The Washington times., 1916-02-05
SEES BRIGHT GOLF FUTURE
He Is Much More Suggestive Of
Roderick Dhu Than Of Harry
Lauder.


Montrose being just nifty miles north
of st. Andrews, and then he gathered
up a bagful OF clubs and his copy OF
Robert Burns poems and came 10
America Perhaps It was the example
of Andrew Carnegie that led him TO
Pittsburgh. but. at any rate. he secured
n place as professional at the PITTS
burgh Golf Club few months after
landing, and retained 1t until he was
made an attractive offcr by the Chevy
Chase Club.
In the meantime, he has established
himself as one Of Americas leading
professionals. and he attracted VIDE
attention last year when he was run
ner-up in the western Pennsylvania
open tournament at Oakmont.
Suggests Roderick Dhu.
1.-the as the shaft OF a driver and
with nair and eyebrows as dark az a
stormcloud over Loeb Lomond, he 10
much more suggestive OF Roderick Dhu
than Of Harry Lauder. And any man
who talks with such a rich burr as his
can always make eighteen holes In par
or better. Furthermore. he Is tall
six x-fcet-something-so that when he
takes full swing with a wooden club
the caddie needs. chart and COM
pass to find tho ball.
But in spite of his length OF leg and
arm the putter is his favorite club. II
took n long time to learn this. for
Burgess is as saving OF his words as the
average Scot Is of his money. The
rur1or was verified. however. by George
Sargent retiring professional at Chevy
Chase. who will leave MARCH l to take
up his duties as professional of the In.
terluchcn Club at Minneapolis. And
Burgess puts with the plainest kind OF
and one with a shorter shalt than ls
used by many.
The snow lay over the Chevy Chase
course like a white counterpane. but
Burgess brought forth his bag of clubs
in me caddy house where a small stove
successfully dcfied the cold. and In the
talk Of swings and approaches and
sand pits and matches lost on the
winter scene was forgotten. Incidentally.
everybody else spoke three words TO one
from Burgess.
Likes Deep grooved Design Best.
Here's a nice club" was his way OF
introducing a masher-niblick with half
a dozen deep grooves cut horizontally
in its face about an eighth OF an inch
apart.
"It may rough the ball up a bit. but 1t
gives it such a back spin that 1t stops
dead wherever il falls On soft ground
it may even roll back few inches;
Various patterns of club faces have
spin. but both Burgess and Sargent
| agree that the deep-grooved design
gave the best results.
| Another odd d-aDpearing club was one
resembling section OF an Inverted gar.
| den rake. Burgess explained that II
was one he brought from Scotland with
him. and that It had been made by his
brother to be used in tall grass. the
teeth going through the grass easier
'''Tfs This = brothcr. David burgess. 1t may
be noted here. came to America two
years ago. and IL now professional al
the Norwich, Conn. Country Club.
| were very ordinary in appearance, and
might have belonged to the Neriest nov.
| ice. though the two hrassies bore the
magic name Of 'Nardon. and theiI
owner brought them to this country
| with him. The wooden clubs seemed
| nght-certainly they lacked the weight
| OF clubs used by many golfers OF light
or build thar Burgess. Eut the proicS
! sional would not admit that lSAtei
| clubs We're best
Sure some usc bigger clubs. and
! that's good for business" was as neal
as he cane t. being committal.
More Than Golfer.
| "'Vhat's tho hardest shot on the
course" was a question that seemed &c
arouse his pit, for the ignorance of thu
| Questioner.
"Everyoody knows the nashie shot il
the most difficult The real trouble
106 yards from the green. There arr
it's the cpprcachtS that lose tn'
it's the approaches that lose th'
matches"
more than just Tolfer He is gol
enthusiast, which Is NOR, than can b
said for many professionals, He i
young ard he has visions for the futur
For he IS no hvphenated citizen though
he is much in love With his nativ
heath. 1t was not till the talk turned
to the future OF the game that lie begaI
t. talk easily.
boys now learning the game Will b
twenty years old. and some of them;
believe, will be better players than th'
we can pick out the fifty best player
| in this country, amateurs and profes
sionals. and match them against tn
fifty best players on the other side.
Wants Public Golf Course.
They will probably play every year
one year in America and the next acros
the Atlantic. 1t may be fifteen year
before the plan can be worked out, bu
; it is sure TO come. Golf is spreadin
: fast in this country, and the neI
: generation OF players, | believe, will b
a match for any in the world
And you think public golf course
are a good thing
!; Certainly ] do and | hope there wi
, be one in Washington before very Ions
Why. there is hardly city of this sig
: in the United States that hasn't a pub
= lie course. The town is away benin
= in that respect.
"im Scotland you can almost play
| ball from one coast TO the other. III
courses are so numerous. Some of thel
are public courses. and some are cor
trolled by clubs. but everybody ca
play. You see the boys there carryin
golf sticks around just like they carr
baseball bats and gloves here. Now th
hoys in this country are beginning
carry golf sticks, and it means a
unprecedented success for the game c
| this side"
referring to golf courses in this eoul
try. Burgess said there was a populi
falacy that the ideal course was, oil