THE BULLETIN

of the

UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION GREEN SECTION

Vol. 7 

Washington, D. C., January, 1927 

No. 1

Contents

Page
The Use of the Grounds for Winter Sports. By Sherrill Sherman...................  2
The Green Section Appreciated. By Edward J. Poor..............................    5

Address at the Atlanta Athletic Club. By James D. Standish, Jr...................  6
Water Hazards. By Maynard M. Metcalf.............................................................  9

“Those Hillcrest Greens” .........................................................................................  10
Activities and Accomplishments of the Green Section. By O. B. Fitts............ 10
Some U. S. Golf Association Decisions on the Rules of Golf................   15
Rules of Golf Translated into Spanish.....................................‘............................  16

Treasury Decision 3950: Refund of Tax................................................................. 17
Annual Green Section Meeting...................  17
Questions and Answers.................  18

OFFICERS

Russell A. Oakley, Chairman, Washington, 

Walter S. Harban, Vice Chairman, Washing­

H. L. Westover, Acting Chairman, Washing­

D. C.

ton, D. C.

ton, D. C.

H. Kendall Read, Secretary, Philadelphia, Pa.

Charles H. Sabin, Treasurer, New York, N. Y.
James Francis Burke, General Counsel, Pitts­

burgh, Pa.

G. T. Cunningham, Executive Secretary, Wash­

ington, D. C.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Wynant D. Vanderpool, Chairman, 

N. J.

H. Y. Barrow, New York, N. Y.

Newark,

Walter S. Harban, Washington, D. C.
Russell A. Oakley, Washington, D. C. 
H. Kendall Read, Philadelphia, Pa.

DIRECTORS

JI. Y. Barrow, New York, N. Y. 
William F. Brooks, Minneapolis, Minn. 
Walter S. Harban, Washington. D. C. 
Frederic C. Hood, Watertown, Mass.

Norman Macbeth, Los Angeles, Calif. 
Russell A. Oakley, Washington, D. C. 
H. Kendall Read, Philadelphia, Pa. 
Wynant D. Vanderpool, Newark, N. J.

The Bulletin is published monthly by the United States Golf Association Green Section, P. O. 

Box 313, Washington, D. C., at Room 7207, Building F, 7th and B Streets N. W.

Address all MAIL to P. O. Box 313, Pennsylvania Avenue Station, Washington, D. C.
Send TELEGRAMS to Room 7207, Building F, 7th and B N. W., Washington, D. C.
Subscription Price: To golf clubs that are members of the United States Golf Association 

Green Section, $4.00 per year (included in membership fee).

Entered as second-class matter April 21, 1926, at the postoffice at Washington, D. C., under 
the Act of March 3. 1879. Copyrighted. 1926. by the United States Golf Association Green Section.

2

January, 1927

ADVISORY MEMBERS

W. A. Alexander, Chicago, I1L 
Eberhard Anheuser, St. Louis, Mo. 
A. C. U. Berry, Portland, Oreg, 
N. S. Campbell, Providence, R. I. 
Wm. C. Fownes, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. 
F. H. Hillman, Washington, D. C. 
Thos. P. Hinman, Atlanta, Ga. 
A. J. Hood, Detroit. Mich.
K. F. Kellerman, Washington, D. C.

E. J. Marshall, Toledo, Ohio.
Sherrill Sherman, Utica, N. Y. 
Frederick Snare, Havana, Cuba. 
James D. Standish, Jr., Detroit, Mioh. 
James L. Taylor, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
W. R. Walton, Washington, D. C. 
Alan D. Wilson, Philadelphia, Pa. 
M. H. Wilson, Jr., Cleveland, Ohio. 
Frank L. Woodward, Denver, Colo.

The Use of the Grounds for Winter Sports

By Sherrill Sherman, Yahnundasis Golf Club, Utica, N. Y.

Naturally the title of this article restricts the discussion to those 
clubs that are prevented by climatic conditions from the use of the 
golf course for golf in the winter months. As cities have grown and 
crept closer and closer to the club grounds the sum necessary to start 
and equip a club with all that the modern member demands, or even 
to continue the further development from the days of cheap land and 
building, is great. With this big investment, it would seem the part 
of wisdom to utilize it for the benefit of the members every montn m 
the year, for the reaction to the continuous outside use is the better 
support of the club house and the consequent increased revenue. In 
proportion as the full use of the club’s facilities is made by all its 
members the better the club spirit will be. A question often arises 
with clubs where the climate prevents year-around golf, what should 
be done to furnish outdoor activities for the members and so hold 
their interest and patronage. The answer, I believe, for those clubs 
who are situated in the northern climate where the cold weather 
means snow and ice for at least two or three months, with reasonable 
consistency, is to avail themselves of the opportunities of year-around 
service to their members by the furnishing of facilities for the winter 
sports.

And the first question to be answered is “How accessible is the 
club in the winter for its members, either by automobile or trolley, 
for without accessibility it can hardly be a success.” And if the reply 
is favorable that a majority of the members can reach the club readily 
and easily, then surely winter sports should be encouraged. If it is 
possible to locate the facilities near the clubhouse or entrance to the 
grounds, so much the better, for the easier they can be reached the 
greater the patronage will be by the members.

In reply to the query what are the winter sports that are possible 
to develop by the average golf club, I shall answer by merely listing 
them here as skating, including hockey, skiing, toboganning, snow­
shoeing and curling.

With questions of accessibility and sports settled the next question 
is one that is of vital importance in the consideration of the whole 
plan and that is “What will it cost for these different sports?” In 
all of them the layout can be simple or elaborate, as the club feels 
justified in spending money. The longer the season and the greater 
attendance, the more expense would be warranted to be incurred 
This also will vary with the winter and the location' of the club, in a 
snow-belt or otherwise.

Most clubs carry their greenkeeper on the payroll throughout the 
whole year, whether the clubhouse and grounds are kept open or 

January, 1927

3

everything closed. Generally for the protection of the club house 
from dampness and cold a moderate fire is kept and the greenkeeper 
takes care of it and acts as watchman for the property. With this 
expense anyway the additional outlay, besides the original moderate 
investment in equipment the first year, would not be great. The 
number of men needed would vary as the rink was large or small, and 
also with the extent to which the other facilities were developed. 
Normally, three men should be sufficient, besides the greenkeeper, and 
the cost per week could be readily figured when the local rate for 
labor is known. The cost of the water used would not be large. The 
lighting bill would depend on the evening use of the rink, and the 
coal to heat the skating house would probably be a little more than 
a ton a month, unless the skating house is quite large.

