New-York tribune., 1914-03-01
Metropolitan Title Now the
Aim of Many of His
Victims.
ENGLEWOOD COURSE
GREATLY IMPROVED
Many Traps Added Since the Last
Important Fixture Was
Held There.

1t will he with more hope than usual
that golfers of this vicinity having cham
pionship aspirations will soon begin bur
nishing up their irons. All have their
eyes on the sixteenth annual tournament
of the Metropolitan Golf Association. to
be held over the links of the Englewood
Country Club the latter part of Nav
That they are hopeful is due to the fact
that the biggest hazard confronting ALL
other amateurs-Jerome d. Travers-will
be removed.
AS all close followers Of the game know.
Travers. present holder Of the triple
conversational metropolitan and New
Jersey-wil soon be sailing for the other
side 'in quest of championship honOrs
abroad. With Travers on his game here,
other amateurs i'm the district appear to
have little chance, for a glance over the
records reveals his name as winner in
the final bracket on FIVE different occa-
sions since 1906. 1t is also matter #
record that the Upper Montclair golfer
has won for the last three years in row.
In his absence any one OF half dozen
well known amateurs might he considered
as having a fairly good chance TO win the
NJ. G. A. title Unquestionably the favor
ties will be such players as Oswald
Kirkby, who toys with Englewood rec
ords: Walter j. Travis, champion o.
DAYS Of yore. yet always dangerous; Fred
UerTeshofT. once holder of the metropoli-
tan championship; Max VI. Behr. who
has been runner-up in the national as
well as a New Jersey winner, and Gilman
P. Tiffany, whose speciality has been win
ming titles in tho Hudson River League.
1t is possible, OF course, that Harreshoff
NAV also go abroad, but according 10
latest advices the Garden city man mas
about decided TO remain here
In going to Englewood this spring golf
ers will visit an entirely new course, so
far as this tournament is concerned.
Englewood is one OF the best known
clubs in the Immediate vicinity or New
York and at one time or another has
been the scene OF various important tour
naments. In 1906, at Englewood, Eben NJ.
Byers saved the day for America, or,
more strictly speaking. the United states
by defeating the redoubtaole George :.
Lyon I'm the decisive round Of the national
amateur meeting. on another occasion
over this same course George Sargent
surprised a strong field by winning the
national open title. and on still another
occasion the far driving Gill Nichols es-
tabNshed worlds 79-hole record during
the metropolitan open championship.
BY this it is not meant to imply that
Englewood is an easy course, but II II
did preseNt one weakness in the past that
is rapidly being remedied. Since the. last
big championship tournament many traps
have been added to the course and other
existing ones deepened and made more
formidable. Many experts have declared
from time to time that Englewood. prep
erly trapped, would be severe enough
test for any one. That has been the ann
Of the officials OF the club. and they now
believe the links have reached the de-
sired state.
Something new In the way Of trouble
will be the installation Of marble dust In
number OF the traps BY way Of ex-
pertinent this was tried in one bunker
last fall. and u was liked so well that
many OF the othcr pts VIII receive n
similar dressing as soon as the weather
permits 9f a resumption Of work. 1t is
said In favor OF marble dust that a badly
played shot meets with certain penalty
once II lands in the hazard. for the red
son that the dust "kills' the ball. Fur
thermore. getting distance out Of the stuff
IL decidedly a greater problem than when
using the niblick through ordinary sea
band.
Despite the many improt cmcnts and the
up-to date condition OF the Englewood
course the scores madc In the coming
Metropolitan Golf Association tournament
will unquostionably eclipse most OF the
earlier efforts elsewhere. What differ
once. for instance. between the winning
score Of the leader ia the next qualifying
round whoever he may be. and that
which favored the leaders IN the first
tournameUt a. Garden CITY. back iii 1898!
ON that occasion Herbert NJ Hartman.
Findisy s. Douglas and James a. Tyns