USGA JOURNAL COMBINING TIMELY TURF TOPICS PEBBLE BEACH The picturesque short seventh of the lovely California course, where the USGA Women’s Amateur Championship is being played this year Julian P. Graham photo IISGA JOURNAL COMBINING TIMELY TURF TOPICS PUBLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION Permission to reprint articles herein is freely granted provided credit is given to the USGA Journal. VOL. I, NO. 5 ~ SEPTEMBER, 1948 Through the Green.................................................................... 1 Age, 13; Score, 77: George Pratt............................................. 5 When Vardon Wore Suspenders: O. B. Keeler................ 6 Ignorance of the Amateur Code: Edward B. Leisenring. . 7 Junior Shcws Dad How: Richard S. Tufts....................... 8 Pebble Beach and the Ladies................................................ 10 Timely Turf Topics: USGA Green Section......................... 12 What is a Championship Course?: William B. Langford. 17 “Freak of Fortune” (the Stymie) : Richard D. Chapman. 18 Notes on the Public Links Event............................................. 20 The Referee: Rules of Golf Decisions..................................22 It’s Your Honor: Letters.......................................................... 25 Subscriptions: $2 per year; seven issues per year: Spring, June, July, August, September, Autumn, Winter. Single copies—30 cents. Subscriptions, articles, photographs, and correspondence (except pertaining to Green Section matters) should be addressed to: 73 East 57th Street UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION New York 22, N. Y. Correspondence pertaining to Green Section matters should be addressed to: Plant Industry Station USGA GREEN SECTION Room 307, South Building Beltsville, Md. Edited by Joseph C. Dey, Jr. and John P. English. Editorial Advisory Committee—John D. Ames, Chairman; Isaac B. Grainger, James D. Standish, Jr. All articles are voluntarily contributed. PRINTED IN U.S.A. USGA COMPETITIONS . Schedule for 1949 Dates entries close in the schedule below mean the last dates for applications to reach the USGA office. Chanpionship Open Entries Close May 16 Sectional Qualifying Rounds May 31 Championship Dates Jpne 9-10-11 Amateur Public Links Junior Amateur —. — — — — — Feitue Medinah C. C. Medinah, Ill. El Rancho G. C. Los Angeles, Cal. — Amateur Aug. 1 Aug. 16 Aug. 29 - Sept. 3 Oak Hill C.C. Pittsford, N. Y. Women’s Amateur Aug. 22 None - Sept. 12-17 Merion G. C. Ardmore, Pa. USGA Journal: September, 1948 1 THROUGH THE GREEN Ringing the Bell String Tournament The 18th hole at the Highlands Country Club, Highlands, N. C., is a one-shotter of 185 yards across a lake, and it’s mostly carry. Off to the right, on the lake shore, is the home of Mr. James Floyd, of Atlanta, who loves both golf and good fun. Mr. Floyd has a big bell there which can make a pretty good noise if Mr. Floyd wants it to. Sometimes, of a summer’s day, after Mr. Floyd has finished a game over the lovely Highlands course, he sits in a ’vantage spot at his place and watches the golfers tee off at No. 18. If the ball takes a leap into the lake, and if the striker of the ball is a friend of Mr. Floyd, Mr. Floyd’s bell is very apt to herald the unhappy event. Mr. Floyd is not only a jolly good bell­ ringer but quite a golfer. He has made golf scores equal to his age, even this year, and we’re told he’s in his early 70’s. One of his happiest moments occurred this summer when he was past the cup on the 17th green in two shots, and it’s 495 yards from the tee. This event came a day after a charity exhibition match at Highlands in which Miss Dorothy Kirby and Richard Garling- ton won from Miss Louise Suggs and Robert T. Jones, Jr. The referee was Mr. Veazey Rainwater, for many years president of the Southern Golf Association and formerly a USGA Executive Committeeman. His many friends will be pleased to know that he is still on his game—had a 69 this year. Mr. Rainwater, in short, is still a pretty poor customer for Mr. Floyd’s bell. The Women’s Long Island Golf Associa­ tion tied a string tournament to its schedule this summer. Some Californians are said to know what it’s all about, but in case you don’t, here goes: String is used as a method of taking handicap strokes, usually in mixed four­ somes. After a pair has had its handicap determined, it is given a piece of string, carefully measured to allow one foot of string for each handicap stroke. Thus, if your team is handicapped at 10, you get 10 feet of string. You can use your string piecemeal to advance the ball instead of playing strokes. If you’re in an unplayable lie in the rough, you may measure with the string from your ball to the place you long to be, drop the ball, and cut off the amount of string used. You can do the same thing in a bunker, for example, or to hole a putt. When your piece of string is all used up, you’re back on your own. The Long Island ladies’ association held its tournament as a family mixed foursome, match play against par. The winners were Mrs. V. D. Crisp and her 16-year-old son Peter, of the Piping Rock Club, after a tie with Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Babcock, also Piping Rock. The string is usually put to best advan­ tage on the putting greens, but practically endless uses come to mind as you play this heavenly game. Veteran string-users have found string to be magically elastic. They advise, how­ ever, not to wait too long to use up your string, else you may be left holding the string instead of the prize. From Tee to Tree It turns out that Charley Yates isn’t the only one who has done a golfing para- 2 USGA Journal: September, 1948 Life with Junior Seen and Heard at the USGA’s First Junior Amateur Championship at the University of Michigan: A mother giving advice to her boy as his match went to an extra hole: “Now, play carefully, son.” Mike Flanagan, of Memphis, playing in his first tournament, surprised when Curtis Brown, of Phoenix, shook his hand after Mike scored a birdie 3 on the 15th hole of their first-round match. “What’s it for?” asked Mike. “You won, 5 and 3,” said Curt. “Gosh, I thought I was just 2 up playing this hole,” Mike said. “I wasn’t keeping score—I was just playing.” Col. Lee S. Read, of Louisville, Secre­ tary-Treasurer of the Southern Golf Asso­ ciation and member of USGA Sectional Affairs Committee, serving as starter and introducing opponents with Southern gra­ ciousness. Col. Read is a generous con­ tributor to all that is best in the game. He volunteered as chief scorekeeper in the Amateur Public Links Championship at Atlanta and did a superb job. W. B. (Babe) Crawford, a director of the University of Michigan Club of De­ troit, pleased as could be over the way things went. He was largely instrumental in arranging for use of the University course. . A mother shagging balls for her prac­ ticing son. Favorite Shot When you ask a good player what his favorite shot is, you usually get an ortho­ dox answer. Not so Ben Hughes, of Portland, Ore., runner-up in this year’s Amateur Public Links Championship. “Favorite shot?” says Ben. “When it goes in the hole—and I don’t care where it’s played from.” phrase of Joyce Kilmer’s poem “Trees” (see USGA Journal for June). Now along comes another version, au­ thor unknown as far as we know, origi­ nally published for HQS Command, USAFE, in the Wiesbaden Post and just forwarded to us by Col. Lee S. Read, of Louisville. It goes like this: I think that I shall never see A hazard rougher than a tree; A tree o’er which my ball must fly If on the green it is to lie; A tree which stands that green to guard, And makes the shot extremely hard; A tree whose leafy arms extend To kill the mashie shot I send; A tree that stands in silence there While angry golfers rave and swear. Niblicks were made for fools like me ll7ho cannot even miss a tree. Record Entry The entry list for this year’s USGA Amateur Championship was far and away the largest ever received—1,222, as com­ pared with the previous high of 1,118 in 1936. It was the second USGA record entry of the year, the Open having attracted 1,412. Unfortunately, some of the aspirants for the Amateur had deadline trouble, as usual. Approximately 400 entries were received on the last day. More than 60 could not be accepted, most of them being late. One entry which just beat the deadline was contained in an envelope well covered with postage stamps, notations about spe­ cial delivery and air mail, and the follow­ ing little message in a box: Please Deliver Me by 5 P.M. Today August 2,1948 Some of the players couldn’t locate one of the 9,000 entry blanks we distributed, but they dug up 1947 blanks. USGA Journal: September, 1948 3 SPORTSMAN’S CORNER Last year, when the USGA Open Cham* pionship was to be played at St. Louis, entries for St. Louis’ sectional qualifying rounds were so numerous that two courses were used. Belle* rive and Glen Echo. To add to the difficulty, the courses were soggy. For the morning rounds, the local of­ ficials allowed players to improve their lies at both courses. In the afternoon, however, when the two halves of the field exchanged courses, condi­ tions had become better. Thus, the starter at one course instructed contestants to play their balls as they lay in the second round. But the starter at the other course permitted the other half of the field to continue playing preferred lies. Harold Wiley, professional at the Crawford County Country Club, Robinson, Ill., led the field with a 36-hole score of 145 and apparently had won the medal and a place in the Open Championship. However, when it was dis­ covered that half the field had improved their lies for 36 holes and half for only 18 holes, the rounds were cancelled and rescheduled for the following day. On the replay, Wiley shot 81 in the morning and picked up after six holes in the afternoon, failing to qualify. Wiley chanced to explain to Fred R. Dowd, President of the St. Louis District Golf Associ­ ation, that he had not been quite well and felt unable to stand the strain of playing 72 holes in two days. As Mr. Dowd says, “He did it in such a nice way, so uncomplainingly and so understanding- Harold Wiley ly—with such an appreciation of the unfor­ tunate misunderstanding that necessitated the replay—that I was terribly impressed by his utter good sportsmanship.” In recognition of Harold Wiley’s selfless at­ titude under difficult conditions, the St. Louis Association subsequently presented him with an appropriately inscribed watch. Alter Ego The Chairman of the USGA Champion­ ship Committee is Richard S. Tufts. The Secretary of the Carolina Golf As­ sociation is Richard S. Tufts. When the Chairman tells the Secretary about conduct of USGA sectional qualify­ ing rounds, and the Secretary reports the results to the Chairman, and the Chairman thanks the Secretary and invites him to the Championship, the to-do in the Tufts office is slightly out of the ordinary. State Lines The Alabama Golf Association’s Ama­ teur Championship was held this year at the Pensacola Country Club, and that’s in Florida; but there’s nothing unusual about it. The same thing happened in 1933 and 1937. What’s more, a Pensacola player won the 1937 event—Duncan McDavid. It all started back in 1925 when, because of Pensacola’s proximity to the Alabama scene of action, Guy E. Yaste appealed on behalf of the Florida club for the Alabama Association to admit Pensacolans. Request granted—and Mr. Yaste, a cross-handed player, got further down to cases by being medalist in 1928 and 1933. Gordon Smith, III, of the Mobile Coun­ try Club, has kept the Alabama title safe for Alabama the last two years. 