Skating would be probably the leading sport, for it appeals and 
can be partaken in by both the old and the young, the women and 
the men. Once learned, like swimming, it is seldom forgotten. It 
is much better for the average golfer to keep himself in condition for 
the coming summer’s golf than a comfortable chair about the bridge 
table. Ordinarily the tennis courts are located close to the club­
house and these, with their level surface, can be flooded to form the 
rink without damage to the courts. As water is piped to the courts 
for spraying in the summer, the supply for making and keeping up 
the ice on the rink is at hand without additional outlay. The tools 
required are few, simple and inexpensive, such as snow shovels, ice 
scrapers, armored hose, snow scrapes, and six (6) inch-boards for 
the side of the rink to build the ice against.

For the sides of the hockey rink two-by-four stakes driven into 
the ground, preferably before it is frozen, form the supports to which 
the side boards, to the height of three (3) feet or three feet six inches, 
are nailed. Where the ice surface is sufficiently large it is a good 
idea to have a half sized hockey rink for the boys from 10 to 14, 
where they can safely play and learn the game without danger of 
injury from the older players. Hockey goals can be made at little 
cost from piping and cord netting. It is well to have at least six 
(6) or eight (8) fifteen-feet high poles about the sides of the rink 
which will carry the electric lights to light the skating surface for 
night skating. Several chairs, with wooden runners, are a great 
help to the beginners in learning to skate and for the younger chil­
dren to play with. When tennis courts are used, there is no danger 
such as is always possible when the frozen surface of a pond or small 
lake is used, that an air-hole or thin ice makes possible a wetting or 
sometimes a more serious accident. As skating is done during cold 
weather it really is necessary that a heated house of some kind should 
be convenient to the rink in which skates can be changed or the 
skater enter to be warmed. Toilet facilities should be provided, and 
when the attendance warrants small lockers, for nowadays even the 
children have the skates attached to their shoes. Besides plain skat­
ing, with snap the whip and tag, amusement and enjoyment is fur­
nished by fancy skating, races in classes to fit all ages and skating 
abilities, and hockey games. It adds to the pleasure, if a music 
machine, such as a victrola, is in the skating house wired to carry 
its music to amplifiers on the outside which will carry the sound to 
every part of the rink. Where possible, it is well to supply light 
refreshments in the skating house for the crisp weather and winter 
exercise brings real appetites.

4

January, 1927

Friday night seemed to work out as the best night for carnivals 
and special programs. It is quite often the family night, with no 
school on Saturday when the parents have a real time in going out 
with their children. The different' stunts that can be run off are 
races, fancy skating exhibitions, fancy costume parties, with prizes 
for the best or funniest dress, or any interesting suggestions from 
members that can be worked out. Where there is sufficient demand 
a skating instructor can be obtained and classes held for fancy 
skating.

When one has skated sufficiently the natural thing to do is to go 
to the clubhouse for something to eat and something warm to drink. 
The winter sports will increase the patronage of the restaurant, and 
the House Committee would be wise to cater to their special desires, 
with menus that can be served with reasonable rapidity, with leading 
items for party nights, such as sausages and pancakes, or sausages 
and scrambled eggs, with coffee, tea and cocoa. Cinnamon toast, ice 
cream, different varieties of pies, cakes and candy will fill the bill 
especially for the children. Of course this does not prevent the 
supplying, by a la carte order, to the members whatever their special 
desire in delicacies might be at that particular time. The new loud- 
playing music machines also allow dancing when the crowd has come 
indoors for refreshments and will make the time seem short before 
service begins.

For snowshoeing and skiing, the natural slopes of the club’s 
ground furnish the proper facilities. Where it is desired by the 
wishes of the members a simple ski jump can be built on one of the 
steepest hills on the course. As an added inducement, the club 
should have for rental to the members at a nominal fee skis and 
snowshoes. Toboganning is a most exciting and exhiliarating sport 
which can be partaken in by a crowd, for toboggans can be obtained 
that wiL carry several people. Toboggans also should be kept for 
rental to the. members. Where the natural hills are not steep enough 
or where the ground is level, an artificial toboggan slide can be built 
to give the necessary speed to satisfy the cravings for this excite­
ment and exercise. While it is no effort to go down, one earns the 
p easure by the walk back. It is possible to have horses or a tractor 
to draw the sleds or toboggans back up the hill.

Curling should certainly be indulged in by the members. It is 
TT«iSeo+<Sana^T+n’ Wln^er same and it is spreading rapidly in the 
United States. It is a wonderful sport for skill and interest, with 
|efV ay-a very.ne,^ssary factor. Aside from the upkeep of the 
ice, there is practically no expense to the playing of the game. The 
stones or irons, which are used, could be purchased bv the club and 
would last indefinitely The cost of the^eason^T brooms for the 
sweeping along of the stones would be nominal. Like golf, it adapts 
itself to many years of play and in this game the skill of the older 
man is very often more than a match for the strength and energy of 
the younger man. In some of the golf clubs, rinks have been main­
tained and curling has interested the members for years, as the Coun- 
!xyQ9!ub a+ Pro,okline’ Massachusetts, and the Mohawk Golf Club 
at Schenectady, to mention only two which have played the game for 
sometime. It can be played outdoors or indoors if a lomr narrow 
building without heat is provided. 
’ n a long, narrow
In all these sports the competitive spirit can be utilized to increase 

January, 1927 

5

the interest in them of the members. Club teams, both senior and 
junior, can be formed for games with neighboring clubs or teams of 
equal ability.

In this short sketch I hope that I have been able to clearly state 
the advantages to be gained by a club and its members, and that this 
will induce more clubs to provide the needed facilities. In this way 
a modern winter playground can be provided at one’s own door and 
no longer will it be necessary to forego these sports and their attend­
ant benefits if one is unable to spare the time for trips to Lake Placid 
or Switzerland.

Leipzig, Germany

United States Golf Association Green Section, 

Pennsylvania Avenue Station, Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen: There is considerable interest in Germany in the work 
of the Green Section of the United States Golf Association, as well as 
in the booklets issued by this corporation. For this reason we would 
beg to ask if it is possible for German clubs or perhaps for the Ger­
man Golf Association to become a member of this Green Section so as 
to receive the publications on greenkeeping issued. Should this be 
possible, we, the publishers of the only German golfing magazine 
would be grateful to know if you would grant us permission to reprint 
articles of special importance to German conditions.

We hear that a French club has become a member of your Section, 
so that it would, perhaps, be possible for Germany likewise to enjoy 
the results of your researches.

Very faithfully yours,

(Signed) “Deutscher Golf Verlag,”

Limburger, Manager.

The Green Section Appreciated
By Edward J. Poor, Salem Country Club, Salem, Mass.

An appreciation of your efforts to aid golf clubs in establishing 
better courses and superior turf, with consequent increased pleasure 
to the members, is decidedly in order as a result of what has been 
accomplished at our club by strict adherence to a policy of following 
the advice of the United States Golf Association Green Section, as 
published in The Bulletin.

