Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-13
Theft Nuisance Greatly
Abated = Reg VI ars
Score Well-No Glass
in Class Tourney
By SANDY McNIBLICK


,TNHEFT of golf balls at the new mu-
- nicipal course, Cobb's Creek, has be-
oonae precarious, and according to Super
intendsut Harry c. Hunter, has now been
reduced ito a minimum by the vigilance of
the park guard.
Soon after the public links opened the
theft Of golf balls by small boys rapidly
developed from incident to nuisance and
finally TO almost plague.
Most of the beginners using the course
elected to worry around the links wltnout
a caddy. Their hooks and pulls and slices,
their ity shots to the woods, the rocks ana
rough, were easy pictings for gangs OF
small boys that gradually thickened and
hid somewhere about the course ready TO
haash out snatch wandering ball ana
sprint beck to cover before they couiu oe
Hdiscovered.
Taa favorIte ambush was the 9Th woods
Mt NJ ton of the hill where they could
not be seen by the golfer ascending. They
also camped at the 16th and at the lSth
regularly. At these holes the boys dellp-
erately stole the balls when they could not
be seen by the owners.
Small Ball Pirates
All along the course boys gathered also,
and when ball was lost in the roush
plenty of willing hands sought 1t with the
owner. - ,
When the bail could not be found the
owner left, and then one of the boys picked
II UP, usually where he had pressed II into
the ground with his heel.
IL took the mounted "coppers" but
short time to get to the gangs at the
9Th and other semiblind holes and these
were soon cleaned out. No more are
found" golf balls bought in by Caddy
Master Coughlin. The latter has now pro-
vided green bands with the proper In
Bcription on them for all caddies in the
employ of the municipal course.
The small boy problem is difficult since
the course is public, but all youngsters
patrol for being on the course unless they
wear the green band, or they will be prop
erly dealt with.
players are not prohibited from bring
ing their own caddcs. The only restric-
ton is that these caddes are asked TO
obtain notes from the caddy master, which
can be presented to any of the mounted
guard on demand.
ION a public course such as this said
SUPERINTENDENT Hunter today, "it Is difficult
10 prevent the theft of golf balls, but be-
lieve we have reduced the likelihood to
minimum. We have had few complaints
lately"
Meeting Tonight
The organization meeting of the Phila.
delphia Golf Club new body composed Of
80 players from Cobb's Creek as charter
members. will meet tonight for the first
time at the Ritz-Carlton. OHlcerS VIII nc
elected. Journeys planned at the public
links, the caddy question and others taken
up and the welfare in general of the mu-
picipal course and the new club discussed.
All players at the public links are eligible
to membership. The fee is 50 semi.an-
nually.
The metropolitan open championship,
originally scheduled for last week, will be
played today and tomorrow at Garden City,
l.. l. James NJ. Barnes. Whitemarsh;
Charlie Hoffner. Woodbury.; James Thorn
son. Country Club; Jack and ANDY" Camp
bell, York Road and Springhaven; Wilfred
Reid and other local pros are all conceded
20 have a dashing chance for the title
The Rev. ], Westra b. Stewart, of st.
Peters Church, Sd and Pine streets, is
of the most regular of the golfers at Cobbs
Creek.
He was one of the first to register when
the course was opened and misses few
chances to play His game has advanced in
leaps over the difficult course.
II. Wellington Wood. southpaw genius,
, 1918, Wilmington, plays the course every
day at Cobb's Creek and sometimes twice.
His best card was recently, when, part
nered with David Clegg in a four-ball match,
Wood says he shot fine 81.