4 USGA Journal: September, 1948 A View on the Stymie Fine Points George Trevor reported in the New York Sun as follows concerning the final of the 1948 New York Metropolitan Ama­ teur Championship, in which Ray Billows defeated Robert Sweeny, Jr.: “Say what you please against the stymie, that provocative situation lends spice to a golf match. Consider, for instance, the deft manner in which Sweeny curved his putt around the blockading ball of Billows on the third green. Ray laid Bob a dead stymie here. Instead of trying a risky jump shot with a niblick, Sweeny detected just enough borrow in the green slope to warrant an intentional hook. It came off perfectly, the ball describing a halfmoon arc in transit to the cup.” Indian Sign George Edmondson, of Tampa, Fla., doesn’t have much luck when he plays a Sherrill in the final of the Palma Ceia Golf Club championship. Twenty years ago he lost to Lawrence Sherrill. This summer he was defeated on the 36th hole by 17-year-old Lawrence Sherrill, Jr. Mr. Edmondson is a USGA Sectional Affairs Committeeman. Golf and Flog In Portland, Ore., a group of golfers has added to the vocabulary of the game by coining the term “flog.” Golf is a gentle­ man’s game, played by the rules, but flog, they say (reversing the spelling), is some other game, played without regard for the Rules of Golf. A golf-lover has suggested that the Rules of Golf specify that a ball, when lifted, be held between the thumb and forefinger, and in plain sight. To which another devotee replied: “My own opinion is that the sportsman­ ship of the game will be best served with a minimum of regulations and a maximum of appeal to the honor of players. “Anyone who wants to avoid courteous procedure can always do so, but he cer­ tainly ought to give up golf.” Scoring Probabilities Lew Lasman and Bill Alstrand of the Fox Hills Golf Club, Culver City, Cal., have gone over 1,000 scorecards which members turned in for handicap purposes, and emerged with a statistical chart show­ ing the average and mean scores for each hole on the course last year. The chart is posted on the bulletin board, so that mem­ bers may know what to expect when they start a round. Add a Glow Add a glow of satisfaction To your exercise and fun By a kindness to your caddie Just as though he were your son. T. G. McMahon Cyril Walker We record with regret the passing of Cyril Walker, USGA Open Champion in 1924. USGA Journal: September, 1948 5 AGE, 13; SCORE, 77 By GEORGE PRATT The Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, Wash. Tow-headed Dale Lingenbrink, 13, Tiny Tad Golf Champion of the State of Wash­ ington, may grow up into quite a golfer if he subtracts strokes from his score as he adds inches to his height and heft to his stature. With the Tiny Tad championship at stake in 18 holes of medal play at his home course, Olympic View, Dale scored a 77. That was only six strokes over men’s par, beat his nearest Tiny Tad rival by 10 strokes, missed the Tiny Tad record by one stroke, and was good enough to qualify him for the second day’s play in the State Junior Championship, held simultaneously with the Tiny Tad affair. Tad age limit is 13; Junior aspirants must be under 18. Dale is an eighth grader, plays basket­ ball, football and baseball in season, but pursues the golf ball all year ’round. Professional Ken Putnam, whose junior section captured both the State Junior title (Don Russell, 72-71—143) and the Tiny Tads (Lingenbrink, 77), declares: “Did you see that gallery of kids follow­ ing Dale and living and dying on every stroke with him ? That speaks better about what ki«d of a boy he is than anything I could say about him. He’s a good little golfer now. He may become a great one.” Dale has played golf 5 years. His best 9-hole score: 37. Recently at Cedarcrest, a par 70, he did 18 holes in 75, his lowest score thus far. After winning the Tiny Tad title he ap­ peared in a foursome with a junior star, opposing a pair of veterans, former Walker Cupper Harry Givan and former State champion Forest Watson. What does he do best? Courtesy of Seattle Post-Intelligencer Dale Lingenbrink “Pitch and putt,” says Tiny Tad Lingen­ brink. “I’m not big enough to drive ’em yet.” The Tiny Tad tournament and State Junior are long-time promotions of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Olympic View Golf Club, Seattle. From them have come such players as Bud Ward, for­ mer USGA Amateur Champion; Scotty Campbell, Walker Cup player and former Canadian Amateur Champion; current Northwest Amateur Champion Glenn Sheriff (now only 19, he beat former Walker Cupper Jack Westland for the title this year in Victoria). In addition, the Seattle Public Links team of the past eight or ten years and the University team have been studded with young men who first gained headlines as Washington State Junior stars. Caddie Transportation Some clubs are short of caddies simply because transportation is too difficult for the youngsters. The Oneida Club in Green Bay, Wis., reports an effective solution in Caddie Shots, a publication of the Western Golf Association. The Club gives each caddie a red cap and instructs him to re­ port to any main road leading to the Club. The members pick up boys wearing the red caps. 6 USGA Journal: September, 1948 When Vardon Wore Suspenders By O. B. KEELER The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Ga. The other day I got one of the infre­ quent and always fascinating and treasured letters from Anthony Spalding, 11 Wolsey Road, Ashford, Middlesex, England, this time with a lot of clippings—cuttings, in English, you know. “You’ve spoken of (possibly) writing an historical story of golf,” said Tony “and you may find something in these cuttings, written 30 and 40 years ago, and more. Some by Horace Hutchinson, Bernard Dar­ win (then just starting), A. J. Robertson in Field; some I wrote in The Mail, 1902-1906. Back in the days when A. J. Balfour said in a speech that ‘the Scottifi- cation of England was taking place.’ . . .” A world of great stuff, in those “cut­ tings.” Tony Spalding was a newspaper reporter and a golf writer a long time ago ; he’s the surviving reporter who covered the first political address ever made by a young sprout named Winston Churchill. He was doing golf when I first met him over there in 1926. We’ve sort of cor­ responded ever since. And with the current switch in the golf­ ing costume from pants back to plus-fours in this country, and all the wise-cracks on how Gene Sarazen had always stuck to the knickers, I’ll just quote a few lines from Mr. Robertson in Field, written some 45 years ago, when Harry Vardon was in his prime, and the Haskell rubber-cored ball had just succeeded the gutty: “With the red coat disappearing, except among the oldest race of players, another modification is that the knickerbocker is not so popular as it once was on the golf links, for a good many players appear to have come to the conclusion that the trouser is a far more comfortable garment. The decision, too, which has led to the dis­ carding of the knickerbocker is not the prevalent notion, that the former wearer of the knickerbocker was glad to discard it for the trouser because there was a marked defect in the contour of his leg.” No, indeed! And the original prefer­ ence of the knickerbocker over the “trou­ ser,” for golf, was taken care of as follows: “Hitherto, the fashion has been to cut the trouser leg too narrow and make it too tight. What the golfer seems particularly to need, especially in fine and hot weather, is plenty of width about the haunches and the thighs.” Vardon’s Braces And this naturally brought up the ques­ tion of wearing “braces,” or suspenders, and here the great Vardon commits him­ self emphatically. “It is a curious fact that nearly all the best professionals today wear braces, no matter how important the match may be. Vardon’s hint is that braces hold the shoul­ ders together just as they ought to be for steady and successful play; an opinion in which John Henry Taylor also concurs, and one of the soundest pieces of advice given by the professionals who have studied every detail of the game. . . . An error made by the average amateur is that he has his golf clothing cut more for showing off the elegance of his form than in fitting his clothing to the free and unrestricted movements of his body.” Ah, well—and the “high collar” was disappearing at that time, among the dressy amateurs, some of whom had appeared on the links “in a stiffly starched collar almost as high as that for which Mr. Gladstone had earned notoriety in political carica­ ture.” And the red coat? You don’t remember when the aristocratic amateurs in the U. S. A. sported red coats? Ah, well, again—it went out of fashion over in Britain, too, yet— “The wearing of the red coat was indeed a custom based on sound principles of common-sense, because it served to protect both players and spectators. . . .” We still wear red caps, when deer-shoot­ ing. Or we ought to. Styles do change! USGA Journal: September, 1948 7 Ignorance of the Amateur Code By EDWARD B. LEISENRING Chairman, USGA Amateur Status and Conduct Committee A lew competitors in this year’s Ama­ teur Public Links Championship each ac­ cepted a couple of golf balls, without pay­ ment, from an over-zealous representative of a golf ball manufacturer. A USGA investigation disclosed con­ vincingly that neither the players nor the donor were familiar with the pertinent clause in the Rules of Amateur Status. One breaches the Rules (after the 18th birthday) for “Accepting without appro­ priate payment golf balls, clubs or other golf merchandise from anyone dealing in golf merchandise.” This and several other recent unwitting violations indicate that many amateur golf­ ers need to learn the amateur code. The code appears in every copy of the many thousands of Rules of Golf books issued by the USGA (page 62 in the 1948 edition) and on every entry form for a USGA com­ petition. With colleges now re-opening, promis­ ing young players should note a clause which is new this year. It is aimed against proselyting and athletic scholarships, and it provides that the Definition of an Ama­ teur Golfer is violated by anyone