The Salem Country Club’s new 18-hole golf course was constructed 
during the summer of 1925; fairways were seeded, and creeping bent 
stolons planted on greens and tees in September of that year. The 
course was opened for play on August 1, 1926, and has proved very 
popular—the number of players on some days running up to two 
hundred.

Naturally, the fairways are not yet covered with seasoned turf, 
but with the exception of a few holes, they are in very fine condition. 
We have every right to expect that after topdressing and fertilizing 
this fall we will have first-class fairways next summer. The greens 
(the backbone of every course) have been a genuine surprise and de­
light, and our tees are in every way as good as our greens. We have 
been told by most every skilled golfer who has played the course that 
they are superior to any they have played on. We have repeatedly 

6

January, 1927

been asked by those in charge of other courses how we produced and 
how we care for the greens. Our reply has been that we have simply 
carried out to the letter the program outlined by the Green Section.
Our most difficult problem was to organize in such a way and with 
such personnel that your recommendations would be carried out in 
regard to close, daily cutting at all seasons, frequent topdressing, and 
the use of ammonium sulfate, only, as a fertilizer. Our observation of 
other courses having bent greens that are extremely slow, fluffy, 
rough and with a grain that causes the ball to jump when putted, is 
that they do not cut closely enough, especially in hot weather, and 
that they simply will not topdress often enough. Our only trouble 
has been from chickweed, which we have dug out by hand, and brown­
patch, which has not yet harmed the quality of the putting surface, 
although raising havoc with the uniform green color that we enjoyed 
at the start of the season. We intend to tackle the brown-patch prob­
lem next year with whatever mercury compound you advise is the 
best, as the result of your experiments.

You will understand from what we have said how eagerly we look 
forward to the receipt of your Bulletins. The fact that they are con­
servative, and are written from an engineering viewpoint, containing 
no half-baked suggestions, gives us great confidence in what you ad­
vocate as the best practice. We feel sure that you can not do better 
than to continue to hammer home the superiority of creeping bent 
greens, and the necessity of caring for them in the manner that you 
recommend.

Address at the Atlanta Athletic Club, Atlanta, Ga., by Mr. James D. Standish, Jr., 
Member of Executive Committee and Chairman of Public Links
Section of the United States Golf Association

Mr. Standish’s opening remarks touched on the early history of 
golf and its slow development to its present form, the recent tremen­
dous increase in its popularity among all classes and in all sections of 
this country, and after referring to the organization in 1920 by the 
United States Golf Association of its Public Links Section, he con­
tinued :

“The last time I was in Atlanta was in 1918. I enjoyed myself 
very much then. I didn’t have any idea then I was going to become 
connected with municipal golf, because, at that time municipal golf 
was very little known; it was confined to a very few cities. The prin­
cipal cities at that time that knew golf in a public course way were 
Chicago, New York, Boston, and Toledo. The game originated in Bos­
ton. Mr. George Wright, whom you know was one of the founders of 
the sporting goods firm of Wright & Ditson, came from the old coun­
try m the 90’s. He brought some clubs and a few balls along with him 
and secured the permission of the city to play the game in Franklin 
Park and he gathered around him a number of friends who played 
the game also. After playing two years they were barred from the 
park because it was dangerous. Later the game became known all 
over the country and they got permission to play again. That was 
the oiigin of the game of golf as a municipal course game in this 
countiy. It developed next at Van Courtlandt Park in New York 
and w^nt on to Chicago. Chicago at the present time has upwards of 
20 public couises to ipy knowledge. There are probably 30 by this 

January, 1927

7

time. I can’t keep up with them, but they are building around the 
outside of the city in the forest reserve system, a series of 25 courses 
which will stretch all around the city, and will provide facilities for 
all who want to play, at a moderate fee.

“You have an exceptional opportunity here in the South, it seems 
to me, to develop the game along these lines. In the first place, the 
revenue from your courses;—and revenue is always important in a 
city project—is almost double that of the North, because you can play 
the year around here. There is no let-up in the amount of playing 
during the year. For that reason you will find the courses will be­
come more than self-supporting. As a matter of fact, in the city of 
Buffalo they saw fit to float an issue of municipal bonds to the extent 
of a million dollars for recreational facilities. Eight hundred thou­
sand dollars of that was devoted to the purchase of the country club 
there. It was a situation similar to Birmingham, Ala., where the city 
recently paid $700,000.00 for the Birmingham Country Club, their 
18-hole course—for a municipal golf course. They realized the fact 
that the revenue from the course would far exceed the interest 
charges on these bonds and also take care of the course, and they are 
making a profit on the proposition on that basis.

“You will find that there is no difficulty whatsoever in inducing 
players to go to the courses. It has been found advisable in a num­
ber of cities to charge different rates according to the time of day. 
Your fee here on the courses you have are at present nominally 25 
cents. It has been found practical to charge as high as a dollar or 
even a dollar and a half for players who want to go and play in the 
early part of the afternoon, leaving the twilight hours for the man 
who comes out after work, in the 25 or 50-cent class. The man who 
can take an afternoon off is generally able to pay a dollar or a dollar 
and a half for his recreation, and in that way more revenue still can 
be brought in. But you will find there is no trouble in keeping your 
courses crowded.

“Now, there are two ways of going about this proposition of pub­
lic courses. One is to go out and buy your land and build your course 
on a permanent basis, building it so extensively that you know it will 
last for years. That is the way Buffalo has done, as I told you, and 
Birmingham, also, I understand. The other way is to build on.

“I find that you have a very desirable site here for additional 
facilities in Candler Park. Mr. Paine, Mr. Keller, Mr.. Jennings and 
myself went out this morning and looked over both courses that you 
have now, and also Candler Park. You can put in 9 holes at Candler 
Park, but, gentlemen, I am perfectly satisfied in my own mind that 
Candler Park and Piedmont Park and the Key Course will never prove 
adequate for the golf the people will wish to play in Atlanta in the 
future. If I were in Atlanta I know I should devote all my energy 
towards urging that the profits from those three courses be set aside 
and that sometime in the future property be purchased somewhere 
just outside of Atlanta, or as close as possible, which would provide 
still further golf facilities. You will find there is plenty of demand 
for it.

“It is an interesting comparison which some of you perhaps are 
not familiar with, that you can provide for a great many more people 
in the space of a golf links than you can by providing an equal num­
ber of either tennis courts or baseball fields. You can get foursomes 

8

January, 1927

of players, more of them in 50 acres of a golf course than you can in 
the same acreage devoted to either tennis or baseball. I spent a little 
time figuring that out, so I happen to know.

