Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01
WILL MAKE CHANGES
Golfers Dissatisfied With
Handicappng Rules.
ARE TO MEET THIS WEEK
Association Championships May Be
Awarded to Virginia
Country Club.

most important meetings ever held py
the Middle Atlantic States Golf Associa-
ton is scheduled for Thursday evening
In the cabinet room Of the New Willard.
At this meeting, in addition to the usual
election of officers and regular business.
two items Of the utmost importance Will
be taken UP.
The more important Of these concerns
the haadieaps and the various systems
now In vogue. The association contends
that too many handicap events have been
won by poorly handicapped players and
steps will be taken Thursday night to
correct this evil. The association holds
the clubs responsible for the present lax
handicap methods. Under the present
plan the handicap committees Of the
various clubs are practically given free
rein, with the result that the rules are
not general and that some clubs enforce
their rules to the letter, while others
do not This places players who are
members OF clubs where the rules arc
rigidly followed at an even greater dis
advantage when playing in open and In
vitation events against members Of clubs
which are rather lax in this respect.
Secretary Brown has taken this question
up and has been working on 1t for several
months and Is now we'll stocked with
ammunition for Thursdays debate on the
subject It is certain that tho meeting
will be productive, and that either an
association handicap committee, which
will oversee the work Of the club COM
of rules to be followed by all clubs will
be adopted.
The other item Of interest to be taken
up Is in regard to the "home-and-home"
matches for clubs under the association.
Several plans have been tried, but to
dat If aat11.
factory. Last years was no exception to
the rule, as many matches being default
ed as were played. Many schemes have
been suggested for 1914, but the majority
seem to favor holding a three-day
tournament at Virginia Hot Springs. the
event to be decided in the fall. II this
plan is adopted, the members of the
teams will play a qualification round on
the first day, the aggregate scores at
medal play to count, the rounds at match
days. Another plan which seems to meet
with favor is that of having the home
and-home' matches played in conjunc-
ton with the regular championship
tournament One of these two plans Is
almost sure to be adopted unless it Is
decided to discontinue the matches alto
gether.
Under the rules Washington will re-
linqu.sh the presidency Of the associa-
ton this year and it will probably go to
the Country Club of Virginia 1t is GUS
tomary for this position to go to the club
which Is awarded the Middle Atlantic
championship tournament, and II the
virginians are ready they can have It.
as it is their turn; in fact, they have
been entitled to 1t for the past two years,
but passed it up because their course;
which is a new one, was not considered
in good enough condition for such an
important event. The vice presidency
goes to the club which Is next in line
for the championships. which means that
the Wilmington Country Club Will get
the second best Office, provided the assoc
citation follows the usual practice. but
it is possible that an exception will be
made In this case, as the wilmington
Club has shown practically no interest
in Middle Atlantic golf for the past year
or so.
Those who play on the Columbia Coun-
try Club course this year VIII hnd II con-
siderably changed. The club has pur-
chased the ground in the northwest corner
hole, so that it will be farther away
from the eleventh and from the tenth
tee, This addition also allows a length
ening of the sixth hole 80 that the course
now has all the advantages called for IN
the definition of a perfect course, ootn
extra long as well as very short holes.
With the beginning Of the 1914 season
all Bannockburn interests will be trans
ferred from the old course at Cnesy
Chase Circle to the new one near Cabin
John Bridge. as plans for the clubhouse
have been approved and work on tenn
porary one will be started within a few
weeks Indications are that the course
itself will be in splendid condition.
This new course, which is just -FOUR
miles west of Chevy Chase Circle, and
within sight of Cabin John Bridge. COM
prises 122 acres. The club took five
wear lease on this land, with the opuon
of buying it at the expiration OF TINS
term, and, by hard work, it has managed
of the third year. The course, when
COMPLETED, will undoubtedly rank with
the hest. one Of its big advantages being
that in addition to the eighteenth, both
the ninth and twelfth holes are at the
clubhouse. SO that those who want TO
play short game may do SO without
cutting across the course ana playing
holes out of order or ending up mile
or SO from the house. The course has
not TOO difficult to be called an unfair
| test In addition to four natural springs
located at. various intervals, there Is
enough water on the course to Keep II
green, and a small engine will be installed
70 pump 1t to a reservoir on one OF the
highest hills, from where 1t can be pipeo
to every green.
The course, as originally planned is an
eighteen-hole one, about 5000 yards
sro,,nd with par at Y, but as the entire
course has not yet been completed only
nine holes will be used this year and
nossibly next, although as the extra holes
are finished they will be opened up. The
njans of the original course are:
Yards Par