rights of other members and as long as it does not interfere with good economical management and opera­ tion. I have had members tell me that they pay for their food at their club, they pay for their drinks, they pay for this and that, and then follow it up with the ques­ tion: "So what do I get for my dues?” Now, that is sometimes a hard question to answer specifically. In the first place, all clubs have departments that do not pay their own way through direct receipts. It has always interested me to note that many club members will compare the price they pay for a meal in some small wayside inn and then frankly state (and J.t may be true) that the food they had was just as good as they get in the club. Sometimes it might be a little better, in their opinion. However, they forget certain facts. They forget that their club probably is in a location of high taxes. They forget that surrounding grounds must be kept up and they are not revenue-producing. They forget that they perhaps have on their table the best quality of linen and things of that kind. They expect service at their clubs, sometimes at hours when they would not expect it in a comparable restaurant. When Food is a Problem I have found that one of the hardest things to do in the restaurant end of a club is to reduce the size of food service. Once it has been established, it becomes the privilege of certain people to eat that large portion regardless of whether they want it or not. Just have any of these club officers try to reduce the size of a portion that you serve in your club and then ask him to take the manager’s job for the next few days. It would be an education. You can learn more about human nature that way than any way I know of, and particularly the nature of some of your club members. Special privilege is the cause of much of the world’s unrest and is one of the hardest things that a club manager has to contend with. Many club members feel that their special wishes should be fulfilled without giving any consideration whatso­ ever to what is involved in that fulfill­ ment. It is time, I think, that we on the boards take time to study our manager’s problems. I have often heard the complaint that charges for certain items around clubs were excessive. In club operation it is pretty hard to get a true distribution of overhead. In a manufacturing plant you can figure the rate for a certain machine tool and make a distribution of overhead to a fraction of a penny. The life of a club manager is not always an easy one, but it can be a very interest­ ing one. It requires the constant study and appraisal of those with whom he comes in daily contact, both the employees and, even more, the membership. On his judg­ ment of a member may depend the suc­ cessful handling of some criticism or suggestion which may seem small at first but which may be exaggerated into major proportions if it is not attended to cor­ rectly and promptly. A manager must never play favorites among his members. In his eyes they must all be equal. They pay the same dues and have the same rights, whether they are a newlv elected member, a member of the board or even the president. The officers and the boards of most clubs are constantly changing. The man­ ager must study these changes and adjust his line of approach and presentation of his problems to these changes. In many cases it may be necessary for him to edu­ cate those newly elected to a club office as to what has happened in the past and the reasons for certain regulations, and believe me, I am getting educated every day. 6 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 NEW WESTERN G. A. HEADQUARTERS The Village of Golf, Ill., had a big day when the new Western Golf As­ sociation and Evans Scholars Foundation headquarters, across the street from the village’s combination post office and rail­ road station, was dedicated recently. A turnout of more than 400 prominent golf­ ing personalities, exceeding the village’s entire population by 100, attended the function. WGA omitted nothing for the historic event. The crack Milwaukee Road stream­ liner, Olympian-Hiawatha, bound for the West Coast, made a special stop at the Village, eighteen miles north of Chicago, to unload a group of forty WGA officials and guests. The ceremonies also served as a means of honoring Carleton Blunt, chairman of the trustees of Evans Scholars Foundation, who conducted the fund drive for the $100,000 structure. By dedication time, the building fund was over-subscribed and, it was pointed out, no scholarship contribution to the Evans Fund has been, or need ever be, used for its cost and up­ keep. The building not only will serve as headquarters for the nation’s largest caddie-scholarship program, which this year is sending 204 caddies to college, but includes the offices of the Village of Golf. Of Georgian design, the building has 3,500 square feet of office space, plus ample grounds and basement space. The origin of the Village of Golf was re-lived prior to the dedication cere­ monies, when the Olympian-Hiawatha streamliner made its unscheduled stop at the Golf station. During the early 1900s the train of that day would occasionally make a special stop at the same place for the purpose of allowing the Milwaukee Road’s President, H. E. Byram, to debark for a game of golf at the nearby Glen View Golf and Polo Club. In making arrangements for his stop, Byram would tell his secretary: "I am going to golf today.” Thus, engineers, dis­ patchers, conductors and other employees of the railroad came to know the stop as "Golf,” and the name was retained by the Village when it incorporated in 1925. Another back-track on history was pro­ vided for the dedication when four of the nation’s leading golf personalities—Charles Evans, Jr., Jock Hutchison, E. P. Allis and James D. Standish, Jr.—climbed into a horse-drawn carriage for the short trip to the WGA headquarters, even as old- time golfers used to do to reach the Glen View Club. Harold A. Moore, WGA vice-president and chairman of the dedication commit­ tee, presided over the ceremonies. Speakers included Harold Fink, the first caddie to receive a scholarship when the program was introduced in 1930; Roland Zagnoli, University of Michigan senior; James L. O’Keefe, president of Western Golf As­ sociation, and Carleton Blunt, chairman of the trustees of Evans Scholars Founda­ tion. In addition, J. Edward King, vice- president of National Golf Fund, Inc., presented a donation in the amount of $13,140 to the Evans Scholars Foundation as the National Golf Fund contribution for 1954. The new building includes spacious quarters for the WGA office staff; a large directors’ room, where hang the oil portraits of Charles Evans, Jr., Theodore C. Butz and Carleton Blunt; two execu­ tive offices; a large filing and mailing room; a kitchenette; the office of the Village of Golf, and a large octagonal, marble foyer, four sides of which are built-in trophy cases. Equipment for the building was donated by various groups, including that for the workroom by the Chicago District Women’s Golf Associ­ ation; for the kitchenette by the Women’s Illinois Golf Association and for one of the executive offices by friends of Maynard G. Fessenden, late president of Western Golf Association. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 7 A NEW CHAMPION by AND NEW INSPIRATION JOSEPH C. DEY, Jr. USGA Executive Director ''jpHE main object of the Open Champi­ onship is, of course, to determine the Open Champion, but there are by-pro­ ducts of importance. One is the sheer inspiration to golfers which flows from the Championship. In this sense, the 19 5 5 Open Champion­ ship was unusually meaningful. It thrilled and uplifted millions of sports-loving people throughout the country, as well as the thousands who saw it played over the superb Lake Course of the Olympic Coun­ try Club, in San Francisco. Inspiration from persons comes in many forms. There is, for example, the wonderful pattern set by Ben Hogan, not only in his playing but in his personal dignity and humility. Although he is so far above the crowd that few can hope to match his skill he has fired the imagination of countless people—by his golf, his per­ sonality, his determination and his faith after his near-fatal automobile accident in 1949. Ben inspired Jack Fleck. After defeat­ ing Ben in the Open playoff, Jack said: "I have idolized Ben since my caddie days.” He used the new Ben Hogan-made clubs to defeat their maker! Jack Fleck himself now has given in­ spiration, if of a somewhat different sort. The example of the new Open Champion has infused fresh hope into untold num­ bers of people. If a hitherto little-known professional from a municipal course in Davenport, Iowa, can tie Ben Hogan and then outscore him in a playoff, surely there is a way for almost anybody to do almost any good thing. The meaning of such things as open golf championships can run deep. The meaning can be an uplift of spirit for people by giving a renewed glimpse of visions they may have long held but al­ lowed to grow dim; a fresh stirring of powers within. Yes, if Jack Fleck can beat Ben Hogan, anything is possible in this best of all possible worlds. Champions, then, are sometimes crowned not so much to satisfy their own desire for success as for the good of their fellows. When they are receptive to it, they can be used in the Big Plan to help life move upward a little bit. Ben Hogan was used in that way. It looks as if Jack Fleck is, too, and that he is aware of it. When he accepted his Open Championship prizes, his most heartfelt remark seemed to be this: "I thank God for giving me the power to play.” How Good is Fleck? How good a player is 32-year-old Jack Fleck? He was little known before this year’s Open. Twice before he had played in the Open. At Merion Golf Club in 1950 he failed to qualify for the last 36 holes. At Oakmont Country Club in 1953 he scored 76-76-77-80—309, tied for 52nd place and won $150. This was 26 strokes more than the winner, Ben Hogan. This year he had played in many tour­ naments on the professional circuit, and at the Olympic Country Club everything jelled. It was a complete test of his cour­ age as well as his skill and his physical condition (he neither smokes nor drinks). How good is Jack Fleck? Let’s see what he did, round by round: 8 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 CONGRATULATIONS! With the sinking of the final putt in the play-off, Ben Hogan (left) quickly steps