Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-22
By "Chick" Evans.

NHlCAGO, March 21.-The Secre-
tary of the Country Club of
Peoria sent me the other day
an honorary membership card for the
season of 1914. It would be difficult
for me to express my appreciation of
the compliment implied by the gift
or my delight in receiving it.
The Country Club of Peoria is a
splendid little organization with a
very good links and a pretty club
house picturesquely situated high
above the banks of the Illinois River.
In my visits there l have spent some
very pleasant hours on the course,
and l am very grateful to the mem
bership for many kindnesses and
hope that 1 may have the pleasure of
using in 1914 the club privileges SO
generously accorded me-
The courtesy has suggested an idea
that interests me very much, and that
7 trust may at some time prove to
be very practical thing.
On the back of my membership
card is the following statement: The
person whose name appears on the
face of this ticket is entitled to the
privileges of the clubhouse and
grounds of the following named
clubs: Bloomington Country Club,
Bloomington, ILL.,. Champaign Coun-
try Club, Champaign, H.; Country
Club of Decatur, Decatur, ILL.,; Soan-
pptnhQ (NliIh G1laSht,re
sonville Country Club. Jacksonville.
ILL.,; Quincy Country Club Quincy,
Ill; Illini Country Club, Springfield,
Ill.
Good Organization for Game.
l suppose this same statement ap-
pears on the backs of the member
ship cards of every one of these clubs,
and | think they compose a league
called the Central Illinois Golf Asso-
citation. Most of us are familiar with
the championship events of this
splendid little organization which is
doing a tremendous amount of good
for golf in Illinois
What | wish to say in this connec-
ton is that l should like to see the
big golf associations Of our big golf
ing world follow the example Of the
Central Illinois Golf Association.
realize, OF course, that it would be
impossible for the clubs of the W. G.
A.. for instance, to issue cards of
club and course privileges to the
members of other clubs; soon they
would not have much of a course
themselves, and besides it would be
equivalent to giving away member
ships. Each of the big Chicago clubs.
for example, has as large a playing
membership as it can comfortably
accommodate, if privileges were
given away indiscriminately all the
players would flock to the good
courses on which both time and
money had been lavished, and the
condition and congestion would be
intolerable. No one would really be
benefited for club members should
work out their own salvation at their
respective clubs.
Help for Travelling Golfer.
What l should like to see done,
however, is something that will help
the travelling golfer, Let us say that
Samuel Smith is an enthusiastic golf
er and his business frequently takes
him out in strange territory. Why
can not the w. G.. A. and the U. S. G.
A. issue identification cards to the
members of their clubs. these cards
emitting the bearers to the privileges
of the course and clubhouse of clubs
in other cities. A small fee should
be charged, for | realize that the in
come derived from guest fees is not
to be overlooked, but the accompani-
ment of a friend who happens to be a
member Of theE club should not be
necessary. Sam Smith would have a
long and pleasant day on the links
without interfering with Jim Jones'
business in the least, and. in fact the