sjAriZED JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT A GOLFING AFFAIR OF STATE President Eisenhower, thoroughly relaxed in the company of fellow golfers, poses with the 39 delegates to the Planning Conference for the World Amateur Golf Team Championship whom he greeted individually in the Rose Garden of the White House last month. (See story p. 15). USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT Published by the United States Golf Association Permission to reprint articles here is freely granted (unless specifically noted otherwise) provided credit is given to the USGA Journal VOL. XI, No. 2 JUNE, 1958 Through the Green ___________________________________________ i The Hazardous Job of Telecasting the Open____________ by Lindsey Nelson 5 The League of the Iroquois __________________ by Dr. John R. Williams 8 Are you a Slow Player? Are You Sure? _______________ by John D. Ames 11 35 Countries Organize World Amateur Golf _________ by Joseph C. Dey, Jr. 15 Freddie McLeod — Fifty Years a Champion _______ by Merrell Whittlesey 19 Waistlines and Handicaps — a Relationship ________________________ 21 The Referee ________________________________________________ 22 Turf Management: USGA Green Section How to Meet Rising Costs of Golf Course Maintenance, Part II— Summary of Panel Discussions by Various Experts ________________ 25 It’s Your Honor ____________________________________________ 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 should be sent to the above address. Entered as Second-class Matter March 3, 1950, at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 8, 1879. Additional entry at Post Office in Pinehurst, N. C. Edited by Joseph C. Dey, Jr., and John P. English. Managing Editor: Miss Nancy Jupp. AU articles voluntarily contributed. USGA COMPETITIONS FOR 1958 Championship or Team Match Open Women's Open Championships Entries Close — Sectional Qualifying Rounds — Dates of Event June 12-13-14 June 13 None June 26-27-28 Amateur Public Links — tJune 15-21 July 7-12 Junior Amateur June 27 July 15 July 30-Aug. 2 (a) Curtis Cup Match — Girls' Junior Women's Amateur July 25 Aug. 1 (b) Americas Cup Match — — None None — Amateur Aug. 7 Aug. 26 Senior Amateur Aug. 29 Sept. 16 August 8-9 August 11-15 August 18-23 September 5-6 (c) World Amateur Team Championship — — October 8-11 Location Southern Hills C. C. Tulsa, Okla. Forest Lake C. C. Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Silver Lake G. C. Orland Park, Ill. University of Minnesota Golf Course St. Paul, Minn. Brae Burn C. C. West Newton, Mass. Greenwich C. C. Greenwich, Conn. Wee Burn C. C. Darien, Conn. Olympic C. C. San Francisco, Cal. September 8-13 Olympic C. C. Sept. 29-Oct. 4 Monterey Peninsula San Francisco, Cal. Country Club, Pebble Beach, Cal. Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland Dates entries close mean last dates for application to reach USGA office, except in the case of the Amateur Public Links Championship. For possible exceptions in dates of Sectional Quali­ fying Rounds, see entry forms. Re Amateur Public Links Championship: tExact date in each Section to be fixed by Sectional Chairmen. (a) Curtis Cup Match—Women’s amateur teams: British Isles vs. United States. (b) Americas Cup Match—Men’s amateur teams: Canada vs. Mexico vs. United States. (c) World Amateur Team Championship—Men’s teams, stroke play. The Man Who Never Played A man who has never played a round of golf in his life was honored last month at a dinner given by the Guyan Golf and Country Club, Huntington, W. Va., fol­ lowing the first annual senior invitational tournament at the club, which has been named after him. His name is R.J. “Jim” Foley. Mr. Foley has been associated with the game for 37 years, during many of which he has served as secretary and treasurer of the West Virginia State Golf Associa­ tion. A recognized authority on grasses (he operates the Foley Horticultural Serv­ ice) he was appointed to the USGA Green Section Committee in 1936 and to the USGA Sectional Affairs Committee in 1942. His record of service with the USGA makes him one of the longest serv­ ing committeemen on record. Mr. Foley seems to make a habit of giving his services to pastimes in which he doesn’t indulge. He has also served as secretary for many years of a local dancing and social club, yet has never tripped the light fantastic in his life, either! Record Open Entry The 58th USGA Open Championship at the Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla., has established a new record entry of 2,136. This beats the previous best of 1,928, established in 1954 at Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N. J. With seventeen players exempt from qualifying, 2,133 players sought 145 places in the Championship proper, a ratio of 15 for 1. The entry included three pre-war win­ ners, Gene Sarazen, winner in 1922-32; Sam Parks, Jr., 1935, and Tony Manero, 1936. All post-war champions were in­ cluded in the entry. This is the first time that the Open has been held in Oklahoma state. Golf for High Schools7 Conference in Wisconsin More than 100 physical education teach­ ers and coaches from southern Wisconsin gathered recently in Milwaukee for a one day conference under the sponsor­ ship of the National Golf Foundation and the Milwaukee City and County school system to discuss means of introducing more high school youngsters to golf. Rex McMorris, vice-president of NGF, was in the chair. All participants agreed there was a de­ mand by the students for such instruc­ tion. The initial problems that arose was the lack of specialized training on the part of the physical education teachers and the cost of golf equipment. In an effort to counteract these the meeting was given over to a panel of ex­ perts in group golf instruction and junior golf development. They included: Bert Katzenmeyer, professional, golf coach and assistant athletic director of the University of Michigan, who headed the panel on “The Use and Conversion of Indoor and Outdoor Facilities for Golf Instruction.” Les Bolstad, professional and golf USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 I coach from the University of Minnesota and former USGA Amateur Public links Champion, who lectured and demon­ strated “Swing Fundamentals.” Guy Bellitt, professional and manager of the Altadena (Cal.) Municipal Golf Course, who discussed and demonstrated “The Physical Organization and Arrange­ ment of The Golf Class.” Miss Ellen Griffin, national authority on golf instruction for women at the Women’s College of the University of North Carolina, who conducted a special session on “Golf Teaching Techniques for Women.” John Shorey, manager of the Allen­ town (Pa.) Municipal Golf Course and director of the Allentown Public Schools Golf Program, and Ralph Krueger, as­ sistant manager of Hickory Hills Golf Club in Chicago, who took over the clos­ ing session of the day, an open panel dis­ cussion inviting questions from the audi­ ence. Mr. McMorris pointed out that it is the object of the NGF to expose every high school student to golf by bringing together golf professionals and high school teachers in a workable program. Several school systems, including Jack- son, Miss.; Kansas City, Mo.; Minneapolis, Minn., and Houston, Tex., have done this successfully. $60 Million for Golf The factory selling price of golf equip­ ment purchased during 1957 was $60,711,- 924, the Athletic Goods Manufacturers’ Association has announced. This means, of course, that American golfers spent considerably more than that sum in pur­ chasing clubs, balls and accessories at retail prices in pursuit of their favorite game. Clubs alone accounted for $32,127,399. Also, 3,046,808 dozen golf balls were sold for $21,111,608. Golf sales lead those of baseball and soft ball, athletic shoes, inflated goods, tennis and badminton, squash equipment and athletic clothing by substantial mar­ gins. However, expenditures for fishing, hunting, bowling and boating are not comprehended in the Athletic Goods Manufacturers’ Association report. Junior League Reorganized The Washington, D.C., Interclub Junior Golf League, described in our April is­ sue, has expanded and reorganized. Instead of ten club teams competing in two divisions, twelve club teams will compete in three sections, each consist­ ing of four clubs. Goose Creek Country Club, in Leesburg, Va., and Court House Country Club, Fairfax, Va., have been added to the clubs listed in the article. The three divisional winners will play off for the Frank Pace Trophy, the club with the highest points drawing a bye. Girls will be allowed to take part at the discretion of the club selectors. League officers for this year are Chair­ man Lt. Gen. Floyd L. Parks; Secretary Joseph M. Gambatese; Treasurer Charles Ewen, and Division Directors W.B. Maro- shek, Jerry Looney and Kilmer S. Bortz. Gordon E. Kummer The passing of Gordon E. Kummer, of Milwaukee, Wis., leaves the Association with a deep sense of loss. He was 50 years old. A member of the Executive Committee since 1954 and Chairman of the Member­ ship Committee at the time of his death, Mr. Kummer had been President of the Western Golf Association in 1952 and was appointed to the USGA Sectional Affairs Committee the same year. He was a strong and vital man with a sincere interest in all the people he met and a flair for leadership and good-fel­ lowship. It was fortunate for golf that he played and loved the game. During World War II, Mr. Kummer served for five years as a multi-engine pilot in the Army Air Force, and after the war he maintained his widespread in­ terests in golf by flying his own plane to championships and meetings. He was ac­ tive in both the Milwaukee Country Club and the Country Club of Florida as well as in association work. Miss Jane Nelson Weds Miss Jane Nelson, of Indianapolis, Ind., a member of the 1956 Curtis Cup Team and runner-up to Miss Pat Lesser (Mrs. John Harbottle) in the 1955 Women’s Amateur, was recently married to Mr. Ernie Scott Burke. Her husband is a judge of an Indianapolis Municipal Court. 1 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 The clubhouse of the Forest Lake Country Club, Bloomfield Hill, Mich., stands on what the original owner, Col. Edwin S. George, considered the loveliest site in the area. The Club will entertain the sixth USGA Women’s Open Championship this month. The New Forest Lake The Forest Lake Country Club, in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., will present a new look for the sixth USGA Women’s Open Championship to be held there this month. The architect concerned was William Diddel, of Carmel, Ind., who has rede­ signed his original plan to incorporate four new holes. The 125 acres of gently rolling terrain which constitute the course and precincts were deeded to the Club in 1926 by Col. Edwin S. George. That same year the course was laid out, a clubhouse and swimming pool built and 175 members joined what was initially and is again to­ day a small, family club. When the depression and World War II came along in succession, however, the property eventually reverted to Col. George, who set up a Foundation to run the Club as a public course. So it re­ mained until 1954. In the fall of 1953 two men got their heads together. They were Blaine Eynon, General Chairman of the Club’s Commit­ tee for the Women’s Open, and Fred Handren. Together they drew up a plan for the purchase of the entire property and buildings by means of member par­ ticipation. They saw the birth of their scheme in January, 1954, and are now enjoying the period of fruition. The course, with the incorporation of the new holes, measures approximately 6,240 yards as the women play it and is strategically designed to test the erring long hitter rather than the duffer. Miss Betsy Rawls, winner for the third time at Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaro­ neck, N.Y., last year, is making a bid for her fourth Open title. The Club will not be unfamiliar to USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 3 many of the women professionals for it entertained the Ladies’ PGA Champion­ ship in 1956, won by Mrs. Marlene Bauer Hagge. Harvie Ward Reinstated E. Harvie Ward, Jr., of San Francisco, Cal., 1955 and 1956 Amateur Champion and former Walker and Americas Cup player, was granted reinstatement as an amateur as of May 6, following a year’s probationary period. The normal probationary period is two years. The Executive Committee reduced it to one year in this case in view of what it considered to be a mitigating circum­ stance. The circumstance was the fact that Mr. Ward told the Committee he had understood from his employer that it was permissible to accept the expenses in question for the period 1953-1956. His employer, Edward E. Lowery, was a mem­ ber of the USGA Executive Committee from 1953 through 1956. The Latin Influence The scorecard at the Taconic Golf Club, Williamstown, Mass., where the National Collegiate Athletic Association champion­ ship is being played, bears the, to most people mystic, legend: “In medio tutissimus ibis.” If you in­ quire, you find it was applied by Prof. Harry L. Agard of Williams College, now emeritus, and he translates it: “You go most safely in the middle.” Color Correction In reporting recommended terms and colors for tee markers in the February, 1958, issue, there was a regrettable trans­ position of colors. The code should have read: Tees Back Term Blue (or Championship) Course White Course Middle Red Course Front Women’s Yellow Course A single set of markers used on any hole to designate two courses should be painted with both colors, half and half. Mexican Date The Mexican Amateur Championship will be held this year at the Guadalajara Country Club, Guadalajara, October 7 through 12. Good Old Days! A collection of old score cards, some of them dating back as far as 1895, has been donated to the USGA Golf Museum in “Golf House,” in New York, by Henry O. Havemeyer, of New York, N. Y. Some of the local rules which prevailed make interesting reading. The Mountain Lake Club, in Florida, stated that a player driving into the lake at the fifth and eighth holes might tee a ball and play two, or drop a ball on the ladies’ tee (presumably beyond the water) and play three. Players at this club were given the following warning: “Replace divots; it takes two years to grow turf.” The Ardsley Club, Ardsley-on-Hudson, N.Y., gave its players the benefit of the doubt: “Of course you will replace all divots,” it reminded them. Bedford Golf and Tennis Club, Bed­ ford, N.Y., was concerned over current handicaps and reminded its members that they must pass in their scores if bet­ ter than score posted on handicap list. Arcola Country Club, in New York, had a caddie rate of 75c for eighteen holes; 40c for nine holes. Patrons were requested not to overpay. Newport Country Club, Newport, R.I., one of the five charter members of the USGA, had a law unto itself: “The Rules of the USGA shall prevail except where they may conflict with the local rules of the Club, in which case the local rules of the Club shall prevail.” Books Received THE U.S. GOLFER’S ANNUAL HAND­ BOOK, edited by John Barrington (Thomas Y. Crowell Co., $3.95) is an important contribution to golf literature. Among its special features is a very read­ able discussion on the rules. How to con­ duct club tournaments, historical high­ lights and championship statistics are other valuable chapters for committee- men and club golfers alike. SWING TO BETTER GOLF by Louis T. Stanley (Thomas Y. Crowell Co., $7.50). Mr. Stanley, a prolific British golf writer and photographer, has amassed nearly 600 action photographs of world famous golfers. The concise, accompany­ ing text confines itself to drawing atten­ tion to the salient points of the swing. 