New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-08
ON THE GOLF LINKS
OT4KERS UP IN Arms.
Fa;lure to Get an Ranking
1rOuses Some Talk.

The fact that Philadelphia golfers as in
dividual players are not taken more serl-
ouslv by critics seems to nave struck
tender spot in the City of Brotheriy Love
II is a matter of record that for years those
who have been responsible for the unofhclaI
rankings have with almost unvarying con-
sistencv ignored the Philadelphia amateurs.
1-ptil the latest list was compiled the
Eastern golfers claimed most OF the leading
nlaces but now the first sixteen is made up
from, about an equal division of Eastern
and Western experts. In the East the IA
vored PLAYERS represent the New York and
Boston districts while in the West Chicago
claims nearly all the good ones.
In defence of Philadelphia 1t has been
pointed out that collectively its team has
on moro than one occasion made A good
showing in the Lesley cup matches. IN
fact two years ago at Brookline the Quaker
CITY delegation eliminated Boston in the
preliminary contest, only to lose to New
York the following day. Last fall Phila-
delphia met defeat in the contest with Bos-
ton by the ma rrovr margin Of single match.
while in the decisive clash New York only
defeated Boston by tho same scant margin.
This. then. would seem to prove Phila-
deIphia's strength collectively. Where there
Is more than ordinary collective strength
there is bound to exist certain amount OF
individual merit which. if given sufficient
opportunitv might succeed i'm proving
right to national reco gntior AS il is. Phila-
dclphians seldom appear in/ tournaments
outside their own district and this Is moro
particularly so with regard to the national
fixtures Therefore. the inference Is that II
they played more away from home they
would stand higher. When asked for their
opinions on the subject James Thomson, the
Philadelphia Country Club professional, and
lack Campbell the Overlook pro, both
declared that the Philadelphia amateurs
compare favorably with those of any other
city. Hero is Thomsons opinion:
I think the amateur golfers of Fhiladel-
Rhia are as good as the The New i r4rk or
match which was played at Noble last
year will show that Philadelphia beat Ros-
ton, and although New York gave mia
delphia had beating in the singles, New
York had to suffer a big defeat In the aIteF-
noon. when the foursomes we're played
am sure that if ten of our twenty best
PLAYERS instead of two, would venture into
more Of the national competitions their
names would figure more often AS Ict
ments of late years have put Philadelphia
in line with other cities. Our courses.
therefore are no excuse for not having
better players.
Campbell spoke as follows;
have been around Philadelphia seven
years and I think I can give YOU faltiE
good opinion of the amateur golfers IN TINS
Section of the country. I consider them
equal to those in New York. Massachu.
sets or any other state, and th,nk II
about ten or twelve of the hest players
would go in for amateur ana natioha
championship every year and not stop at
one year they would figure more among
the first flight. They should keep gong
would find moro Philadeiphlans AT lhe
top and a winner too. in a short time
Alec Finday, the we'll known golfer. says
he could name six professional golfers
whose combined wealth would exceed
81 100000. Incidentally. Findlay does not
name the fortunate sextet. He said:
Take Donald Ross, at Piuehurst. for ex-
ample Ross gets 81 an hour teaching, and
has three or four men to help him. He sells
three thousand clubs during the season.
and his repair bill is large. Just figure it
up for yourself.
Il know several men who have taught big
financiers who have benefited by stock mar
ket tips given them Professionals are
canny lot and most of them have sense
enough to put by n large share Of their
whose single idea is to put out OF business
those who distiIl Scotch Whiskey. One of
our greatest professionals has that idea
just now