forward to congratulate Jack Fleck, the new Open Champion. San Francisco Chronicle Photo First round—76, nine strokes off the pace. Second round—69, for a 36-hole total of 145, one stroke off the pace. Third round—75, for a 54-hole total of 220, three strokes off the pace; and by now Ben Hogan had assumed the lead for the first time. Fourth round—67, for a 72-hole total of 287 to tie Hogan. Ben had closed with his finest round of the tournament, a sterling 70, and he was leading the field by five shots. In his first three rounds he had scored 72, 73 and 72. "With four holes left to play, Fleck knew he needed two birdies and two pars to tie Ben. Fleck made those two birdies and two pars, starting with a 2 at 15. The actual tie came about on the home hole, where he downed a 7-foot putt for a birdie 3. How good is Jack Fleck? In the 18- hole playoff the next day, he never trailed. He took the lead with a par 4 at the fifth when Ben had to play a safety second shot after his tee shot wound up in the rough. At the eighth Jack saw Ben hole a 50- footer for a birdie 2 that might have squared the contest. But Fleck had played a splendid shot to the green, and his eight- foot putt rolled into the cup to keep him a stroke ahead. That was the first of three straight birdies for Jack. The 2 at the eighth was followed by 3 s at the ninth and the tenth, USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 9 each the product of a 2S-foot putt, and all of a sudden Jack Fleck led Ben Hogan by three strokes, with eight holes to play. Ben whittled it down to 1 stroke with one hole left. He hit a superb brassie shot to the seventeenth green, which Fleck could not reach with his No. 3 wood. With more than 8,000 persons watch­ ing, they went to the home hole. Would Hogan tie Fleck here, as Fleck had tied Hogan the day before? Hogan drove. His ball started off line to the left, and you thought he might be fading it generously into the fairway. But it flew straight into the rough. His foot had slipped on the tee. He had hit the ball in the heel of the club, and now he was 3 5 or 40 feet off the fairway, in an impossible lie in the heaviest rough, the grass being fully a foot high there. There were three degrees of rough, and this was the worst, being so far off the fairway. It was pathetic to watch the brave little Texan slam at the grass three times before the ball came out onto the fair­ way. But he played out his string, pitch­ ing onto the green and holing a 30-foot putt for a 6 on a par-4 hole measuring 337 yards. Fleck’s closing par gave him 69 for the round, to Hogan’s 72, against a stiff par of 70. Thus, three of Jack Fleck’s last four rounds were in the sixties—69, 67, 69. All the other 161 players in the field pro­ duced only four rounds below par. Fleck was a wonderful putter on the mildly contoured Olympic greens. Aside from his playing skill, Jack Fleck is a most self-composed young man. He never once appeared flustered in the play­ off. He played deliberately, with intense concentration. Olympic’s General Chair­ man, Robert A. Roos, Jr., remarked during the play-off, "He’s in another world. You could stick a six-inch needle in his back and he’d never know the difference.” Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Heck Hogan THE PLAY-OFF OUT Par 5 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 Yards 530 423 220 433 457 437 266 139 420 5 4 3 4 4 4 4 2 3 5 4 3 4 5 4 4 2 4 3,325 417 429 387 187 410 144 603 461 337 3,375 35 IN 4 4 4 3 4 3 5 4 4 35 70 33 35 3 5 4 3 4 3 5 5 4 36 69 4 4 5 3 3 3 5 4 6 37 72 Total 6,700 How good is Jack Fleck? Without troubling about the future, let’s just say that at Olympic he was good enough to win from the greatest player of the gen­ eration. "Unknown”? Who wasn’t unknown at one time? Herb Wind in his report for Sports Illustrated put it very well: "Perhaps all of us who saw this play­ off can appreciate a bit better now how it felt to be at Brookline in 1913 when another complete unknown—the name was something like Ouimet—defeated the peerless Harry Vardon and that other con­ temporary giant, Ted Ray, in that historic Open play-off. This, too, some 42 years later, was quite an afternoon, and the new champion, Jack Fleck, revealed himself to be quite a golfer.” Opportunity for the Flecks It is fascinating to see a new star rise, and it has happened countless times in the Open. One thing that makes it possible is the liberal entry requirements—one has to be a professional or an amateur with a 10 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 handicap not over 3. Through sectional qualifying, each entrant has convenient opportunity to try out. He determines his place for himself. How many young pros have envisioned four "dream rounds” in the Open? With only 162 starting places available and an entry nearly ten times that size ( 1,52 5 ) this year, the USGA must restrict the number of exemptions from sectional qualifying. This year there were fewer ex­ emptions than ever before—only 16, com­ pared with 30 a year ago. Of the former Champions, only the last five individuals to win are now granted exemptions. This means that some of the fine players of the past no longer have a free ride. But it also means that there are more places in sectional qualifying for fellows like Jack Fleck. The Championship is a test of current ability. It still is possible for stars of other days to qualify—Bobby Cruickshank, at 5 8, scored 70-70 in the Pittsburgh rounds and was at Olympic. He qualified on current skill, not nostalgic sentiment. These are some of the elements that make the Open unique. Hogan's Plans Ben Hogan will be 43 next month. Seven years ago at Riviera, in Los Angeles, he won his first Open and set the all-time record of 276. He won again at Merion in 1950, Oakland Hills in 1951 and Oak­ mont in 1953. Only he, Bob Jones and Willie Anderson have won the Open four times each. Ben thought he had achieved his desire to win a fifth time at Olympic, until Jack Fleck birdied two of the last four holes and then won the play-off. When it was all over, Ben said he was finished with competition. "It’s too hard for me to train,” he told the spectators at the prize-giving. "I’ve worked since March for this Championship.” A CRAVE SHORTCOMING One of the saddest cases we have ever heard of is that of the caddie who could do his work all right but got the sack because he couldn’t learn to turn his face away quickly enough before he laughed. golfdom’s tribute and farewell to a great character. Has Hogan really retired from com­ petition? There is no reason to doubt it. He was physically fatigued at Olympic; his left knee was bothering him a good deal. He has a new interest in his golf club manufacturing business. But it is perfectly true that Ben Hogan is still the finest golf player alive. If he is willing to keep his game up, and if the ball rolls right, it is still possible for him to win a fifth Open. Now, however, he says he has retired. One can only respect his decision, and salute him and thank him for all that he has meant to golf. He has enriched more lives than he will ever know about. Golf is profoundly grateful. Gallery Control This was the Second Open for which every hole was completely roped off, so that spectators kept off playing areas ex­ cept for brief cross-overs of fairways at established points. The system worked bet­ ter than ever. The marshalling was per­ fection in the Championship proper. In the playoff, with only two players competing, some of the gallery naturally wanted to follow down the fairway and this created some difficulty, but by former standards the marshalling was good. The USGA now owns some twelve miles of rope and 2,2 50 metal stakes, wjiich are circulated among clubs holding USGA Championships attracting large galleries. The permanent roping of every hole has many advantages, among which are: When he sat down, the prolonged ap­ plause—it lasted several minutes—was 1. The playing qualities of the course are preserved practically intact throughout USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 11 the tournament. Formerly, spectators’ footprints did not help fairways, and rough adjacent to fairways was trampled down, always in the direction of the green, by early afternoon of the first day. 2. Players are greatly benefited in having a clear course and not having to thread their way through milling galleries. 3. More spectators can see more golf with less effort than ever before. 4. The pace of play is accelerated. At Olympic, the first round was slow— the last group of three took 4 hours 27 minutes to play the course: the scores generally, however, were very high indeed. On the second day, the last three finished in four hours. For the last two rounds on Saturday, play was in couples. The first pair, Ralph Evans and Zell Eaton, played both their rounds in a total of 5 hours 12 minutes. Hogan did his final round in 3 hours 2 minutes, and the last pair finished in 3 hours 13 minutes. The course played quite hard. Its play­ ing distance was longer than its yardage of 6,700. The fairways and the greens were bordered by thick rough cut at graduated heights, starting at two inches, in accord­ ance with USGA policy. The greens were on the smallish side for a big course, al­ though not as fast as is often true for the Open. The condition of the fairways and the greens was excellent. It was almost im­ possible to get a bad fairway lie. Elmer Border, the course superintendent who took over less than a year ago, poured 43 tons of fertilizer on the course between Decem­ ber and April. In preparation for the Open, the grass had its first real feeding in 25 years, and it certainly responded. Under Bob Roos’ General Chairmanship, and the direction of Manager Don Came­ ron, the Club’s organization proved itself among the best with which a USGA Championship has been blessed. In every way, it was a memorable tournament. Here is how the leaders stood at the various stages: 12 18 holes 54 holes 67—Tommy Bolt 70—W. P. Inman, Jr. 71—Jack Burke 72—Ben Hogan 73—Babe Lichardus Mike Souchak Fred Hawkins 74—Elmer Reed Arthur Bell *Harvie Ward Celestino Tugot Doug Ford 36 holes 144—Tommy Bolt *Harvie Ward 145—Julius Boros Ben Hogan W. P. Inman, Jr. Jack Fleck 148—Sam Snead Bob Harris Jack Burke 149—Gene Littler *—Amateur 217—Ben Hogan 218—Julius Boros Sam Snead 219—Bob Rosburg Tommy Bolt 220—*Harvie Ward Jack Burke Jack Fleck 221—W. P. Inman, Jr. 222—Gene Littler 72 holes 287—Jack Fleck—69 in playoff Ben Hogan—72 in playoff 292—Tommy Bolt Sam Snead 295—Julius Boros Bob Rosburg 296—*Harvie Ward Bud Holscher Doug Ford 297—Jack Burke Mike Souchak Prize money for professionals, originally scheduled for approximately $20,000, was increased by 20 per cent for each prize; in addition, after a tie resulted for first place, second prize was increased by $400 to a total of $4,000. The grand total was $25,480. The winner’s share was $6,000. The galleries were unusually large, even for the Open. Unofficial attendance figures, paid, complimentary and working, were approximately as follows: Thursday____________ 9,300 Friday _______________ 10,000 Saturday______________ 10,700 Total _____________ 30,000 Play-Off_____________ 8,200 TOP: Realizing he had to hole this seven­ foot puff to tie Ben Hogan, Jack Fleck studies the grass and the break on the home hole at the Olympic Country Club as the gallery figur­ atively holds its breath. CENTER: After placing his putter in front of the ball, then in back, he boldly strokes it cupward. BOTTOM: The putt drops—and Fleck mops his brow in relief as the gallery cheers. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 THE PUTT THAT TIED BEN HOCAN USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 San Francisco Chronicle Photos 13 THE EASIEST WAY BECOMES A HABIT ORVILLE HENRY Sports Editor Arkansas Gazette Little Rock, Ark. until recently. Nobody played golf in Arkansas The game they played on the fairways was a mongrel one, sort of driving-range golf. They didn’t use wooden tees on every shot from tee to green, but they might as well have. The practice of jig­ gling the ball around with hand or club­ head is so far from the basic idea of the game that the placing of a peg under the ball on the fairways would not have been a whit more illegal. The shocking thing is that a generation has come up, including this player, almost knowing no better. It wasn’t always so, we’ve learned. Until twenty years ago all the better players at the three or four established clubs in the state played the ball as it lay from tee to green. Then, somehow, "winter rules” crept in. Now they’ve swallowed us, whole. Or vice versa. Just to fix the remainder of this dis­ cussion, let’s make it clear that we’re referring to the habits of our better play­ ers. Those who play for relaxation and exercise only and who do not aspire to peak proficiency and championships, let’s leave them be. Let’s limit the area of our argument to (1) the championship players who want to be labeled real golfers, and (2) the teen-aged beginners, who ought to be started on the right track. The theory behind "winter rules” no­ tices posted on all the announcement boards at our tournaments was that our Arkansas fairways are not good enough to allow for decent lies. Players were urged to improve their lies with clubheads. Posh on that! Reprinted by permission. There isn’t a course in the state where even a halfway respectable amateur tourna­ ment is held that doesn’t boast fairways JOO per cent better than those which existed when the game’s Rules were drawn up. Fairways are at least 200 per cent better than in the 1930s, when most state championships were conducted under USGA Rules. Good Way To Learn Too many divots, you say, and not enough maintenance workers to patch them. A few shots out of divots might teach the age-old lesson about replacing them. And why should the issue be raised now? Well, it’s a matter of conscience — and that always raises itself, with no prompt­ ing. "We’ve been putting this off for years,” one pro told us recently. "We’ve been cheating ourselves and cheating our game, and we keep saying 'next year, next year.’ We’re going to have to face it pretty soon.” The facing up times has arrived for some. Two sets of junior golfers have been leaving Arkansas for national com­ petitions in the last two years. "It’s pitiful,” said a man who accom­ panied them. "They learned under our 'tee-up’ rules and they have little concep­ tion of how to hit the ball when they have to hit it right from a clean or worse lie. We’ve done that to those boys. It hasn’t been their fault.” Visitors Are Amazed Four youngsters from Texas, all good players, were visitors at the Country Club of Little Rock last spring. They were amazed at the lush fairways — as con­ trasted to their bare grounds back home. 14 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 What really amazed them, though, is that they were following USGA Rules of Golf at home, where things were tough, and "winter rules” here, where conditions were fine. And they do say that one reason for the Texans’ near-complete domination of golf is that they learned to play on hard- ground courses, hitting the ball from where it stopped. "How do you think Jimmy Demaret got to be one of the greatest iron play­ ers?” another pro asked us. "He had to be perfect to get around that rough Gal­ veston course, where he was pro for a spell, in those gales.” Added the same Little Rock pro: "Yes, it might cost some of us, the pros and the better amateurs, three or four strokes a round for a while. But we’d be playing golf and eventually everyone would be better. Not being able to improve the lie would force us to keep our heads still, at least. Instead of slugging, we’d have to hit the shots right. Jacking the ball up, you can take a driver or any club and jump at the ball and still do fairly well. The result is more distance and less accu­ racy.” The pro guessed that no one in the Little Rock area had played the ball as it lay consistently. "Some did it sometimes, just for the heck of it. Outside of the last state ASGA tournament, held at Riverdale Country Club, I can recall only one tournament in the state where the USGA Rules have applied in the last few years. That was the King Cotton Open at Blytheville. In that tournament a pro playing with me said it was the first time he had ever played a round without improving his ball in the fairway.” He Knew No Better A recent ASGA Championship pro­ duced the sorry spectacle of a college star exceeding the limit—picking the ball up and placing it with his hands—in a quar­ ter-final match. Some sideliners called this "breach”—even against "winter rules”— to his attention. He was apologetic, but he confessed that he had never known any better. And he was almost good enough to win the tournament. It became time to call a halt, and a halt has been called. Pure USGA Rules have been ordained for every Greater Little Rock competition. The new inter­ est the switch has created is tremendous. Why was it done? For one thing, no Arkansan was eligible for any USGA competition. Few will want to enter, but few will want to say that they could never be accepted, no matter how well they play in Arkansas. The rub is that the USGA this year has ruled out all handicaps based on "winter rules” per­ formances. It has gone further than that. Handicaps will not be recognized unless they have been figured by the USGA Golf Handicap System for Men, which insists that the course or courses used also be rated the USGA way. The changeover ought not to be too painful. The youngsters should be able to learn quickly. They’ll need help from the pros, but that can come in the form of "no winter rules” edicts for all club, area and state competitions. The teen-agers will have to practice to meet that. And they’ll be weaned in short order. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 15 JOE CONRAD’S VICTORY IN THE BRITISH AMATEUR Jn the wake of the British Amateur Championship lie several factors which usually intrigue golf’s analysts and con­ found its prognosticators. For five cen­ turies it has been an accepted fact that the game’s only consistency is in provid­ ing the element of surprise, but even that doesn’t deter astonishment at occurences which are old, yet always new. Inasmuch as no United States "Walker Cup Team had gone to Britain since 1926 without some member of the Team win­ ning the British Amateur Championship, the feeling was strong that history might repeat itself this year at Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s, where Robert T. Jones, Jr., first won the British Open, Lawson Little the British Amateur and Louise Suggs the British Ladies’ Championships. Of the forty-six Americans in a field of 248 entries, however, little attention was focused on a 2 5-year-old red-haired Texan, Lt. Joseph W. Conrad, of San Antonio, who had been one of two Americans to lose their matches in the Walker Cup singles at St. Andrews, the only defeats sustained by the United States in the two days of play. Had Conrad’s background been more generally known, perhaps his 3 and 2 vic­ tory over Alan Slater, of Wakefield, Eng­ land, in the 36-hole final might have been less surprising. After the tournament it was Conrad’s mother, Mrs. Margaret Conrad, who pro­ vided the key to some of his characteristics. A "Date" With Golf "Many times, after he had played eighteen or thirty-six holes during the day, he would take the car out at night,” she said. "At first we used to think he was on a date, even though he doesn’t have a steady girl. But do you know where he went? He’d park the car on the Bracken­ ridge practice area and hit balls hour after hour. His love is golf.” That, at least, partially explains why the British Amateur trophy is the twenty­ fifth—one for each year of his life—in Conrad’s collection. The United States entry was led by all the members of the victorious Walker Cup Team except E. Harvie Ward, Jr., of San Francisco, and by young Donald M. Bis- plinghoff, of Orlando, Fla., the 1952 USGA Junior Amateur Champion. LT. JOSEPH W. CONRAD On the fifth day, when the quarter­ finals and semi-finals were played, the wheel of fate began turning rapidly. There had been eleven Americans among the last thirty-two survivors of this all-match­ play Championship and nine among the 16 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 last sixteen, but only three advanced to the quarter-finals. They were William J. Patton, of Morganton, N.C., Bisplinghoff and Conrad. In a heavy rain during the quarter­ finals, Patton lost to Philip Scrutton, of London, a member of the British Walker Cup Team whom he had defeated in the singles at St. Andrews, by 7 and 6. Bis­ plinghoff, who had eliminated Bruce Cudd, of the U.S. Walker Cup Team, 4 and 2, in the fifth round, lost to Arthur Perowne, an English farmer, on the twentieth hole. Conrad meanwhile disposed of Roger Bayliss, 5 and 3, in