4 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 THE HAZARDOUS JOB BY OF TELECASTING THE OPEN LINDSEY NELSON Assistant Sports Director National Broadcasting Co. The most hazardous of all sports tele­ casting undertakings is a major golf championship. This is true for many reasons. The ac­ tion is spread over some 150 acres of terrain, as opposed to the boxing ring which is 20 feet square or the football field which is 120 yards from goal post to goal post. Time cannot be forecast with any degree of accuracy. The general confusion in computing the results of simultaneous action in several places is exceeded only at the time of a general election. Accordingly, the telecast of a golf championship requires far more plan­ ning than any other sports event. The man responsible for such planning at NBC is Perry Smith, the producer. It is his job to visit the championship course months in advance in order to plan his camera and audio positions. He must solve the myriad problems of de­ tail in order to present a show that will be seen by millions of people. He must keep in mind that not all of these millions are golf fans. Indeed, many of them couldn’t tell a niblick from a caddie. For them, the show will be just an athletic contest in which one man is trying to beat some other men, and the telecast must be presented in terms that they can readily grasp. The producer, then, must decide where he will place his cameras and where he will place his announcers. He has learned, too, that he must put both cameras and announcers on platforms at strategic lo­ cations so that they can see all the ac­ tion. This creates the added problem of keeping the gallery off the platforms. Then there is the problem of where to park the mobile units, the trucks which are the control centers. They must be situated so that the cable-run from the truck to any camera position is not too great. The producer has learned that he must Lindsey Nelson, right, of NBC, interviews Sam Snead during a tournament. be able to provide continuous action on the course. Once he picks up a pair of players at any point, he must be able to stay with them right on to the finish at the eighteenth green. The video audience is demanding on this point. If it is watch­ ing a player who has a chance to win, or who is, indeed, winning, it does not want to be switched to anyone else. The object of any sports presentation on the tele­ vision is, of course, to show the winner winning. Camera Position is Everything When the producer starts to survey any course for a telecast, he is shown a number of places where, it is suggested, he can place his cameras. These sugges­ tions come in the form of advice such as, “From here you can get a beautiful shot of number four,” or “This will give you a perfect view of the twelfth tee.” These things are true, but insofar as planning a telecast is concerned they are useless. If you show a pair playing No. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 5 4 and are not prepared to show them playing No. 5, No. 6 and so on, you will never hear the end of it. If you show a pair on the twelfth tee and are not pre­ pared to show them on the twelfth green, you are in equally deep trouble. Accordingly, producers tend to start at the eighteenth green and walk the course backward in order to determine how far back they will be able to cover. And they hope they can go backward as far as the fifteenth. Their limitations are deter­ mined by the length of the cable runs and the number of cameras at their dis­ posal. Perry Smith uses five cameras on foot­ ball games, four on baseball games, three on boxing matches. However, at the Open Championship at the Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N.Y., he used, including commercial set-up, a total of twelve cameras. Since the normal mobile unit accom­ modates no more than five cameras, he used three mobile units. There was a director in each mobile unit, all three of which were interconnected. Before we proceed further, there was another interesting thing about covering that Open. Directly in front of the eighteenth green, the fairway fell off in during the time we were on the air, but he couldn’t take that chance. The camera proved its worth. Coming to the eighteenth hole on Saturday af­ ternoon (the seventy-second hole of the Championship) with a chance to tie, a fellow named Ben Hogan played his ball right there. It was a pretty important shot to be able to cover. The Producer's Role Once the cameras and the announcers have been placed in their proper posi­ tions, the producer and the directors (Harry Coyle and Jack Dillon) retire in­ side the mobile units where they watch the action on monitors that show what is being seen by each camera on the course. It is their job to select from this mass of audio and video reports a series of images that will tell a concise and exciting story on the air. Getting instantaneous and correct in­ formation during the playing of a cham­ pionship is not the easiest thing in the an almost perpendicular drop. Cameras placed behind the green couldn’t see into this depression. So Perry Smith placed an extra camera to the left of the green in order to be able to cover this one spot. There was a good chance that no ball would be played from that depression 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, Scot­ land. Booklet, 25 cents (special rates for quan­ tity orders, more than 500). USGA GOLF HANDICAP SYSTEM FOR MEN, containing recommendations for computing USGA Handicap and for rating courses. Book­ let, 25 cents. USGA Slide Rule Handicapper, 25 cents. Poster, 10 cents. THE CONDUCT OF WOMEN'S GOLF, contain­ ing suggestions for guidance in the conduct of women's golf in clubs and associations, in­ cluding tournament procedure, handicapping and course rating. 25 cents. USGA Slide Rule Handicapper, 25 cents. Poster, 10 cents. HANDICAPPING THE UNHANDICAPPEO, a reprint of a USGA Journal article explaining the Callaway System of automatic handicap­ ping for occasional players in a single tour­ nament. No charge. TOURNAMENTS FOR YOUR CLUB, a reprint of a USGA Journal article detailing various types of competitions. No charge. PREPARING THE COURSE FOR A COMPETI­ TION, a reprint of a USGA Journal article by John P. English. No charge. LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE AMATEUR CODE, a reprint of a USGA Journal article by Joseph C. Dey, Jr. No charge. PROTECTION OF PERSONS AGAINST LIGHT­ NING ON GOLF COURSES, a poster. No charge. HOLE-IN-ONE AWARDS. No Charge. GAMBLING IN GOLF TOURNAMENTS, a re­ print of a USGA Journal article by Richard S. Tufts. No charge. WORK OF A CLUB GREEN COMMITTEE, a re­ print of panel discussions conducted by the USGA Green Section Committee. No Charge. HOW TO MEET RISING COSTS OF GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE, a reprint of panel discussions conducted by the USGA Green Section Committee. No charge. MISTER CHAIRMAN, a reprint of a USGA Journal article outlining the duties of the Chairman of the Green Committee. No charge. TURF MANAGEMENT, by H. B. Musser (Me Graw-Hill Book Co., Inc.), the authoritative book on turf maintenance. $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: JUNE, 1958 world. If every player on the course knew how every other player was doing at every moment, many shots would be played differently. Even with the use of walkie-talkies, telephone lines, flags and runners, it is just barely possible to keep posted on how the competition is shaping up all over the course. If you have ever taken up a position at one green on a course during a cham­ pionship and listened to some of the queries from a breathlessly arriving gal­ lery, you will know what I mean. The first question likely will be, “Who’s this?” The spectator means, of course, that he is unable to identify the golfers he is watching and would like to know who they are. The next question probably will be, “What are they shooting?” By this he means that he doesn’t know who is lead­ ing or by how many strokes. The next question likely will be, “What hole is this?” The indication here is that the fan has been scooting back and forth on the course and is not sure just where he is. There are, then, on the course a great many spectators who don’t know who they’re watching, who’s winning or where they are. This only magnifies the prob­ lem faced by the television producer, who must know all of these things instantly. To know a player’s score through the previous hole is of no use. His score must be known right to the stroke he is playing. So Perry Smith, seated inside the mo­ bile unit watching the pictures being taken by each camera, has a direct tele­ phone line to the tee of each of the last four holes in order that he can keep up to date on scores. He also has direct lines to the assistant directors at each of the announcing positions in order to keep the announcers posted on the scores and the plan of coverage. Smith will relay instruction such as, “When Mayer has putted out on eighteen, we’ll pick up Middlecoff at fifteen and bring him in. If he can pick up a birdie, he can tie.” He must also figure where the commer­ cials will be inserted. The directors have the job of relaying to the camermen the exact manner in which a shot is to be covered, whether the ball will be followed in flight, the The cameras must be able to cover con­ secutive holes. The success of the tele­ casting depends on camera position. clubhead will be shown in close-up striking the ball on the tee or the ball will be shown in close-up hitting in the fairway or on the green. Since the golf ball is not quite so large as a basketball, a football or even a base­ ball, the camermen also have their work cut out for them. Announcers Shun Verbosity On a golf telecast, there is no inclina­ tion on the part of the announcer to do a lot of talking, as he might in reporting other sports. If the announcer can pro­ perly identify the golfers, relay correct scores and give a complete report of who has a chance to win, he has done well enough. While the announcer is the man who is heard, the responsibility for the whole production lies with the producer. After the championship closes and the telecast is off the air, the producer is easy to spot. He’s the guy in the club­ house with the two ears cauliflowered from headsets, eyes squinty from trying to read scribbled scores and a general air of bewilderment. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 7 THE LEAGUE OF THE IROQUOIS BY JOHN R. WILLIAMS, M.D. Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N. Y. Athletic sports have had an interest for man since the remotest times. They have afforded vigorous youth and early manhood an opportunity to work off phy­ sical exuberance and have served as a wholesome substitute for war. Rivalry in sport had existed for years in the upstate cities and towns of New York State, baseball, bicycling and track meets hav­ ing their devotees. In the first part of the current century the game of golf began to attract atten­ tion. Utica, N.Y., was one of the first cities to make the game popular, due in no small part to the Sherman boys, Tom and Sherrill, Dr. Arthur R. Grant and others. They foresaw its possibilities for inter-city competition and set about to promote it. This is of historical interest since the Mohawks of the Five Nations were the first to propose a confederacy, as was Yahnundasis of the land of the Mohawks the first to suggest the present League of the Iroquois. League Formed in 1913 In the summer of 1912 Dr. Grant visit­ ed friends in the clubs of upstate New York with the idea of effecting an as­ sociation. Then followed months of cor­ respondence and discussion. Sufficient in­ terest was aroused so that on January 31, 1913, groups of delegates from Yah­ nundasis Golf Club, Utica; Onondaga Golf and Country Club, Syracuse and Wana­ kah Country Club, Buffalo, met with Oak Hill representatives in Rochester and a permanent organization was created. The question of a suitable name was solved when John Kavanagh, of Roches­ ter, pointed out that the cities in the newly formed society occupied the same geographical area as did the ancient Five Nation Indian tribes who formed the Lea­ gue of the Iroquois, and he proposed that name. Officers were then elected, D.C. Murray being chosen president and Sher­ rill Sherman secretary-treasurer. Both were from Utica. The golfers decided to follow some of the ancient league procedures. The title Sachem was given to the president of each club, while the presiding officer at each annual tournament was called the Chief Sachem. The treasurer and secre­ tary was given the title Chief Wampum Keeper, a position held later for many years by the revered Marc Comstock of Buffalo. Annual meetings were called pow wows and the individual golfers hailed as warriors. The program now in operation is as follows: The annual meeting of the League takes place on the third Thursday in May at Bellevue Country Club, Syracuse. This is attended by delegates from each of the clubs. The site for the approaching tour­ nament is chosen, and the president of that club elected Chief Sachem. At this time also the club where the tournament is to be played the following year is se­ lected and a Near Chief Sachem named. Rules of play and matters covering the tournament are acted upon. The budget of the affair is estimated and apportion­ ed. The dates of play are always the last Friday and Saturday in June. On Thursday evening before, the cap­ tains arrange the schedules for the team matches which begin Friday at 2 P. M. Each club is permitted to name 27 men, 15 seniors and 12 juniors, from whom to select each playing team of seven juniors and five seniors. A senior is a golfer over 45. The tournament opens Friday morning with all the braves assembled and wear­ ing ceremonial headdress, the Chief Sachem being adorned with the traditional ceremonial bonnet of his high office. Then follows the raising of the national emblem and the official flag of the Lea­ gue. After an invocation, the Chief Sachem delivers a brief speech of welcome. The ceremony then terminates with an ex­ change of greetings among the warriors. The individual 18 hole rounds are then played for the league championship and 8 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 the low net prize. Friday evening is given over to a ban­ quet attended by the players and guests. At this time the individual champion­ ship trophy and the President’s Cup for the lowest net score are awarded. Satur­ day morning the tournament is resumed, each team playing in turn the other three