Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-24

BIG YEAR PREDICTED FOR
GOLF IN PHILADELPHIA
Everything in Readiness for the Opening Of
FL Prosperous Season on the Greens
and Pathways

will show their wares here during that
September week. People who never saw n
golf ball will go 20 see them because
everybody else will. They will be prop
erly impressed and will try their hand.
Once bitten by the bug-thats all. Thou.
sands of regular players will be inspired
to greater deeds.
Merton is making big preparations for
the event. The course was officially opened
up on Friday and 200 golfers turned out
FOR their initial trick Because of the
late winter the course has not yet
reached the firmness of summer, and win
| ter rules are In vogue Four new greens
have been built. the Sd, sth, 9th and nth
Lney were plowed UP and remodeled
They will be ready, with the grace of the
weather in short time. Every effort is
| being made to put the course in even
more championship form than it now is.
Two new tournaments OF an entirely
novel nature have been placed on the
official local schedule, according to Fran
els b. Warner, secretary of the Golf AS
sociation. One is the novice tournament
TO be staged at st. David's for those
having greater handicap than 10. This
opens up tournament day to the great hoi
polloi OF "duners.' Since one of the
prime requisites for entering the EXPERT
class is to be able to make shot with
some one looking on, this tournament Is
liable to have fine results. At Philmont
there will be, for the first time in Phla-
delphia, sanctioned" mixed foursome.
More improvements
Huntingdon Valley has not allowed her.
self to be ousted from the Big Four
class Tees have been set back and built
so that 400 yards can be added to the
course at the whlm of the Greens Com
mittee.
Perfectly beautiful" is the way Cam
Btlytnn. cfn pf hn ,I,,l, =,
scribed the course today, "I have never
seen 1t looking better We have lifted out
few more of the mistakes made at first,
ana the other changes we are making will
Keep n, V. c. C. right up at the top" He
said the course was ready for all comers
The heavy rain of last week was like
dollars to all the greenskeepers 1t was
just what was needed and made unnec-
essary many artificial restorers contem-
plated to hustle things.
The Philadelphia Cricket Club is In fine
shape. All the alterations started last
season will be pushed this year to put
the course in the front rank. They are
not, however. interfering with early sea-
son play.
The most extensive changes at any of
the clubs Is that going forward at North
Hills. The dreams that have been gath
ering for years burst over the course, and
13 new holes are being built. One new
hole was built last year, so that only four
of the original holes Of the course will
remain.
Eleventh Hole'
The most charming from an artistic but
not from a buffers" point of view, is
the new eleventh. a pond is being built
to right and trees, etc, to left make the
path necessary one which will filter with
nary a waver to an opening in the gulch
where has been laid out beautiful green.
The hole is a triumph, and the breast
of Dan Miller, new pro at the club, heaves
with no little pride as he gazes upon 1t.
Ten thousand dollars is being spent on
the course. This follows the line of other
clubs, which are constantly improving
their courses. This all means more boost
for local golf..9 s1s. t.e.s.sa5ts
y Ben Nicholls confdattte and tutor of
kings, has left the Lu Lu Club and his
place has been taken by George Caruth-
ers formerly of North Hills. He has de-
veloped so many stars that the Shriners
have engaged him to buck up their game.
He has started in with rush. The orig
inal pool table" green's will be discarded
for the large and sporty greens he has
now under cultivation. Fine sod has
sprung up on them and the ropes will be
removed in a short time. The ninth hole
has been remodeled, the seventh entirely
resodded and the first hole has been re-
sodded from tee to green. None of the
local clubs have sat placidly and allowed
the new season to come in unheralded.
Large hordes crowd the links even this
early. Join the thrOng.