the quarter-finals, and Scrutton in the semi-finals, 5 and 4. Slater, who is 36 and lives in Yorkshire, earlier had defeated Dale Morey, of Indian­ apolis, Ind., and the Walker Cup Team, and James B. McHale., Jr., of Wynne­ wood, Pa., on the same day. He gained the title round by eliminating Ireland’s Joe Carr, the 1953 Champion, 2 and 1, and Perowne, 3 and 2. A Crucial Half After being 4 up at the end of eighteen holes, Conrad was only 1 up going to the twenty-seventh, a one-shotter. There Slater sank a 20-foot putt for a 2. Conrad faced a downhill putt of almost the same length. After a brief study, however, he sank it for a half and was never in danger after that. Not until after the match did it become generally known that Conrad had played the final round with a deep cut on his right forefinger, a cut he declined to bandage lest it hamper his grip- The wound was revealed only by William C. Campbell, of Huntington, W. Va., Cap­ tain of the Walker Cup Team, after Conrad’s triumph. The new British Amateur Champion and twenty-four other Americans then went to France to compete in the French Ama­ teur Championship at Golf de Chantilly. Among the others were Campbell, Cudd and Bisplinghoff, the latter going to the final, where he was defeated by Henri de Lamaze, of Paris, defending champion, 5 and 4. USGA PUBLICATIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST THE RULES OF GOLF, as approved by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. Booklet, 25 cents (spe­ cial rates for quantity orders). Poster, 25 cents. ARE YOUR LOCAL RULES NECESSARY? a re­ print of a USGA Journal article containing recommendations regarding local rules. No charge. THE RULE ABOUT OBSTRUCTIONS, a reprint of a USGA Journal article. No charge. USGA GOLF HANDICAP SYSTEM FOR MEN, containing recommendations for comput­ ing Basic and Current Handicaps and for rating courses. Booklet, 25 cents. Poster, 10 cents. THE CONDUCT OF WOMEN'S GOLF, con­ taining suggestions for guidance in the conduct of women's golf in clubs and associations, including tournament pro­ cedures, handicapping and course rating. 25 cents. HANDICAPPING THE UNHANDICAPPED, a reprint of a USGA Journal article explain­ ing the Callaway System of automatic handicapping for occasional players in a single tournament. No charge. TOURNAMENTS FOR YOUR CLUB, a reprint of a USGA Journal article detailing vari­ ous types of competitions. No charge. PROTECTION OF PERSONS AGAINST LIGHTNING ON GOLF COURSES, a poster. No charge. MOTION PICTURE, "The Rules of Golf-Eti­ quette," an official USGA film. Descriptive folder. No charge. (Film rental $15.) MOTION PICTURES ON GOLF (list). No charge. MOTION PICTURES RELATING TO GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE (list). No charge. HOLE-IN-ONE AWARDS. No charge. AMATEURISM IS IN THE HEART, a reprint of a USGA Journal article by E. G. Grace. No charge. BETTER LAWNS TO COME, a reprint of a USGA Journal article. No charge. TURF MANAGEMENT, by H. B. Musser (Mc­ Graw-Hill Book Co., Inc.), the authorita­ tive book on greenkeeping. $7. USGA CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD BOOK. De­ tailed results of all USGA competitions since their start in 1895. $2. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT, a 33-page magazine published seven times a year. $2. a year. These publications are available on request to the United States Golf Association, 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y. Please send payment with your order. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 17 DO YOU KNOW YOUR GOLF? Answers to questions will be found on page 20. Scoring: All answers right: par 3 5. For each answer wrong: add 5 to 3 5. Score 1. A "rub of the green” occurs when: --------------- (a) A ball rims the cup and fails to drop --------------- (b) A player on a strange course shoots for the wrong green --------------- (c) A ball in motion is stopped or deflected by any outside agency --------------- 2. The term "single” means: --------------- (a) A match in which one plays against an­ other --------------- (b) An individual playing alone 3. The term "threesome” means: --------------- (a) A match in which one plays against two, and each side plays one ball --------------- (b) Three players, each playing his own ball 4. The term "foursome” means: --------------- (a) Four players, each playing his own ball --------------- (b) A match in which two play against two, and each side plays one ball --------------- 5. A best-ball match is: --------------- (a) Three or four players competing against each other on an individual basis --------------- (b) One player competing against the better ball of two or the best ball of three players --------------- 6. A four-ball match is: --------------- (a) Two players playing their better ball against the better ball of two other players --------------- (b) Four players, each playing his own ball, and competing against each other on an individual basis --------------- 7. "Through the green” means: ----------- (a) The whole area of the course except all hazards --------------- (b) The whole area of the course except teeing ground, the putting green of the hole being played and all hazards on the course --------------- 18 USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 THE GIRLS’ JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP by MRS. JOHN PENNINGTON Chairman, USGA Girls’ Junior Committee The time is approaching when all po­ tential entrants should begin making plans for the USGA Girls’ Junior Championship, which will be played at the Florence Country Club, Florence, S.C., August 15 through 19. I am sure all who played in this tournament last year and are still eligible will make a serious effort to persuade their mothers and fathers to let them compete again this year. Everybody certainly enjoyed themselves at the Gulph Mills Golf Club last year. The USGA Girls’ Junior Committee is much larger this year. Any member of the Committee who lives in or near the city of a prospective entrant will be glad to help in any way possible. We are work­ ing toward making the Girls’ Junior Championship as important for girls as the USGA Women’s Amateur Champion­ ship is for women. The Committee needs help, so each probable contestant is urged to interest as many of her friends as pos­ sible in competing in this year’s tourna­ ment in order that we may have a large representation to discuss ways and means of expanding junior organizations in every locality. Junior girl golfers certainly are worthy of anything we can do for them. They have proved their worth by fine sports­ manship in the past. We appreciate their cooperation and the way they always con­ duct themselves, making it possible for all of us to leave the Championship with regret at having to wait another year before we can all be together again. If any entrant’s friends are eligible to play in the Championship and have not received entry blanks, they should be in­ formed that entry blanks were sent to their club, if it is a member of the USGA, and that they should inquire about them at the office or golf shop. In order to be eligible for the Championship, a girl can­ not have had her eighteenth birthday by midnight of August 19, that being the day of the final of the tournament. The USGA will have a dinner party for all girls again this year and parents may come if they desire. Everyone enjoyed the party last year. Miss Barbara Romack, our Women’s Amateur Champion, will give a clinic prior to the dinner. If any parents want to know who will look after their daughter during her stay at the tournament, in case they cannot be there, they may be assured that members of the USGA Girls’ Junior Committee or the Florence Women’s Golf Association will see that she is met at the train or plane and will take good care of her. After parents have sent in an entry for their daughter, they will receive a form, "Information for Entrants,” which will tell them where to write for a room, how much it will cost (the prices always are very reasonable) and give the answers to many questions which might arise in the minds of parents. There is no need for any worry on the part of parents, because the Committee will be staying at the same place as the girls who come alone. Those who intend to play are urged to send in their entries as soon as possible. If there are any questions about the Champi­ onship, I’ll be glad to answer them. Entries close August 3. You can’t help a little child up the hill without getting nearer the top your­ self. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 19 USGA COMPETITIONS FOR 1956 Championship Jze»twe Dates OPEN WOMEN’S OPEN AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS JUNIOR AMATEUR GIRLS’ JUNIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR AMATEUR SENIOR AMATEUR Oak Hill Country Club Rochester, N. Y. Northland Country Club Duluth, Minn. Harding Park Golf Course San Francisco, Cal. Taconic Golf Club Williams College Williamstown, Mass. (not determined) June 144546 ------------ ------------ ------------- Meridian Hills Country Club Sept. 17'22 Indianapolis, Ind. Knollwood Club Lake Forest, Ill. (not determined) Sept. 104 5 ------------ Stymied By Calendar The Rev. Jack Hamilton, of Richmond, Va., three times State amateur champion of Virginia, rarely requires handicap strokes from opponents. It is from tournament schedules that he is in dire need of assist­ ance. The Baptist clergyman, who plans to compete in the sectional qualifying rounds of the USGA Amateur Championship in August, will not play on Sunday—and most district and invitation tournaments end on the Sabbath. Some idea of the Rev. Hamilton’s prow­ ess as a golfer may be obtained from the fact that he was the medalist with a 67 in a Glen Garden Invitation Tourna­ ment at Forth Worth, Tex., and reached the final before losing to Billy Maxwell, 2 and 1. He won the Virginia State Ama­ teur title in 1942, 1947 and 1949. In a letter last year he commended the USGA for its practice of ending tourna­ ments on Saturday instead of Sunday. "More and more it is becoming obvious that most tournament players (amateur and professional) have little or no active church affiliation,” he stated. Friends in Richmond recently asked him why he didn’t enter district, state and invitation tournaments and play through the week and then, if he reached the final, simply default rather than play on Sunday. His reply was what might be expected of any true sportsman. "Knowing in advance that the final was scheduled for Sunday, that wouldn’t be cricket,” he said. DO YOU KNOW YOUR GOLF? Answers to questions on page 18 1. (c) Definition 27. 