“It might interest you to know a little bit about the type of players 
who have played in the national championships in the past. The first 
championship we held was played at Toledo. We didn’t limit the en­
tries in any way. We had 160 in all. It would have delighted all your 
hearts to have seen the crowd of fellows that got together at the first 
tee. There was every type of man imaginative from the immaculately 
clothed to the working man who played in his suspenders. I remem­
ber one little fellow who came in there in a pair of overalls and he 
didn’t know what some of it was all about, but we have managed these 
tournaments in such a way as to carry the gospel of good golf and the 
rules of the game to the men who have played in the tournaments.

“The first championship was won by Eddie Held. Eddie was a 
boy who was making his way through high school, trying to save 
enough to go through college, but he thought enough of golf to take 
the time off from his work to come to Toledo, and he won the cham­
pionship. Since, he has become a member of a club and is a successful 
business man.

“The second championship was won by Richard Walsh of New 
York. Dick held a position then with the Wall Street Journal. He 
has the same position today. He has played in every championship. 
He is one of the characters of the championships. I hope he will 
always remain a public links golfer, because everybody likes to have 
him there.

“Joe Coble was a waiter in Philadelphia, he was the next cham­
pion, and I understand he had to hire a substitute to take his place 
where he was working, at time and a half fee while he was playing 
in the championship. Since the championship he has turned profes­
sional, and that is one of the desirable results of this public links 
championship, that it provides players both for the professional ranks 
and for the private clubs.

“The fourth winner was Ray McAuliffe, of Buffalo; he was a sales­
man for the Mentholatum Company. He has turned professional 
since. As a matter of fact, he is the professional at their new public 
course I told you about a little while ago.

“The last champion was Lester Bolstead, of Minneapolis, a high 
school boy. He intends to enter the University of Minnesota and 
work his way through, but that shows the class of players in our 
championships. I am sure you will find that the citizen who uses the 
public links will be more desirable. It will provide recreation for all 
in the most desirable form. It is a gentle sort of game; a game that 
a man has to be a sportsman to play, and it develops all the most de­
sirable qualities m a man.

, You have been very kind to ask me to come down here, and I 
<J<?n Lkr\°?v , 1 hav® added anything to the remarks Mr. Keeler and 
Mr. Maddox have_made. There may be something about the cost of 
upkeep, etc., but I am not familiar enough with your equipment here 
to know about that.

If you have any particular questions, I would be very glad to 

answer them. 

J b

QUESTION: “May I ask you a question, Mr. Standish? How, in 
your judgment, can the municipal golfers of Atlanta best be organized 

January, 1927

9

to express to the city government their sentiment on the question of 
golf? In other words, how can the opinion of the general public best 
be expressed ? There must be some way of getting organized expres­
sion from the municipal golfers that the city government will under­
stand.”

MR. STANDISH: “I should suggest that you circulate a petition 
among the players who use your public links courses. If that petition 
were circulated and signed by a large number of persons and handed 
to Mr. Maddox and Mr. Paine, I am sure that they would see that it 
was presented to the Council in the proper way, and I am sure it 
would bear weight. I don’t know enough about the workings of your 
city government here to say any more than that.

“I should like to say this; I hope in the future Atlanta will find 
the opportunity to send players to the national championships. They 
will come back with a great deal of enthusiasm, and help materially in 
any plans you may have for the future.”

Water Hazards

By Maynard M. Metcalf

Water hazards are of value only as' mental hazards. As such 
they are legitimate, but they should be used sparingly. One or two 
is enough on any course. It is important to have one so that players 
may become accustomed to playing over water and may overcome the 
fear and uncertainty such a hazard causes. Otherwise they would 
fall down on other courses when playing over water.

One great purpose of hazards is to inspire a player in trouble to 
rise to super-golf and overcome the difficulty. A playable hazard is 
a spur to special effort and overcoming it gives a satisfaction that 
compensates for the initial disappointment of getting into the trouble. 
Without numerous such hazards a course is a tame affair. But a ball 
in a water hazard is generally unplayable and must be lifted—a de­
pressing rather than exhilarating thing.

Of course the chief purpose of hazards, as of the rough, is to re­
quire accuracy of play in both direction and distance in order to avoid 
them. The ability to place one’s ball with a good degree of accuracy 
is of the greatest importance whether on the tee or through the fair­
way and especially in approaching. Hazards, both natural and arti­
ficial, are used to emphasize accuracy and as accuracy is of most im­
portance near the green, it is here that one finds hazards most abun­
dantly supplied on well constructed courses.

Of course water hazards are as good as any other from the stand­
point of penalizing inaccuracy. But the fact that they are unplay­
able would properly interdict their use were it not for their value as 
mental hazards. Their presence in considerable number on any 
course is a defect, really a serious defect.

Water hazards may often be so treated as to add to the beauty of 
a course. This is equally true whether the hazard be a pond or a 
stream. But if the pond or stream is off the fairway, outside the 
playing area for any but an egregiously bad shot, then it can be used 
far more effectively to beautify the course. Planting along its edges 
can be far more free and with thought only of the beauty.

10

January, 1927

“Those Hillcrest Greens”

“Everybody around Los Angeles is talking about the excellence of 
the greens at Hillcrest Country Club. They only recently were 
reopened with their new bent grass covering and now offer as fine a 
putting surface as one could imagine.

“The splendid improvement was brought about in an unusual way. 
About two years ago Mr. Baruch, chairman of the green, sent to 
Washington for a sample of a certain strain of bent. The sample 
came in a single envelope. It was duly planted. The growth was 
rapid. The grass on all 18 greens came from this one sample.

“Enough grass for the 18 was developed in one large bed, and 
then the turf was taken bodily and placed atop the greens. In a very 
short time it was all connected up and the present perfect surface is 
the result.

“There seems to be no further doubt that bent is the proper grass 
for California greens. Wherever it is tried it is giving better results 
than anything experimented with in the past. There are many differ­
ent strains. All of them appear to produce a fine surface to begin 
with, but it is asserted that only one or two varieties will stand up 
over a period of years. Golf clubs should remember this in selecting 
seed or stolons, and. choose the variety that gives best results over an 
extended period.”—The Country Club Magazine and Pacific Golf & 
Motor, November, 1926. .

Activities and Accomplishments of the Green Section
By O. B. Fitts

For some time the green section workers have recognized the 
necessity of acquainting the golfing public, and especially the sup­
porters of the Green Section, more thoroughly with the various phases 
of work which it has undertaken in an effort to aid the clubs in the 
development and maintenance of better golf courses. Many articles 
discussing the various accomplishments of the Green Section have 
been published, but as yet nothing has been published that would give 
any definite idea as to the actual extent of its activities. Conse­
quently there are comparatively few who are familiar with the many 
phases of work involved or the extent of the efforts put forth in an 
attempt to solve the numerous golf course problems. It is therefore 
believed that a brief review of the Green Section’s activities and 
accomplishments will be helpful toward furnishing this information 
to a greater number of people, and, in turn, probably result in a 
wider interest in the Green Section.

