New-York tribune., 1918-12-11
Worms Spoil
Six Holes at
Morris County
Necessitate Ploughing Up
Part of Clubs Beautiful
New, if Incomplete, Links

The Morris County Golf Club, which.
under the watchful eye OF Charles B.
Macdonald, who laid out tho national
course, after spending year or more
making a careful survey of all the
noted holes abroad, and made it what
was considered the ideal course of
America, took special care in designing
its new eighteen-hole course, near Con-
vent Station, which it required sew
eral years to build, and is generally re-
garded as the equal Of any Of. the lead
ing courses in the United States, has
had q severe setback
The course was practically completed
this year, with the exception Of two
holes, the work on which was suspended
until after the war, as was the building
of the new clubhouse on the top of the
highest Hill on the property.
BY using two holes on the other side
of the track, portion of their original
course before the commodious club
house was destroyed by fire, with their
famous old punch bowl hole as the
winding up point, it being in close
proximity to their locker room build
ing, which was the only structure not
burned down when the clubhouse was
destroyed, they had temporary
eightecn-hole course during the past
season.
The sixteen new holes, remembered
to suit convenience in starting and
finishing near their temporary club
house, q private residence they rent at
$4,000 year and keep locked up as
tight as drum during the winter
months, are part Of the new course.
New Course One of Beauty
Up to about the middle of August the
new portion of the course, or the six
teen new holes, were beautihed and were
greatly admired by all who visited the
links, as the contours of the various
holes gave the impression that the
course had been designed by nature.
Toward the latter part of August the
grass on six Of the spacious putting
green's, some of which were almost a
quarter Of an acre in size, began to die
off and turn white, and mono of the
workmen seemed able to discover the
cause. The greens that were totally
destroyed were the first, fourth
twelfth, thirteenth, sixteenth and
eighteenth. They are all on the highest
part of the property, whore all the
holes had to be cut through a dense
wood. After the putting green's had
to go, and it was here that the discovery
was made as to the cause Of all the
trouble
BY turning up the earth it was found
that the roots of the grass were. being
eaten up by thousands of white grub
worms, about as thick as lead pencil
and an inch or more long.
These six greens have all been
ploughed up and will be made over and
seeded in the spring, and it is believed
they can be put in commission by the
latter part of June.
Course Is Described
The first hole is only 333 yards in
length, but nature has added to it's
with d deep hollow of from $50 to ESQ
yards to carry to reach a fairway on
the same level.
There is an abrupt hill running di-
agonally across the course from 1925
feet on the right to 225 feet on the left
but it is not absolutely necessary to
carry this ridge on the drive, as ali the
low land between the tee and ridge is
fair green.
ne SHoIt prayer VINO cannot carry
this ridge will have a good lie for the
second shot, while the long player
who does not carry the ridge, will find
his ball at the bottom of the hill, as
there is no lodging place on the side
of the hill, and he will be no better off
than the short player. The green is
easily reached on the second shot, if
played properly as the green IS trapped
on all sides.
Five Long Holes Outbound
There are five holes going out of 400
yards and over. The second hole is
478 yards in length and hard par
hole at that, as there is trouble all
along the line, and it certainly is
straight but narrow path to avoid Diff
hculty.
Tho seventh, of 45O yards. is one of
the finest two-shot holes in the country
and it requires two good shots to reach
the green. The ninth, of 44O yards, is
all up grade and it will require full
drive and full brassey to reach the
green with the most accurate of play.
There are three holes of more than
200 yards on the last nine holes and one
of 500 that require some pretty accu-
rate playing to negotiate in par.