2. (a) Definition 28 (Sides and Matches). 3. (a) Definition 28 (Sides and Matches). 4. (b) Definition 28 (Sides and Matches). 5. (b) Definition 28 (Sides and Matches). 6. (a) Definition 28 (Sides and Matches). 7. (b) Definition 34. 20 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY. 1955 THE REFEREE Decisions by the Rules of Golf Committees Example of symbols: “USCA” indicates decision by the United States Golf Association. “R & A" indicates decision by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. “55-1” means the first decision issued in 1955. “D” means definition. “R. 37-7” refers to Section 7 of Rule 37 in the 1955 Rules of Golf. No Practice Before Play-off USGA 5 5-13 D. 29; R. 36-2c, 36-4b, 37-3, 38-1, 38-2 Q 1 : Rule 37-3 states "On any day for a stroke competition, a competitor be­ fore starting shall not practice on the course . . In our city amateur tourney on our municipal links, we had eleven players tied for four places, meaning a play-off which was held the following day. The question of a player practicing be­ fore the play-off on the course used in the play-off was brought up and I wish a ruling concerning it. Does that same Rule apply in the case of the play-off as on the days on which actual stroke play is being played? A 1 : Yes. Competitors in a stroke competition have completed any scheduled round when their cards have been attested and returned to the Committee as called for in Rules 3 8-1 and 3 8-2. (See also Definition 29). Any subsequent play-off, whether on a hole-by-hole basis or at 18 holes, is a separate phase of the competi­ tion made necessary by the fact that it has ended in a tie. Rule 37-3 prohibits practice on the course by a competitor before he starts any round on the day for which the round is scheduled. Since a play-off is a separate phase of the competition open only to those who have qualified to compete in it by means of the tie, the prohibition under Rule 37-3 against practice would apply to the play-off whether held on the same day or not. The purpose of this Rule is to prohibit practice on the competition course before starting a round, unless the Committee permits otherwise. Aside from the provisions of Rule 37-3, Rule 36-4b obliges the Committee to designate the area which may be used for practice on the course if there is no other practice ground; further, on any day of stroke play such practice area shall not include any putting green on the course. Groupings in Play-offs Q 2: Is there any set method on how many players be sent from the first tee in the play-off? Say in the case of 11 USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 21 players, should they be split, 5 in the first group and six in the last, or send them out in 4, 4, and 3? Please advise the procedure used at the national tour­ neys? A 2: There is no fixed method, and it is up to the Committtee—see Rule 36- 2a. Rule 36-2c implies a limit of four to a group. Questions by: Ted Draper Indianapolis, Ind. Committee Should Correct Its Handicap Error USGA 5 5-15 R. 11-1, 11-3 Q.: Santa Anita presented a protest over the results of their match with Fox Hills. Elona Mathis, playing for Santa Anita, was informed by the Association Handicap Chairman that she had been cut to a 10. She played to this 10 handicap for the team match. However, upon recomputing, the Handicap Chairman dis­ covered that through her error she had incorrectly computed Elona’s handicap and she should have been playing to an 11 handicap. Had she played to her 11, she and her partner would have halved No. 15, instead of losing it, and their match would have been halved, giving both Santa Anita and Fox Hills a point and one-half. It is the Board’s understanding that Fox Hills’ players, Greenburg and Hutchison, played this No. 15 hole thinking that Mathis received a stroke on the hole, and completed play of the match believing they had halved the entire match. Santa Anita called to their attention the fact that Mathis was a 10 and not entitled to a stroke on the 15 th hole, so Fox had won two and one-half points and Santa Anita one-half. It is the decision of the Board that as long as the error in handicap was made by the Handicap Chairman, the player should not be penalized. Therefore, we are cor­ recting the total number of points to read: Fox Hills 10 points Santa Anita 2 points Prior to this decision Fox Hill had been credited with 11 points and Santa Anita 1 point. We believe that you will agree that this is an equitable decision, as the girl acted in good faith and it was not her error. Question by: Mrs. Paul R. Johnson Long Beach, Cal. A.: As the Committee erred in com­ puting the handicap, the Committee should correct its error if a remedy be feasible. The matter is up to the judgment of the Committee; its objective should be fair play, and, under Rule 11-3, the Commit­ tee has authority to make a final decision. The case presents an unusual problem because match play was involved and as it is a basic principle of match play that both sides are entitled at all times to know exactly how the match stands. That is a reason for the time limit for claims set forth in Rule 11-1. However, this does not relieve the Com- mitte of the responsibility for correcting its own error in whatever manner it deems best. Relief From Lateral Hazard After Unsuccessful Stroke USGA 55-18 R. 13-2, 21-3, 33-3b Q. 1: A contestant drove his tee shot into a lateral water hazard and elected to play out. Failing to get out and not crossing any margin of the hazard on this stroke, he then elected to take the relief afforded on the previous stroke and dropped within two club-lengths of the margin of the hazard where his tee shot had crossed. He dropped with the one-stroke penalty in 3 and was shotting 4. His score was 6 on the hole. On completing the round, he reported to the Committee how he had played the hole. The Committee was of the opinion he had not played the hole in accordance with the rule, citing the USGA rulings 53-37 and 54-15, but there was no in­ formation available to the Committe as to how he should have played the hole. 22 USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 He was several strokes above the qualify­ ing score necessary to make the tourna­ ment, so rather than make a ruling the Committee accepted his score. If there has been a ruling made on this, please quote, or if not, please advise how this should be played. A. 1: The place where the ball lay in the lateral waiter hazard after the unsuc­ cessful stroke became the point opposite which a ball should have been dropped under Rule 33-3b. Stroke Outside Teeing Ground Q. 2: Stroke play: Player plays stroke from without the teeing ground, into a water hazard, plays one stroke in hazard and clears the confines of the hazard, lying three strokes from tee. Then dis­ covers he has played wrong ball in the hazard. Rule 13-2 states that he should play from within teeing ground, shooting 4 from tee. But in this case he was not allowed to lift his ball for identification, so would say that Rule 21-3 would take precedence and he would be shooting 2 from the teeing ground A. 2: Under Rule 13-2, after playing his first stroke from outside the teeing ground, the competitor was obliged to count that stroke and any subsequent stroke so played, and then to play from within the teeing ground. However, the competitor played another (wrong) ball in a water hazard. Under Rule 21-3, strokes played with a wrong ball are not counted in stroke play, and there is no penalty for so playing a wrong ball in a hazard. Thus, the competitor was obliged to put a ball in play from the teeing ground, and it would be his second stroke. Q. 3: Same conditions as above except that player plays a stroke without the confines of the hazard, then discovers he has played the wrong ball from the hazard. A. 3: It is understood that the com­ petitor played a ball from outside the teeing ground, played a second stroke with this ball through the green, and then played a wrong ball in a water hazard. His first two strokes count. He now plays three from the teeing ground. See Rules 13-2 and 21-3. Questions by: Roy Allen Oklahoma City, Okla. Smoothing Foot Prints With Ball Still In Bunker USGA H-16 R. 3 3-lg Q.: Player’s ball is in sand bunker. He plays the ball and it does not get out of the bunker. Before he plays his second shot in the bunker, he smooths out his foot prints in the sand with his club. Is it deemed by the Rules of Golf that the player has grounded his club? Question by: C. H. Stewart Gulfport, Miss. A.: If the player’s action improved the lie of his ball or assisted him in his sub­ sequent play of the hole, he would lose the hole in match play or incur a penalty of two strokes in stroke play under Rule 33-lg. If not, the player would incur no penalty. It is a question of fact whether or not an action assists a player in his subsequent play of the hole. Practice Stroke With Plastic Ball Is Violation USGA 55-17 R. 8, 37-7 Q.: A player insists, prior to making his regular shot, in putting down a plastic ball and hitting it in the direction of the hole. It doesn’t matter whether he is on the tee, fairway or rough. Besides slowing down the game, it becomes a little ag­ gravating. The rest of the foursome has tried to tell him that there must be a rule prohibiting this practice and all he replies is, "Show it to me.” Question by: Robert W. Ferguson Wheeling, W.V. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 23 A.: The player’s practice delays play and violates Rule 37-7. In playing a practice stroke during the play of a hole, the player also violates Rules 8. Striking Branch To Move Ball Is Breach USGA 5 5-19 D. 30; R. 16, 19-1 Q.: On our golf course (Cypress Point) there are numerous cypress trees in the fairways themselves and on the borders. A high ball will generally lodge on top, but occasionally if found in some low branches it can be driven out with a hard horizontal stroke, which I presume is entirely legitimate. A ball was found lying loosely in a nest of twigs, ten or twelve feet above the ground, but the branch to which these twigs were attached was well in reach. The player delivered a mighty blow with his niblick at the branch and the ball dropped to the ground. He then played out the hole and referred us to Definition 30: "A 'stroke’ is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of moving the ball.” But the opponent claimed the hole under Rule 19-1: "The ball shall be fairly struck at with the head of the club, etc.” Question by: George Nickel Pebble Beach, Cal. A.: It is understood that the player did not strike at the ball but struck at the branch in order to move the ball. The player lost the hole. He did not strike at the ball fairly, as is required by Rule 19-1; the definition of a stroke (De­ finition 30) has to be taken in conjunc­ tion with this Rule, and the player did not make a stroke. Further, he did not play the ball as it lay, in violation of Rule 16, which is fundamental to the entire code of Rules. Although the ball was not actually touched, the object on which it lay was touched purposely to move the ball. Holes Made by Animals R & A 54-60 R. 32 Q: This course is unfortunate in that it suffers from the activities of rabbits and, since the deletion of "scrapes” from the Rules, difficulties have arisen. In several of our fairways there are numerous, shall we say, "lapine excava­ tions” which vary in dimensions from be­ tween 2 and 6 inches in diameter and to 6 inches and more in depth. A ball going into one of these excava­ tions would in 95% of cases be definitely unplayable as it would actually be below ground level. Could we please be advised: (a) Whether these excavations are to be regarded as "scrapes” and there­ fore as "rubs of the green” neces­ sitating a declaration that the ball is unplayable with the attendant penalty or (b) if not, what is regarded as a fair definition of a hole with particular reference to the application of Rule 32-1? A: Rule 32 amended on January 1st, 1954, makes no mention of "rabbit scrapes”; a player is therefore entitled to the relief afforded by this rule if his ball lies in a hole made by a burrowing animal. The depth of the hole is not defined and is immaterial. 24 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 TURF MANAGEMENT from the USGA Green Section TURF RESEARCH AT OKLAHOMA A. AND M. COLLEGE Assistant Professor of Agronomy, Oklahoma A. and M. College By DR. WAYNE HUFFINE J^esearch work on turf grasses and their management was begun in 1948 at the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station under the supervision of Prof. W. C. Elder. These investigations for the first three years were supported in part by money furnished by the Tulsa Golfers Fund for War Wounded, Inc., through the USGA Green Section. The research is now supported by state Funds. In March, 1948, a study was started on the "Effects of Heights of Clipping and Nitrogen Fertilization on Forage Yield and Chemical Composition of Ber­ mudagrass, Cynodon Dactylon, (L) Pers, and Buffalograss, Buchloe Dactyloides, (Nutt.) Engelm,” by James P. Stephens, Jr., a graduate student in Agronomy under the field supervision of Prof. Elder. The results of the study, which was conducted for one growing season, indicated that a clipping height of one inch was more de­ sirable than either five-eighth or two inches for maintenance of a smooth, de­ sirable appearance of both Bermudagrass and buffalo. Stephens, also reported the calcium and phosphorus contents of these two grasses were not appreciably affected by nitrogen fertilization at rates of 50, 100, and 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre in a single application, or by the clipping height. The nitrogen fertilization did pro­ duce a dark green coloration in both Ber­ muda and buffalograss foliage. Roof System Not Altered The study, which was begun in 1948, was continued in 1949 by George Alva Niles, graduate student in agronomy, under the field supervision of Prof. W. C. Elder. This study also included the effects of dif­ ferent heigths of clippings, rates of nitro­ gen fertilization, and dates of clippings on root production of Bermudagrass and buf­ falograss. The one inch heights of clipping again produced the most desirable appear­ ance in the Bermuda and buffalograss turf. None of the treatments applied appeared to alter the total root system, as measured by dry weight, of either Bermuda or buf­ falograss. The use of Dow Fume( MC-2) for the control of Bermudagrass on golf course putting greens in Oklahoma was first demonstrated and proposed by Prof. W. C. Elder in 1949 and is now used throughout the state. Emphasis in turf research at the Okla­ homa Agricultural Experiment Station has been primarily on management studies and USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 25 evaluation of species and strains of turf plants for Oklahoma conditions. As a re­ sult of these evaluation studies, U-3 Ber­ mudagrass has been placed with founda­ tion growers through the offices of the Foundation Seed Stock, Inc., at Oklahoma A. and M. and is now being increased for certified plant stock. There are several growers in the state at the present time. Through the period of 1930 to 1935 centipedegrass was brought into Okla­ homa to be used as a control for soil ero­ sion on the agronomy farm west of Still­ water. Apparently the possibilities of this grass, especially as an erosion control measure, were forgotten during the mid­ thirties when all the Southwest suffered from severe drouth. It was several years later before this grass again was consid­ ered as a turf grass for Oklahoma. During the early 1940’s Prof. W. C. Elder ob­ served some scattered plants of the orig­ inal plantings which had survived the severe drouths and winter conditions that prevailed in Oklahoma since their estab­ lishment. In 1949 this centipedegrass was included in the turf plots on the Agron­ omy farm and was studied and observed until 1953, at which time all available vegetative material was moved to the irri­ gated seed production station at El Reno for subsequent increase by seed produc­ tion or vegetative means. It shall be pro­ posed that this grass be named and re­ leased in the near future. In 1951 Dr. Roy A. Chessmore became supervisor of the turf research and was actively engaged in studies of weed con­ trol in turf in addition to the manage­ ment and evaluation studies. These studies were discontinued in 1952 with the de­ parture of Dr. Chessmore. Turf research was placed under my supervision in June, 1953. Plots were es­ tablished of all known species and strains of turf plants, with provisions made for including new ones as they become avail­ able to be studied, managed and evaluated for Oklahoma conditions. At the present 62 plots, 15 x 20 feet in size, of individual species or strains and combinations are be- ing studied for height of clipping and response to various nitrogen containing organic and inorganic fertilizers. Two Tests In Progress At present a study is being conducted on the response of U-3 Bermudagrass to different rates of nitrogen fertilization from various nitrogen containing fertil­ izers, applied at regular intervals through­ out the growing season. The effect of various materials for correction of chloro­ sis in seaside bentgrass is being studied in another test. Prior to the actual initiation of a turf research program at this station, several people with a mutual interest in turf grasses met together in an annual confer­ ence at the college to share and receive all information which might prove bene­ ficial in their program. The first of the present annual conference was held in February, 1946. This meeting was so suc­ cessful that plans were made to make it an annual affair, but to change the time of the conference to the fall. So in 1946 two conferences were held instead of one. The need for a summer field day was soon to become evident and with the initia­ tion of turf research at this station an annual field day was made possible. It is at this time the participants are given the opportunity to visit the turf grass ex­ perimental area, local golf course and ex­ perimental home lawns to observe the work under progress at that time, also to follow up on the results year by year of work which is to their particular interest. Two publications are available at the present time from this station relative to recommendations for establishment, main­ tenance and management of grasses in various areas within the state; special turf problems and weed control. These publi­ cations are: (1) Lawns for Town and Country, by Roy A. Chessmore, and (2) Turf Grasses, Their Development and Maintenance in Oklahoma, by W. C. Elder. These publications are available upon re­ quest addressed to: Mailing Room, Gar­ diner Hall, Oklahoma A. and M. College, Stillwater, Oklahoma. 26 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY/1955 National Golf Fund Checks Are Presented ABOVE: Chester Mendenhall (left), member of the USGA Green Section Committee, looks on as James A. McCain, President of Kansas State College (center), accepts check from Robert Willits, member of the USGA Sectional Affairs Committee. National Golf Fund, Inc., checks totaling $10,700 were dis­ tributed by the USGA Green Section to colleges and experiment stations in seven states. The funds were derived from the 1954 National Golf Day, sponsored by Life Magazine and the PGA with the cooperation of the USGA, and will be devoted to turf research. BELOW: Dr. William H. Daniel (left), member of the USGA Green Section Committee and turf specialist for the Midwest Turf Foundation, presents a check to H. J. Reed, Director of the School of Agriculture, Purdue University. USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 27 LOSSES OF AMMONIACAL FERTILIZERS FROM SPRINKLER JETS By D. W. HENDERSON, W. C. BIANCHI and L. D. DONEEN Department of Irrigation, University of California, Davis, Cal. rpHE application of soluble fertilizers through sprinkler systems is of con­ siderable interest because of the possibility of reducing costs by eliminating special operations for fertilizer application. How­ ever it is well known that ammonia is a volatile substance, and that escape of am­ monia from a solution to the atmosphere occurs to varying degrees. Because of this fact farmers have been warned not to attempt application of an­ hydrous or aqua ammonia through sprink­ ler systems. It has not been so universally understood, however, that any solution which contains ammonium ions (NH4+) also contains free ammonia (NHg) which is subject to loss through volatilization. The aim of the investigation reported here was to determine the magnitude of pos­ sible losses of common ammoniacal fertiliz­ ers. Some of