The activities of the Green Section, as the work has been con­
ducted, are divided into two branches, which will be treated here 
under the terms “research” and “service.”

The research branch involves all the different phases of experi­
mental and investigational work which are being conducted for the 
purpose of obtaining all the information possible pertaining to golf 
course construction and maintenance, while the service branch in­
volves the work of dispensing information to the clubs in such a 
manner as to give them the greatest amount of assistance possible 
in the solution of golf course problems.

The experimental work with turf has been and gives promise of 

January, 1927

11

continuing to be a very important source of information, as it pro­
vides means for a more intensive study of turf problems than is 
provided under the practical maintenance program on the golf course. 
The fact that a wide range of turf problems is concentrated under 
one series of experiments makes it possible to study the relation of 
the various factors involved in turf maintenance as well as to study 
singly and work out solutions to many problems which can not be 
segregated and studied individually on the golf course.

The Green Section, in cooperation with the United States Depart­
ment of Agriculture, maintains at Arlington, Va., an experimental 
turf garden consisting of 480 plots of turf, each rod square, and 
a nursery of- about y2 acre in turf grasses. The plots are utilized 
for the following purposes: To test the different grasses under turf 
conditions in order to determine their adaptability to or their suit­
ability for the various golf course purposes; to test fertilizers in an 
effort to determine the best and most practical fertilizers to use on 
the golf course and the best methods of applying them; to study the 
various turf diseases and pests and various remedies in an effort to 
find the most practical and effective preventive and curative treat­
ments; and to study the effect of various turf maintenance methods, 
such as topdressing, mowing, rolling, watering, etc.

Every experiment on these 480 plots has its individual object, and 
in order to accomplish these objects each experiment must be sys­
tematically or consistently conducted and closely observed at all 
times, which entails much work and careful study.

The nursery is utilized for growing grasses for identification, for 
producing planting material for the test plots, and for maintaining 
a supply of the most satisfactory grasses for distribution to clubs 
that desire to start their own nurseries.

Since the establishment of this experimental turf garden there 
have been tested (including those now on the plots) over 150 different 
grasses. These include practically all the northern turf grasses and 
a few that are adapted to the South but that can be grown as far 
north as Washington, such as Bermuda and the Japanese and Korean 
lawn grasses. Of the northern grasses there have been tested four 
species of Poa or the bluegrass family, six species of Festuca or the 
fescue family, three species of Lolium or the rye-grass family, and 
five species of Agrostis or the bent family. The last named includes 
redtop (Agrostis alba), Rhode Island bent (Agrostis vulgaris), vel­
vet bent (Agrostis canina), seaside bent (Agrostis maritima), and 
creeping bent (Agrostis stolonifera). In addition to these pure 
species of bent considerable work has been done with the South Ger­
man mixed bent, which usually consists of about 80 percent to 85 
percent Agrostis vulgaris, 15 percent Agrostis canina, and a trace 
of Agrostis stolonifera, and sometimes more or less redtop or Agros­
tis alba.

In an early study of the turf-producing qualities of these bent 
species it was found that there were many noticeably different strains 
of the seaside bent, the velvet bent, and the creeping bent. This 
discovery led to the inception of the idea of selecting and testing the 
individual strains. By the aid of the vegetative method of propa­
gating these species, the development of which resulted from a careful 
study of their habits of growth, there have been selected and tested 
at Arlington five strains of seaside bent, 18 strains of velvet bent, and 

12

January, 1927

over 100 strains of creeping bent. Of course only relatively few of 
these strains have proved satisfactory for putting greens but such 
tests were necessary to determine which were satisfactory. Among 
those that have withstood these tests satisfactorily are the Washing­
ton and Metropolitan strains of creeping bent, the Revere strains of 
seaside bent, and the Highland and Acme strains of velvet bent. 
There are yet many strains under experiment that have not so far 
been tested over a sufficient period of time to prove their merits. 
Among these new strains it is hoped that something will prove equally 
as good or better than the strains at present available.

The study of the species and strains of turf grass, which has been 
one of the principal features of this experimental work, has disclosed 
the fact that many of the grasses such as crested dog’s-tail, Canada 
bluegrass, the fescues, etc., which were commonly included in putting 
green and fairway mixtures were not suitable for fine turf produc­
tion under various soil and climatic conditions, and that others were 
entirely too expensive in proportion to their usefulness. These dis­
coveries have resulted in more sound and economical choices of seeds 
and seed mixtures for use on the golf course which, in turn has re­
sulted not only in more satisfactory turf but in a saving of money 
for the clubs as well.

Another investigation which has been carefully conducted is the 
study of different rates and methods of seeding. This study has 
disclosed the fact that equally as satisfactory results can be obtained 
with 3 to 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet, depending upon the kind of 
seed used, as were formerly obtained where 15 to 20 pounds of the 
same seed were used. This reduction in the rate of seeding has re­
sulted likewise in a material reduction in the cost of golf course 
maintenance.

A series of experiments with seeding at different seasons of the 
year has definitely proved that, for the northern turf grasses, fall 
seeding is preferable to spring seeding, while for the southern grasses, 
such as Bermuda and carpet grass, spring seeding is best. This in­
formation has been of very helpful and economic value to clubs.

The study of types of soil and materials commonly used in the 
construction of putting greens has been of economic importance, in­
asmuch as it has brought out the fact that a fairly fertile loam is the 
most desirable for putting greens and that the use of enormous quan­
tities of manure, humus, and other similar materials incorporated 
in the soil is not only a waste of money but in many cases is detri­
mental to good turf production. Other practices in putting green 
construction such as the use of cinder layers, peat layers, and many 
socalled germinating and moisture-holding layers have been found 
through the agencies of experimentation to be useless and in many 
cases harmful.

The problems involved in turf maintenance after the turf is 
established are of equal importance to those involved in golf course 
construction and turf production j consequently these problems are 
given equal consideration in the experimental work. For instance: 
there are 160 turf plots at Arlington which are utilized for fertilizer 
experiments, on which there are 80 different experiments with va­
rious commercial fertilizers and mixtures of commercial products 
A study of the effect of these fertilizers has resulted in a great ad­
vancement m the knowledge of what fertilizers should be used on 

January, 1927

13

the golf course and how they should be used, as well as those that 
should not be used. One important feature in this work has been 
the development of conclusive evidence that an acid-reacting fertilizer 
such as ammonium sulfate is not only conducive to the desired growth 
of the turf grasses but is very effective in the control of "weeds and 
earthworms. Another, is the evidence that nitrogen is the principal 
plant food element needed in fertilizer for turf, and another is the 
striking indication that lime as topdressing is harmful to turf. There 
are still other indications of important developments in this work 
but more time is needed for conclusive results.