competitors, concluding Saturday after­ noon. After the matches are over and the scores and standings evaluated, the prizes are awarded. This includes the team tro­ phy, an appropriately designed oak pla­ que on which is embossed the essential facts about the tournament and the names of the players. The flag is then lowered and the League adjourned. Spirit Behind the League The League was not organized for the sole purpose of the team matches, but rather to bring together members of the several clubs to promote a spirit of friendship and intercity good will. The not-so good golfers therefore are cor­ dially invited to participate. They may play in the individual handicap competi­ tion and may make up their own four­ somes. The League has far exceeded the hopes of its founders. The golfing League is proud of its adopted ancestry and believes that all Americans should know about its remark­ able predecessor. While there are many versions of its history, the following are the essential facts. The American Indian owes his exist­ ence to the migrations of Mongolian tribes of Siberia across the Bering Strait down into the more livable areas of our Pacific Coast. They began at least 10,000 years ago and continued intermittently for centuries. The new enviroment offer­ ed so many opportunities for growth and development that, with the passing of time, new racial strains evolved, giving rise to the various Indian nations that ultimately spread over the continent. The Indian never lost, however, his distinc­ tive Mongolian features. In his long pro­ cess of nationalization the Far West and South were first occupied, but later cen­ turies saw successive incursions to the Atlantic seaboard and the north country. In one of the most recent of these, small tribes of Iroquoian stock settled in the area of what is now upper New York State. Among them were the Mohawks, the Onondagas, Oneidas and Cayugas and Arts and Sciences, Rochester, N. Y. Courtesy Rochester Museum of The formation of the ancient League of the Iroquois. Deganawidah, holding the Peace Belt explains to Atotarho, the Evil one, the peaceful purposes of the league. Hiawatha, standing, assists. self taught Seneca Indian Artist, Ernest Smith, the Senecas, known collectively as the Five Nations. The total population of this group, men, women and children, never exceeded 13,000 of which less than 3,000 were men, or slightly more than the num­ ber of golfers in the league bearing their name. History Recorded through Wampum They were an agricultural people, liv­ ed in bark houses, were fond of music, sports and family life. For convenience and security they lived in small villages without streets or roads. They were deep­ ly religious, mystical and strong believers in spirits and magic. While they had no written or pictographic language and no permanent method of recording the im­ portant events of life as did ancient Oriental people in monuments of stone or clay, they did have a way of trans­ mitting their history by means of wam­ pum. The ancient Iroquoian had no use for money, the medium of exchange be­ ing furs and food. Significant occurrences in tribal life were handed down from generation to USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 9 generation by specially trained individ­ uals. The story was incorporated in an allegorical recital in which imaginary spirits, animals, and birds played a part. As an aid to memory strings of beads or belts were used. The beads were made of shell, stone, wood or bone, tubular or spherical in shape and often dyed. The color, number of beads, grouping and de­ sign all had definite significance. This was called wampum and highly treasur­ ed. Hence a priest or Royaner by examin­ ing a belt or string of wampum could read the story of historic events, or cere­ monials centuries old. The Iroquois Con­ federacy had a large priceless library of wampum fifty years ago. Much of it, however, was carelessly lost by fire, a loss comparable in some degree to the one which destroyed the great Alexandri­ an library in Cairo, 389 A.D. What re­ mained of the Iroquoin wampum library in 1898 was placed in the permanent cus­ tody of the University of the State of New York. For the most part these early Indians were peaceful, but the frequent attacks by covetous aggressive neighboring tribes necessitated a defensive phase in their tribal life. A young Indian had no social status until he learned to fight. His final test of manhood and becoming a real brave was the killing of an enemy. Ac­ cordingly, petty wars were an accepted part of life. Deganawidah, the Peacemaker One day a strange thing happened. A few Indians loitering on the shore of Lake Ontario near what is now Oswego saw a strange figure approaching in a canoe. He was greeted with apprehension as he stepped ashore, but by signs he made it clear that he was a friend, that his mission was peaceful and he was un­ armed. In the short conference which followed he told that he came to bring peace and contentment to them, and that his main purpose was to abolish murder and tribal war. He gave his name as Deganawidah and said he was acting un­ der the guidance of the Supreme Being. This statement sounded fantastic to his amazed listeners. It was decided, how­ ever, that they would at once confer with their tribal chiefs as to what attitude they should take. Further conferences followed and it was agreed that the strange man should be helped in every way possible in accomplishing his mis­ sion. His plan was to confer in turn with as many persons and tribes as possible with the hope of converting them to his philosophy of peace and to form one great family of nations. He had heard of many warring factions in the east so he decided to begin his crusade by going in that direction. His new friends tried to dissuade him from this course because there was known to live there a brutal cannibal Mohawk Indian named Hiawa­ tha. Their warning only increased his de­ sire so straightway he called upon Hiawa­ tha. The account of this meeting is a fan­ tastic tale. In due time Hiawatha was con­ verted and became a valuable assistant to Deganawidah. Another important figure who had to be won over was Atatarho, the chief of the powerful Onondagas. Atatarho was looked upon as a devil, and was called the Evil One. He is pictured as a monster with snakes living in his hair. The con­ version of this chief, as told in the In­ dian story, was an almost incredible feat. Conferences and tribal meetings follow­ ed for a long time before there were un­ animous agreement and a plan perfected. The date of this important covenant is uncertain. Historians place it between 1390 A.D. and 1540 A.D. In it the Five Nations federated into one unit, living as a single family in a theoretical great home covering the tribal lands of the Five Nations extending from the Hudson to the Genesee Rivers, to be known as the Longhouse. Great Peace Plan The plan embraced a constitutional representative government with a perma­ nent capital in the Onondaga country. Each tribe in the confederacy was charged with specific responsibilities. Representatives were chosen with the greatest care and most of them for life. Induction into office was a solemn and sacred ceremony. Detailed plans were worked out to ensure a government af­ fording its citizens the highest type of efficiency and security. Freedom of speech and religion were regarded as human rights so obvious as to be beyond the needs of legislation. No final decision became operative until there was unani­ mous agreement. Provision however was (Continued on page 24) 10 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 ARE YOU A SLOW PLAYER? ARE YOU SURE? BY JOHN D. AMES President. USGA One breed of golfers goes out to the course happy and in high spirits. That’s fine, but—these men laugh, joke and gambol their way around, and four hours and more pass in a flash. Their con­ tented preoccupation often blinds them to the fact that they are holding up other players. Accuse them of slow play and, in bliss­ ful ignorance, they will deny it em­ phatically. The tortoises of golf include some busi­ ness executives whose work, ironically enough, often entails the establishment of good will. Yet on the course they can become self-centered, totally unaware of the atmosphere of ill will they are cre­ ating behind them. Another occasionally difficult breed is the golf fanatic who takes the game so seriously that informal rounds are treat­ ed as meticulously as the club champion­ ship. The fanatic is sometimes filled with theories which he has to recall and re­ hearse before each shot. His golf is usual­ ly no better in consequence. In between these types you have the average golfer who loves his week-end game and wants to get on with it. What’s to be done? What is Slow Play? The first step is to define slow play. In an attempt to arrive at a satisfactory answer, we asked a number of players of various levels of ability and a number of officials for their opinions. Rex Baxter, of Amarillo, Texas, a mem­ ber of the Walker Cup Team, thinks it is: “A needless taking up of time which slows other players.” Totton P. Heffelfinger, of Minneapolis, Minn., chairman of the Golf Committee at the Minikahda Club and a former President of the United States Golf As­ sociation, holds a similar opinion: “Any unnecessary delay in play.” Dr. Frank M. Taylor, Jr., of Pomona, NEW MEMBERS OF THE USGA Regular Ala. III. La. Alabama College Golf Club, Briarwood Country Club, East Ridge Country Club, Fairbanks Golf and Country Club, Alaska Fort Lewis Golf Course, Highland Park Golf Club, Holyoke Country Club, Johnson City Country Club, Los Coyotes Country Club, Martindale Country Club, Monoosnock Country Club, Picadome Golf Club, St. Marys Country Club, Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club,Mich. Wayzata Country Club, Minn. Weed Heights Golf Club, Nev. Winona Country Club, Minn. Wash. Minn. Mass. Tenn. Cal. Me. Mass. Ky. Pa. Associate Oakledge Golf Center, Warrenton House Golf Course, Vt. Va. Cal., the runner-up in the last Amateur Championship, applies an interesting text: “Players are slow when they con­ sistently have open holes ahead and play­ ers piled up behind.” Several attempted to relate slow play to specific time intervals, but the length and difficulty of courses and the degrees of crowding vary so widely that this does not seem to be a fruitful approach to the problem. To us, needless actions retarding the flow of play constitutes slow play. Although delaying other players is of­ ten an indication of slow play, it is not a final test. Some, by nature, move more slowly than others, but a player whose normal pace is slightly slower than an­ other may not be guilty of needless de­ laying actions. (He should, of course, let the faster player through.) Some become involved unavoidably in situations which require a bit of extra time. They may temporarily delay other players without being guilty of needless delaying actions. (They should, of course, catch up quick­ ly.) And by the same token, the last play­ ers on the course may be guilty of a USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 195S 11 L^7~^ COUA/r ,4;_/- thousand needless delaying actions even when there is no one behind them. They are delaying each other and the flow of play—not to mention any scorers and of­ ficials who may be waiting for them. Having defined it, how do we solve it? The solution is not hopeless, but it is difficult. It will be found only when the gay gamboleers and the solemn fanatics finally come to identify themselves for what they are and to recognize the rights and desires of others. The corrective pro­ cess is, according to Harold Sargent, President of the Professional Golfers’ Association, one of “education.” He means continuous and repetitive educa­ tion. Are You Slow? Every golfer is opposed to slow play, as a matter of principle. Unfortunately, almost every golfer considers himself a fast player, and so slow players rarely relate themselves to admonitions against slow play. We asked each one of the players and officials with whom we discussed this matter if they considered themselves slow players. Every one responded with an emphatic “no.” We happen to know these individuals well enough so that we have no reason to doubt their self-ap­ praisals—and yet the nature of the re­ plies was indicative. We have never heard this question answered with a “yes.” You might ask yourself these questions: Are you a fast player or a slow one? Do your clubmates agree? If you would carry this further, work cut with your conscience answers to these questions: Are you always ready to tee up when your turn comes, or does your turn fre­ quently catch you unaware, with your ball unwashed, your driver still in the bag and without a tee? Do you take one or more practice swings immediately before each stroke? If so, why? Do you waggle your club simply to get the rhythm for the stroke, or are you engaging in a mannerism or stalling for time while you think out a problem you should have thought out before you addressed the ball? Are you silent and attentive when others are about to play, or do you some­ times distract and delay them by en­ gaging in idle chatter? Do you watch every ball hit until it comes to rest, so wild strokes can be quickly found, or are you concerned only with where your own ball comes to rest? Are you one of those who holds up play by explaining your bad shots and re-examining your swing? You cannot al­ ter the result and few will be interested in your explanation. Do you speed a double caddie’s work by taking the club or clubs you will need when your partner’s ball is in trouble, or do you wait for the caddie to criss-cross back to you with your club after your partner has played? Do you replace your own divots when you have a double caddie and your part­ ner is waiting to play, or do you require 12 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 the boy to do it and delay your partner? Do you stand near your playing com­ panion while he plays and then move over to your own ball, or are you at your own ball whenever possible without in­ terfering and ready to play as soon as it is your turn? Do you think out your next shot as far as possible while walking to your ball and waiting for others to play, or do you wait until it is your turn to play before starting to estimate the distance, the ef­ fect of the wind and the relative ad­ vantages of different types of strokes? Do you walk forward or consult the scorecard to check distances as a matter of habit, even on your home course, or do you make it a point to remember them? Do you line up your putts and remove loose impediments as much as possible in advance, or do you worry about what your opponent may do until it is your turn? Do you request that other balls be marked and lifted on the putting green as a matter of routine, or do you do this only when Rule 35 permits because of a real possibility of physical interference or assistance? Do you re-try putts while others are waiting behind you, or do you get on with the game? Do you determine the scores and mark the scorecard on the putting green while others are waiting behind you, or do you do this while walking to the next tee? Your answers will tell you whether there are ways in which you might ex­ pedite your own play. Golf committees have tried to cope with this problem on the club level in an infinite variety of ways: By constructive letters to slow players. By signs and slogans. By the use of course rangers. By permitting slow players only late starting times. By suspension of playing privileges. Jack Fleck Suggests Slogans Jack Fleck, the 1955 Open Champion, is an advocate of the signs-and-slogans approach and suggests: DON’T BE A FIDDLE-BUG. Other slogans which might be effec­ tive at strategic points in the clubhouse and on the course are: ARE YOU HOLDING UP THE COURSE? SLOW GOLFERS ARE SELFISH GOLFERS. ACCENTUATE THE GO IN GOLF. MAINTAIN GOOD PACE AND KEEP YOUR PLACE. GOLF IS A RELAXATION, NOT A FUNERAL PROCESSION. YOU CAN’T HOLD UP YOUR HEAD IF YOU HOLD UP THE COURSE. THE PACE OF THE PLAYERS BE­ HIND DEPENDS ON YOU. