The New York herald., 1921-12-26
TWO COURSE PLAN
FAVORED BY PROS
y. .4t~-i Lihe.y to BE
Used in National Open
Golf Tourney.
ByKERR N. PETRIE.

BySkERR N. PETRIE.
Amateur golfers who long have advo-
Gated the use of two courses for the quail
flying rounds of the national amateur
championship will be interested to know
that the professionals also have been
giving quite a bit of thought to the adj
vantages OF such scheme and that the
IDEA finds favor with a majority OF the
members of the salaried brigade. There
Is even strong probability that ar en-
dcavor will be made to launch such an
innovation at next years open cham
rionship and that AZ = consequence an
other course than that OF the Skokie
Club Will be utilized for the preliminary
pay.
Last year. it may be recalled. the pro-
fessionals made an eleventh hour at
tempt to have the United States Golf
Association change the conditions for
the open so that the qualifying play at
Columbia would be over thirty-six holes
instead of eighteen. The reason that the
national body did not grant the request
was not that the plan did not meet with
its approval but simply because making
over the program for the tournament at
such late hour could only have resulted
in chaos.
1t was the p. @. A. that made the
suggestion in a telegram to the secretary
A OF the u. s. G.. A. That action was
taken at the instance of the professionals
who were gathered at Shawnee for the
annual open tournament there. However.
that was leaving too little OF n margin.
The national open championship by that
time was only few days away and
even then the entrants were beginning
tc gather at Columbia Country Club.
But there can be no excuse IL the pro-
fessionals fall to act In time this year.
The members Of the salaried brigade still
believe in the thirty-six hole route as
leaving less to chance than an eighteen
fole qualifying test. Several very fine
golfers were eliminated last year simply
because they did not strike their gait in
that single round of qualifying. Among
the notables left out were Alex Ross,
former champion. and Bob Macdonald.
And the latter 1t was who gave the
eighteen hole qualifying fits mortal
wound The very next week Bob came
right on to New York and proceeded to
show them. winning the metropolitan
open championship from high class
field, gathering. in fact, that included
not only the man who had won the ma
tional at Columbia, but the two who had
tied for second and most of the stars
who had been in the money.
The Program at Toledo.
There was qualifying over the double
round at Toledo last year but In that
championship the entire field was sent
cut to do eighteen holes each day on the
same course. This meant a dewy morn
ing start for some and twilight play for
others.
BY using two courses it will be pos
sible to get all around in comfort next
year and at time of the day when the
course is at It's best and there are no
andicaps of dewy green's or putting in
scmi-darkness. The answer to this is
that the field will be split into two as
rearly as possible equal parts so that
while the one half Is operating at Skokie
the other half can be over at the other
course and vice versa.
1t is not difficult to see the saving in
time and temper which will result from
such method of procedure. At Toledo
the entry was something like 265 players
and 1t was around the same figure again
at Washington last year
But allowing that 1t should jump sud-
denly to 800 next year the two course
method of qualifying will take care of
the field. This would mean that seventy
five couples would be starting simultan-
eousy at Skokie and the other course.
which might be Bob O. Link. And mas
much as these two courses are only
about three miles apart this would be
an ideal combination. Leaving an in
terval Of five minutes between the pairs
the whole field could be sent away very
comfortably between 3 and a little after
3 o'clock. Very likely the last OF the
players would be holing out not much
after 3, as the chances are that a start
would be made at 8 80.
Look for Record Entry.
With q course in Chicago selected for
the open championship and Vardon.
Braid. Taylor and Herd of the British
forces making an onslaught on the title
the probability Is that the entries again
will establish a record. The two course
plan should meet the situation. In fact
It is not clear how solution can be
found in any other direction. As was
done this year the field could be cut into
two parts. and each division sent out on
successive days for single round OF
medal play, but this is o system against
which the professionals have expressed
themselves in no uncertain terms. An
eighteen hole qualifying round Is not
satisfactory to the experts.
Championship matters are certain to
occupy the attention Of the professionals
for some little time TO come. as in addi-
tion to having the arrangements and de-
tails for the national open on their
hands they have also to clear the decks
for the =. G. A. and Western title meets.
The Western, IL has been whispered. is
likely TO be held on the course OF a
we'll known Detroit club. while an even
more widely famed course in the Pitts
burgh district has only to nod its well
bunkered head to land the p a. This
latter course Is Of proven championship
qualities. Moreover, there always has
been much discussion as TO what the
pros might accomplish in the way OF
low scoring in any championship they
should hold there
The r. g. A. officials have been asked
to take a hand In tho selection of the
Western open title course. The little
bird has been whispering that they have
expressed a desire to have the tourna-
ment on course which Walter Hagen
and Nike Brady know well
Gene Sarazon. the lad who so soundly
trounced Jock Hutchison in this years
p. G.. A. championship, has gone to
Miami for the winter. and already has
won spirited action against the par
OF the Miami Beach course. Gene was
out in ss and home In - for a 81. His
card. which was attested by Judge Price
OF Miami, was as follows:
Hn' In ............ ...:..... sss sss 4 Z S-S1-o7
Havana Entries.