The common turf diseases are given careful consideration in the 
experimental work at Arlington. About 25 plots of different species 
and strains of grass are utilized for the study of brown-patch and 
the effect of various remedial treatments, such as the various mercuric 
compounds, cppper compounds and other fungicides. The work so 
far in this connection has resulted in a very great help to the clubs 
in the control of this dreaded disease and experiments now under 
way promise further advancement in the knowledge of its control.

The study of the earthworm and the effectiveness of various 
eradicators has been very helpful in determining the most practical 
methods to employ in ridding turf of this very undesirable pest. The 
experiments with the various worm eradicators have resulted in the 
conclusion that the very simple method of dissolving 2 to 3 ounces 
of mercuric chloride in 50 gallons of water and sprinkling over 1,000 
square feet of green is a very practical and effective means of ridding 
putting greens of earthworms.

The study of grubs and insecticidal remedies used for their eradi­
cation has been very limited at Arlington owing to the scarcity of 
grubs in the experimental plots, but some very important experi­
ments have been conducted and others are now under way, at River­
ton, N. J., in which lead arsenate and barium silico fluorid have been 
used very successfully. This work is being done cooperatively by the 
Green Section and the Japanese Beetle Laboratory at Riverton, N. J. 
Previous developments of this work have been published from time 
to time in The Bulletin while the results of the past year’s work will 
be published in an early issue.

Experiments are going on continually during the growing season 
at Arlington with phases of work involving the more common prac­
tices in golf course maintenance, such as the frequency of topdress­
ing, the materials used for topdressing, the methods employed in top­
dressing, watering at different times of the day, applying different 
amounts of water at different intervals, methods of mowing and 
rolling, etc.

Other experimental turf gardens have been established at Gaines­
ville, Fla.; New Brunswick, N. J.; Manhattan, Kans.; St. Paul, Minn.; 
Madison, Wis., and Lincoln, Nebr. These state agricultural experi­
ment stations are cooperating with the Green Section in this experi­
mental work, the object of which is to supplement the work at Ar­
lington, Va., and Riverton, N. J., in the effort to gain all the informa­
tion possible pertaining to the handling of local problems, such as 
determining the best grasses, fertilizers, etc., to use in the various 
sections of the country.

The information gained through these investigations so far has 
been of great economic value to the clubs in the construction of 

14 

January, 1927

golf courses and the production and maintenance of turf, but there 
is much yet to be learned in this connection, and the continuation of 
these experiments may be expected to yield much more valuable in­
formation.

In conjunction with the experimental work the Green Section has 
taken advantage of the limited opportunities to observe and study 
the results of methods as they are actually employed on golf courses. 
In speaking of the limited opportunities in this field of investigation, 
it is meant that the limited number of golf courses which are located 
conveniently enough to permit frequent visits, the limit in personnel, 
and funds available for travel, etc., has made it impossible for the 
Green Section to take full advantage of the possibilities which, other­
wise would be available. Regardless, however, of these limitations 
much valuable information has been gained and much more will be 
gained in this way as long as the work is continued. Another source 
of information which has and will continue to be fruitful for the 
Green Section and in turn for the clubs, is the experience of practical 
men who have been successful in dealing with golf course problems. 
The Green Section is constantly on the lookout for such experiences,, 
and it is through this channel that some of the most practical informa­
tion is obtained.

The service branch of the Green Section’s activities involves the 
publication of The Bulletin, the correspondence, the laboratory serv­
ice, and personal service. In other words, all the information ob­
tained through the research branch is available through the service 
branch to any one desiring it.

It is the object of the Green Section, in the publication of The Bul­
letin, to give to its readers sound and practical information based 
on the results of carefully conducted experiments and actual ex­
perience, and to do this and present it in readable form requires much 
thought and vigilance on the part of both the writers and editors. 
The average reader of The Bulletin does not realize the amount of 
work involved in getting this bulletin out each month. If he realized 
just how difficult it is to get good material for such a publication he 
would no doubt, out of pity, if for no other reason, be more liberal 
in the contribution of articles for publication. The success of The 
Bulletin and its value to the clubs depends largely on the coopera­
tion of men of practical and successful experience in golf course 
maintenance, and it is the hope of the editors that every one who has 
had such experience will open up his heart and help to make this 
periodical more helpful and interesting to the readers by contributing 
to its pages.

The correspondence handled through the Green Section office re­
quires considerable time, thought and effort. An average of about 
375 letters are received monthly and approximately the same number 
written. Most of the letters received require specific or concise an­
swers, and to be able to answer these letters promptly and intelligently 
one must keep as well posted as possible on the problems encountered 
on the golf course.

The laboratory service involves such work as identifying grasses 
weeds, grass seeds, insects, and disease organisms, testing grass 
seed for purity and germination, and analyzing and testing soil and 
fertilizer samples, etc. An average of approximately 500 seed 
samples, 200 specimens of grasses and weeds, 100 samples of soil, and 

January, 1927

15

20 samples of fertilizer are handled through this service for the clubs 
annually. Of course the Green Section hasn’t the necessary facilities 
for doing all this work at the office in Washington, but fortunately 
there is available, for such work outside, properly equipped labora­
tories and the services of competent men, and regardless of whether 
or not the work is done in the Green Section’s office, the clubs get the 
service they request without having to bother further than writing 
the Green Section, stating what they want and sending in the sample. 
Much of this work, especially with soils and fertilizers, is done in the 
United States Department of Agriculture laboratories, while most 
of the work with fine grass seeds is done by a competent and reliable 
commercial seed analyst. This phase of the Service Branch alone has 
saved large sums of money for the clubs that have taken advantage of 
it inasmuch as it has put them wise to the quality and desirability of 
seeds, fertilizers, and other materials offered for sale.

The personal service involves the visiting of golf courses by rep­
resentatives of the Green Section, for the purpose of advising or of­
fering suggestions concerning the problems with which the clubs are 
confronted. About thirty-five courses were visited during the year 
1926 by representatives of the Green Section and these visits were 
made usually at the request of the chairman of the green committee 
or some other official of the club. This is an important phase of the 
Green Section work because it offers opportunities to gain information 
as well as to render service. The demand for such service has been 
much greater than the Green Section has been able to supply owing to 
the limit in its personnel, and indications are that this demand will 
continue to increase as the work of the Green Section becomes better 
known.

This report only covers roughly the work of the Green Section, but 
I hope that this is sufficient to give a general idea of what is being 
done through the office in Washington.

Some U. S. Golf Association Decisions on the Rules of Golf
In a match play event, after approaching a green, both players 
find their balls in casual water on the green with a direct stymie 
resulting. What is the correct action here?