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS: GET ON WITH IT! ANALYZE YOUR SHOT, BUT DON’T PARALYZE THE COURSE. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 13 THE ABOMINABLE SLOWMAN BY SURGEON-CAPTAIN CAMPBELL ROSS Oh, Golfer, if the "Slowman" is your quest. No need to clamber up Mount Everest, No need to search the snows of far Nepal, To find this tiresome striker of the ball; On every golf course in our own fair land You'll find his footprints in the bunker sand, On local fairways he can oft be traced By many massive divots unreplaced. Full many a time you're doomed to play behind This pest with perhaps another of his kind. Deaf as the post of any gate or door, He will not heed your plaintive cry of "fore". And never will he look behind to see You dancing angrily upon the tee. But like Gray's ploughman "plods his weary way". As if there were no limit to the day. If by some lucky chance he's lost his ball, He fails to hear your loud incessant call, Until the precious daylight's almost gone, When he reluctantly then waves you on. Then as, annoyed, you slice into the rough. He feels he has conceded quite enough. And laughing like a jackass up his sleeve. He carries on without a "by your leave". Playing behind this modern golfing curse Is just like following an ancient hearse. Reprinted from South African Golf Club golfers often look to the tourna­ ment players for inspiration, and it is a pity that a few of the country’s best set a bad example as far as speed is con­ cerned. It has always seemed incongru­ ous to us that the cream, instead of op­ erating with the dexterity of master craftsmen, often resort to painstaking deliberations. Everyone has seen the player “picking up nothing and throwing it no place,” as Miss Barbara Romack so aptly put it. Copying mannerisms, and delaying ones at that, reflects only on your own lack of analysis. Van Wyck Brooks in his recent book “From a Writer’s Note­ book,” expressed it neatly when he said: “Mannerism is the sign of a second-rate mind; pride in mannerism is the sign of a third-rate mind.” That might form a good quote for any first tee. Expressing similar sentiments, and equally appropriate, would be Rob­ ert Burns’ famous lines: “O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!” However it is done, golfers must be reawakened to their duty to their fellow players. Golf, unlike the more agile sports, calls for a good deal of thought. That thought has to be applied not only to the playing of each shot, but to anticipatory moves. Time Can Be Saved It only needs each player to save five seconds per shot to save half an hour per round for a group of four. Translate that into practice: If the player who has the honor stops to wash his ball, he can lose five seconds. If the second player takes a couple of practice swings, five seconds more. And so on. The timesaving possi­ bilities are infinite with just a modicum of application. Committees have an advantage in tour­ nament play. They can invoke Rule 37-7 which reads in part: “Players shall at all times play without undue delay. “Penalty: Match play—loss of hole; Stroke play—two strokes. For re­ peated offense—Disqualification.” Nearly all the players with whom we talked believed that this Rule should be invoked more frequently in competitions, after appropriate warnings. The players represented a cross-section of amateurs and professionals, youth and experience, men and women. Some of them were Rex Baxter, Jr., Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol, Wil­ liam Hyndman, III, Charles R. Kocsis, Harold Sargent, Miss Curtis, Mrs. Ernie Burke of Indianapolis (Miss Jane Nel­ son), and Mrs. Scott L. Probasco, Jr., of Chattanooga, Tenn. Apathy Towards Slow Play People have grown apathetic to slow play. They have come to accept it as a necessary evil which cannot be elimi­ nated. Even some golf administrators re­ signedly stated that there was, in their opinion, no solution to the problem. We do not take this negative attitude. To be complacent is contrary to the spirit of the American people, and especially to the sports-loving community who are fervent in their allegiance to the game they love. Slow play can retard the development of the game at clubs and public interest in tournaments. Many people do not have time to play if a round consumes the bet­ ter part of a day. And spectators quickly lose interest in players who cannot seem to get on with the play of the next stroke. We appeal, therefore, to you all to make a conscious effort in this time­ saving age to streamline your round. 14 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 195S 35 COUNTRIES ORGANIZE BY WORLD AMATEUR GOLF USGA Executive Director JOSEPH C. DEY, JR. Had each of the gentlemen around the big table spoken in his native tongue there would have been a confused Babel of some 15 languages. As it was, they all spoke the language of Golf, and the fact that they used English as a common medium was secondary. They all spoke Golf, and they all were animated by the spirit of Golf. Thus it was that, in the brief space of a day and a half, they completely planned a new World Amateur Team Championship and formed The World Amateur Golf Council to conduct it. In performing those important acts at Washington last month, the 39 gentle­ men, representing 35 countries and every continent, made some even more import­ ant findings. They re-discovered the fun­ damental of unity of golfers devoted to common ideals. They saw therein a glim­ mering of the true unity that is intended for all humankind. As far as the United States is con­ cerned, this is consonant with the Peo- ple-to People program endorsed by Presi­ dent Eisenhower. The influence of our President was indelibly stamped on the Planning Conference at Washington. For one thing, the World Amateur Championship will be for the Eisenhower Trophy, to be given by a number of Americans interested in golf administra­ tion and who will be anonymous. For another, President Eisenhower very kindly greeted the Conference dele­ gates individually in the Rose Garden of the White House at noon on Friday, May 2. As a devoted golfer, he gave them this advice in their plans for the World Cham­ pionship: “I suggest, aside from the four hot-shot golfers that you bring with you, that you take along some high-handicap fellows and let them play at their full handicaps. This way you never have to take back the same man, and besides golf doesn’t be­ come so important. “You see,” the President said, “after a match the scratch fellow remembers one thing . . . and tells all his friends for the rest of his life that he could have won that international match if he hadn’t hit the ball into the water on the 16th. But the high handicappers know darn well there’s no use telling their families or their friends about their golf, so they will talk more about St. Andrews, and about the wonderful Scotch people, and everybody they met there.” A USGA silver medallion commemorat­ ing the Planning Conference was pre­ sented to President Eisenhower by John D. Ames, USGA President. Similar me­ dallions in bronze were given to all the delegates at a dinner in their honor at the Columbia Country Club. First Tournament in October And now the plans are made for the first World Amateur Team Champion­ ship. It will be held October 8 through 11 over the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland—the ideal location for such an historic occasion. A poll of the delegates at Washington indicated that between 30 and 35 coun­ tries would send teams. This far exceeded the expectations of officials of the USGA and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, who jointly spon­ sored the preliminary work. Unfortunately, no teams are expected from Communist countries because, so far as is known, they do not have ama­ teur golf organizations; it is understood that there are no golf courses in the Soviet Union. The first Championship will be at 72 holes stroke play. Each team will consist of three or four players. In each 18 hole round the total of the three lowest scores by players of each team will constitute the team score for that round. The total of the three-player team scores for the four rounds will be the team’s score for the Championship. The team with lowest 72-hole score will win. A tie will be play­ ed off at 18 holes. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 15 Delegates congregate around President Eisenhower as he Flags of many nations flanking 1 displays a silver medallion presented to him by USGA emphasized the international flav President, John D. Ames. ducted in the u Almost all the delegates favored match play but felt that considerable study was needed to produce a feasible plan, since so many teams are involved. It is prob­ able that match play will be adopted for the second Championship, which is to be played in the United States in 1960. The Championship will be held biennially, rotated among the three following zones in the order stated: 1. European-African Zone—Countries of Europe, Africa and the Middle East. 2. American Zone—Countries of North America, Caribbean America and South America. 3. Australasian Zone—Countries of Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. The delegates adopted a detailed set of Articles of The World Amateur Golf Council to regulate the Championship. The Washington discussions, held May 2 and 3 at the Sheraton Park Hotel, were wonderfully harmonious, and at the end 32 countries subscribed to the Articles; those represented by proxy could not sign at the time. Chairmen of the meet­ ings were Mr. Ames on the first day and Henry H. Turcan, Chairman of the R&A General Committee, the second day. The twin bases of the Championship will be the USGA-R&A Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status (the standards used throughout the world of golf). Mem­ bership in the Council is open to any or­ ganization which constitutes the sole cen­ tral authority for amateur golf in its country and follows the accepted Rules of Amateur Status. One knotty problem concerned eligibi­ lity of players for teams. It arose mainly from the fact that in some countries the leaders in golf are not citizens of those countries but have retained British citi­ zenship. The matter was solved by a pro­ vision that players shall be “citizens of the country of Member Organization rep­ resented, except that in cases where a Team of citizens would be impracticable, players normally resident in the country may be included.” But it was not all work for the dele­ gates. There was some golf, for three 16 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 ;he walls of the conference room or of the meeting, which was con- tmost cordiality. The Joint Chairmen of the World Amateur Golf Council: Henry H. Turcan (left), Chairman of the General Commit­ tee of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, and John D. Ames, USGA President. Washington clubs very kindly gave them guest privileges—Columbia Country Club, Congressional Country Club and Manor Country Club—and some of them later tested the greatness of the Pine Valley Golf Club course in New Jersey. The USGA dinner at Columbia in honor of the delegates was attended by a number of Washington and Baltimore golf offi­ cials, USGA former Champions and com­ mitteemen; the British Ambassador, Sir Harold Caccia, and our Deputy Under Secretary of State, Robert D. Murphy. The following message came from Robert T. Jones, Jr.: “I believe you should all feel great satisfaction in having taken a most con­ structive and far-reaching step in the promotion of cordial, friendly relations in the free world. Golf being a game founded and thriving upon the virtues of courtesy, mutual respect, consideration and understanding, must be an ideal medium for bringing together the op­ posite corners of our free world. May I assure you and your guests that within the very limited ability of one individual, I shall always be eager to help in any way I can.” Exchange of Ideas Although the express purpose of the World Amateur Golf Council is to con­ duct the World Amateur Team Cham­ pionship, there are bound to be many by-products of value to golf. Two good examples were furnished at Washington: (1) There was a helpful discussion of handicapping, and USGA representatives were asked to explain the new USGA Handicap System; (2) A USGA Green Section agronomist, T.T. Taylor, was call­ ed in by request of delegates to answer turfgrass questions. A number of coun­ tries in South America have asked the USGA whether a USGA agronomist can visit them for several weeks next winter. A tremendous debt of gratitude is owed to anonymous American friends of golf who generously provided free air­ plane transportation to the visiting dele­ gates. The Conference would not have been the same without such a gift. The idea of the World Championship USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 17 USGA FILM LIBRARY "On the Green," a 17 minute, full color 16 m.m. presentation filmed at the Mid-Ocean Club, Bermuda, illustrating correct pro­ cedures under the Rules of Golf governing situations arising on the putting green. "Golf's Longest Hour," a 16 m.m. full color production running for 17’/2 minutes depict­ ing the closing stages of the 1956 Open Championship. Filmed at the beautiful Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, N.Y., it shows the eventual winner, Cary Middlecoff, set a target at which Ben Hogan, Julius Boros and Ted Kroll strive in vain to beat. "Play Them As They Lie," a 16 m.m. color production, running for I6V2 entertaining minutes in which Johnny Farrell, the Open Champion of 1928, acts as intermediary be­ tween Wilbur Mulligan, a beginner of un­ impeachable integrity, and Joshua P. Slye, a past master in the art of breaking the Rules. The film was made at the Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N. J„ where Farrell is professional. "Inside Golf House," gives the viewer an opportunity to see the many interesting ex­ hibits in "Golf House," USGA headquarters in New York, and to re-live golf triumphs of the past with many of the game's immortals. The film is a 16 m.m. black and white pro­ duction and runs 23 minutes. "The Rules of Golf—Etiquette" also has proved