The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-23
ON SECOND THOUGHT
By JAY T. HOUSE,
tFron PhiladelpAla Public LedgsE.l

The column hereby announces tne
formation of the new political party
| hitherto suggested and nominateS
Samuel G. Blythe of California and
the Waldorf-Astoria as its candidate
for president in 1924, At later date
the party will declare itself on other
outrages and abuses, but its t1rst con-
structive effort will be that or pre-
venting the further trapp -ng and bum
kering of the golf courses of this coun-
try. Mr.. B.ythe's article on this abuse
ins the current issue of the Saturday
Evening Post is so sane and fair and
constructive that no other name
should be presented for its consider
alton when the new partY meets in
convention in Atlantic city in July,
1924.
There may be those who will scout
the issue herein outlined and sub
mitted. Some may think were fool
ing. But we never were in more dead
ly earnest. No issue now before the
American people is as vital and sig
nificant nor touches so intimately the
lives Of so great a number OF persons.
Ali over the country--in virtually ev-
cry community-red-bl ooded men are
at white heat because their .favorite
golf courses have been trapped and
bunkered to the point at which play
ing over them ceases to be recreation
and becomes an ordeal.
Mr.. Blythe has named names So
shall we. 1t SO happens that We be-
long to a golf club located in the en-
virons of Philadelphia. 1t was a good
course-middling sporty with two or
three holes entitled to invite favor
able comparison with the curly wolf.
1t has membership around 500, good
fellows and good citizens all OF the
800 plus members. 200 or more never
broke 80 and never will. And yet this
fall the course has been trapped and
bunkered~ out of all semblance to it's
H. II.
hazards will add ten strokes to the
game of the average member. Every
body who plays golf knows the curious
psychology of the game. The new
trapping and bunkering lays hazard
OF moiling and toiling-of annoyance
and exasperat!on-for every dub"
golfer in the club. The only sthing
achieved is that on the occasion of
annual tournaments, or in the infre-
quent appearances of gentlemen who
game but contribute nothing to it's up
keep, somebody will say, You've got
a sporty course here
The dub" players VINO keep the
club alive were not consulted or given
opportunity to express their opinions
as to the changes. Their wishes were
not consulted Those in authority re-
sponded to ths national tendsncy to
predicate the game on the perform
ance of the few to the annoyance of
the many. 1t Is the thing that is
going on in nearly every community
in which golf is played. We write of
it out of no personal grievance. We
play about the same kind of golf ON
sporty course as we do on one
presenting fewer difficulties. What
we wish to combat Is the tendency to
spoil the game for the financial back
tlemen who have never broken 90 and
never will.
The Cobbs Creek Golf course, Phil
adelphia's municipal Inks, is another
example of thes national tendency
against which we inveigh. In the ma
ture OF things the man~Who plays oil |
a municipal course is likely to be be-
ginner and a "duffer." The Course |
on which he plays should be laid out
with the idea of affording him the |
maximum of recreation and enjoy |
ment- But somebody told the author
tiles responsible for. the creation of !
Cobbs Creek that what the beginner |
created for him. We have played |
most of the courses in the vicinity OF |
Philadelphia. To US Cobbs Creek is |
the most difficult of al. Every fair
day in the year hundreds of those who |
are, from a golfing standpoint, lame
and blind and halt go out there and i
try to play course which gives pro- |
fessional pause.
Last 7sunkmer we Were marooned !
four days in Windsor, VT. The town
had a new golf course in which it had I
invested much money and upon which /
it lavished great civic pride! They |
told Us at the hotel that we'd find It /
pretty sportk. That was the thing
they were so proud of-they had a
sporty course. And I'm that respect |
their pride was justified; it is a sporty
course. In the three days we Played 1T
zua Sauv MANY ,1fI.ar-unifarz 1,f~f,,aIIr,
the entire men1b ership-moiling over
it. They didn't play much golf; most
Of their time was devoted to a search I
for lost balls. But there WASN'T a
golfer in the lot who could play that
nine-hole course under CO. All they
were getting out of the game was the