The New York herald., 1922-08-01
INWOOD'S WEAKNESS
Is ALREADY NOTED.
Golf Expert Warns Open
Championship Course Of Dan
ger of It's Short Holes.
BY KERR N. PETRIE.

Now that the Inwood secretary him
self has told the world that his course
has been selected as the venue of the
1928 national open championship 1t is
breaking no faith with the United States
Golf Association to say that the choice
was practically made during the play
at Skokie a week or two ago. Skokie
did not pass this years test without
great deal OF criticism. and it Is safe
to say that while Inwood is the selec-
tion of the Professionals through their
nationl association the course does not
meet with the approval of every MEM
ber of the salaried brigade.
To be quite candid one great player
already has been heard raising his voice
In protest. From the many fine things
that already have been voiced of this
splendid course in the Rockaways 1t
might have been supposed that the Sc
lection would be unanimous But despite
the fact that its greens are probably
unsurpassed and its turf unexcelled and
of that seaside nature so beloved of the
professional this particular expert con-
siders that Inwood is far from being a
championship circuit, II by that is meant
course which supplies enough of those
long searching. testing second shots.
And the long second shot Is coming
more and more to- be regarded as the
only criterion Of golfers and golf courses.
1t is not enough. in the opinion OF
the player quoted above to have excel
lent greens watered during the cham
pionship until any old shot will stick
as was the case at Skokie What is re-
qutred on a modern championship course
is not merely quality. Length IS of para
mount Importance. The giants OF the
links are only giants when they have
room enough TO get off these long tee
shots. which steal yards from the op-
ponents and to hit these long seconds.
which when they are well directed search
FOR the pin. while the lesser lights are
groveling short of the green with an
approach still to make
This is exactly the point that the ex-
pert in question wanted to emphasize
when he said that 1t is about time that
the powers that be without fear or favor
select courses that measure UP to cham
pionship standards even II by SO doing
II would be necessary to turn down a
suggestion made by the p c. A.
Where skoIsie Was Weak.
There Is no denying the fact that
Skokle rell short of championship re-
quirements In at least one respect, this
nelng the long succession of easy four
holes strung ale from the twelfth TO
the sixteenth. In some respects Skokie.
under the conditions prevailing during
the seventy-two holes Of championship
play proper. was ideal It has a good
overall length and il had two extremely
| interesting and testing finishing holes.
But from the twelfth TO the sixteenth the
course was decidedly weak. offering as
II did a string of threes and one two 10
any player fortunate enough to get his
puts down.
! The twelfth was an easy 4 and the
thirteenth was par g. The fourteenth
found the players driving around the
green and the fifteenth was a very easy
hole OF the drive and pitch order. The
sixteenth was a good drive and pitch
type, butsas noted II came in at the end
OF string of weak holes.
! Inwood, II memory serves. has several
holes that are not particularly strong.
IL II is to escape condemnation II will
proceed promptly TO remedy its defects.
which are those OF distance only With
year ahead of II. the club should be
able to offer for the 1928 open champion
ship course that is strong from start
to finish. string Of holes such as
marred the incoming half Of Skokie Is
bringing the giant down to the level OF
the pigmy. The latter may have a few
yards more TO go on his mashie shot, but
then he may have better luck on his
putting. And championship golf should
not be reduced to a question of puts.
No Objection 10 short Holes.
No one objects to short holes provided
the distance is such as 70 call for ac-
curacy on that particular style of shot.
but when par holes, so called. find the
players piling around the green on the
drive, then the course Is decidedly weak
and the giant Of the game is being need
iessly sacrificed
Taylor and Herd, last week at Shaw
nee called attention to the fact that they
were repeatedly short with drive and