popular. The film stresses the im­ portance of etiquette by portrayal of vari­ ous violations of the code in the course of a family four-ball match. Ben Hogan ap­ pears in several scenes, and Robert T. Jones, Jr., makes the introductory statement. A 16 m.m. color production, the film has a running time of 171/2 minutes. The distribution of all five prints is handled by National Educational Films, Inc., 165 West 46th Street, New York 36, N. Y„ which produced the films in cooperation with the USGA. The rental is $20 per film; $35 for two; $50 for three, $60 for four and $'0 for five, in combination at the same time, including the cost of shipping prints to the renter. has taken form with remarkable speed. It was presented to the USGA Executive Committee only in January. USGA repre­ sentatives went to St. Andrews in March and found the R&A wonderfully recep­ tive to the idea of joining hands with the USGA in sponsoring the early plans. And now, only a few weeks later, representa­ tives from all over the world have done us the honor of coming here and have made a reality of the idea. So there now exists a World Amateur Golf Council whose object is “to foster friendship and sportsmanship among the peoples of the world through the con­ duct biennially of an Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Tro­ phy.” It was with real feeling that the dele­ gates as their last official act adopted the following resolution and sent a copy to the President: “Resolved unanimously, that The World Amateur Golf Council expresses to Presi­ dent Eisenhower its most sincere appre­ ciation of the honor he did the Delegates to the Council’s organization meeting in receiving them at the White House on May 2, 1958, and begs to assure the Presi­ dent that his cordial remarks will un­ failingly provide the greatest encourage­ ment to golfers throughout the world, ‘hot shots’ and ‘duffers’ alike.” The delegates to the Planning Confer­ ence were: Country Individual 1. Argentina—Dr. Eduardo H. Maglione 2. Australia—E.P. Prendergast 3. Austria—Hugo M. Eckelt 4. Belgium—Pierre Abbeloos 5. Bermuda—George R. Holmes 6. Bolivia—Jaime del Castillo I. 7. Brazil—Jose Brady 8. Canada—Gordon B. Taylor, James P. Anglin 9. Ceylon—Annesley de Silva 10. Chile—German Edwards 11. China—Chen Yih 12. Colombia—Harry R. Child 13. Denmark—(Swedish delegate) 14. Egypt—Mahmoud Soliman 15. Finland—P.H. Zilliacus 16. France—(Italian delegate) 17. Germany—Willy Schniewind 18. Great Britain—Henry H. Turcan, N.C. Selway 19. Italy—Francesco Ruspoli di Morignana 20. Japan—Shun Nomura 21. Malaya—William H. Day 22. Mexico—Raul Valdes V., Rodolfo Patron 23. Netherlands—Charles E. Veltman 24. New Zealand—Douglas O. Whyte 25. Norway—(Swedish delegate) 26. Peru—Gabriel Tudela 27. Philippines—Mervyn W. Simpson 28. Portugal—Dr. Jose de Sousa e Melo 29. South Africa—Maurice Tom Jackson 30. Sweden—Sune Malmstrom 31. Switzerland—Dr. Peter Prager 32. Thailand—Prayad Buranasiri 33. United States—John D. Ames, Charles L. Peirson, Richard S. Tufts, Wm. Ward Foshay, Joseph C. Dey, Jr. 34. Uruguay—Richard B. Hewlett 35. Venezuela—Enrique Vidal WORLD COUNCIL OFFICIALS Joint Chairmen John D. Ames, United States Golf Association Henry H. Turcan, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. Secretary Joseph C. Dey, Jr., United States Golf Associa­ tion. sociation tion Administrative Committee John D. Ames, United States Golf Association Dr. Eduardo H. Maglione, Argentine Golf As­ Shun Nomura, Japan Golf Association Charles L. Peirson, United States Golf Associa­ E.P. Prendergast, Australian Golf Union Francesco Ruspoli di Morignano, Italian Golf N.C. Selway, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Henry H. Turcan, Royal and Ancient Golf Club Association St. Andrews. of St. Andrews. Douglas O. Whyte, New Zealand Golf Associa­ tion 18 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 FREDDIE McLEOD BY -FIFTY YEARS A CHAMPION MERRELL WHITTLESEY Golf Writer, W ashington Star I?ifty years ago, when Freddie McLeod won the Open Championship, a fellow put his $300 prize money in his pocket and headed for home. There were no endorsements, no con­ fabs with managers, no ghost-written stories, no books. Manufacturers were not knocking down the door, and of course radio and television were not of this world, as they were during the 58th Open Championship at the Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla. Neither was there any transmission of pictures by wire, so when the 1908 Open Champion went to Van Cortlandt Park, in New York, for a tournament the day after his Open triumph his was not ex­ actly a household name. Mr. Mac, keen, sharp, 76 years of age and active as professional at Columbia Country Club, in Chevy Chase, Md., tells this story on himself. Van Cortlandt Park was humming with activity. In addition to the usual run of golfers, there was a tournament. The bags were racked in a seemingly unend­ ing line. There was no preference for tournament players, they waited their turn. But, as McLeod’s group arrived, some­ one went to the starter and whispered “The Open champion is here.” Where­ upon the starter waved Freddie and his playing companions to the tee. Fifty or 75 persons followed the group. At a par-3 hole on the first nine there was a tie-up of several groups. Once again, someone informed each group: “The Open champion is here.” The dis­ tinguished group was permitted to play through. Hole by hole the gallery increased, and McLeod and his companions virtually sped around the crowded course as those in front gave way. Which Is He? When the round was over, the final putt was greeted with polite applause. But as Freddie was leaving the green he FREDDIE McLEOD heard one galleryite ask another: “Which was the Open champion?” The Open Championship of 1908 was played in August, 36 holes on a Thurs­ day and 36 on a Friday. When McLeod beat Willie Smith in the play-off at Myopia Hunt Club, Hamilton, Mass., the playoff came on a Saturday. McLeod played the entire champion­ ship in a sweater and jacket, the chill winds whipped the greens so fast that three putts were the best he could hope for if the ball was above the hole. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 19 DESCRIPTION OF A GOLFER Wishing to identify on the links a certain gentleman known to him only by name— should they happen to pass—a golfer once inquired of his caddie, "What kind of a man is So-and-So?" "Eh, well," was the reply, "he's jeest a bull-neckit, big showldered, hog-backit, bandy-legit chiel; but he shapes fine for a golfer." From “Stories of Golf,” 1894. Myopia measured about 6,400 yards, had a par of 73 and there was only one par-3 hole on the course. Freddie shot 82-82-81-77 and 77 in the play-off. He won by six strokes. The rough was about as high as at the Inver­ ness Club in Toledo, Ohio, last year, Mc­ Leod recalls. The tees were back, and fifty years ago the Texas wedge, or any other kind of wedge, was unknown. No­ body putted out of bunkers with the overhanging grasses. Over a rugged golf course and under extreme weather con­ ditions, there was no need to apologize for the 322 totals that tied for the title. McLeod was professional at Midlothian Club, near Chicago—and five years away from his native Scotland—when he took the 36-hour train ride to Boston for the 1908 Open. McLeod loses 10 lbs. Freddie weighed in at 118 on his de­ parture, 10 pounds heavier than his weight after the play-off. At 108, he still reigns as the lightest Open Champion of all time. McLeod’s equipment included eight clubs: five irons, two woods and a putter. His golf shoes were street shoes with screwed in hobnails. The balls were the larger and lighter type, lacking in uni­ formity. The members of Midlothian chipped in to help with his modest expenses. A youngster from the club was his caddie, a boy who was accustomed to receiving from 35 to 50 cents a round. The entrance fee was $5, but the Open championship did not require a qualify­ ing round, and admission was free for spectators. Playing time for the 36 holes was about five hours, or a little more than the average time for 18 holes of week-end golf today. Despite the absence of $1,000 bills, television and the histrionics of the pres­ ent-day Open Championship, there was pressure in 1908, Mr. Mac will tell you. Freddie didnt sleep a wink the night before the play-off. He finally gave up trying, early the next morning, and in dressing for the match with Smith he decided not to wear the shirt he had worn for good luck on Thursday and Friday. He went to the practice tee, tried two dozen balls and didn’t hit any of them over ankle high. Fortunately he had brought the good-luck shirt to his lock­ er, so he changed. McLeod also made an adjustment in his clubs. He filed the face of his driver “to lay it back a little.” One also could file, or punch, irons for backspin. As soon as he hit the first ball, he had his confidence. Mr. Mac claims the 1908 field knew the Rules much better than the 1958 field. “Although you won’t find Gil Nichols’ name among the prize winners,” Freddie said. “He would have won money, but turned in an incorrect score.” Fred McLeod’s record in the Open Championship is one of the best. His highest finish had been fifth before his victory, but in 1910 and 1911 he was only one stroke back of the three-way ties for the title. He was third in 1914, sixth in 1915 and runner-up in 1921 over his home Columbia course. Freddie also was a runner-up in the PGA, (in 1919), and a two-time North and South Open winner (1909 and 1920). still A Competitor A regular in the Open Championship through 1931, Freddie may have missed a half-dozen since. His title qualifies him for life participation in the Masters, and at Augusta he and Jock Hutchison usually tee off first and play their 18 in a quick two hours, or less. As professional at Columbia since 1912, he has a full teaching schedule in the season, plays a bit less each year but still more than most home pros. His trips to the Open, the Masters and the PGA Seniors, which he won in 1938, keep Mr. Mac in contact with the game. When there’s a Rules discussion in tournament golf in Washington, it usually is settled by calling Freddie McLeod. His word is gospel to the golf writers. The anniversaries of his birth, his Open tri­ umph and so forth are wonderful oc­ casions for Columbia members to honor their beloved professional. 20 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 WAISTLINES AND HANDICAPS ~s Bargaining Devices -A RELATIONSHIP This idea comes from a lady, Mrs. Ed­ ward Schultz, President of the Chi­ cago Women’s District Golf Association: “We have discovered there is a certain feminine psychology wherein the ‘gals’ are extremely proud of their efforts to reduce their handicaps a stroke or more. “It is like taking an inch or more off the waistline. When the handicaps go up, they are as unhappy as adding those un­ welcome pounds to the figure! “The women competitors in our Dis­ trict are simply not interested in using their handicaps as a bargaining device on the first tee every time they meet for competition.” Lest a careless reader leap to a hasty conclusion, no suggestion is hinted here of any peculiar relation between a fattish fellow and a fattish handicap. Golfers of all shapes have been known to be neglect­ ful of turning in all their good scores, thus acquiring handicaps which do not reflect their real ability. The point of Mrs. Schultz’s remarks bears repeating again and again—your true golfer takes pride in reducing his handicap, and is unhappy when it goes up. This idea of taking pride in having the lowest possible handicap is an old one in golf. That’s the way it always has been until relatively recent years. You always tried to play as well as you could, and you always sought the right and lowest handicap as a matter of sportsmanship. But now there has come to golf a new though minor mentality which takes a strange view—a mentality which seeks comparatively high handicaps. This at­ titude is not entirely confined to first generation golfers, nor is it common among all first generation golfers. Many of its more recent devotees immediately caught the ideal of sportsmanship which is the key to its code. So whence comes this strange new view of seeking a high handicap? Mrs. Schultz has identified its source truly in saying that the women in her district “are sim­ ply not interested in using their handi­ caps as a bargaining device on the first tee every time they meet.” A bargaining device. That is the lead­ ing role which a handicap plays in some golfers’ calculations. A device for per­ haps obtaining an advantage over the op­ position. For those who use handicaps in that way, it then follows that relatively high handicaps are desirable, and so they turn in only such scores as will conduce to that end. Fortunately, such unfairness is far from general in golf; yet there is enough of it to justify attention. Just what is a handicap, or what should it be? The new USGA Handicap System which became effective at the start of 1958 defines it this way: “A ‘handicap’ is the number of arti­ ficial strokes a player receives to adjust his scoring ability to the com­ mon level of scratch or zero-handi­ cap golf.” The new USGA system expresses the fine old principle that, in order to win, a golfer should play well in comparison with his normal ability. The system ideally uses the best 40% of the player’s latest scores (the 10 best of the last 25). All the player has to do is turn in all his scores. The new system simplifies even this. It permits scores to be return­ ed in total, not necessarily hole by hole, and requires that they be signed only by player, and not attested by one of his fellow-players. Will these naive conditions place an unbearable strain on the conscience of that minority of golfers who seek un­ duly robust handicap waistlines? Perhaps so. But the probability is that the long-term result will be good. The probability is that the essential sports­ manship of golf will win out. And so, we respectfully submit, the new look in handicap waistlines will be increasingly trim. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 21 Example of Symbols: “USGA” indicates decision by the United States Golf Association. "R & A” indi­ cates decision by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. “58-1” means the first decision issued in 1958. “D” means definition. “R. 37-7” refers to Section 7 of Rule 37 in the 1958 Rules of Golf. Ball Marked, Then Struck on Green USGA 57-25 R. 35-3c Q: In stroke play, on putting green player A asks player B to mark his ball, which he does. For some reason player B places his ball on green (but not where mark is) while waiting for player A to putt. Player A putts and hits ball of play­ er B. Is player A penalized for hitting player B’s ball? Our opinion is that player B’s ball was not in play as it had been lifted and not replaced. Question by: Mrs. W.C. Beutel Shaker Heights, Ohio A: If both balls lay within 20 yards of the hole, A incurred a penalty of two strokes under Rule 35-3c. The fact that B’s ball had been marked has no bearing. It was the responsibility of A to be cer­ tain that B’s ball could not in any way in­ terfere with his play. No Penalty for Ball Moved in Act of Lifting USGA 57-28 R. 35-2a Q: A and B are playing a match (match play). Both are on the green. A asks B to lift her ball but as she is preparing to do so—to be specific, in walking up to where her ball is lying—she kicks her ball, accidentally (B kicks B’s ball). Is B penalized for moving her ball? Or, is she free of penalty because she was asked to lift it? Question by: Mrs. J.K. Webster Sewickley, Pa. A: B incurs no penalty. Rule 35-2a governs because the balls are on the putt­ ing green. Whenever a request is properly made to have a ball lifted under this Rule, it can be assumed that any accidental act resulting in the moving of any ball would not otherwise have taken place. This prin­ ciple underlines the second paragraph of the Rule. B’s ball should be marked at the spot from which is was moved. Player May Seek Relief From Mound Raised by Opponent USGA 58-7 R. 11-4 Q: In a match, A vs. B, both balls came to rest in the same sand bunker within a club-length of each other. A, whose 22 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 ball was away, did not request B’s ball to be lifted. In taking his stance and placing his feet firmly, A’s left foot push­ ed up a mound of sand immediately be­ hind B’s ball. B’s ball did not move nor did the mound of sand touch it. After A played from the bunker he failed to smooth the mound of sand. (1) In equity can B require A to smooth out his footprints and restore his lie to its former position? (2) Could A refuse to smooth out the sand on the ground that in doing so he might move B’s ball and thereby incur a penalty? Question by: Ralph W. Miller Los Angeles, Cal. A: B cannot require A to smooth his footprints. B can, however, lift his ball and drop it as near as possible to the spot where it was without penalty, under the rule of equity (Rule 11-4). A similar interpretation of the Rule was made in Decision 57-7, based on the principle that a player is normally en­ titled to the lie which his stroke gave him and to relief from the result of ac­ tions by an outside agency, an opponent or a fellow-competitor. Two's a Single, Three's a Crowd USGA 58-8 D. 28 Q: I recently had to play a match for the Club Championship. My opponent in­ formed me she was taking a third party along. I remonstrated. All other girls had played their matches in twos, but in the end I had to play with the other two much against my will. Was I justified in protesting? Question by: Mrs. Gaylord J. Burley Jamestown, N.Y. A: Definition 28 of the Rules of Golf specifically defines a “single” as a match in which one plays against another. You would have been justified in refusing to play the match with a third party. Club Length Means Length of Any Club Q: With reference to Rule 31-2, what club should be used in measuring the USGA 58-9 Misc. two club-lengths? Question by: Charles H. Stewart Great Southern Golf Club Gulfport, Miss. A: Club length means the length of any club in the player’s bag, measured from the top of the shaft to the sole of the club. First Ball Abandoned When Provisional Played USGA 58-10 30-2 Q: A player’s drive went to the right, and thinking it might be out of bounds he announced his intention and played a provisional ball. After an unsuccessful hunt for the original ball he played the provisional ball, and then again the pro­ visional ball to a point just short of a creek that crosses the hole about 400 yards from the tee. Arriving at the point where the provisional ball lay he found nearby his original ball, which must have landed on the road and rolled down the road and finally came back into the fair­ way. The player claimed the right to play his original ball. Was he correct in his claim? Question by: Norman B. Beecher Clearwater, Fla. A: No. When the player abandoned search for his original ball and put his provisional ball into play in accordance with Rule 30-2, the original ball was au­ tomatically retired from play. Vibration Not Considered Outside Agency USGA 58-13 R. 27-la Q: A ball has stopped on the lip of a cup, but before it can be stroked again, it drops into the hole due to the vibrations caused by an aircraft passing low over­ head. Should the ball be considered to have been holed out on the last stroke? Question by: J.E. Cummings Tampico Tamauilpas, Mexico A: Yes. It would be over-straining the intent of Rule 27-la to hold that the ball had been moved by an outside agency. If the ball had been moving on the lip USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 23 CORRECTION Decision 57-30, which appeared in the April, 1958, issue, has been superseded and was printed in error. The suoerseding de­ cision is 58-3, which was pu-iiched in the February, 1958, issue. of the cup, Rule 26-la would have ap­ plied and it would have been a rub of the green. It would still have been considered holed. Tournament Committee Must Interpret Local Rule USGA 58-12 R. 36 7, 37-7; LR Q: When playing in the last Masters Tournament in Augusta, I was penalized two strokes. Here is how it happened: At the 2nd hole I missed a 4-foot putt and holed out the next putt. I have now finished the tournament and as there was no one behind me (the next couple was two holes behind). I retried my putt and therefore was penalized two strokes. Was it correct that I was given these two strokes penalty? Question by: Flory Van Donck Royal Waterloo Golf Club Rhode Saint Genese, Belgium THE LEAGUE OF THE IROQUOIS (Continued from page 10) made to circumvent the omnipresent belligerent or bureaucratic individual or group, who might attempt to stay pro­ gress. Much of the machinery of government was directed toward the abolition of war. Each tribe was required to surrender all of its weapons and to disband its armies. The federation then organized a small police force with warriors drafted from each tribe. These were thoroughly train­ ed, and over the centuries this little army was rarely defeated in the defensive wars which is was compelled to fight. Great significance was attached to the power of diplomacy. Persons showing adapt­ ability in this field received special train­ ing and were assigned to it as a life work. Minor phases of this great peace dealt with health, improved agriculture and education. It seems almost incredible that a few hundred unlettered Stone Age Indians could formulate and put into operation A:There is no Rule of Golf to prohibit or to penalize the action you took in the circumstances described. We are informed that a Local Rule existed for the particular competition which prohibited practicing putting af­ ter holing out. As it was a Local Rule rather than a Rule of Golf, it must be in­ terpreted by the Committee in charge of the tournament which promulgated it. As for delay in play in general, Rule 37-7 is applicable. “Plumb Line” Sighting Approved USGA 58-11 Misc. Q: Does the use of a plumb line by a golfer, to determine the slope of the green, violate any rule of golf? The plumb line is a weight suspended from a string. Question by: Albin Martinson Sacramento, Cal. A: No, provided play is not delayed, the line of putt is not touched and no mark is placed on the putting green to in­ dicate a line for putting. See Rules 37-7, 35-lb and 35-lc. such a remarkable document. It secured for them a peace that endured for up­ wards of 300 years, whereas in half of that time our government has fought six highly destructive major wars and in­ numerable minor ones. This ancient lea­ gue set a pattern which has been widely copied. In the framing of the Constitu­ tion for these United States, our found­ ing fathers freely used this great peace plan as more recently did the nations of the world in framing the charter of the United Nations, the hope today of the civilized world. In assuming the name of this ancient historic league, the golfers of New York State do themselves honor. Golf is a wonderful form of recreation. Its possi­ bilities for health, sportsmanship and character building are unlimited. These were the dominating characteristics of the historic Iroquoian whom we would emulate. Finally, in the annals of world history Deganawidah and his associate Hiawatha must be classed with the noblest benefactors of mankind. 24 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 HOW TO MEET THE RISING COSTS OF GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE PART II The following pages contain information presented during the afternoon session of the USGA Green Section Educational Meeting held at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on January 24, 1958. This part of the program dealt with the theme: ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES WHICH MAY HELP TO COUNTERACT INCREAS­ ING MAINTENANCE COSTS. Planning (Long Range) ROBERT M. WILLIAMS Golf Course Superintendent, Beverly Country Club, Chicago, III. The theme of our meeting today concerns the cost of golf course maintenance. Before we get into the subject of long range planning, I believe it would be apropos to preface my report by placing the cost of golf course maintenance in the proper perspective by illustrating comparative costs of club operations and the trend of increased costs. We frequently hear the golf club mem­ ber speak of the high cost of golf. Won­ dering just what this cost was, I pro­ ceeded to analyze our club’s 1957 annual financial statement to find out. Some in­ teresting facts were developed and while the figures will vary from one club to another, I’m sure the percentages run quite true to form. For instance, our 315 regular members and some 60 associates spent a total of $650,000 at the club dur­ ing the year, including all expenses and charges. The total direct charges to grounds maintenance was $60,000 or 9%. The total expense for salaries and labor for entire club amounted to $317,000 or 49%. (See Table I and Table II) TABLE I TOTAL EXPENSES TO MEMBERSHIP (ALL INCLUSIVE) Gross Income $450,000 Special Assessment ______________________ 43,000 Caddie Fees _______ 58,500 Golf Merchandise, Lessons, etc. ________ 50,000 Dining Room Service Charge __________ 19,000 Bar Service Charge _____________________ 8,000 Transfer Fees __________________________ 16,800 Xmas Contributions _____________________ 3,000 Gratuities (extra on checks) ------------------- 2,000 TOTAL _________________________________ $650,300 Total Direct Grounds Expense—$60,000 (9.2%) TABLE II SALARIES AND WAGES, INCLUDING CADDY FEES Clubhouse and Pool: serv. chg.) Restaurant (plus $79,000 (24.9%) Administration _______________ 36,000 (11.3%) Bar ____________________________ 25,900 ( 8.2%) Lockers 12,500 ( 3.9%) Housekeeping _________________ 12,500 ( 3.9%) Pool, Snack Bar, Bonus, Bldg. 22,500 ( 7.1%) $188,400 (59.3%) Golf and Caddy ________________ 86,500 (27.3%) 42,500 (14.4%) Grounds TOTAL _________________________ $317,400 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 25 The trend toward increased costs may be readily explained by the higher cost paid for labor in recent years. At the same time, we should note that less la­ bor is being used than was the case a few years ago. Efficiency and mechaniza­ tion have to some extent offset the trend toward higher costs. Golf course superintendents are charged with the responsibility for creating and maintaining a standard of conditions which will be satisfactory to the member­ ship. In his attempt to accomplish this mission, the superintendent encounters a number of factors which are variable and some over which he may have little or no control. The degree of success at­ tained will depend to a large extent up­ on the superintendent’s ability to control and/or counteract these factors. Let us enumerate some of these items: Budget, weather, geographic location, soil type, grounds committees, technical research, architectural design, player traffic, mem­ bership tolerance, membership desires, and organization. Our meeting today deals with several of these factors so that the Green Chairman and superin­ tendents may better understand them and affect better golfing conditions. Specifi­ cally, today’s program covers talks on architectural design, budgeting, technical research, committee functions, and or­ ganization. Now long range planning is an essen­ tial part of the factor designated as or­ ganization and also the topic that we are primarily interested in at the moment. Just what is long range planning and how should one go about it? Long range planning requires the defining of objec­ tives and desires and the development of recommendations for their accomplish­ ment. This demands specific “Blueprints for action” to carry out the recommenda­ tions and careful and accurate budgeting to accomplish the desired results. It goes without saying that complete records must be maintained with regard to pro­ gress toward objectives as well as the cost factors involved. Budgeting for any long range plan re­ quires a forecast with respect to the probable overall cost in order that the superintendent and the committee can present to their board the potential mag­ nitude of the financing problem. Obvi­ ously, financial requirements in many cases will dictate the rate of progress which can be sought. Adequate records will enable such forecasts to be kept up to date in the light of experience and, of course, this means that it will be neces­ sary constantly to re-evaluate the long range plan so that it can be amended as needed. At our club, we have set up a long range plan for separate areas of the course such as Greens, tees, fairways, traps, and landscape. Each area has a defined objective, a specific recommen­ dation and an up-to-date account of the progress, year by year. The first action of the grounds committee each year is to approve or amend our long range pro­ gram. In this way we have established continuity and developed a better under­ standing of the situation by the member­ ship as well as for the superintendent. Editor’s Note: Mr. Williams discus­ sed various factors which affect the standard of maintenance and he ex­ plained details of the Long Range Plan in effect at the Beverly Coun­ try Club. Labor Management and TAYLOR BOYD Daily Planning Golf Course Superintendent, Labor management and daily planning are a must with the present day high cost of operating a country club. Let’s define labor management. It is a kindness flavored with consideration, financial help in case of need, and a fair share of the reasons for doing certain work. It is explaining to a man why he cuts greens and rakes sand traps while another man cuts fairways and roughs. It is very carefully explaining what will Camargo Club, Madeira, Ohio happen to grass when burned by ferti­ lizer or chemicals before it happens. It is seeking his opinion of the weather forecast, how long to water a green, whether the brakes need adjusting on a truck—just anything so that he knows you respect his opinion and know he exists as a part of your working force. The above things can be true only if the club, the chairman, and particularly the superintendent, are dedicated to the USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 proposition that the price of high grade supervision is insignificant in comparison with the