who, after his 18th birthday, because of golf skill or golf reputation, accepts the benefits of a scholarship or any other consideration as an inducement to be a student in an insti­ tution of learning. The advisability of such a rule has been questioned, but it is self-evident that it is in keeping with the Amateur Definition, namely: “An amateur golfer is one who plays the game solely as a non-remunera- tive or non-profit-making sport.” On the other hand, it is permissible to accept a scholarship won as a prize in a recognized golf competition before the 18th birthday even though the period of such scholarship may extend beyond the 18th birthday. With further regard to unwitting viola­ tions, a player won an automobile (worth more than $100) in a hole-in-one contest. He thereby forfeited amateur status. The event’s sponsor contended that it “was not a recognized golf tournament, ac­ tually no tournament in any sense of the word, but rather a charity benefit for a wonderful cause.” But the event was played with golf clubs and balls. It was therefore a golf event, and golf skill paid off—it was not croquet or table tennis. And the amateur code pro­ hibits accepting a prize or testimonial of retail value exceeding $100 or which is readily convertible into money. Thus, the player has to wait two years before he may be reinstated to amateur status. A driving range operator gave instruc­ tion to some of his patrons. He did not receive direct compensation for it. But who could say that his business did not profit from his great concern for his cus­ tomers’ playing troubles and his instruc­ tion of them? Thus, he was ruled not an amateur. The same ruling applies to in­ struction by an employee as well as an operator of a golf facility. On the matter of expenses, it .bears re­ peating that a player, after his 18th birth­ day, may not accept expenses, in money or otherwise, in connection with a golf competition or exhibition (except from one on whom he is normally dependent). That is the basic rule. There are four specific exceptions to it, but they apply only in specific cases, such as Walker Cup and Curtis Cup Matches. What is the position of a player who, after ceasing to violate the Amateur Rules, has applied to the USGA for reinstatement and is undergoing the two-year probation­ ary period before his application can be considered? The answer is that he is not an amateur until he has been reinstated. The USGA urges all tournament spon­ sors to cooperate fully in upholding the integrity of the amateur code. In the long run, it will produce most fun and maximum fair play for everybody. 8 USGA Journal: September, 1948 Junior Shows Dad How By RICHARD S. TUFTS Chairman, USGA Championship Committee From the viewpoint of an official, the USGA’s first Junior Amateur Champion­ ship, held on the University of Michigan Golf Course at Ann Arbor last month, can be described only as an unqualified suc­ cess. The only question might be whether the .contestants could have enjoyed the event .as much as the officials. Certainly it is true that dad has much to learn from junior in the spirit in which the game was played at Ann Arbor. There was a keenness and freshness in the play that .was most inspiring; the boys were obviously playing for the love of the game, they accepted defeat and the breaks of the game cheerfully, and alibis or kicks were conspicuous by their absence. It had been one of the USGA’s major purposes in conducting the event to develop in these boys, new to tournament golf, an understanding of the game’s more impor­ tant technical features, some knowledge of its background, and an appreciation of the spirit in which it should be played. As far as the attitude of the boys was concerned, the officials found little to do but encourage them in their present fine spirit. As to the technical side, there could never be a group more anxious and earnest to learn, and much was accomplished in this respect. Three evening meetings were held at the Championship, all well attended. For the first, Mr. Francis Ouimet flew out from Boston to talk to the boys from his long and outstanding experience with golf. There followed a question-and-answer period on the Rules. The second night was devoted to tech-. nical matters, with Mr. Fielding Wallace, USGA President, discussing the operation of the USGA; Mr. James D. Standish, Jr., the amateur question, and Mr. John D. Ames, the regulations on clubs and balls. The last night was given over to moving pictures of famous players and events. One of the happy features was the large number of parents who attended the Cham­ pionship with their boys. This gave the event a family atmosphere and, inciden­ tally, dad and junior went to school to­ gether during the evening conferences. Much of the success of the first Cham­ pionship can be credited to the fine facili­ ties available at the University of Michi­ gan and the wonderful cooperation of the college officials, particularly Bert Katzen- meyer, coach of the University golf team, and his assistants. The .golf course was in good condition and provided an excellent test for the boys. The services and fa­ cilities at the Michigan Union, where most of the boyS and officials stayed, left noth­ ing to be desired. Unquestionably, a col­ lege location is ideal for an event of this character. There can be no doubt that.the tourna­ ment was enjoyed by the boys. The ma­ jority expressed their personal apprecia­ tion to the USGA representatives before leaving—certain evidence of either excel­ lent training at home or a very real enjoy­ ment of the event, but most probably a combination of the two. Typical of the many nice things said was the statement of one boy who con­ cluded: “I have learned more about golf during this week at Ann Arbor than dur­ ing all my previous experience with the game.” The Championship was entirely at match play, seven rounds of 18 holes each. The 128 players earned their places from among a total entry of 495 in 18-hole sectional qualifying rounds held at 41 locations. The first name to go on the new Cham­ pionship bowl is that of Dean Lind, of Rockford, Ill. He defeated another 17- year-old in the final, Kenneth Venturi, of San Francisco, 4 and 2. Dean was even par for the last 13 holes and had three birdies in that stretch. Young Lind’s cousin, Dave Barclay, won the 1947 National Collegiate Cham­ pionship over the same course. Dean plans to follow in his cousin’s footsteps to the USGA Journal: September, 1948 9 Finalists in First USGA Junior Championship Dean Lind (left), winner, and Kenneth Venturi, the runner-up Ann Arbor News extent of matriculating at Michigan this fall. Dean has a fine swing, but says he has never taken a golf lesson except from his father, who is an 80-90 player. Dean plays at the Sandy Hollow municipal course in Rockford. He has been prominent in Western Junior Championships. Ken Venturi also comes from a golf­ loving family. His mother, Mrs. Fred Venturi, is active in the Women’s Golf Association of Northern California. Ken has played four years, is a high school senior, and is San Francisco scholastic champion. In the semi-finals, Lind won from Reggie Myles, Jr., promising son of a professional at Lansing, Mich., and Venturi defeated Robert H. Black, of Jenkintown, Pa. Lowest score in the sectional qualifying rounds was a 69 by Warren Higgins at Dallas. ... In 37 of the 41 sections, it took a score under 80 to win the medal . . . Don and Ron Guariglia are twins who tied for low score in the St. Louis try­ outs. Both won their first-round matches at Ann Arbor and lost in the next round. They once were finalists in a tournament back home, and it took 20 holes to separate them. ... At Ann Arbor there was an 18-hole consolation stroke play for players who lost in the first round, and John Ed­ monds, of Bremerton, Wash., won with a 76 . . . Henry Picard, former PGA Cham­ pion, would have been delighted had he seen his son Bill win a 19-hole match by playing a full midiron to within six feet and holing a birdie 3. The youngest player was one of the successful. Mason Rudolph, of Clarksv is just 14, but he won four matches. 10 USGA JOURNAL:September, 1948 Pebble Beach and the Ladies It has been eight years since the USGA Women's Amateur Championship was held at Pebble Beach. The return of the tourna- ment to the famous Cali fornia course this month points up sharply the changes in the cast of leading players which have occurred in the meantime. You would naturally expect eight years to bring forward new players of promi- nence and to dull the skill of some others. the changes among the ladies have But every Champion been unusual because from 1938 through'1947 has turned pro- fessional. They are Miss Patty Berg, Miss Betty Jameson, Mrs. Frank Newell (Miss Elizabeth Hicks), Mrs. George Zaharias, and Miss Louise Suggs, winner last year. This year's Championship is the 48th in the USGA Women's Amateur series. Its to schedule of play is in marked contrast the first event, which was held in Novem- ber of 1895 at the J\1:eadow Brook Club on Long Island. There were just 13 entrants in the first tournament, and they decided the Cham- pionship by a single stroke play round of 18 holes. Mrs. C. S. Brown was the win- ner with a score of 132. At Pebble Beach the schedule starts with an 18-hole qualifying round to determine 64 qualifiers, followed by six match play rounds, five at 18 holes and the final at 36. Pebble Beach is one of the two courses of the Del Monte Golf and Country Club. This is the fourth USGA competition to be played there. At Del Monte in the Nineties in California. The Monterey Peninsula is inseparably linked with golf Two or three California courses may be older than the old Del Monte course, but Del Monte was the first of national importance, and it was the first site of a State-wide tourna- ment. Golf was first played at Del Monte in the late nineties. The Del Monte tournament was started in 1897, and in 1913 it was merged with the State Amateur Champion- ship for men. The women's tournament played at the same time is still known as the Del Monte Championship for ~pmen. The first winner of the State Aiti~teur was J. F. Neville, who played on.