Decision.—We will call the contestants A and B, A being farthest 
from the hole. A was entitled to lift and replace his ball in accord­
ance with Rule 27 (3). Rule 6 directs that a ball must be played 
wherever it lies, or the hole be given up, except as otherwise provided 
for in the Rules. Rule 27 (3) is an exception to Rule 6. As each 
player has the right to lift in his turn, the stymie could not recur, 
A’s ball being played to the hole from the new position before B’s 
ball is placed in its new position. It is important to note that a ball 
lifted in accordance with Rule 27 (3) may not be placed on any spot 
not nearer to the hole, but must be placed on the nearest position to 
the spot from which it was lifted which affords a putt to the hole 
without casual water intervening.

One of the players in the President’s Cup Tournament in the first 
flight defaulted and then went into the Consolation, which he won. 
Some of the members of the club feel that if a player once defaults, he 

16 

January, 1927

is out of the tournament and can not enter into another class. Is 
there a definite ruling covering this?

Decision.—When a player has defaulted in a tournament in which 
he has qualified, he is not eligible to play in the Consolation or beaten 
eight division.

After driving a player finds his ball at rest in a pile of brush and 
leaves left by the groundkeeper near a tree on the right side of the 
course and nearly out of bounds. He drops the ball according to rule 
over his shoulder immediately back and within one club’s length of 
the brush pile. The contour of the ground was such that the ball 
rolled down the hill to the left 8 or 10 feet. Should he play the ball 
from where it rests or should he place it within a club’s length of the 
brush pile, and in the same relative position as originally found ?

Decision.—Rule 8 governs dropping ball. The ball must be played 
if it did not roll in a hazard unless there was not space to drop it. 
If there was not space Rule 27, Section 5, applies.

Rules of Golf Translated Into Spanish

The United States Golf Association has just received from the 
Mexico Golf Association a booklet wherein the entire Rules of Golf 
have been set up in Spanish. Harry Wright, President of the Mex­
ico Association, advises that the translation has been carefully made, 
is up to date and entailed a lot of hard work. On account of the grow­
ing interest in the game below the Rio Grande these rules in Spanish 
should be of great interest to the Spanish speaking players and help 
materially to a better understanding of the fine points in playing the 
ancient and honorable game. An interesting feature of the book is a 
picture showing that golf was played for the first time in Mexico at 
San Pedro de los Pinos in 1899. Also a picture of Willie Smith, one 
of the famous family of golfing Smiths,who was professional for many 
years at the Mexico City Country Club and is well remembered by the 
veteran golfers of Mexico. The Mexico Golf Association was formed 
in April, 1926, and its membership comprises the leading clubs of the 
country, namely: Chapultepec Heights, Guadalajara, Monterey, El 
Oro, Pachuca and Mexico City. The Mexico Association has modeled 
its constitution and activities along the lines of the U. S. G. A.

That the Green Section is becoming international in its influence 
is again illustrated by this letter recently received from the Secretary 
of the Magyar Golf Club of Budapest, Hungary.
Green Section of the United States Golf Association.

Gentlemen: The undersigned Magyar Golf Club of Budapest, 
Hungary, would be greatly obliged if you would send us your Bulletins 
on greenkeeping and constructing, not only the present publications 
but all up till today.

When we can’t get them without payment, please let us know on 

what terms are you ready to send us them?

Thanking you in advance for the kindness,

Cordially yours,

(Signed) Bela de Szlavy, Hon. Sec.

January, 1927

17

TREASURY DECISION 3950

TAX ON INITIATION FEES: REFUND OF TAX

Articles 10 and 15 of Regulations 43, Part 2, relating to the Tax on Dues and 

Initiation Fees (Section 501, Revenue Act of 1926), amended.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue 
Washington, D. C.

TO COLLECTORS OF INTERNAL REVENUE AND OTHERS CONCERNED:

Article 10 of Regulations 43, Part 2, relating to the tax on dues and initiation fees under the 
Revenue Act of 1926 is hereby amended by the elimination of the fourth and fifth paragraphs and 
Example 3 of that Article, and the substitution for the paragraphs eliminated, a paragraph read­
ing as follows:

“The term ‘initiation fees,’ as used in the statute means the payment of an amount for 
the purpose of becoming a member of a club and enjoying its privileges, and which .when 
paid is not intended to be returned to the person paying it. The term ‘initiation fees’ does 
not include amounts required to be paid by new members for stock, bonds, promissory notes, 
or certificates representing an interest in the property and assets of the club.”

Article 15 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Article 15—Refunds. Where any club or individual member of a club has paid to a col­
lector of internal revenue as a tax on dues or initiation fees, any amount subsequently de­
termined to have been erroneously or illegally assessed or collected, or any amount in ex­
cess of the amount of tax actually imposed for the month covered by that payment, or an 
amount as a penalty for the collection of which there was no authority, a refund of the 
amount so paid may be obtained by filing with the office of the collector to whom such pay­
ment was made a properly prepared claim on Form 843. (See Secs. 3220 and 3228, R. S., 
as amended.) 

“In any case where a club seeks a refund of an amount collected by it from its members 
and paid to the collector of internal revenue, a claim on Form 843 must be accompanied by 
a list of the members who paid such tax showing the amount of tax claimed on behalf of 
each member, and the date on which the amounts claimed were paid to the collector. There 
should also accompany the claim for refund a sworn statement of an authorized officer of 
the club to the effect that no prior claim for refund of any amount involved in such claim 
has been filed with the Bureau by or on behalf of any member, and that in the event a 
claim is filed by an individual member subsequent to the presentation of the claim filed by 
'the club, the club will assume the liability and satisfy the claim of the individual member 
to the amount refunded to the club on his behalf. 

“In any case where an amount was assessed by the Commissioner against the individual 
member and by him paid direct to the collector, a claim must be filed on Form 843 by such 
individual member for a refund of the amount alleged to have been erroneously assessed and 
paid, accompanied by proper evidence of such payment.”

, 

. 

. 

. 

. 

,

,

APPROVED: December 28, 1926.
GARRARD B. WINSTON,

Acting Secretary of the Treasury. 

Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Tr>
D. -H. BLiAlK,

Annual Green Section Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Green Section of the United States 
Golf Association was held in Pittsburgh this year at the Pittsburgh 
Athletic Association on January 7th and 8th, and the following pro­
gram conducted by Mr. Findlay S. Douglas, as Chairman. Mr. 
Douglas is also Vice-President of the U. S. G. A.:

Friday, January 7, 1927, 10.00 A. M.
ROLL CALL

Report of Chairman of the Green Section Committee............................ . ..... .....

.....................................................  Mr.  Rodman E. Gnscom, Philadelphia, Pa.

Annual Report of Chairman of Green Section.........................••••••,..............

............................................................Mr.  H. L. Westover, Washington, D. C.

BUSINESS MEETING

A Brief Review of the Activities and Accomplishments of the Green Section 
...............................................................Mr.  O. B. Fitts, Washington, D. C.
Grub Proofing of Turf..............................................
...................................Mr.  B. R. Leach, Riverton, N. J.

