The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-08
Visiting Golfers Have All
Been Loud in Their
Praise of 1t
TOURNAMENT WILL
BE HELD IN MAY
Southern Championship Matches on
May Z, s and 9 Will Formally
Open Course-Planned by
Herbert Barker
BY ASA RoUNTREE. JR.

Planned and arranged by Herbert
Barker one of the leading professionals
in the United States. the golf course
of the Roebuck Golf and Automob bile
club, now nearing completion at Roe
buck Springs. is one of the best, if not
the best, in the entire south. Under the
careful planning and supervision of Mir.
Barker, the course is being made one
OF the best adjusted and complex south
of the Mason and Dixon line, and 1t
IS a fine test of the game.
Protected by numerous bunllers, each
of the is holes is entirely different
from any of the others. making the
games played over it more interesting
and closer ON this account
Work on the links was first started
in April, 1912. and it is hoped by club
officials that the course Will be en-
tirely completed by the middle of April
This is a record for getting golf
courses in first class condition, as
usually it takes several years for the
grass and other conditions to become
perfectly suited for champion play.
Length Is 6392 Yards
The length of the full IS holes is
approximately 6392 yards, being nearly
1860 longer than that of the Birming-
ham Country club. The length of the
first nine holes is 1881 yards The
distance separating the different holes
varies from 40 yards TO 603. The lat
ter is the drive between the twelfth
and thirteenth holes and is one of the
longest on any southern golf course
From the tee to the first hole is a
To
the second, sos yards; from the second
TO the third, 140 yards, this is the short
est drive on the course; from the third
to the fourth. 1913 yards; from the
fourth to the fifth, $40 yards; from the
fifth to the sixth holes there is space
of $50 yards; intervening the sixth and
seventh holes is 342 yards; from the
seventh to the eighth, 456 yards, while
Separating the ninth hole from the pre-
ceding one is 597, this being next to
the longest drive. The following nine
holes are also 1881 yards in length
and the drives vary from 100 to Coz
yards
Twelve Holes Now in Use
Only II holes are in use now, the
grass around the other six not having
grown enough to warrant play on 1t.
However, these viii be opened grad
Ially until by the middle of April the
entire Is win be ready for use.
According to professionals from
northern and other southern cities the
course of the Roebuck club is one of
the best arranged and most ideal that
can be found ins this section of the
country.
Especially was Sherwood, the pro-
fessional of the Memphis club. loud
in his praise of the local course. He
stated that never in his career as a
golfer had he found conditions so near
lv perfect as at Roebuck The entire
course he stated, was admirably laid
out and no golfer, however critical,
could find the least fault with IL
Verdicts about the excellency of the
Roebuck course similar in nature as
that of Sherwood have also been rem
dered by visiting professionals and am
ateurs who have played on the course
during the past several months
Tourney Early in May
The course will be formally opened
on May Z. 8 and 8, when southern
championship golf tournament VIII be
hcid A number or handsome trophies,
several of which have already been
donated, will be given as prizes to the
winners and it is expected that gol1-
ers from all over the south VIII be III
attendance. Already Memphis golf clubs
have promised to send delegation OF
10 men, while clubs in New Orleans,
Atlanta, Montgomery and other large
southern cities have agreed to send
representatives.
An effort will also he made to bring
several prominent northern profession
ais down to the matches with these
pledges as a starter. the tournament in
MAY should he one of the largest that
has ever been staged in the south.
testimonial as TO Barkers abliltN
to lay out golf courses came several
DAYS ago when he received telegram
from recently organized golf clup
a+ Palm Beach. Fla, requesting him
TO come down and plan a course Tor
the club Barker left Tuesday after
neon and will he gone several weeks