> the USGA Walker Cup Team at St. Andrews in 1923 and who won the State five times, having been champion as late as 1929. He first played in 1907 as a boy. The California State Golf Association was formed in 1912. That was the first year of the State Championship and the last of the old Del Monte Championship, both events being held separately and a week apart. Jack Neville won both. The next year the two tournaments became one and have remained such ever since. Neville has won the event more times than any other. Among the fine golfers who have been California champions were Scotty Armstrong, Dr. Paul Hunter, and George include Von Elm. Those still at the front Roger Kelly, Ernest Pieper, Jr., and Bruce l\fcCQrmick. Amateur Architects In 1915 a course along the shore at Peb- ble Beach \vas conceived. The World War was in its second year, and none of the great golf architects was immediately avail- able. The men selected to make the first tentative layout were Neville and Douglas Grant. Grant was also a State champion; for twenty years he had lived in England and had been recognized there as a top- In addition, he was a student flight player. of golf architecture and had a personal sketch book with detailed drawings of the great holes of the world. is an extraordinary tribute to these two amateurs that, with all the talent which later studied the Pebble Beach course and the brilliant architects who were employed to make recommendations about it, the orig- inal layout is almost exactly the course as is played today. But Chandler Egan it must be given credit for the greens and the bunkers as they now exist. It As soon as the Pebble Beach course be- came seasoned, the State Amateur Cham- pionship was moved there from Del :Monte, and it has been held there ever since. Shortly after the first war, the late Miss USGA JOURNAL: September, 1948 11 Home Hole T he 18th hole at Pebble Beach curves along Carmel Bay. Beware a hook to the rocky beach below the fairway! T he Santa Lucia Mountains are seen in the background. Marion Hollins originated the Pebble Beach Championship for Women and won it the first six years it was played. She won as recently as 1942, three years before her death. Pebble Beach has been played by great players from all over the world, and only once, it is said, has one of them had a criticism to offer. Long Jim Barnes looked up from a shot which he had badly topped and, gazing out over the blue waters of Carmel Bay to the Santa Lucia Mountains, he remarked with a broad Cornish accent that it was so "dommed" beautiful he couldn't keep his mind on the game. Looking Back In 1929 the USGA Amateur Champion ship was played at Pebble Beach. This was the year when John Goodman beat Bob Jones in the first round, and Jimmy Johnston defeated Dr. O. F. Willing in the final. In 1940 the 44th USGA Women's Amateur Championship was held at Pebble Beach, with Miss Betty Jameson the win ner for the second successive year. Last year Pebble Beach was again the scene of the USGA Amateur, and Skee Riegel won. Bing Crosby's annual pro-amateur invi tational tournament was brought to the Monterey Peninsula for the first time in fixture. It is an 1947 and has become a unique tournament of 54 holes over three beautiful courses, Cypress Point Club, Monterey Peninsula Country Club and Peb ble Beach. It will be held again early in January, 1949. Proceeds go to the Sister Kenny Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. In 1925 Cypress Point came into exist ence, and in the same year the Shore Course of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club was opened. Thus, there are four top courses within a radius of three miles of a central point of the Del Monte Forest, in addition to the municipal course at Pa cific Grove, nine holes laid out by Chandler Egan. Competent authorities rarely mention great courses without including both Pebble Beach and Cypress Point, and hypothetical composite golf courses usually include holes from both of them. But these links, better known as they are, are not as popular with the rank-and-file of players as the much- loved old Del Monte Number One and the Shore Course of the Peninsula Club. 12 USGA Journal: September, 1948 TIMELY TURF TOPICS from the USGA Green Section The “Yearbook of Agriculture, 1948” is entitled “Grass.” It contains a wealth of information on all phases of grass culture, and a rather large portion of the text is devoted to the turf uses of grass. The title of this section is “Grass for Happier Living.” Clinton P. Anderson, Secretary of Agri­ culture at the time, says in the Foreword: “Grass can make beautiful the hillsides, schoolyards, roadsides, farmsteads; in do­ ing so it brings greater utility and efficiency. “Beauty also brings serenity, and serenity is a quality we and the troubled world need.” The following abstracts and quotations are taken from articles in the Yearbook: Sod Is Ideal for Playing Fields By Fanny-Fern Davis, George E. Harrington This article points out the unsightliness of athletic fields not covered by turf and the dangers of injury to the players on bare ground or on cinders and other types of surfaces. Some of the difficulties of growing grass under conditions of constant, hard usage are discussed. Three problems are listed which must be solved before satisfactory turf may be maintained: “First, the soil must be put into satisfac­ tory condition before planting. “Second, a wise selection of the grass species to use must be made, consideration being given to- climatic adaptation, plant­ ing season, planting method, and mainte­ nance practices to be followed. “Third, the recreation director and grounds manager must cooperate to meet the requirements of the turf.” Under the heading of choosing the grass the authors say: “The grasses that will survive under turf conditions are more or less limited in the: climatic conditions they will tolerate. Con­ sequently the correct selection of the species of grass may determine success or failure. “Some of the characteristics that should be sought in selecting a grass or grasses to be used on a playing field are: “It must develop a good root system in spite of almost constant defoliation throughout the growing season. “Its leaves should be erect, of a good color throughout the playing season, and reasonably fine in texture. “It should spread laterally and produce a dense, tough, wear-resistant ground cover either by the production of an interwoven mass of roots and rhizomes underneath the soil or an interwoven mass of stolons on the surface of the soil. “It should show a marked resistance to diseases and insect attacks. “All other conditions being equal, low- growing species and strains are more de­ sirable than the tall strains because of re­ duced mowing costs.” Pointers on Making Good Lawns By Fred V. Grau, Marvin H. Ferguson The authors list the steps necessary in building a good lawn and the steps neces­ sary for the proper maintenance of a lawn. Fertilization, liming, mowing, watering, rolling, weed control, insect control and disease control are maintenance practices discussed. Grasses suitable for lawns in the various areas of the country are listed together with the requirements of those grasses. The authors point out: “To keep weeds out, grow good grass— that is, proper management of the turf is the most important phase in the growing of a weed-free lawn. A good, healthy turf will not allow weeds to encroach. Any weed-control measure must be accompanied by appropriate fertilizer practices, and re­ seeding where necessary to fill in bare spaces:” USGA Journal: September, 1948 Greenswards in the Cooler Regions By H. B. Musser, J. A. DeFrance Grasses adapted to the cool, humid re­ gions are discussed thoroughly. With reference to seed mixtures, the authors have this to say: “It has been demonstrated repeatedly that the ultimate turf population resulting from a seed mixture depends to a greater extent upon the soil and climatic environ­ ment than upon the relative quantities of each species in the mixture. The best mixture is that which contains species best adapted to the particular location, in quan­ tities sufficient to provide permanent turf at normal seeding rates. Because of the more rapid growth rates of the temporary grasses, it is generally accepted that they will seriously retard development of the permanent species when present in quanti­ ties exceeding one-fifth of the total.” Fertilization and liming practices, mow­ ing requirements and the proper use of herbicides also are discussed. Greenswards in the Warmer Regions By G. W. Burton, D. G. Sturkie The authors stress the importance of making the proper choice of the grass species to use for any given purpose. Soil preparation for the lawn, watering prac­ tices, and lime and fertilizer requirements are discussed. They state: “A good rule to follow in building the lawn is to prepare all the soil as if it were to be a flower bed. Pennies spent in such preparation will grow to dollars in savings in maintenance costs.” Concerning maintenance, the authors say: “Perhaps the most important maintenance requirement and certainly the one most frequently neglected is adequate fertiliza­ tion. “If the lawn received a good application of complete fertilizer when it was estab­ lished and if the clippings are left on the lawn, nitrogen becomes the element most needed for satisfactory growth of the grass. Nitrogen improves the color, greatly stim­ ulates the growth, and enables the grass to choke out competing weeds. Many nitro­ 13 gen fertilizers are available, but nitrate of soda, cyanamid, and cottonseed meal are among the easiest to use. From 2 to 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet of nitrate of soda or granular cyanamid may be uni­ formly broadcast like seed over the lawn. “These materials should be applied when the grass is dry and should be watered in to prevent burning of the foliage. Five to ten pounds of cottonseed meal per 1,000 square feet supplies the same amount of nitrogen and will not burn the grass. These materials should be applied only when needed to thicken the sod and improve the color of the turf. Grasses like Bermuda­ grass, having high soil fertility require­ ments, will require more frequent applica­ tions than species like carpet and centi­ pedegrass. Putting too much nitrogen on carpet and centipedegrass may prove detri­ mental and cause them to give way to Bermudagrass. “On the poorer soils, a spring applica­ tion every third or fourth year of a com­ plete fertilizer such as 4-8-6 at a rate of 10 to 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet is de­ sirable. Adequate fertilization develops a dense, attractive sod in which weeds cannot become established.” Safety and Beauty for Highways By Frank H. Brant, Marvin H. Ferguson “By improving appearance, bringing about economy of maintenance, and con­ tributing to safety, grass is a prime item in the development of the modern com­ plete highway. . . . “The ideal grass cover for use areas is a low, dense, closely knit turf that will exist on stabilized soil on shoulders, sur­ vive any reasonable wear, and withstand the force of drainage runoff. . . . “Mulch overcomes several difficulties usually encountered in a new seeding. It provides protection against heavy rains which would cut rivulets and gullies in the seeded area. It prevents the soil from dry­ ing rapidly and baking on the surface, and it reduces the fluctuation of soil tempera­ tures. Thus it protects the young seedlings and enables them to become well established even under adverse conditions. . . . “It is better to take some chances on stretching the seeding seasons or better to' 14 seed