New-York tribune., 1916-07-08
10 THE POOR
PRO! BUT HE
MAY HAVE HOPE
Movement for More Open
Journeys Is Rapidly
Finding Favor.
BY FRED HAWTHORNE.

The outrageous manner in which
! well known amateurs have recently
been treating the best Of the foreign
and homebred professional golfers in
the national open championship tourna-
ments has led TO much comment. In
some quarters il is maintained that
the amateurs have approached such
state Of efficiency at the game that the
best Of them no longer have TO ask
odds Of the pros and will continue to
score over the money chasers with
ever increasing frequency.
There are just as many others who
claim that it is only lack of competi-
tive practice that has kept the profess
sionals from maintaining their suprem-
acy, and that were the latter given the
opportunity for tournament play that
falls TO the lot of the amateurs, they
would prove themselves invincible.
There appears merit in both argu-
ments. Vardon and Ray, greatest Of
British golfers, and for years credited
I with being the best the world has pro-
duced, were not lacking in practice
when they came TO this country in 1913
and lost TO young Francis Ouimet in
! the open at Bpookline that year. Yet
1t is undoubtedly a fact that too much
teaching and too little active compe-
tition has seriously impaired the PROV
ess OF the professionals in this country.
! II stands to reason that A man who
spends hours of his time every day
teaching a pupil how to swing with
Tho unndan cluha bnuy IN mi tho
backspin with the msshia cannot per-
form 20 well as the man vho engages
in match three or four times a week
or even less, with an opponent.
Give Them a Chance.
Those who have the interests Of the
game at heart are beginning TO recog
nizc the fact that something should be
done to give the professionals more
time and incentive TO engage in COM
petition. The formation of the Pro-
fessional Golfers Association of Amer
lea last winter was a move in this di-
rection. II was the means Of bring
ing the men together and Of increas-
ment play, aided by the various clubs
support the new body has.
With the national open at Minikahda
scarcely week past. the pros will next
swing their clubs at Garden City on
July 13 and Ii in the Metropolitan
open. On the following Tuesday and
Wednesday they will again have a
chance TO compete, this time at Van
Cortlandt Park, in the first champion
ship tourney of their association. In
addition 10 the various sectional tour
naments for the pros in different parts
Of the country there will be the big
/ tournament in September for the Rod
man Wanamaker prize, this event being
modelled along the lines Of the News
cf the World tournament abroad
Thus it will be seen that the profes-
sonals arc going TO get more chance at
money prizes this season than for some
time past, and with such good start il
is not too much to expect that the fut-
urc will see more playing by these mas
ters Of the game than in years gone by.
Speaking of the Professional Golfers
Association. this organization held its
first annual meeting at the Hotel Ra-
disson, Minneapolis, on Monday. June
26. when officers and executive commit
tees were elected. Every section in the
country is represented among the COM
| rnittees. Herbert Strong, OF lnwood,
| who has done so much 70 further the
| interests Of the association and who
| was its guiding spirit in the first days
Of its existence, still remains as secre-
tary and treasurer. The other officers
and committees are rs follows:
President, Robert White; vice-presi-
dents. James Maiden and George Foth-
eringham; secretary and treasurer
Herbert Strong. Executive committees;
Metropolitan section-Robert White,
James Maiden, Herbert Strong, Jack
Hobens, Gilbert Nichols. Jack Mackie,
/ Willie Robertson and Thomas Kerrl-
gan. Middle States section-GeOrge
Fotheringham, ). Gardner. Jack Croke,
Walter Fovargue, ". Marshall and d..
Macintosh. Southeastern section
James R. Thomson, Wilfred Reid and
William c. Byrne. New England sec
tion NJ J. Brady, c. J. McGrath and
George Gordon. Central section
William V. Hoare. Western section
George Sargent. Pacific section
Charles G.. Adams.
Here is something that we believe is
deserving of a boost. II shows in a
most practical way how the golf clubs
III. length and breadth of the land can
help in the present wave of patriotism
and preparedness that is sweeping over
the country since the trouble began in
Mexico
Wallace c. Paul. secretary of the
North Jersey Country Club. asks that
space be given to this item. Here II Isl:
THE call Of the country at this crit
ical time has been answered by the
North Jersey Country Club in no un-
certain manner. The home of the 5th
Regiment of New Jersey is in Paterson,
\. J.. and many Of the men Of that or
ganization are members of the North
Jersey club. The board of governors
therefore have felt 1t their first duty
TO recognize the service Of these men
who have promptly answered the call,
and accordingly at a meeting OF the
board on Monday evening last unani-
mously adopted a resolution suspend
ing the dues of such Of the members
as are performing military service,
su.h suspension of dues TO apply for
as long as they shall be on duty.
This action Of the North Jersey
Country Club it u hoped will be
promptly followed by & similar move
on the part Of golf clubs throughout
the country. One thing is certain. and
that IS if old North Jersey is called
upon TO meet any other contingency
for the country honor It will be there
with the goods"
ynyyNJS &c xUJNNED