The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-31
BY JOHN @. ANDERSON.

There are many lessons to be learned
from the amateur championship held at
Oakmont Country Club. many of which
we have been hammering at for years.
Well meant criticism should be n source
OF benefit to those who anticipate apply
ing for future championships. Appli-
cants who can come to the meeting and
present their credentials with assurances
that they understand the working prin-
ciples of holding championships ought to
receive the first qualifying votes and
undoubtedly will
There are two or three variant ideas
In the minds OF the club officials who
have the running of of the amateur
championship. One group thinks that
play Is only for the gallery, that the
players are practically on exhibition and
that those golfers who cannot travel to
the scene of conflict ought to be well
pleased at the crumbs which the press
reports can furnish. Another group,
| composed mainly Of golfers, have regard
for the efforts which have been made
by the golfers and think Of their COM
fort first. Still another lot busy them
selves with the securing of red or
yellow flag in order that they may get
out in front and be seen of others.
At Pittsburg as at all other cham
pionships these three groups were much
| in evidence But we must confess that
| the arrangements for the care of the
players was not all that could have been
desired II we compare the treatment of
the players at other courses.
Take Detroit for instance. The COM
mittee in charge realized that there were
| a hundred golfers or more at the hotels
with no definite means Of getting to the
club at Crosse Point, distant over ten
miles. They made arrangements with
members to call at hotels where the
golfers were staying and take them each
morning and return with them at night
in order that the players might get to the
| course easily and on time.
Players Appreciate Courtesies.
There were fully a hundred golfers
who appreciated this kindness and who
have remembered ID for years. Over a
dozen OF them spoke at Plttsburg of the
opportunity for this same kind of SER
vice, expressing surprise that il was not
thought of since the club was sixteen
| miles out and the train service up to
the start of the tourney was bad. The
return to town was even worse, for the
train schedule showed but one train at
around seven and not another until ten.
Since the play on Monday did not end
| until Sis the inconvenience OF having
to wait for that train can be imagined.
torrentlal downpOur not nelping ma
ters any. 1t was difficult to secure auto
mobiles for hire that night. many play
ers having to wait two hours before Sc
curing one
The members of the reception commit
tee would have been praised forevermore
! l. they had had some of the younger
members of the club engaged to act as
assistants at a time like this. No one
| will state that there was any obligation
on the part OF the club to provide means
of easy transportation. but It was done
at Detroit, and 1t was nightly ap-
preciated too.
| The press arrangements were none to1
/ good. We 40 not know just how ,i,esl
are made, but we do know that there
was not enough pressure brought tn
| bear on the men in charge, who thought
! they knew more about the interest IN
! golf than the golfers and the newspaper
! men.
| Days before the tournament began the