twice than to lose the soil — or even the entire pavement and roadbed — by wait­ ing for just the right time to seed or sod or sprig. . . . “Along highways the shoulder area re­ quires sufficient stability to carry occa­ sional traffic. Grass cover on a highway may be beautiful and it may control erosion perfectly; nevertheless, it should not hide a shoulder soil that is soft or slick to the extent that vehicles forced to the shoulder will be endangered or inconvenienced. This is one of the most important points to be considered in the establishment of a turfed shoulder because it affects the vital factor of highway safety as well as beauty.” Airfields and Flight Strips By Ralph H. Morrish, Alton E. Rabbitt, Edwarb B. Cale “The establishment of adapted grasses and grass mixtures is the most effective and economical means of checking dust and erosion on airfields and flight strips where soil and climate are favorable. . . . “Local soil and climatic conditions will govern the composition of the seed mix­ ture to be planted and the rates and dates of seeding. The most desirable grasses are those that are adapted to local condi­ tions; that can form a dense sod; resist wear, heavy use and abuse, and drought; recover quickly after periods of hard use; bear heavy loads; require relatively low fertility; and be maintained easily and in­ expensively. . . . “The use of domestic ryegrass in seed mixtures has been a common practice as a means of insuring a quick cover. The competitive nature of this species for avail­ able plant food and moisture is such that its presence is usually harmful and inter­ feres with the rapid establishment of the desirable perennial species in the mixture. Where adapted, redtop is recommended in preference to domestic ryegrasses for in­ clusion in seed mixtures where a tempo­ rary or semipermanent species is required to provide quick cover. Domestic rye­ grass, if it is used, should not be more than 10 percent by weight of the seed mixture. Cereal grains, such as rye, oats, or wheat, as well as Sudangrass, may be used to pro­ vide temporary cover and dust control USGA Journal: September, 1948 when the grading work is completed during the months when seeding with desirable perennials is not advisable. . . . “The expense of top-soiling airfields and flight strips is seldom justified in the estab- ' lishment of desirable species of perennial grasses. Frequently the existing surface soil on an airfield site is of no higher fer­ tility than the subsoil material. If it has suitable physical structure, the graded sub­ soil material, although it may be infertile, can be made to produce a wear-resistant cover by the timely planting of adapted species and the heavy application of com­ mercial fertilizers of the correct analyses. “Any airfield or flight strip that war­ rants the expenditure of funds for the establishment of adapted perennial grasses also warrants the expenditure of additional funds to provide practical management and maintenance. A well-established sod repre­ sents a sizable investment and unless this investment is protected by timely mainte­ nance operations, the turf soon deteriorates; dust and erosion problems become evident; flight hazards in the form of ruts and gullies develop; weeds become dominant, and expensive renovation and reseeding projects become necessary.” Golf Is Played on Grass By Fred V. Grau, O. J. Noer “The best and most satisfactory turf is self-healing and produced from stolonifer- ous grass (creeping surface stems or run­ ners) or from rhizomes (underground creeping stems). . . . “We need new and better tee grasses, however. The grasses now available can­ not survive, as well as we should like, the terrific punishment from heavy play on the small tees of the daily fee courses. The public courses particularly need better grass. “In building new tees, or rebuilding old ones, it is good practice to follow these principles: “Make the tee large enough so there is time for the turf to recover before play is resumed from the same spot. Tees on iron-shot holes (the short par-3 holes) should be one-fourth to one-third larger USGA Journal: September, 1948 15 than the others to permit more frequent change of tee markers. . . . “Modem golf demands weed-free fair­ ways. A weed in golf turf is any plant that interferes with the accuracy of play and the enjoyment of the game — a defini­ tion that makes clover a weed on a golf course. Herbicides like arsenic acid, sodium arsenite, and 2,4-D can keep weeds out. . . . “No specific recommendations can be made for watering putting greens. The use of water must be based upon the need for it, common sense, and judgment. Pre­ vailing conditions, such as normal rainfall and drainage on the green, both surface and subsurface, will determine the amount and frequency of watering. The proper use of water is the key to good turf. “Many of the difficulties on putting greens can be traced to poor soil conditions which were either built into the green or have developed by compaction by foot and maintenance-machinery traffic.” . . . CONFERENCE DATES November 8-9, 1948............... West Virginia Dr. Edward Tyner, University of West Virginia, Morgantown, West Va. December 13-16............................. New York American Association of Economic Ento­ mologists, Hotel New Yorker, New York City. E. N. Cory, University of Maryland, College Park, Md. January 13-14, 1949............... ..........Maryland Mid-Atlantic Association of Greenkeep­ ers, at Lord Baltimore Hotel, Balti­ more, Md. E. N. Cory, University of Maryland, Col­ lege Park, Md. February 7-11.................................. California Greenkeeping Superintendents’ Associa­ tion, Alexandria Hotel, Los Angeles, Calif. A. L. Brandon, St. Charles, Ill. February 21-24............................Pennsylvania H. B. Musser, Pennsylvania State Col­ lege, State College, Pa. March 7-9............................................ Indiana G. O. Mott, Purdue University, Lafay­ ette, Ind. BELTSVILLE TURF FIELD DAY The first annual post-war open-invitation field day at the Beltsville Turf Gardens will be held Friday, October 15, 1948, start­ ing at 9:30 a.m., E.D.T. The program will be of broad general interest but special emphasis will be placed on grasses, mix­ tures and fairway turf management. Visi­ tors will see these features: 1. A 17-acre lawn of Alta fescue one year old. 2. Urea-form fertilizer trials on Alta fescue and on bent fairway turf. 3. U-3 Bermudagrass turf alone and in combination with cool-season grasses. 4. Zoysia japonica turf alone and in com­ bination with cool-season grasses. 5. Evaluation trials of strains of bent­ grasses under putting green and fairway management. 6. Zoysia turf established from seed. 7. Management studies on important grasses. 8. Strain testing of red and tall fescues. 9. Bentgrass fairway studies. 10. Nursery of Z-52 Zoysia japonica parent and seedlings. 11. Zoysia japonica progeny nursery and seed production studies. 12. Results of methods and time of seeding Zoysia. 13. Q-10 creeping red fescue progeny nursery. 14. Weed control. The Beltsville Turf Gardens are located at the Bureau of Plant Industry Station on U. S. Highway No. 1. The Plant Industry Station lies on the west side of the high­ way and is approximately four miles north of College Park, Md. ’Markers on the Station grounds will guide you to the plots. If you should lose your way, call the Green Section office and we can set you straight. The number is TOwer 6400, branch 277. Green committee chairmen are urged to attend with their superintendents. We sug­ gest that clubs consider the expense in­ volved in attending Field Days to be legiti­ mate club expense. Savings in maintenance expense through the adaptation of new ideas gathered at Field Day meetings will be many times the expense of attendance. 16 USGA Journal: September, 1948 CONTROL OF WEEDS IN SPECIAL-PURPOSE TURF WITH 2,4-D H. B. Musser, Professor of Agronomy, Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Sta­ tion, State College, Pa., has prepared Progress Report No. 1, July, 1948, which is abstracted as follows: The value of 2,4-D for the control of weeds in turf is generally recognized, but because of the fact that 2,4-D is regarded as a panacea, there is a lack of apprecia­ tion of the part that good management practices play in a weed-control program. Fall is the best time to kill dandelions, buckhorn, broadleaf plantain and white clover. The various formulations of 2,4-D are equally effective when they are used at this season. Liberal fertilizer applications are val­ INTERESTING READING “Insect Pests of Lawns.” E. G. Kels- heimer, Entomologist, Vegetable Crops Laboratory, Florida Agricultural Experi­ ment Stations, Bradenton, Fla. Press Bul­ letin 642, February, 1948. This Bulletin describes the insect and the control methods for chinch bugs, false chinch bugs, sod webworms, fall army worms, leafhoppers, grubs and mole crickets: “Many insects, both sucking and chewing, may be controlled by the use of a 3 or 5 per­ cent DDT dust applied at the rate of 30 pounds per acre* with a crank duster. Where isolated areas are infested, a puff duster may serve the purpose. Treat the infested area and several feet of the surrounding area. "If spraying is preferred, use 2 pounds of 50 percent wettable DDT powder in 100 gal­ lons of water and apply at the rate of 100 gallons per acre.f, “The fall armyworm is an exception in that DDT is not effective after the worm reaches a certain size (third instar). There are a number of compounds that may be used for this insect, such as methoxy DDT,4 chlordane and cryolite. Methoxychlor and chlordane are sold as wettable powders and may be applied as sprays, at the rate of 100 gallons per acre, of two pounds of 50 percent material to 100 gallons of water. If they are to be applied as dusts, use the methoxychlor as a 3 percent dust and chlordane as a 5 per­ cent dust. Both are relatively expensive ma­ terials and if the owner can be satisfied with a slower but effective kill, the use of cryolite as a 30-70 dust or as a spray at 6 pounds to 100 gallons is suggested. uable in insuring success in the weed­ control program. Fertilizer may be ap­ plied before or after a spray operation, or the 2,4-D may be mixed with the fertilizer. Clipping heights of inch and 1^4 inches did not influence the effectiveness of the 2,4-D. Spray treatments of more than 154 pounds of acid equivalent to the acre were not justified nor were more than 3 pounds to the acre applied dry. There is a con­ siderable margin of safety. One treatment is not satisfactory. The control program should include 2,4-D in the fall of two successive years, supplemented with liberal fertilization (and lime where needed). “Mole-crickets also require a stronger dose than the 3 or 5 percent DDT dust. A 25 per­ cent DDT in emulsifiable oil, one pint to 100 gallons of water, is effective. Apply one gallon of the diluted mixture to 10 square feet of lawn space with a sprinkling can. “Chlordane also controls mole-crickets, % pint of a 50 percent emulsion mixed with 100 gallons of water being satisfactory. It, too, is applied with a sprinkling can, one gal­ lon to 10 square feet of area. “Rhinoceros beetles can be killed by drop­ ping a fumigant, such as cyanide gas or carbon bisulphide, down the holes where they are working and then sealing the holes with a press of the heel.” * Roughly, 2/3 lb. per 1,000 sq. ft. t Roughly, 2 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. t Now known as methoxychlor. TURF FIELD DAYS September 8-9...........................Rhode Island For Greenkeepers, at Kingston, R. I. September 10............................ Rhode Island Second Annual Lawn and Garden Field Day. J. A. DeFrance, Rhode Island State College, Kingston, R. I. September 20-21.........................Pennsylvania H. B. Musser, Pennsylvania State Col­ lege, State College, Pa. September 27....................... Indiana G. O. Mott, Purdue University, Lafay­ ette, Ind. October 15....................................... Maryland Turf Gardens, Plant Industry Station, F. V. Grau, USGA Green Section, Belts­ Beltsville, Md. ville, Md. USGA Journal: September, 1948 17 What Is A Championship Course? By WILLIAM B. LANGFORD Member, American Society of Golf Course Architects The usual request made of a golf course architect by the construction committee of a new golf club is that he shall create a championship course. Most of the mem­ bers probably would prefer a layout they could enjoy—they should have one. How­ ever, a championship course can be made pleasant for the rank and file. The ability to make it so is the architect’s real test. The term “championship course” means various things to different golfers. There is no definite standard which stamps one course as championship and another as mine-run, nor is it possible or desirable to have such a standard. It is not desirable because the charm of golf lies in its variety, in the ever-changing mental and physical problems presented the player by weather, terrain, luck and his opponent. It is not possible because no two golf course sites are the same, and no two archi­ tects would design the same or probably even similar courses on any given site. Could he forget his previous production, any one designer would, in all likelihood, bring forth different layouts at each •suc­ ceeding attempt. Many champions owe their success to supreme competence in one of the various departments of the game: wood club play, long irons, short irons, chipping, putting, or recovery shots. Hence, the length of a course cannot alone measure its champion­ ship calibre. The player whose long woods and irons might make him invincible on one course could be in constant difficulty on a layout where tricky short shots predomi­ nate. Custom now dictates that a champion­ ship course must measure at least 6,500 yards. This is a fallacy, for the distribu­ tion of length much more than the total yardage determines a course’s character. A short course may present more long shots to the green than one of considerably greater total length. This can be illus­ trated by the following table, which shows Royal Poinciana Studio William B. Langford two hypothetical courses arranged in order of length: Course A Hole Calling for Long Shot to Green Length 480........ x 470..... .......... x 460................ x 450......... x 440________ x 430........ x -115—............. x 400 385 370 355 340 325 210............... 180 155 135 120 Course B Hole Calling for Long Shot to Green Length 570 555 540 480__ 465__ 450-.. 435__ 420__ 405 390 375 360 345 330 180 160 140 120 6,120 6,720 5 Course A contains eight holes affording long shots to the green, although it meas­ ures only 6,120 yards; while Course B, 600 yards longer, has only five holes calling for long wood or iron shots home. Any course, short or long, with 18 holes which require accuracy or distance and are sufficiently varied to test all departments of the game is a course fit for a champion­ ship. One which unduly rewards excel­ lence in any one shot is not a fair test of all-around ability and thus not of true championship status. 18 USGA Journal: September, 1948 “Freak of Fortune” By RICHARD D. CHAPMAN USGA Amateur Champion 1940, Runner-up British Amateur Championship 1947, Member of USGA Walker Cup Team 1947 The stymie, which has been played as a part of the game almost continuously since its origin, has been the subject of much controversy, especially in the past decade. The traditional British (R. and A.) rule provides that when both balls lie within six inches of each other on the putting green, the ball nearer the hole may, at the option of either'player, be lifted until the other ball is played; whereupon the lifted ball shall be replaced. In 1938 the United States Golf Associa­ tion modified the British version by adding a provision that (when both balls are on the putting green) if the nearer ball lies within six inches of the hole, it may be lifted at the option of either player until the other ball is played. After trial in 1938-39-40, the USGA rule was made per­ manent. Henry Longhurst, well-known English author and golf correspondent, has been one of the staunchest supporters of the British stymie rule. However, after my fifth-round match in the British Amateur Championship last May, in which I was laid five stymies and lost on the 19th hole as a result of the fifth, Henry completely reversed his hitherto unswerving belief in this feature of the game. In an article in the London Times entitled “Woeful Ob­ struction,” he personally condoled with me and stated that the time had come for the abolition of this “freak of fortune” unless a player by his own poor putt lay himself a stymie. The champions of today are usually dis­ tinguished from the mass of fine players by their ability to hole the all-important putt. In the matter of morale and/or nervous tension, it is much more upsetting to miss the short, final putt on a hole than the tee or iron shot where the possibility of re­ covery is still very much alive. But to be blocked completely from a fair entry into the hole by a ball on the very lip of the cup—the result of a missed putt by one’s opponent—does not seem to pro- Wide IV or Id Photos Richard D. Chapman pound the basic purpose of the game—good sportsmanship. The player who wins under these circumstances finds himself apolo­ gizing and with the feeling of an unsatis­ factory victory. Therefore, the competitor who places his ball upon the green should be entitled to have an unimpeded effort with his putter, and not have to change suddenly to a niblick and trust to Providence that he will loft over successfully. Hugh McDermott, British golfing actor now starring in the film “No Orchids for Miss Blandish,” told me in London just prior to our departure for the States that he believed most stymies arose as a result USGA Journal: September, 1948 19 of a poor putt on the part of an opponent. In golf, he went on, one should not have two chances, such as “If I miss it I may lay him a stymie.” In my talk with Hugh, I expressed the opinion that plugged (embedded) balls on the green should be lifted and placed with­ out penalty. I recalled the 1947 Walker Cup Match and the 19th hole at St. An­ drews when Leonard Crawley was so un­ fortunate as to have his second shot bury on the putting surface in his singles match with Bud Ward. Four Stymies in Two Holes In retrospect, the R. and A. stymie rule has caused my downfall on five important occasions. Playing in the semi-finals of the 1938 North and South Amateur at Pinehurst and 2 up with 4 to play, I was stymied four times in two holes. That hardly seems possible, but here it is: My iron shot to the par 3 15th was stymied by my opponent’s. My niblick loft, which stopped three feet short, was stymied eight inches from the hole by my oppo­ nent’s putt. My second loft went in the hole and out—and I was only 1 up. My second shot to the par 5 16th found the front of the green but was stymied by my opponent’s. My niblick loft went four feet beyond the hole but was stymied by my opponent’s putt. My second loft went in the hole and out—match even. The 17th was halved in birdie 2s, and I lost the 18th when my opponent chipped in for his third straight birdie and my 15- footer rimmed. You can then imagine my feelings about the stymie. In 1930 I lost in the final of the New England Amateur Championship as a re­ sult of stymies on the 34th and 35th holes. In 1939 I lost in the final of the Metropoli­ tan Amateur as a result of a stymie on the 35th hole. In 1947 in the final of the British Ama­ teur I was 1 up after 20 holes of play. On the 21st after putting I was stymied. I shall never forget the 24th, a 550-yard par 5: I was on the front edge in 2; my opponent, Willie Turnesa, had hit three shots and was buried in a trap immedi­ ately hole-high. My approach putt stopped three feet short but was stymied by his trap shot, which stopped one inch from the hole dead in line. For Willie, this was fine, but I think even he will admit it was a cruel stroke of fortune for me since his drive, second and third shots were in trouble. In the morning round of this match on the 13th hole, when my lead of 5 up at the ninth had been whittled down to 2, our iron shots came to rest eight feet on either side of the hole. Being away by inches, I putted; the ball went into the hole and then just came out on the lower side of the hole, giving Willie two chances to hole his putt, which he did. Instead of being 2 or 3 up, I found myself only 1. The final coup d’etat came in the fifth round of this year’s British Amateur when I was stymied on the second, fourth, eighth, 15th and 19th holes. Three of these, the second, fourth and 19th, were laid dead on the lip of the cup, making entry impossible. The other two were laid approximately eight inches from the hole. Of these five stymies, I was able to nego­ tiate only one—that on the eighth hole. Having experienced this manner of ill fortune on the links, it is my humble opin­ ion that there is enough luck in the game without adding more to it. With the ex­ ception of the man who lays himself a stymie by his own poor putt, a player should be rewarded for his efforts to the green by an unrestricted attempt to hole out, not by a “freak of fortune.” X When We’re Moaning When we’re moaning in a sand trap O’er a deepened heel-print lie, Do we scuff it worse and leave it For some other nicer guy? T. G. McMahon 20 USGA Journal: September, 1948 Notes on the Public Links Event Last issue we published an article in which Morton G. Bogue inveighed against the slow player as being golfing enemy No. 1. Asa contrast, it would have pleased you to see how the contestants in this year’s Amateur Public Links Champion­ ship played the game. In the final, for example, Michael R. Ferentz and Ben G. Hughes got