the factors affecting these losses were studied so that recommenda­ tions could be made for reducing them to a minimum. Experimental Procedure The various solutions studied were made up with tap water in a 100 gallon gal­ vanized iron tank and pumped from the tank through a part-circle sprinkler set to distribute water through an arc of about 25 degrees. Sixteen glass catch ves­ sels approximately six inches in diameter were placed along the axis of the pie­ shaped area covered by the sprinkler at intervals of two feet. A few grams of boric acid powder were placed in each catch vessel to prevent loss of ammonia from the vessel during the run, which was of 25 to 30 minutes duration, and during subsequent handling. Shortly after the beginning of each run, a sample of the solution passing through the sprinkler nozzle was taken. The tem­ perature and pH of the solution were de­ termined immedaitely and the ammonia concentration measured by distillation and titration. The solutions in the catch ves­ sels were composited for ammonia deter­ minations. Preliminary experiments indicated the need for correcting for water losses due to evaporation. This was accomplished by determining the increase in chloride con­ centration from the nozzle to the catch vessels. Since the chloride content of the tap water was small, enough sodium chlor­ idle was added to bring the total chloride concentration up to approximately 150 ppm. This concentration is convenient for analysis, but is not sufficient to lower the vapor pressure of the water appreciably. Losses of ammonia were computed from concentrations of samples taken from the sprinkler nozzle and concentrations of ammonia in the catch vessels. These ob­ served losses were corrected for water loss by evaporation. Since losses from the catch vessels were prevented by addition of boric acid, the values reported are limited to volatilization from the jet. Field application would probably result in greater losses since interception of water by crop foliage would allow more time for ammonia escape. Furthermore, losses from small droplets which drift out of the catch area would probably be great­ er because they are in the air for longer periods than that retained in the catch vessels. Losses from soil were not con­ sidered in this study since they presum­ ably are small as long as the soil remains moist and are probaly similar in magnitude to those incurred in broadcast methods of fertilizer application. A few tests were made with an operat­ ing pressure of 60 psi at the sprinkler, but in most instances the pressure was 40 psi. Tests were carried out at both these operating pressures, using the same fer­ tilizer solution, and it was concluded that 28 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 SUBSCRIBERS TO USGA GREEN SECTION RESEARCH FUND American Cyanamici Company, N. Y. William F. Bell, Cal. Cooperative Seed & Farm Supply Service, Va. C. L. Cornell Company, Md. Davison Chemical Company, Md. Elmwood Country Club, N. Y. Ferti-Soil Company, N. J. William F. and David W. Gordon, Pa. Robert Trent Jones, N. Y. T. C. King, Ala. George E. Lineer, Cal. New York-Connecticut Turf Improvement Ass’n., N. Y. J. C. Oliger Seed Company, Ohio Bernard H. Ridder, Jr., Minn. W. H. C. Ruthven, Canada Sewerage Commission of the City of Milwaukee, Wis. D. G. Scott Farm, Ohio Vaughan’s Seed Company, Ill. Western Pennsylvania Golf Association, Pa. F. H. Woodruff & Sons, Conn. the effect of operating pressure was small under the conditions of these trials. Wind velocity, air temperature and relative humidity were recorded for each test. Although no special attempt was made to study the effect of these climatic conditions on ammonia losses, it was ob­ served that variations in duplicate deter­ minations made under different weather conditions bore no consistent relationship to changes in the weather. Solutions were made up from commer­ cial fertilizers, except for aqua ammonia, for which C. P. ammonium hydroxide was used. Results and Discussion Losses of ammonia from aqua ammonia, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and ammonium phosphat were studied in rela­ tion to the initial concentration of the fertilizer solution. As would be expected, losses from aqua ammonia solutions were very high, and in­ creased with initial concentration. Losses from solutions of ammonium salts were appreciable at low initial concentrations, but decreased rapidly as the initial concen­ tration was increased. Differences in the pH of the solutions after addition of the fertilizer materials accounts for much of the effect of initial concentration on ammonia losses. The tap water used to make up the solutions had a pH of 8.3. Addition of aqua ammonia increased the pH, but addition of the fer­ tilizer salts studied decreased the pH through hydrolysis and the acidic mate­ rials remaining in the fertilizer salts from the manufacturing process. These data in­ dicate that if ammonia losses from the sprinkler jet are to be kept below 10 per cent, the pH of the fertilizer solution should be 8.0 or less. Approximately 5 per cent loss can be expected at pH 7.5, and loss is negligible if the pH is 7.0 or below. Many factors will affect the pH result­ ing from addition of fertilizer salts to a given irrigation water. The most impor­ tant of these are the pH of the water, buffer capacity of the water (particularly CO3 — + HCO3 — content), the acidity of the fertilizer salt and the amount of fertilizer added to the water. Since irriga­ tion waters vary in pH and buffer capacity and fertilizer salts vary in acid content, the simplest procedure for controlling losses would be to determine the pH of the irrigation water after the addition of fertilizer materials. The use of commercial indicators in the form of paper strips would make possible rapid field checks. More general recommendations can be made. If the irrigation water is essentially neutral (pH less than 7.5), addition of any ammonium salt in appreciable quan­ tity will reduce the pH to the extent that losses would be negligible. If the water has a pH of much above 7.5, losses can be re­ duced to a minimum by applying the fer­ tilizer in the smallest possible amount of water which will not result in injury to the crop or sprinkler system. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 29 COMING EVENTS 1955 Aug. 9-11: Third University of Florida Turf Conference, Gainesville, Fla. Dr. Gene C. Nutter Aug. 10-11: 24th Annual Rhode Island Field Day, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R. I. Dr. J. A. DeFrance. Aug. 15-19: American Society of Agronomy Meetings, Davis, Cal. L. G. Monthey. Aug. 20: Regional Field Day, Texas Turfgrass Association* San Antonio, Texas. Sept. 7-8: Penn State Field Days, Pennsylvania State Uni­ versity, State College, Pa. Prof. H. B. Musser. Sept. 23-24: Edmonton Turfgrass Conference, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Prof. R. H. Knowles. Sept. 27-28: Northwest Turfgrass Conference, Pullman, Wash. Prof. A. G. Law. Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Utah Turfgrass Conference, Utah Copper Golf Course, Magna, Utah. J. W. Richardson. Oct. 3-4: Rocky Mountain Turfgrass Conference, Colorado A. & M. College, Fort Collins, Colo. Prof. George A. Beach. The temperature of the irrigation water would presumably affect ammonia losses. A series of tests carried out with the same fertilizer solution (ammonium sulfate, 14 lbs. per acre inch) at temperature of 68, 77, and 90° F. gave observed losses of 5.2, 6.6, and 7.6 per cent, respectively. Losses may therefore be expected to increase as the water temperature increases. The water temperature for all other tests reported was approximately constant at 79° F. Some of the factors affecting losses of ammoniacal fertilizers from sprinkler jets were investigated. The principal considera­ tion is the pH of the fertilizer solution, which depends on characteristics of both the irrigation water and the fertilizer materials. It should be emphasized that field ap­ plication of ammonia fertilizers results in losses other than those from the jet. If the pH of the fertilizer solution being applied is kept as near neutral as prac­ ticable, losses would be reduced to a mini­ mum. Editor’s note: Figures showing results of these experiments graphically and references to those fig­ ures have been deleted from the original article. Bengeyfield Succeeds Wilson William H. Bengeyfield has succeeded Charles G. Wilson as Western Regional Director of the USGA Green Section. The Western Regional Office has been moved from Davis, Cal., to 1709 West Eighth Street, Los Angeles 17, Cal., and will be in the quarters of the Southern California Golf Association. A student at Alfred University until his education was interrupted by war- WILLIAM H. BENGEYFIELD time service as navigator of an Air Force B-2 5 in the Pacific Theatre, Mr. Bengey­ field was graduated in 1948 from Cornell’s 30 USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: IULY, 1955 College of Agriculture. He did mainte­ nance work on the University Golf Course and in the University Arboretum during his summers at Cornell, then served as Assistant County Agent in Westchester County, New York, before being recalled to active duty as a navigator with the Strategic Air Command. Upon his release last year he joined the USGA Green Sec­ tion and has served in all five Regional offices. Mr. Bengeyfield brings a broad experi­ ence in both research and practical exten­ sion work to his new position of Western Regional Director. The provision of direct, on-the-spot scientific information to golf course superintendents is the heart of the Regional Turf Service. Mr. Wilson, who pioneered the Regional Turf Service for the USGA as Western Regional Director since 1952, leaves to become Agronomist for the Sewerage Commission of the City of Milwaukee, Wis. Regional offices are also maintained by the USGA in College Station, Texas; Tif­ ton, Ga.; New Brunswick, N. J., and Belts­ ville, Md. Green Section Grant* for Bentgrass Studies in Oklahoma A newly established Green Section re­ search grant provides support for a study of bentgrass selections at Oklahoma A. & M. College. A large proportion of the putting greens in Oklahoma and in the surrounding states has been planted to seaside bent. As these greens have "matured,” patches of grass of different color or texture have appeared. These patches are formed by the vigorous growth of a single plant which has