The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-01-03
GOLFERS CAME HOME HAPPY.
INST NEW YEARS GAME To DARIEN
BUT HAD A GOOD TIME.

rbe Cause of Defeat an Unfamiliar
course, and Darien's Superior
pIoving-Other Games That May
ne played SOon-Mr. Stein Bryan
ADpoInted ManaSer-CIassificat
of Members and improvements in
the Savannah Links.
The Savannah Golf Club team returned
s-ono Darien yesterday afternoon. The
,,avers say they had splendid time, al
enough they lost the game with the Da-
rien team by rather a large and one
sided score.
capt. Henry Blum, Jr., of the
Savannah team, said that the large
score on the part of Darien and the poor
one on the part of Savannah could be ac-
counted for in a measure by the fact that
the Savannah men played over a course
that they had never gone over, and which
differed in many ways from those on
which they have played previous games.
The course is a good one, he said, but
caused the Savannah players some
trouble on account of the number of trees
on it, and caused still greater trouble by
the fact that the putting greens are of
grass instead of clay, as on the Savan-
nah course. In fact he said, it was at
these putting green's that all of the
trouble with the Savannah men occurred.
On other parts of the course some of them
kept even with their opponents, stroke
for stroke, but when the greens were
reached they were unable to judge the
amount of impetus to give the ball, and
this with the additional fact that they
we're also unfamiliar with the lay of the
land, caused them, to use an expressive
though not golf term, to fall down"
most lamentably.
Even granting the disadvantages under
which the Savannah men played Capt.
Blum does not think they could have de-
feated the Darien team, even on a neu-
trail course as the majority of the Da-
rien men are old and experienced golfers,
who have played the game for years,
many of them on the finest links in Scot
land. In fact, Mr.. R. Manson now uses
a driver that twelve years ago he won in
a game on the st. Andrews Links in
Scotland.
The Darien men, according to the men,
bers of the Savannah team, excel not only
in golf. but in hospitality. Tuesday night
the Savannahians were the guests of their
opponents of the links at an entertain
ment in the town hall. The entertain
ment consisted of several musical num-
bers and then a little comedy 1.-THE Old
Maids Convention" While all those that
took part in the performance were anna
teurs, they acquitted themselves most
credftably and to the great enjoyment of
the guests. At the conclusion Of the per-
Torrance supper was served in a lower
room and when that was over a voting
contest for the most popular golf player
was inaugurated. Mr.. Blum received
every vote cast, 800. and was, consequent
", given the prize of the contest, hand
some and appropriate gold pin, consisting
of a gold putter and niblick, against
which rests a large and beautiful pearl
representing a golf bail. The entertain
ment was given for the benefit of the Da-
rien Golf Club, and netted them excellent
returns.
The Darien team has arranged to play
on Jan. 10 and 20 with the Jacksonville
and 81. Augustine, respectively, and has
invited the Savannah team to go along
and play also. Mr.. Blum is in favor of
the trip, but does not know whether it
will be made or not. as the Savannah
team wants to play the New Orleans
team on its own links sometime during
the Mardi Gras in March and the men
may not be able to make both trips
On New Years day, while in Darien,
Capt Blum appointed Mr.. Stein Bryan
manager for the club, and hereafter he
will look out for all engagements and
transportation.
The Savannah Golf Club continues TO
be in a most flourishing condition, and
said Mr.. Blum interest in the game. both
among the old as we'll as the new men,
bers, is increasing every day. To keep
up and foster such interest, the members
of the club have recently been separated
into three classes known as "a" "B'' and
&C" In these classes are included re-
spectively the ten best players, the ten
second best, and all of the other mem
bers. The record of players ELI
gibiity for any one of these classes is
that made in the tournament held about
two weeks ago
The course too, is continually being i'm
proved. During the last two weeks three
new bunkers have been built, consisting
each of a sand bank five feet high, and
having al it's base, on the side of approach
a pit ten feet wide and eighteen inches
deep. These bunkers have been placed at
the first, second and ninth holes, and it
is the intention to put similar ones in the
near future at some of the other holes.
The clay putting greens are also receiving
considerable attention.
Mr.. Stewart, who is in charge of the
course, and under whose direction these
improvements were made, says that 1t is
without doubt the best course in this part
Of the country, and that it can be so i'm
proved that it will not have a peer in any
part of the country. When the New Or
leans players were here they pronounced
it by far the best that they had played
on during their tour, which took in most
of the Southern links, and praised as es-
pecially fine the driving hazards.