around the first 18 holes in 2 hours 40 minutes, over a course with an unusual amount of playing trouble and at the end of a week of Atlanta summer weather. They went 17 holes in the afternoon half in 2:45. So it can be done, you see, even with a USGA Championship at stake. The pace of play in the final, as well as the quality of play, was typical of the fine spirit in which the Public Links Cham­ pionship usually goes off. You’ll look a long while before you can find a golf event in which the sheer fun of playing the game is so marked. Mike Ferentz and Ben Hughes are happy golfers. So cheerful are their tempera­ ments that, to judge from their expres­ sions, you’d never know whether they were winning or losing. When an opponent rolls in a long putt, Mike is pretty apt to laugh out loud at his own discomfiture. Ben’s the same way. They had dinner together the night be­ fore the final, breakfast together next morning, and they were still on speaking terms after Mike stymied Ben on the last two holes of the match. It was Mike Ferentz’s first venture in the Amateur Public Links Championship, and he did a grand job in winning. It takes not only skill but stamina to play through this Championship. It was all match play, with eight matches comprising ten rounds of golf in six days. Mike lost about 15 pounds and was down to 145 when it finished. Ferentz lives in Long Beach, Cal., and he plans to defend his title when the tourna­ ment is played next summer at the new El Rancho Golf Course in Los Angeles. He used to live in Rochester, N. Y., and spent several years there as caddie, caddie­ master and assistant pro; he was reinstated to amateur status by the USGA in 1938. He is 33 years old and has played the game 20 years. He spent five years in the Army, was a master sergeant, and served overseas with an anti-aircraft outfit. Experience on Bermuda The night before the Championship be­ gan, Robert T. Jones, Jr., advised all the players at’a dinner in their honor: “Never give a six-inch putt on Bermuda greens.” It happens that the Meadowlark course in Long Beach, where Mike Ferentz plays, has Bermuda grass on nine of its 18 greens —it’s said to be the only course in the sec­ tion with such putting surfaces. Ben Hughes was competing in the Pub­ lic Links event for the second time. He was a semi-finalist last year on his first try. Ben, who is an accountant in Port­ land, Ore., is 31 and has played golf since he was a caddie. Like Ferentz, he served in the Army for five years, three and a half of them with the Third Infantry Divi­ sion in the European Theatre; he was a warrant officer. Hughes’s match with Ferentz at the North Fulton Park Course in Atlanta was a thriller. Ferentz started fast and was 2 up at the first turn, going out in 34, one under par. Hughes rallied and was 2 up after 18, playing the second nine in 35, one under, and being par 71 for the first round. Ferentz squared matters at the 27th, reaching the turn in 35, and they alter­ nated in winning the next four holes. Pars by Ferentz were good for wins on the 33rd and 34th, and those holes provided his winning margin of 2 and 1. On the 34th and 35th Hughes left himself open for stymies which Ferentz laid down. In the semi-finals, Ferentz eliminated plucky Charles W. Barnes, of Atlanta, who started the tournament against a physician’s advice; and Hughes defeated Oliver Kay, of Toledo. The semi-finalists were invited to enter sectional qualifying rounds for the Ama­ teur Championship, and three accepted. Kay qualified. The Public Links was held entirely at match play for the first time. The new USGA Journal: September, 1948 21 Public Links Champion and Runner-up Ben G. Hughes Ed Miles photo equipment. As at all USGA events, club inspection was voluntary. The vast ma­ jority of players submitted their clubs for checking. The Atlanta Public Links Golf Associa­ tion and officials of Fulton County did a grand job in organizing and entertaining Atlanta’s first USGA event. Don Gavan and Verne Murrah were co-chairmen of the committee in charge. They started things off with a dinner which will long be memorable to the con­ testants. Only Atlanta could furnish such a notable line-up of golfing speakers as Robert T. Jones, Jr., the Misses Louise Suggs and Dorothy Kirby, and Charley Yates. The USGA Public Links Committee ex­ pressed its feelings this way in a resolu­ tion transmitted to the Hon. William B. Hartsfield, Mayor of Atlanta: “Whereas, The City of Atlanta, Geor­ gia, has extended to the Public Links Golf­ ers of the United States and Possessions the hand of Hospitality; be it “Resolved, That the Public Links Com­ mittee of the United States Golf Associa­ tion, in Annual Meeting assembled, do tender to the Citizenry in general, and to the Committee in Charge, their collective respect for a most enjoyable week of golf in a sympathetic Southern city. “Joseph S. Dickson, “Resolutions Committee.” Michael R. Ferentz Ed Miles photo form was popular. Players who expressed opinions said they preferred to play oppo­ nents from the outset rather than engage in a 36-hole qualifying test on the first two days, as used to be the case. There were 2,728 entries and, by means of sectional qualifying, they were reduced to 210 for the match play at Atlanta. A full field of 210 actually started. The Team Championship for the Hard­ ing Cup was on a sectional basis for the first time. The three-man team of the Raleigh, N. C., section won with 223 for 18 holes; the team comprised Clarence Alexander, 73; Aubrey D. Turrentine, 74, and Avery Beck, 76. Pitsburgh was sec­ ond with 227 and Atlanta third with 228. Markings on iron clubs of a number of contestants were outside USGA specifica­ tions before the tournament; most of them were corrected by diligent use of pro shop 22 USGA Journal: September, 1948 THE REFEREE Decisions by the USGA Rules of Golf Committee Example of symbols: No. 48-111” means the 111th Decision issued in 1948. “R. 8(1)” means Section (1) of Rule 8 in the 1948 Rules of Golf. Dissimilar Penalties No. 48-111. R. 8(1), 9(1) Q: USGA rules now call for loss of stroke and distance for lost ball or ball in an unplayable lie, but loss of distance only in the case of ball out of bounds. It is my understanding that the reduction of penalty on the ball out of bounds was more or less a recent change. I am unable to find out why this change was made. It seems to me that the penalty for ball which goes off the course completely should be at least as great as that for a ball which may be a relatively good shot but which cannot be found, or if found is un­ playable. I shall greatly appreciate it if you will let me hear from you on this subject, with some explanation of this apparent inequity in the rules. A. C. Moore Chicago, III. A: The penalty for a ball out of bounds was reduced to loss of distance only, effec­ tive in 1947, for the following reasons, among others: 1. The Rule before 1947 permitted remis­ sion of the penalty stroke by local rule, and the great majority of clubs had such a local rule in effect. This Association occa­ sionally adopted a similar local rule for its Championships when conditions warranted. The reduction of penalty therefore merely made the matter uniform. 2. It is a question of fact as to whether a ball is out of bounds, and not a question of the player’s discretion. On the other hand, the penalty of stroke and distance for a lost or an unplayable ball provided in Rule 8(1) has not been changed because it is dis­ cretionary with the player as to whether his ball is unplayable and it may sometimes be discretionary with him as to whether his ball is lost—that is, he might purposely look in the wrong location and never find his ball. Where such discretion can enter, it is believed that the penalty should be sufficiently severe to discourage taking unfair advantage. 3. The case of a ball out of bounds occurs with considerable frequency, as compared with the cases of lost or unplayable balls, and it is felt that the penalty in the first case might well be less. Smoothing Irregularities in Hazard After Stroke No. 48-71. R. 17(1) Q: A player played out of a sand trap, and proceeded at once to straighten out the trap. Her ball had landed at the top of the bunker and while she was straightening up the trap, her ball rolled back into the sand trap. Her opponent claimed that she had lost the hole because she had smoothed out the sand. What is the correct decision? Mrs. N. F. Keisling Pittsburgh, Pa. A: Rule 17(1), last paragraph, provides: “There is no penalty for the player smooth­ ing irregularities in the hazard made by his footprints or the soil displaced by his stroke, provided nothing is done that improves the lie of the ball or assists the player in his sub­ sequent play of the hole.” Before Stroke No.48-65. R. 17(1) Q. 2: May a player whose ball is in a hazard (sand trap) go into the trap and with his clubhead or shoes smooth any irregulari­ ties before he plays the ball out of the hazard ? A gentleman who is very well versed in golf rules claims the player may. The way I see it, by smoothing footprints before he plays he would know how deep the sand is, which would assist him in his subsequent play of the hole. Frank H. Thorpe Baltimore, Md. A. 2: Your contention is correct. We would uphold a claim that such action prior to the stroke had assisted the .player and that he violated Rule 17(1). It is up to the player to conduct himself so as to prevent any question from arising. Striking Ball In Air No. 48-66. D. 4; R. 2(1), 12(2, 3) Q: At match play, the ball is in a sand trap, close to the bank. The player makes a stroke, the ball hits the bank, goes only a few feet in the air; the player takes a swing at the ball while it is in mid-air, and knocks USGA Journal: September, 1948 23 it onto the green. How many strokes has he played and what is the penalty, if any? Dr. Ray M. McNulty Pittsburgh, Pa. A: The player loses the hole for play­ ing a moving ball, in violation of Rule 12(3). See Rule 2(1). Rule 12(2) does not apply. It covers strik­ ing the ball twice in the course of a single stroke, whereas in the case described the player made two separate strokes; under Definition 4, a stroke is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of strik­ ing the ball. Unplayable Ball in Stroke Play No. 48-59. R. 8(2b), 18(2, 3, 4), 18(5), 18(9) Q. 2: Rule 8—In stroke play I declare my ball unplayable and choose to “tee and play a ball under penalty of two strokes” as provided for in 8 (2b) rather than return to the spot from which the unplayable ball was played, (a) May I use a wooden tee? (b) What is the interpretation of “impos­ sible” when I select a place to drop; if the ball is unplayable in the root of a tree in the woods bordering a fairway, may I go to the edge of the woods not nearer the hole where I can have a shot at the green or must I drop behind the tree, thus leaving myself an impossible shot following a two-stroke