Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-25
GOLF THE GAME THAT
CATCHES The MASSES
Spreads Over Country Like a
Prairie Fire Driven by a
Swift Gale.
MARY MEETS ARE CARDED

1t can truthfully be said that no
game in the world demands the
amount OF intelligent thought and la
Dor, aside from the actual playing OF
it, as does golf. This Is made up in
the time and consideration necessary
to the creation, preservation and per-
lection Of the ground upon which It
is played. Other games demand that
the playing surface be everywhere
alike.
Golf stands alone as the one great
game which has no set ideal In this
respect. What ideal there is is largely
subjective and hence the power to
create a golf course worthy of the
material in hand may be called an
intelligent activity OF high order
and fascinating one, too, because Of
the variable and novel conditions
which each individual example pres
entS.
Laws Not Admissible.
Absolute laws are not admissible
and the fascination lies largely in dis
covering Vie best manner of applying
the general laws involved. Every soil
has its own peculiarities, demanding
special treatment, and every piece
of ground singular conformation,
requiring special adaptations of the
broad principles of golf architecture,
Green keeping as necessity to the
nj oF Tho ,,, tho
life history of golf. Fifty years ago
the focks of sheep that roamed the
links land OF Scotland were the only
actual greenkeepers. 1t was only
when the game commenced to in
crease in popularity and spread south
into England that the real birth Of
the necessity for the proper care Of
the ground came into being.
Golf so took possession of the new
devotee that he was not content that
the playing conditions should only be
at their best during one period of the
year He wanted to play golf the
year round, and was not to have his
pleasure spoiled because Of the tradi-
ton and feeling in Scotland that it
was sin and even sacrilcge to in
anyway present a natural growth OF
the green. More than that, he must
have his golf near his home.
This rapid growth and spread Of
the game into what were then new
and unnatural situations brought into
being the present art and science OF
green keeping. The spread OF the
, ma tn t,,ar ha y1n n
conditions far more unsuitable than
any that existed in Great Britain.
There is little doubt that the quick
disappearance OF eighteenth century
American golf was due to the fact
that economical means did not then
exist to overcome the natural un-
favorable golfing conditions.
Americans have attacked the problem
of creating turf in climate unfavor-
able to its natural growth with an un.
renting attention to details which
has resulted, despite everything to the
contrary, in some Of our courses hav-
ing greens the equal OF any in the
world. The general improvement Of
the game through the country or in
any section OF It depends upon the
quality of golf offered. This is some
thing which every one is aware OF,
and yet how difficult has it been for
green committees to make even the
simplest changes. Humanity is at
bottom conservative, and every sud
den change is looked at askance.
Although one OF the objects of the
Metropolitan Golf association, as set
down in Article Of its constitution,
is to arrange dates without conflict
for open and invitation tournaments.
it would appear as the seasons roll
around that the task becomes more
and more difficult
For instance, in the latest list OF
tournaments announced from the Sec
retary's Office OF the local association.
the Sleepy Hollow Country club is
given June 2l-23 for its invitation
meeting. That is in the same week
with the women's metropolitan cham
pionship at Piping Rock. To be sure,
the tournaments in question have lit
tie in common; just the same. there
are those players who would be glad
to visit Piping Rock who are likely
to be found in the Sleepy Hollow
tournament.
Then there is the Apawamis invita-
ton, for which June 2S to 80 is set
aside. Here again Is a conflict, this
time with the national open cham
pionship at Brae Burn. First on the
list OF tho new dates Is the Fox Hills
Golf club, May l7.l9, and next comes
arden City, May 5l-June 2. The
New York Golf club tournament at
Van Cortlandt is on for August 29-3i
and the Tuxedo invitation September
20-21