New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-19

sp,rNnID SHOWING MADE BY HoMEBRED GOLF
ERs-soME REFORMS SUGGESTED BY THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE wEEK-GossIP
FROM MANY LINKS.
Another golf championship. admirably managed
ably fought and royalty won, has decided the po9-
session OF the American cup for another year
The tournament at the Norris County hnks just
closed was unouestionably the most successful ever
held by the United States Golf Association ana
the winner Fndlay s Douglas has anuhuai''E
demonstrated his claim TO the foremost place
among American amateurs. Whatever oo"D'S
were expressed as 10 the wisdom Of increasing tne
intermediate rounds from eighteen to thrty-sN
holes have been dlspelled by the experience OF the
week. and it is now acknowledged on all sides mat
the association was amply justified in making the
the Scores stood on Wednesday Douglas himself
would have been defeated had the ROUND Deeh me
Of the morning half on that day Douglas was
down to A. II Smith. Of Huntington valley Co9ns
did not show his best form. relying upon the after
neon to bring him cut ahead but the instance IS
worth noting.
Another fact equally pleasing was the excellent
showing made by the homebred players Inc SIN
dav test Of championship ability proves that the
standard Of American golf is steadily improYlh6'
and the work Of such men a Smith. Travis FOX
hall Z. Keene, Coats and Stillman IS fuIl OF
promise for the future. The younger element was
especially prominent and the scores MADE by
some Of these boys indicate that another twelve
months Will find them in the front rank OF play
The success OK Walter smith. the Yale champion,
more than a hu1d.e OF the abest golfers in the
United States we:s entered illustrates the wonuer1
profciency in the sport Smith his been playing
sa S hge ,S e M man
who learned his game abroad and who mas Defn
playing ever since he was "a little nipper scaicei!
out of swaddling clothes.
The tournament was not without its lessons. and
there will doubtless be good deal OF discussion
over some Of the ideas suggested by the week
One thing Is certain. A reform must be made in
the matter Of admitting entries or the affair will
become so unwiedy that the ablest management
cannot make il success. The energies OF the
Morris County officers were taxed to their utmost
20 provide adequate accommodations for the play
ers and under less systematic control the contest
might have resulted in several unpleasant mis-
haps The qualifying round on Monday showed
that the most expeditions progress will not enable
u hundred men TO thirysix holes IN one
day The first pair was started as early as t:So IN
the morning and yet the last couple was unaD!e 70
finish before dark The course became so con-
sssted in the that the a%ers r9@ W hs
fourth and sixteenth tees. and even then the maj
pair had TO have lantern on the home green 10
ena BILE them 10 see the hole.
serious question would have arisen had any OF
the been unable 10 qualify because or their
inability TO finish the round Whisham, last years
champion. and Foxhall 7. Keene. composed one
of the belated pairs. They in by twilight. but
fortunately neither affected in his position by
that fact Whigham foresaw his failure long be-
fore the second round was over, and few strokes
more or less made difference in the final result
while keene stood well the earlier holes that
he able TO qualify with an a6Gndant margin GIN
and Of the Morris County Club did all IN their
poyed that anS hGh should No blame
taches to ther in any way The fault Jay , en'T t
steps viii be taken before the next championship
20 bring this within reasonable BOUNDS.
There were at least twenty thirty men in the
contest whose form did not entitle them TO com
pete and whose good sense did not tell them to
withdraw when they saw how they were delaying
the others They were an incumbrance ana orag'
and their presence added nothing TO the success
of the week. The matter OF limiting the entries
has been repeatedly discussed by the Executive
Committee but so far they have been unable to
devise a satisfactory means OF dong H. II IS
delicate problem to know how 10 draw the line. for
no standard by which the relative merits of players
can be determined Still. IL seems 10 be the gen
The tournament and the question Will doubtless
up for discussion at the next annual meeting
1t has been suggested that two days be devoted
20 the qualifying round but this is condemned
because of the time required Another suggestion,
and one that has met with some approval, Is 10
hold the championship in June instsad OF Sep
TENDER. With the longer days at that time of the
year more than hour would be added TO time
in which the matches might be played. and this
would allow every one to finish without posi-
bllity OF mishap Combined with this, the turf Is
drouth much less 1t was the absence OF rain
that caused a good deal OF trouble In the tourna,
ment just closed. and the fact that the ground
was in such excellent condition a warm tribute
20 the OF the Greens Committee
The failure OF the former champion H. j. Wing
ham. 10 gain place among the first thirty-two
was a keen disappointment TO many but 1t was
hardly believed that ne would retain the cup. even
after the announcement was made that he would
enter That he did take part shows his sports
manlike qualities for he himself recognized that
he stood no chance of winning. Coming directly
from the Massachusetts seacoast, where ne hao
gone TO recover from a fever contracted WINE
opportunity for practice and no vitality TO with
stand the strain OF a sx-day contest. ne spent
20 orser DETERMINATIONS TO the champion An
other year will doubtless find him in more promi-
nent place.
One OF the results Of the week will be selection
of the ten leading players to form an All-Amercar
team for the Canadian championship In Toronto
the latter part of this month. Robert b. Kerr
John Reid and George d. Fowle are the men who
bavs the matter in charge and they were busiy
engaged in securing the necessary acceptances
Mr. Kerr expects to announce the choice In aoou
n week when the men chosen will have sent thei'
formal replies The contest is to be an international
team match of ten men on side' ana Is 10 ior"
one Of the features OF the Canadian meeting There
will probably be many heartburnings when the lis
Is made known but as the committee bases II:
choice on the showing made last week mere car
he no lust ground for criticism. Though no oncia
annointments OF any kind have been made. me
following players would seem 10 be the ones 9p2 81
+. 5. W IS
smith Walter J. Travis Charles B. Macdonald
Foxhall p Keene. James A. stillman, A. M coats
lanes A. Tying John Reid. Jr.. and Gardner o. Hun
hard The last named. 10 be sure. was put our III
the first round but Macdonald was the man whC
hea, him and Ma donald only by up ana
10 play Hubbard's victory at Newport fortnigh
ago also entities him TO place on the list; some