Evening star., 1922-01-22

Several golfers who patronize the
public links in East Potomac Park
the course In West Potomac Park is
700 short to be much more than one
Tor iron practice-got together re-
Gently and compared expenses. They
found that they played an average of
four or five times a week, and that
II cost them % cents each time
they played a round of eighteen
holes and so cents per full round
Added to this Is the cost of balls,
transportation and caddies. which
are no cheaper at the public course
than at any private course.
Would Exceed Club Dues.
Four times around the course at
70 cents round - the average
play during the WEEKS 81.
Continued for fifty-two weeks. the
cost is $50. Against this the annual
dues Of at least three country clubs
about Washington is less than $50.
with the privilege of playing an un-
limited number of times and with
the other privileges to be found at
the country clubs. So. from the state
ments of these men. it appears that
golfing over the public course is not
any cheaper than the cost of playing
over the course of a private golf
club and has few of the conveniepces.
The public course Is operated by a
concesstonnaire, who collects the green
Zee and in turn pays the expenses OF
upkeep. An appropriation is avail
able for upkeep in case 1t is needed,
but the concessionnaire is expected to
keep up the course. Although the
course is new and, on account of the
In good condition, it appears that
proper supervision might provide bet
ter facilities for public links golfers.
AS to the cost of golfing over the
public course in comparison with
public links golf in other cities, 1t
the average public links player here
Is higher than in three other cities.
Seven Courses In Chicago.
Chicago has seven public golf
courses. which provided nearly 500, 900
rounds of play for golfers of the
Windy City last year. At one Of the
courses-a nine-hole affair-well kept
up and real test of, golf. the charge
is 10 cents per game. On the larger
courses-there are six of them avail
able-where a player draws ticket
to play on the same day. as In WASH
ington. the charge Is is cents. Where
the player draws ticket and regis
specified day of the week the charge
is 20 cents. The registered play
ers may register as far as one
week in advance, but are not allowed
to make more than two reservations.
The charge for lockers is $3.50 per
season. each locker accommodating
four players.
Under this system the public golf
courses of Chicago have turned out
some splendid players. Charles Evans.
jr., twice amateur champion, having
been a public links product. and golf
there is booming every year.
Philadelphia, another developer OF
good golfers. charges 81 a year Tor
a seasons golf privileges over the
Cobb's Creek course-a far better
course than the public course in East
Potomac Park. The locker for one
year costs SO.
New York, which has several very
fine public golf coRSses. sells sea-
son permit to play golf for S!o, Ell.
fective for a year An additlonai
charge is made for use of a locker
$50. Visitors not resident in New
York state are charged 81 per day.
Fixed Charge Is Suggested.
If public links golf is to become the
popular sport feature which 1T has
grown to be in other cities. many golf
ers believe a fixed charge of not to
exceed SO should he levied. emitting
the player on application to secure
a permit for year of play. Better
upkeep of the course in West Poto-
mac Park is recommended. The
course as originally laid out Is
very good one, but suffered much last
wear from the heat and too much use.
Lengthening of the course would
have the advantage Of spreading out
the number of players and would
lessen the use of the nine holes now
in operation. Several new holes have
been built and will be used shortly.