Additional Experiments in

18

January, 1927

Friday, January 7, 1927, 2.00 P. M.

Parasites of the Japanese Beetle............................. Mr.  J. L. King, Riverton, N. J.
Why the Green Section ?.........................................................................................

........Mr. Alex Pirie, President, Professional Golfers Association of America

Course Conditions in the Northern Latitudes...................................... . ...............

..........Major' C. A. Tregillus, Green Section of the Royal Canadian Golf Assn.

Some Observations on Construction and Maintenance Problems.....................

.......................................................................... Mr. H. K. Read, Philadelphia, Pa.
Observations on Turf Grass Experiments at Gainsville, Fla.. .Mr. H. L. Westover

Saturday, January 8, 1927, 10.00 A. M.

Progress in Brown-Patch Control......... Dr. John Monteith, Jr., Washington, D. C.
Southern Conditions.......................................... Dr.  Thomas P. Hinman, Atlanta, Ga.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
All questions sent to the Green Section will be answered in a letter 
to the writer as promptly as possible. The more interesting of these 
questions, with concise answers, will appear in this column each month. If 
your experience leads you to disagree with any answer given in this column, 
it is your privilege and duty to write to the Green Section.

While most of the answers are of general application, please bear in 
mind that each recommendation is intended specifically for the locality 
designated at the end of the question.

1. Relative value of commercial humus and other forms of humus. 
—Our attention has been called to your caution against the use of 
commercial humus. We have tried humus on our turf for years with 
great success, and have come to consider that commercial humus of 
good quality is one of the most valuable fertilizers obtainable. In our 
judgment it has no superior when mixed with a little ammonium sul­
fate and used on turf. Will you be kind enough to indicate to us 
your objections to the use of commercial humus? (Ohio.)

Answer.—Our experiments and the experience of golf clubs indi­
cate that one ton of well-rotted manure is worth about five tons of 
commercial humus, measured by the effect produced on turf. Further­
more, in many cases commercial humus has been found to be injurious 
to turf. By commercial humus we mean the more or less well-aerated 
peat such as the surface soil on peat farms. This commercial humus 
is often reinforced with chemicals. There are various other sources 
of humus besides peat, namely, decayed sod, decayed roots in the soil, 
leaf mold and, most important of all, barnyard manure. The only 
case where we can see that a golf club can afford to use muck or peat 
is where it has deposits of it on its course then they can well afford 
to use this material in the making of compost. As for the benefits 
you have experienced from the combined use of commercial humus 
and ammonium sulfate, it would of course be impossible to determine 
whether the benefits were due to the ammonium sulfate or to the 
humus unless these two materials were used separate from each other 
and on adjoining pieces of turf.

January, 1927

19

2. Fertilizers for putting greens and fairways.—^Kindly give us 
your experience, if any, with * * * Fertilizer, made by * * * 
Co. Their salesman advises that it is far superior to any other fer­
tilizer, being better even than bone meal. (Pennsylvania.)

Answer.—There are countless mixed fertilizers on the market 
and it is simply out of the question for us to experiment with all of 
them. The net result of an enormous amount of work that we have 
done on putting greens is that the best of all fertilizers is either 
ammonium sulfate or ammonium phosphate combined with topdress­
ing. For fairways, barnyard manure, everything considered, is usu­
ally the best fertilizer. In the absence of barnyard manure we should 
prefer organic fertilizers such as bone meal, cottonseed meal, fish 
scrap, and tankage, although good results may be expected with many 
of the commercial mixed fertilizers.

3. Can brown-patch be spread by mowers?—From this season’s 
experience with brown-patch I am convinced that it is very con­
tagious and can be carried from one green‘‘to another by mowers. Is 
this true ? (Illinois.)

Answer—On page 137 of the June, 1926, number of The Bul­
letin there is a diagram of the fungus growing within the leaf tissue. 
If such an infected grass blade is placed on healthy grass under favor­
able conditions the fungus will grow out from it and attack near-by 
grass blades and in this way start a new brown-patch. Such blades 
are used in our experimental work to make artificial inoculations. 
Under golf course conditions such infested grass undoubtedly accounts 
for the spread of the disease to some extent. It may be carried on 
mowers or other machinery or even on the feet of players. The suc­
cess of attempts to prevent the spread of the disease by control of 
these means of inoculation will probably always be difficult. Daily 
inspection of all greens for evidence of infection is imperative and 
will not be neglected by any club desiring to reduce damage to a min­
imum. Delay of even a half day in the application of proper fungi­
cides may be disastrous.

4. Depth of top soil necessary for a sandy subsoil.—Our ground 
is very sandy. Would you advise building a green over more than 3 
inches of top soil? (Minnesota.)

Answer.—We think you will get entirely satisfactory results with 
3 inches of a moderately heavy loam on top of sandy soil. The sand 
ought to provide ample drainage, and you can control the fertilizing 
of the grass entirely from the top.

5 Tile drainage for built-up greens.—A question has arisen as to 
whether it is necessary to use tile drainage with a built-up green. 
Our soil is rather heavy. (Louisiana.)

Answer.—We do not consider tile drainage necessary for a built 
up green—that is, a green which is elevated both in front and rear 
above the surface level. Where the natural soil drainage is ample, it 
is the best drainage obtainable, even on relatively heavy soil.

MR. SOUTHERN GREEN COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN:

One of the criticisms that the Green Section has met with during past years 
is that it is not doing much for the South. This criticism, however, is not entirely 
justified. It is true that, with funds available, the Green Section has not been 
able to conduct as extensive experiments with Southern turf grasses as it desired, 
but much of value is being accomplished along this line. So far as The Bulletin 
is concerned the South has come in for its full share of attention, as indicated by 
the following statistics:

During the past year 46 signed articles were published. Of these articles 34 
were of general interest, 5 of interest to the North only, and 7 of interest to the 
South only.

Of the 55 short paragraphs, news items, and editorials published, 6 were of 

interest to the North; 46 of general interest, and 3 of interest to the South.

The Meditations of A Peripatetic Golfer and Letters to Mr. Green Committee 

Chairman have all contained meat for those who were looking for it.

Four Southerners who are exceptionally able green committee chairmen were 

asked to deliver addresses at the Annual Meeting of the Green Section.

Of the 86 Questions and Answers published in The Bulletin during the past 
year, 37 applied to the North; 5 to the South, and 44 to all alike, but as the Green 
Section has over 800 Northern members and only just over 100 Southern ones, 
this ratio will be found to be proportionate to the membership figures.

The Green Section has long wished to help you more than it has so far been 
able to. These statistics from The Bulletin are only the expression of a deter­
mination to help you to the fullest extent possible.

It is almost certain that our experimental work in the South will soon be much 

more extensive and of greater value than in the past.

The South has not been forgotten by the Green Section.

THE GREEN SECTION.