been able to eliminate the weaker plants adja­ cent to it. It is believed that some of these strains, which have demonstrated vigor and adapta­ bility, may produce putting green turf superior to that now being grown. Plans call for the selection of a large number of strains and planting for in­ crease and observation. Many of the strains will be eliminated after preliminary ob­ servation and screening. The better ones are to be evaluated under putting green conditions. Such a program as this one requires considerable time for the development of new strains, but there is no rapid method of the selection, increase and adequate testing of the grasses that will meet the demands of future golfers. This research will be under the direction of Dr. Wayne Huffine. TURF MANAGEMENT The book “Turf Management,” sponsored by the United States Golf Association and edited by Prof. H. B. Musser, is a complete and authoritative guide in the practical development of golf-course turfs. This 354-page volume is available through the USGA, 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y., the USGA Green Section Re­ gional Offices, the McGraw-Hill Book Co., 350 West 42nd Street, New York 36, N. Y., or local bookstores. The cost is $7. Practical Training For Scholarship Recipients Students who accept turf scholarships at Colorado A. & M. College will receive practical as well as scholastic instruction. Dr. George Beach, of the Department of Horticulture at Colorado A. & M., says that tentative plans have been made to have students work on the Cherry Hills Country Club and Denver Country Club courses this summer. Students will also work on the turfgrass plots being main­ tained by the College. Turf grass scholarships were initiated by the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association in 1953. Additional funds were provided by the USGA Green Section in 1954 to sup­ port the establishment of turfgrass plots on the campus. This year the scholarships and turf plot maintenance are being sup­ ported by a grant of $1,000 from the Na­ tional Golf Fund. USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 31 Worth-While Meetings Questions and Answers Golf clubs sometimes invite local golf course superintendents’ associations to hold regular monthly meetings at their courses. However, few club members fully appre­ ciate the value derived in producing better turf for better golf because in the past such meetings often were little more than congenial get-togethers. As an example of how this picture has changed in recent years for the benefit of the individual superintendent, and for the club he represents, we cite the strong edu­ cational program developed by the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association. In an effort to make their monthly meetings worth-while for their superin­ tendents and for the host club, the Rocky Mountain superintendents issue an advance listing of all meetings for the year with the times, dates, places and educational features to be discussed. In addition, they also pass out inspection forms to the visiting superintendents. This form provides space for suggestions on such course maintenance practices as mow­ ing heights and frequency, irrigation, fer­ tilization, aerification, weed programs and labor, as well as suggestions with regard to trees and shrubs, appearance at entrance and on first tee, general landscaping, flower beds, parking areas, lawns and nurseries. The visiting superintendent can compile information which may be helpful to his home course and the host superintendent receives constructive suggestions which may be helpful to the sponsoring club. It is gratifying to note that the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association, as well as many other local associations, are making every effort to produce better turf for the individual golf­ er’s enjoyment. To accomplish this end, the progressive superintendent of today realizes that no individual can ever corner the market on turf information and true knowledge is the result of a free exchange of ideas and experiences developed at group meetings. Question: Are the so-called tissue tests more accurate than soil tests? Answer: Not at the present time. Tis­ sue tests have an advantage in that they actually measure the amount of nutrients that have been taken out of the soil by the plant. Tissue tests, therefore, seem capable of giving a very accurate assay of the amount of a mineral nutrient that the plant is getting from the soil. At the present time, however, there are not many plants for which we know what the levels of sufficiency are. Therefore, even after the tissue tests are made and the amounts of nutrient elements determined, we do not know whether this is more than is necessary or whether it is less than is nec­ essary for good plant growth. Only after many tissue tests have been made and have been correlated with the growth of the plants will we be able to determine from these tests whether or not we will need to add more fertilizer of certain kinds to the soil. Question: When should the testing be carried out—summer, fall, winter or spring? Answer: It matters very little when soil testing is done. It probably is better to make the soil tests at the end of the season when other work is slacking off somewhat and more time is available. You also will find that state laboratories are able to offer better service to you in the fall because they generally are quite rushed from soil samples from farms just before the spring planting season, when farmers are wondering how much fertilizer to apply to the crops they are about to plant. Question: How long has soil testing been going on? Answer: Soil testing was conducted as early as 1845 in England by Daubeny. He used carbonic acid as the extracting re­ agent. 32 USCA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY. 1955 IT’S YOUR HONOR Turf Research Program To the USGA: A copy of your current announce­ ment on the Green Section Research and Education Fund has been referred to me with authorization to forward a contribution from the Agricultural Chemicals Division. I have seen in the USGA Journal a list of the many projects supported by the Research and Education Fund. This program certainly is a very im­ pressive one, and the Association is to be commended for its aggressive role in research devoted to improved turf. Thomas R. Cox Chief Agronomist American Cyanamid Company USGA Handicap System To the USGA: Last year I succeeded in having our Golf Committee adopt your Course Rating Method and we used your Handicap System with tremendous success. One of our tournaments in which two-man teams composed of one low and one high handicapper competed produced three teams tied at the end of 18 holes. Nine more holes were played by the three win­ ners, and they were still tied and re­ mained tied until the twelfth extra hole. Match play was used. John Hock Marietta C.C. Marietta, Ohio Green Section Service To the USGA: We of the Great Southern Golf Club subscribe to the Regional Turf Service offered by the Green Section of your fine organization. We follow at our Course, to the minute detail, the program that B. P. Robinson, your Southeastern Director, sets up for us, and it has paid divi­ dends. We recently finished our Ninth Annual Gulf Coast Invitational Golf Tournament. This tournament has an entry of 100 "home-pro” profession­ als and 50 amateurs. I would say that 90% of the professionals entered are their golf clubs’ greenkeepers, as well as their professionals. I am in charge of the greens here, and the compliments flowed regarding the condition of our greens, with many remarking that they were among the best in the South. Many profes­ sionals wanted to know my secret, my fertilization program, etc. My reply to them all extended the credit to Mr. Robinson and the Turf Service. C. H. Stewart Gulfport, Miss. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JULY, 1955 33 USGA OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN PRESIDENT Isaac B. Grainger, New York, N. Y. VICE-PRESIDENTS John D. Ames, Chicago, III. Richard S. Tufts, Pinehurst, N. C. SECRETARY Charles B. Grace, Philadelphia, Pa. TREASURER Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The above officers and: . J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. Emerson Carey, Jr., Denver, Colo. Thomas H. Choate, New York, N. Y. John G. Clock, Long Beach, Cal. John W. Fischer, Cincinnati, Ohio T. R. Garlington, Atlanta, Ga. Gordon E. Kummer, Milwaukee, Wis. Edward E. Lowery, San Francisco, Cal. F. Warren Munro, Portland, Ore. John M. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. GENERAL COUNSEL Fraser M. Horn, New York, N. Y. COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN RULES OF GOLF: Richard S. Tufts, Pinehurst, N. C. CHAMPIONSHIP: John D. Ames, Chicago, III. AMATEUR STATUS AND CONDUCT: John W. Fischer, Cincinnati, Ohio IMPLEMENTS AND BALL: Charles B. Grace, Philadelphia, Pa. MEMBERSHIP: John G. Clock, Long Beach, Cal. GREEN SECTION: T. R. Garlington, Atlanta, Ga. WOMEN'S: Mrs. Harrison F. Flippin, Ardmore, Pa. SECTIONAL AFFAIRS: Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. PUBLIC LINKS: Edward E. Lowery, San Francisco, Cal. HANDICAP: William O. Blaney, Boston, Mass. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Richard S. Tufts, Pinehurst, N. C. GIRLS' JUNIOR: Mrs. John Pennington, Buffalo, N. Y. MUSEUM: Gordon E. Kummer, Milwaukee, Wis. BOB JONES AWARD: Totton P. Heffelfinger, Minneapolis, Minn. "GOLF HOUSE" FUND: Daniel A. Freeman, Jr., New York, N. Y. USGA HEADQUARTERS "Golf House", 40 East 38th Street, New York 16, N. Y. Joseph C. Dey, Jr., Executive Director John P. English, Assistant Executive Director USGA GREEN SECTION USGA GREEN SECTION MID-ATLANTIC OFFICE South Building, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Md. Charles K. Hallowell, Mid-Atlantic Director USGA GREEN SECTION NORTHEASTERN OFFICE Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. Alexander M. Radko, Northeastern Director USGA GREEN SECTION SOUTHEASTERN OFFICE Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Ga. B. P. Robinson, Southeastern Director USGA GREEN SECTION SOUTHWESTERN OFFICE Texas A. and M. College, College Station, Texas Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson, Southwestern Director and National Research Coordinator USGA GREEN SECTION WESTERN OFFICE 1709 West Eighth Street, Los Angeles 17, Cal. William H. Bengeyfield, Western Director