penalty ? A. 2: (a) Yes. (b) “Impossible” refers to inability to keep the point from which the ball was lifted between the player and the hole and to play therefrom; it does not refer to the difficulty of the stroke left to be played. There is no limitation on how far the player may go be­ hind the place from which the ball was lifted; the cardinal principle is to keep that place between himself and the hole if possible. Removing Loose Impediment Q. 3: Rule 18—In section (2) it is im­ plied that loose impediments may be removed with the club head, yet in doing so a player would be violating section (3) by touching the line of the putt and he would be violat­ ing section (4) by scraping the surface of the putting green. What is the interpretation of this ? A. 3: A loose impediment may be re­ moved from the putting green either by pick­ ing it up or with the club in the manner pre­ scribed in Rule 18(2). In moving a loose impediment with the club, the player must be careful not to lay the club with more than its own weight upon the ground; he should also observe the custom of moving the club across the line of putt, not along the line. Rule 18(3) specifically permits touching the line of putt for this purpose. If the player confines himself only to moving the impedi­ ment, he should not be deemed to have tested the putting surface even though the grass be incidentally moved, as it inevitably must be. But if he goes beyond that, he may well be subject to penalty under Rule 18(4), second paragraph. It is up to the player to leave no doubt that he has not roughened or scraped or otherwise tested the putting surface. Ball on Lip of Hole Q. 4: Rule 18(9) states that an oppo­ nent shall play any subsequent stroke without delay after his ball has come to rest on the lip of the hole, yet in the note following that section it states that there is no time limit for determining the fact that the ball has come to rest. On a very windy day on a fast green it is conceivable that the wind could blow a ball into the hole if one waited long enough even though it had once come to rest. How would you settle the dispute which would arise if a player knocked a ball away to con­ cede the putt when his opponent wished to wait awhile? A. 4: The test of the Rule is whether or not the ball has come to rest. The player has no right to await action of wind upon the ball—see Rule 18(5). Play must proceed when the ball has come to rest, and an oppo­ nent who had holed out would be within his rights in knocking away the other ball which had come to rest. Questions bv Lt. (j.g.) W. S. Stewart, USN Norfolk, Va. Ball Leaning Against Flagstick No. 48-60. R. 1(3), 7(7), 12(4e), 15(3) Q: In a four-ball match, my partner played his third shot to the green, and it was apparent that it had come to rest very close to the pin. Upon approaching the green, it was discovered that the ball was virtually a “leaner.” I am quite certain that if the pin had been removed, the ball would have dropped to the bottom of the cup. My third shot fell in a bunker some 50 yards short of the green and to the right. The other players were surrounding the pin, looking at the position of my partner’s ball, and I 24 USGA Journal: September, 1948 requested them to get away from the hole while I played my shot from the bunker. My shot struck the pin on the fly and dropped dead to the hole, but in striking the pin it caused my partner’s ball to drop to the bot­ tom of the hole. Was my partner entitled to an eagle 3? Both his shot and mine were from points considerably more than 20 yards from the hole. John L. Turnbull New York, N. Y. A: As there is no specific Rule which directly applies, equity governs—see Rule 1(3). Thus, it is ruled that the partner’s ball should have been replaced without pen­ alty, under the principles of Rules 12 (4e) and 15(3) (the flagstick being an outside agency). Then, if the ball when replaced had fallen into the hole after the flagstick were re­ moved, the partner should have been deemed to have holed at his last stroke—see Rule 7(7), third paragraph. The equity of this may be tested by suppos­ ing that the partner’s ball had been knocked away from the hole when the player’s ball struck the flagstick. Note—in match play there is no so-called “20-yard limit” with respect to striking the flagstick—see Rule 7(7). Water Hazard: No Provisional Ball No. 48-56. R. 17(2), 19(e) Q. 2: I understand that a provisional ball may not be played for a ball which one knows definitely to have gone into a water hazard. However, suppose the player thinks her tee shot may be lost or out of bounds and therefore plays a provisional ball for either possibility, but then finds the first ball in a water hazard. Must the player use this provisional ball, and is she not prohibited from dropping a ball behind the hazard in the manner provided in Rule 17(2a)? I get this from Rule 19(e). So, although Rule 17(2), fifth paragraph, says that the Rules do not permit playing a provisional ball for a ball which may be in a water hazard, there is this exception. Mrs. McLeod Thomson Atlantic City, N. J. A. 2: As the second ball apparently was played in accordance with Rule 17 (2c), it must be continued in play—see Rule 19(e). The second ball was provisional for a ball possibly lost or out of bounds. It was not pro­ visional for a ball which might have been in a water hazard; the first ball had to be abandoned even though it might have been playable in the water hazard. Penalty for Lost Ball No. 48-82. R. 8(1) Q: Under the Revised Rules of Golf, a lost ball incurs a penalty stroke and loss of distance. Under prior rules (XXII (1)), penalty was the same, but a footnote allowed the penalty stroke to be remitted by local rule. I find nothing in the Revised Rules allowing local rule to remit the penalty stroke. Can such be done under present Revised Rules? J. P. Hill San Angelo, Texas A: No. The penalty stroke in Rule 8(1) may never be remitted. Rule 22(1) of the former Rules did not allow remission of the penalty stroke for a lost ball. Perhaps you have this confused with former Rule 23(1) which did condone remission by local rule of the penalty stroke for a ball out of bounds. In present Rule 9(1) the penalty for a ball out of bounds is loss of distance only. Ball Striking Fellow Competitor’s No. 48-78. R. 11(3, 3a), 12(4c, 4d) Q. 1: Rule 12(4c) states for stroke play: “When both balls are on the putting green, if a competitor’s ball strikes a fellow com­ petitor’s ball the competitor incurs a penalty of two strokes and the ball which was struck shall be at once replaced.” Does this mean that the penalty is incurred whenever both balls are on the green at the time of impact or only when both balls are lying on the put­ ting green at the time the stroke is played? A. 1: The penalty is incurred only when both balls are on the putting green when the stroke is played. Q. 2: In which, if any, of the following situations does the penalty apply?: In stroke competition a ball lying on the putting green as defined in Rule 18 is struck by a ball played from (a) the teeing ground of a par 3 hole, (b) the fairway from a point more than 20 yards from the hole, (c) from within a bunker at a point more than 20 yards from the hole, (d) from within a bunker at a point less than 20 yards from the hole. A. 2: The penalty does not apply in any case cited. Attention is called to the fact that the ball moved must be replaced (Rule 12(4d)). See also Rule 11(3, 3a) about lifting or play­ ing a ball which might interfere with or assist the play of another ball. Questions by: John C. Lasher San Francisco, Cal. 1 USGA Journal: September, 1948 25 IT’S YOUR HONOR A Boy s Fair Play To the USGA: In sectional qualifying rounds at Co­ lumbia, S. C., for the USGA Junior Championship, young Edward Mirmow finished with an 89, which would have entitled him to the third qualifying spot, which he cherished very much. Before we announced the three winners, he stated that he had violated a rule (of course, un­ intentionally) by playing the wrong ball on the No. 9 hole. He was under the impression that he would incur only two strokes’ penalty, and he actually didn’t discover the mistake until he had started the next hole. We don’t expect youngsters to know all the Rules; but only this young man knew he had played the wrong ball. Young Mirmow did a very commend­ able thing when he disqualified himself, proving to us all and to himself the. very fine character that he is. This was as fine a display of honesty and sportsman­ ship that I have ever had the privilege to see and commend. M. K. Jeffords, Jr. Orangeburg, S. C. Public Links Appreciation To the USGA: Let me offer my. sincere thanks for showing the fellows and myself a very enjoyable time at the Amateur Public Links Championship. I appreciate all your hard work and extended efforts to make this tournament possible, even though I didn’t do very well in it. Jack Evans Phoenix, Ariz. Amateur Status Principles To the USGA: It seems unfortunate that individuals or groups should sponsor a young golfer against Amateur Status principles. Usu­ ally if any repercussions occur, those most guilty get no blame. One can scarcely blame the youngster involved. From a New Professional To the USGA: I can’t express how I felt when I an­ nounced that I had joined the professional ranks. I had not entertained the idea seriously, but I received such a good offer that I didn’t feel I could turn it down. The USGA has been a great inspira­ tion to me as an amateur, and I would like to feel that I can be of service at any time, anywhere. I had played the amateur game up to the rules and regulations to the best of my ability. In my new capacity, I feel I can further the interest of women golfers in amateur golf in a better way than I had the opportunity to do in my amateur status. You can be assured that I am going to do the best I can for golf in general. Miss Louise Suggs Atlanta, Ga. Estimating the Junior To the USGA: The boys in the USGA Junior Cham­ pionship at Ann Arbor were well pleased with the event, enjoyed their quarters, the course, the general atmosphere of the Championship, their tour of Willow Run, the meeting with the officials and Francis Ouimet, and were even satisfied with defeats. Truly, your initial Junior was a success. Frank Emmet Chevy Chase, Md. To the USGA: The'Junior Tournament was a marvel­ ous idea. None of us can really estimate the great amount of good that will come from it as far as furtherance of golf na­ tionally is concerned. Every one of the 128 lads who qualified for the match play tournament will be golf- and USGA-boosters, and they cer­ tainly know more about the rules and etiquette of the game than they did pre­ vious to their participation. C. D. Allen Grand Rapids, Mich. H. F. Russell Salt Lake City, Utah Editor’s Note: The USGA Journal invites com­ ments on matters relating to the welfare of the game and will publish them as space permits.