cost of its absence. A good su­ pervisor or leader of men should be of high moral character. He should never do anything he would not tolerate from his men. The average golf maintenance laborer has an I. Q. of about 85 and has the mental training of an eighth grader. Taking for granted that the crew are children mentally they will respond to kindness, firmness, and good leadership for the most part. If you have an em­ ployee who is surly under good treat­ ment, you’d better discharge him because he will be a troublemaker. There is an­ other type or two that should be dis­ charged when found in a crew. The acci­ dent prone person and the man who breaks or wrecks any tool or piece of machinery he uses are types that can be costly and dangerous. We don’t tolerate absenteeism because it is a morale breaker. Actually for four or five years the only men that didn’t show for work were sick and called early at my home to tell me they were sick. I have had many men over the years who would not come to work regularly. When this happened the second or third time the man was replaced. You are better off without that type for your own good plus the effect on the other men. I try to get men 40 to 60 years old. The present av­ erage is 55 years. It is my opinion that older men are better, men with farm background are better, married men are better, men who aren’t in debt are better, because men who can’t handle their own money are not going to handle club problems very well either. Greensmen's Get-Together We have at our club about once or twice a week what we jokingly call a Board of Directors’ meeting with the en­ tire crew and myself present. Many things come up for discussion. Ways and times to do certain work or any work for that matter. I pick the times for these meetings, and I pick a day when the weather is good. I have learned that men who work outside the year round are very sensitive to weather conditions, and as a result are more responsive and accept new ideas more readily when in a good frame of mind. Crazy, maybe, but try it. Weather affects men more than it does grass—they are more sensitive—but they won’t admit it. I have learned many short cuts for do­ ing things at these meetings. In fact, I’ve learned some very valuable things from men I thought had nothing to offer. Get the non-talkers to talk at these meetings —you may be surprised at what might happen. Camargo presents a rather complicated maintenance problem with a golf course on 350 acres of hilly, wooded land, with private roads through it, a badminton building, clay, grass, and all weather ten­ nis courts, pool, skeet and trap shooting, ice skating, horses—30-40 head, with the accompanying trails and hoof marks on the course. This type of operation requires several men to do the work at an economical time before play starts so as not to inter­ fere with play, but more important, so that players won’t stop the men and waste man-hours. Each foursome passing each man takes six minutes time, so for ten men on the course during play, sim­ ple arithmetic shows that work during play is too expensive. The answer to this is that we have too many men and too much equipment for 18 holes, but after everything is ready at the club, we then work on members’ estates. We do everything that a member needs done. Our profit on the fertilizer sold to members alone pays for all the fertilizer we use at the club. Not all men go to members’ estates. The men who cut greens stay on the course (during golf playing season) to do work that can be economically done during play. There are many advantages to this pro­ gram: 1, we have the best golf crew in Cincinnati; 2, we have the best mechani­ cal department around; 3, all work is done before the members start to play; 4, all supplies are purchased at quite a saving because of quantity buying; 5, we keep a continuously trained crew, year after year; 6, we stock more equipment than we need so we don’t suffer from a breakdown; 7, it is cheaper in the long run, because of trained personnel and proper and good equipment to do a par­ ticular job; 8, we can give a better price to the member on supplies because it isn’t necessary that our “mark-up” be as high as that of the commercial retailer. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1998 27 As an example, I would like to cite one member who got a competitive bid last spring on maintenance of his estate. The commercial man wanted $45.00 for the work we do for $17.50, and yet we make money on that operation. Because of some of the above men­ tioned things, we were able to reduce our overall grounds department expense about $5,000 for 1957. Location of Equipment There are other ways whereby savings can be affected. As we said, our course is spread out. The maintenance building is on one edge of the course so that the farthest parts are nearly a mile from headquarters. We learned that the men who cut greens spent too much time transporting equipment. This was cor­ rected by erecting small buildings just large enough to hold the necessary equip­ ment for that particular section. The greensman, who stays on the course, also stays in his section or group of holes all day. This method makes a man responsi­ ble for specific work that is repetitious and therefore is done better and more easily. There is one item I’m sure will save labor, that is the proper location of trees and shrubs on a course where high speed mowing is necessary. We have a tree— worse yet, a maple tree—between the practice green and the first tee. They are only eighteen feet apart, but the maple is there just the same. It cost Camargo Club over $100 last year for labor in root-pruning, extra watering, fer­ tilizing, picking up seeds off the green, sodding part of the tee, and then raking leaves (sometimes twice a day) for two or three weeks. We have another area that once required seven minutes to mow with a tractor and mowers. Shrubs were improperly planted and now it takes a man two hours per mowing. Every club in the country has many instances like this and yet the superintendent is sup­ posed to conserve labor. I like trees as well as anyone but in their proper place. Care of Staff Now to get back to strictly labor man­ agement. Men do get hurt on a golf course and it is most important to give them quick and adequate care—even to the extent of calling a doctor sometimes when it might not be necessary. Your ef­ forts will give the man confidence in your concern for his well being. If the man is seriously hurt it will help to have his family notified quickly. Our club pays the man his wages if hurt in the process of performing his regular duties. Another thing that pays off is the Christmas bonus with a Christmas par­ ty. Vacations also help build morale, and in my opinion, if some means may be found profitably to keep good men the year round, the overall cost is less per unit of work done on the course. Money is important to everyone, but it is my firm belief that to a laborer it is not the most important. Two years ago a man quit Camargo after 18 years serv­ ice and went to another club at 30c more an hour. He had my blessing. He came back in six months and has been very happy since. He learned that kindness, a nice Christmas party and bonus, and year round work, outlined in advance, were more important than more money. The most important part of any labor management program is for the club di­ rectors to establish a policy and then sup­ port the green committee chairman. The chairman should support the superin­ tendent who, in turn, should use every known method to get all possible work out of each man without abusing him. Budgeting and Accounting CHARLES N. ECKSTEIN Chairman, Mid-Western District, USGA Green Section Committee; member Ravisloe Country Club, Homewood, Ill. You have already heard a fine presenta­ tion on future planning and we must assume that clubs with strict budgets and accounting controls have already made their future plans. Each club must place confidence in its green superintendent and allow him the full rein he needs to facilitate any pro­ gram of turf maintenance. The superin­ tendent should act as liaison between this department, his chairman, the officers, directors and members of the club. Close cooperation is of the utmost importance and the principals involved should have the utmost confidence in each other. No reservations. 28 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 Budgets mean reducing to terms of ex­ penditure the questions (1) what do we want? (2) how do we get what we want? and (3) what does it cost? This in my opinion is common sense budgeting. On the other hand, we can have a budget determined by a figure of money which is to be spent by a club in its fiscal year for maintenance of its course and grounds. This second method is simple because standards of maintenance are made to fit the amount to be spent. In this category let’s assume we are talking about the golf course only. We have so much to spend so we immediately look to the physical equipment to determine what we need to keep it running effi­ ciently and what we must buy to do the job. We know what is involved in fungi­ cides, fertilizers, gasoline, oil, paint, sup­ plies such as flags, washers, etc. We know what is involved in watering so the real unknown in a budget of this type is how much are we to spend on labor. This usually is about 70% of our total budget but may not be in this case. Next the superintendent’s salary and the balance for ordinary labor. In my opinion this is the consideration that establishes the standard of maintenance by using this budgeting method. This is for the birds—because we are forcing the quality of maintenance to fit a predetermined amount of expenditure. With the amount left for labor we prob­ ably cannot afford to cut greens, mow fairways, rough, tees, etc., as often as needed, and we must then make a com­ promise between standards and money available. We may also find it necessary to cut out necessary fungicides and fer­ tilizer. Such shortcomings may not show up the first year but courses maintained according to this type of thinking will end up eventually in poor condition. I believe that the proper method of budgeting is for the superintendent to sit down with his committee and to deter­ mine the standards of maintenance that the members desire and should have. Ex­ ample: A course should be at its peak of maintenance six days a week instead of two. If greens aren’t cut every day they will be different. The same holds true for mowing fairways and tees and raking traps. All in all, when we start with the standard of what we want at the begin­ ning we have a completely different bud­ get picture ahead of us. We are now at the point where we determine how much this costs and then we have arrived at our budget figure. Everything must be planned in ad­ vance and the cost determined because any deviation is going to reduce the standard we previously established. So much for budgeting, and I really just skimmed the surface. Breakdown of Costs I don’t believe we are going to be able to do much about combating costs with accounting practice. I do believe, how­ ever, that superintendents should keep records of labor and a breakdown of vari­ ous jobs in their records, even though club management will not permit these many labor accounts in the clubhouse ledger. There are many forms available among individual clubs for the men working on the course to record the number of hours they spend doing various jobs on any par­ ticular day. The superintendent should be very much interested in preserving these records because of their value to him and to the green committee. Because of variations in accounting procedure the value of such accounts is very small for purposes of comparing costs with other clubs. It would be my idea that if these figures are to have any value between one club and another, then universal ac­ counts would be in order and I do not think this would create any problem in the club office general ledger. A questionnaire sent out by the Chica­ go District Golf Association provided some interesting figures. There was a considerable variation in expenditures for any particular item of expense. A club with an abnormal expenditure for repairs may have rehabilitated a well. The danger in figures of this sort is that somebody somewhere, in order to make a point, can pick out individual excesses and minimums and use them as argu­ ments to foster or defeat a program. Uni­ form accounting systems by areas would eliminate such abnormalities and this phase of accounting has great possibili­ ties, but takes tremendous cooperation. Other problems involved in comparing expenses by clubs is that unless the previ­ ous history of expenditures is well known it is impossible for any definite conclu­ USGA JOURNAL ANO TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 29 sions to be drawn. I believe that the club wants to know and accounting practice may help prove: (1) That the superintendent is a con­ scientious, efficient, up-to-date em­ ployee who is at all times keeping up with his fellow green superin­ tendents as to knowledge and prac­ tice. (2) That the money is being spent at its ultimate value. The club relies on the superintendent to keep up with the latest, most efficient, modern methods and a smart superin­ tendent will edify his chairman, commit­ tee and members as to what is going on in the turf field. Word of high quality course main­ tenance spreads through a district and immediately sets standards for other clubs. Members of clubs want to know why their course is not as good as others. Alibis and illogical reasons will not fill the bill today. If the club is not spending sufficient funds the members should know indirectly through the green super­ intendent that if sufficient funds were spent maintenance would improve. Pattern to Follow In conclusion, I think that a club must follow the following pattern: (1) Establish a long range program of the things that they deem desira­ ble for a better course. (2) Establish standards of mainte­ nance for the current year. (3) Determine how much it would cost to maintain the established standard. (4) Break up the proposed future plan into stages that could be ac­ complished each year with the money available. (5) The superintendent and commit­ tee establish bookkeeping procedures which would give them the infor­ mation they desire as to how the money was spent and how the labor was utilized. Superintendent-Green Committee Chairman-Membership: Working Together J. PORTER HENRY Member, Algonquin Golf Club, Webster Groves, Mo. The purpose of this meeting indicates that the USGA Green Section is vitally concerned with the ever increas­ ing cost of golf. In times of great pros­ perity this problem is not too serious, but it becomes acute and troublesome when business recessions overtake us. When I first took over the green chair­ man’s job at Algonquin, in St. Louis, in 1936, our green budget was $12,000. Today it is $51,000, and we are doing no more than we did then. Our dues went from $85 to $360. In spite of this substantial increase in course maintenance, when we talk about the high cost of golf generally we