Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-30

Bit of the Intersectional
May Mingle for Cup.
The Schedule Gets
Steadier
By SANDY McNIBLICk

TNHE turning over of links in the Phila'
l. delphia and other golf districts of the
United States for grazing grounds oil
sheep is now the cheerful suggestion of the
Philadelphia Wool and Textile Association.
The idea was expressed in letter just sent
to Howard w Perrin president of the
United States Golf Association,
1t IL the thought of the local trades body
that the pasturing Of sheep would not IN
terfere with the recreation of the golfers
while the grass of the spare ground. or
otherwise, Is being used for sheep fattener.
1t is felt that the wool situation of the
country would be greatly benefited If the
suggestion were adopted as country-wide
proceeding.
Opening the season for men in the Phla-
delphia golf district is the great spring
tournament Of the Country Club of Atlantic
City at Mortified, beginning this week.
This tournament is the curtain-raising
springtime joy of the local linkSmen ana
has come to be recognized almost oill-
cially as the Act +. Many motor loads of
golfers scorched off the miles out of Phila-
delphia today to the sard-plcd wave
licked borders of the a. G. course to mashie
out some of tho dress.rehearsal shots, so
fondly played so fondly recalled in the
days of the actual tourney, as a rule.
The course Is open all this week to en-
tries who may also play there on the Sum
day after the finals. Mortified, in its new
pitting and dune-work, needs all the time
the earnest entry is able to put in for
practice because there is a separate and
distinct method of building the traps,
system having its defenders and its protes-
tants
Henry McSweeney chairman Of the green
committee at the seashore course as well
as the author, inventor, engineer and holder
of the reserved rights on tho traps at
Northfield, has the theory that a player
getting in a trap should be penalized one
stroke
That's what a pit is set in the course
for" says Chairman McSwcenCy, ito make
the golfer lose stroke if he does not land
in the place where he is supposed to land I
have constructed my traps with that idea
in mind throughout, and / will promise there
are few golfers getting in my traps by
| bad shot who can make up for 1t with n
| shot out for distance. The victim must play
a pitted shot safe, trying only to get out,
| and then he can bang away for the distance
| after he has lost his shot from the trap"
| Most Of the traps are shallow, with steep
| facing walls.
Three Solid Days
| The qualifying round for the big tourna-
ment this year starts on Thursday at
| eighteen holes. The entry list is so large
| that golfers will be starting off when the
| salty air currents of near twilight are friSk-
| ing through the meadow,and of the course
| This is as usual, so popular is the tourna-
ment. Schuyler Van Nechten won last
| years tournament and an even faster field
will compete this year, made up of several Of
| the really clever players of the New York
| district. as opposed To the cariy-scason
| cream of the Philadelphia section, with a
| few scattered volunteers from parts in be-
| tween and West. The mixing in the fresh
| climate of the shore at this season of the
year is always as lively as any in the local
| schedule so that the opener is going to be
scuffed about intensely before the last or
| winning putt is laid to rest.
with the winning by a metropolitan
| player of the Lakewood finals on saturday,
| the contest between the New York and
! Philadelphia districts now moves to Allan
| tie CITY. Both the Lakewood tournaments
| last year were won by Philadelphia play
| ers the same tournaments in all previous
| wears having been regarded as strictly
metropolitan affairs Percy platt broke
through the Quaker City jinX by getting
| back chunk of Gotham prestige last week
| at Lakewood.
The situation at Atlantic City is that a
tournament which is the opener of the
season for Philadelphia players, has been
taken away for several starts past by New
Workers, no local player having broken
| through for the Shiniest plate IL is thus
the cherished hope and eager intent of the
| Philadelphia entries to overthrow the in
vaders and take the tourney truly to the
bosom of the Quaker City by winning the
high trophy and cutting down the New
York folks
COnscription by Rescue
The passing of the conscription bill now
makes it clear that the golf schedule of the
local association and of the other districts
| except the New York, will continue
smoothly on its course There will be-
| of course, a tremendous culling of the
youthful element out of the tournament
lists, the age limit of conscripton being con-
| siderably muddled at present.
| With conscription there will no longer
| he any question OF conscience or dstastc
for tournaments when there is military work
to be done. Either Il goiicist will be able to
play in tournaments or he won't. and that
| is the end of it.
No birdie will whisper Stacker in his
ear. and 'e will be able to stand up care
free to the pill. to swat it with the thought
that II is aside from the "bit" he IL doine
for his Government aud his flag.
} The war fund idea of tournaments has
grown tremendously in favor over night
| and many clubs which have been holdino