must not fail to distinguish between the cost of golf specifically and the cost of coun­ try club maintenance. While the country club has a distinct place in the field of golf, I would like to see more clubs devoted to golf exclu­ sively. Thousands of fine Americans who love the game cannot afford the country club, and are forced to use the public courses, which do not furnish the oppor­ tunity for the extensive companionship provided by the private club. A club without hotel or entertainment facilities can be built for less than half of the cost and can operate for a little more than half the dues. The green chairman must remember that his department, which concerns it­ self with golf, is in keen competition with the country club or social department. When business slackens off and the need for economy seems paramount, many times the country club members of the board are apt to start their economy with the green budget, which always proves uneconomical in the long run. The green chairman must support his superintendent for a sound maintenance program, and he must remember that in the average club more people are mem­ bers because of golf than for the social activities, although the social devotees, because of greater contacts, become bet­ ter known than the average golfer and consequently are elected to the boards. It seems to me that the first requisite of good cooperation between green chair­ man, superintendent and locker room is 30 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 195S a green chairman interested enough in his job to hold on until he learns his les­ son sufficiently to be of help; and a membership and board sufficiently aware of the importance of the green chairman’s job to keep him in office long enough to enable him to serve a useful purpose. The office of green chairman cannot be a perfunctory one. He has much to learn, and it takes time to learn it. A green chairman can be an asset to a club or a liability. If he thinks he knows too much about grass culture and mainte­ nance, based upon a mere superficial acquaintance with the subject, and insists upon putting his own ideas to work against the advice of his superintendent, the Lord pity the golf course and the superintendent. If, on the other hand, he knows nothing about the subject, and is therefore unable to appreciate the problems of the superintendent, he is worthless as a liaison officer between the superintendent and the locker room. Likewise, if the green chairman hasn’t the courage to risk the displeasure of the members when the situation requires, he is failing in an important aspect of his job. Many times a temporary incon­ venience to members is repaid a hundred fold in the long run. Such temporary situations invariably arouse the ire of a few members, but that ire must never be permitted to interfere with the program. Nor must it be assumed that a vociferous few represent the majority of the mem­ bers. After many years of experience it is apparent to me that our progress comes largely through trial and error. In sum­ ming up our progress, we learn not what are the ideal things to do—because we reach no ideals—but primarily what not to do, because of our many experiments which are so often unsatisfactory. We are constrained to draw the conclusion simi­ lar to that of the bachelor who married late in life, and thus gained familiarity with the vicissitude of both single and matrimonial life, and in a contempla­ tive moment concluded, whether you marry or not, you’ll regret it. There are times when some radical steps must be taken when problems arise, and on these occasions the green chairman is wise to keep his board, as well as his membership, informed. If he is a good publicity agent he forestalls SUBSCRIBERS TO U.S.G.A. GREEN SECTION RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FUND, INC. Augusta National Golf Augusta, Ga. Club Catto & Putty Floyd Farley Georgia Florida Turf Association Metropolitan Golf Writers Association National Golf Fund, Inc Bernard H. Ridder, Jr. San Antonio, Tex. Oklahoma City, Okla. Winter Park, Fla. Manhasset, N. Y. Dunedin, Fla. Duluth, Minn. criticism and dissatisfaction, if not he in­ vites both. We adopted an expedient of procuring a sympathetic attitude on the part of the membership by acquainting them to some extent with grass problems. With the aid of the entertainment committee we had a dinner meeting devoted to grass. Many of our members live in priv­ ate homes and are interested in their lawns. We felt that they could benefit by our experience. The program started by the green chairman giving a rather de­ tailed explanation of the grass plant deal­ ing with the function of the root, the functions of the leaves, with soil condi­ tions, with fertilizers, which showed them why a short cut was injurious and why a long cut could be adopted without difficulty in their lawns. I took up the question of weed control and explained some of our practices in this respect. I took advantage of the occasion to give reasons for occasional closing of the course. Then I threw the meeting open to a question period at which time let me hasten to add I very discreetly turned the meeting over to the superintendent. They spent nearly an hour on questions. A prolific source of annoyance to the locker room as well as the chairman is the question of closing the course tem­ porarily when weather conditions de­ mand. In our district when the long hard rains saturate the greens in hot weather, and when the hot sun may appear at any time, we have found that a great deal of dam­ age results from play. When these cir­ cumstances arise we close the course. This happens seldom. After consulting with the superintendent I personally as­ sume the responsibility of the actual USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 31 closing. Those who have planned their games for the day start their fussing, al­ though I have found that the vast majori­ ty are always behind the green chair­ man in decisions of this kind. Acting from a genuine motive—to do everything to build better turf for the members’ enjoyment—the superintendent and green chairman must pursue their efforts willing to be replaced rather than to let possible criticism induce them to avoid a necessary, if annoying, practice. It must not be inferred from the above observation that constructive criticism and suggestions should not be welcomed. Indeed they should be invited. I have profited by many constructive sugges­ tions over the years. Question and Answer Session Moderator: William H. Bengeyfield, USGA Green Section Western Director Panel Members: Mr. Williams, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Eckstein, Mr. Henry, Mr. Charles G. Chapman, member of Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. Mr. Herb Graffis, Journalist & Publisher, Chicago, Ill. Mr. James M. Latham, Jr., USGA Green Section Southeastern Agronomist Mr. Bengeyfield: Let’s start the ques­ tions by asking one of Mr. Williams. How often should long range planning be re­ viewed? Mr. Williams: I think it should be re­ viewed annually. New committee mem­ bers should have a chance to understand, study, and re-evaluate the plan. Cost changes represent a factor that will call for re evaluation of a program. Member: Why is it that many clubs place the cost of swimming pools, tennis courts, clubhouses and things of that na­ ture under golf maintenance. Will Mr. Eckstein please comment? Mr. Eckstein: Each club handles these things a little differently. The only satis­ factory way of handling such matters is to set up a separate budget account for each item of this kind. Actually, most clubs charge some costs to other budget items. I noticed we were buying sand when there was no money in the sand account; it was charged against the drain­ age and sewerage account. Member: Bob Williams has made it a practice to hire young men who have come to our golf course and worked un­ der him and have advanced to superin­ tendents. This is Bob’s idea and we are delighted to go along with it. We are going to have a lot of young men on golf courses around the area. Mr. Bengeyfield: There are clubs who are doing something about training young men. Apparently they don’t mind when these young men reach the stage where they can handle a superintendent’s job. Member: Does the USGA help young men who have graduated from agricul­ tural colleges to get into golf course jobs? Do you have a committee for that? Dr. Ferguson: I don’t believe there is a special committee but students rarely have difficulty getting placed. Green Section agronomists are able to help graduates get into jobs for additional training. Mr. Brown, Secretary, Golf Course Superintendents’ Association: The Golf Course Superintendents’ Association is quite concerned about the training of people as well as the cost of operation. Part of our function is a clearing house for employment, and we have continual requests from clubs and superintendents for young men who are interested in go­ ing into the profession. We welcome such inquiries from young men, as we do wel­ come inquiries from clubs seeking to hire such individuals. Member: I am from the Olympia Fields Country Club in the Chicago District, and it is a great opportunity to take young men and train them as I have done. My thought has been that it would be a good idea if we could provide scholarships—a lot of clubs pay into scholarships for cad­ dies. Mr. Williams: The Golf Superintend­ ents’ Association now sponsors, I think, three scholarships. In answer to the same question, at Beverly we have recognized this problem and we are doing what small part we can with our limited funds to help, train, and school some of these young boys who want training. 32 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 19S8 IT’S YOUR HONOR Link With the Past To The USGA: Under separate cover I am send- ing you manuscript of story “The League of the Iroquois.” Perhaps the only relationship between the Indian League and our own Golf League is that each, although small, had the definite purpose of promoting good will. Unthinking people often believe that primitive unlettered people have no mission or contribution to make and that the small number of unlettered Indians forming the An­ cient League of the Iroquois had no particular importance. I should like to call attention to the fact that they were as far advanced culturally as most of the groups which figure in the Old Testament. The history of the Iroquois League is filled with myth and legend. I spent several weeks in reviewing the various books and stories that have been written on the subject. The ma­ terial I have presented is factual. The various clubs in the Golf League are making a special effort this year to make known the socializing and character building aspects of golf. In May we had a big dinner, guests from component clubs, museum dis­ plays, etc., to bring out these facts. The League of the Iroquois survives because its officers and leaders are real gentlemen. Dr. John R. Williams Rochester, N. Y. the Antipodes Praise from To The USGA: We read the Journal with great to congratu- such a con- interest and should like late you on maintaining sistently high standard. New Zealand Golf Association Texas Women Like New Handicap System To The USGA: Our organization here in San An­ tonio thinks this new handicap method the greatest thing since the hole-in-one. San Antonio Women’s Golf Ass’n. San Antonio, Texas Atomic Workers Take to Golf To The USGA: Two years ago a small group of golfers here at the Bettis Atomic Power Division undertook the forma­ tion of the Bettis Wednesday Golf League. At the time we wrote you to procure copies of the Rules of Golf for each member. The league has operated continuously since its inception in 1956 in strict accordance to these Rules in order to promote the aims expressed in our constitu­ tion: “. . . the enjoyment of the game of golf as a competitive sport.” The league has flourished beyond all expectations, to the point where golfers who previously played in a most casual manner now insist on following the Rules to the letter, whether in or out of league play. Elected officers and appointed com­ mittees have governed under a defi­ nitive constitution with great success during the previous two years and anticipates even greater success in the future. Growth has been ex­ tremely gratifying from 35 members in 1956 to 120 in 1958. Jerome M. Randman, Treasurer Bettis Wednesday Golf League Westinghouse Electric Corp. Pittsburgh, Pa. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: JUNE, 1958 33 USGA OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN PRESIDENT John D. Ames, Chicago, III. VICE-PRESIDENTS John G. Clock, Long Beach, Cal. Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. SECRETARY John M. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. TREASURER J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The above officers and: C. W. Benedict, White Plains, N. Y. Emerson Carey, Jr., Denver, Colo. William C. Chapin, Rochester, N. Y. Richmond Gray, Richmond, Va. Hord W. Hardin, St. Louis, Mo. Stuart A. Heatley, San Francisco, Cal. William McWane, Birmingham, Ala. F. Warren Munro, Portland, Ore. Bernard H. Ridder, Jr., Duluth, Minn. GENERAL COUNSEL Wm. Ward Foshay, New York, N. Y. COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN RULES OF GOLF: John M. Winters, Jr., Tulsa, Okla. CHAMPIONSHIP: Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. AMATEUR STATUS AND CONDUCT: John G. Clock, Long Beach, Cal. IMPLEMENTS AND BALL: C. W. Benedict, White Plains, N. Y. MEMBERSHIP: Gordon E. Kummer, Milwaukee, Wis. (deceased) GREEN SECTION: William C. Chapin, Rochester, N. Y. WOMEN'S: Mrs. Charles Dennehy, Lake Forest, III. SECTIONAL AFFAIRS: F. Warren Munro, Portland, Ore. PUBLIC LINKS: Emerson Carey, Jr., Denver, Colo. HANDICAP: Richmond Gray, Richmond, Va. Handicap Procedure: William O. Blaney, Boston, Mass. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: J. Frederic Byers, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: William McWane, Birmingham, Ala. GIRLS' JUNIOR: Mrs. John Pennington, Buffalo, N. Y. MUSEUM: C. W. Benedict, White Plains, N. Y. BOB JONES AWARD: Wm. Ward Foshay, New York, N. Y. FINANCE: Charles L. Peirson, Boston, Mass. 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 EASTERN REGION Northeastern Office: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N. J. Alexander M. Radko, Director, Eastern Region T. T. Taylor, Northeastern Agronomist Mid-Atlantic Office: South Building, Plant Industry Station, Beltsville, Md. Charles K. Hallowell, Mid-Atlantic Director Southeastern Office: Connor Hall, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. James M. Latham, Jr., Southeastern Agronomist MID-CONTINENT REGION Southwestern Office: Texas A. and M. College, College Station, Texas Dr. Marvin H. Ferguson, Director, Mid-Continent Region and National Research Coordinator James B. Moncrief, Southwestern Agronomist Mid-Western Office: Room 241, LaSalle Hotel, Chicago 2, III. James L. Holmes, Mid-Western Agronomist WESTERN REGION Western Office: P. O. Box 567, Garden Grove, Cal. William H. Bengeyfield, Director, Western Region