The Washington times., 1922-01-11

We were surprised at the other
courses along the northwestern coast.
many of them comparing with the
best we have in the East. With such
excellent playing grounds well bunk
cred and with first-class greens, golf
is bound to grow in popularity. Many
good golfers are being developed who
will make their presence felt in cham
pionships before many seasons pass.
Some of the best players in the
Northwest played in the amateur
championship at st. Louis last season
and made a very favorable impression.
They are talking now Of another trip
East next summer with the champion
ship at Brookline In view. Sooner or
later q Pacific Coast star will win this
event.
We found golf enthusiasm run.
ming highest at San Francisco where
we met defeat nj the hands Of
Macdonald Smith and Fred Whit
ing. This battle was waged I'm .
bowling wind storm which would
do credit to any Of the famous wind
swept links on the other side Of the
Atlantic.
The way Macdonald Smith ploughed
his way through the gale was some
thing well worth writing about. I
have said before that little Mac was
one of the greatest stars the game has
ever known and am more than ever
convinced of IL.
To appreciate Macs greatness II
must be known first Of all that he is
slightly built, weighing not over 1870
pounds. He does not impress one with
having tho
strength that most successful players
have, and this may be the reason that
he has failed to win big champion
ship. He is the youngest OF the Smith
family Of golfers who have been ia
nous for years on the links here and
In Scotland.
Willie. the oldest, now dead, was
the first to win a championship, then
followed Alex. Mac tied with his
brother and Johnnie McDermott in
1910 for the title but Alex won the
play off. Mac finished fourth in 1918.
He has a very graceful and easy
style getting a great amount Of dis
lance through the perfect timing of
the stroke. He showed rare skill in
holding the drive on the line al
though neither Barnes or myself had
much success in keeping our drives
or long iron shots straight.
Smith has q pitch to the green
somewhat different from that Of
any Of the rest Of us. The ball Is
not Of the high pitch variety but
q very low one and carries q great
amount of back spin. 1 learned
considerable from Mac when we
were both I'm Pittsburg. was at
the Allegheny Country Club while
Mac was stationed over at Oak
mont. We used to play together
two or three times q week.
There are many other good golfors
on the coast. Among them is John
Black, who has played in one or two
open events In the East but not enough
to attract any attention although he
IL a very fine golfer. He was on the
winning end of q Combination that
beat us a few weeks ago further
north, which was our first set back.
The courses around San Francisco,
l am frank to admit. surprised US
considerably. There is always more
or less wind blowing there and tho
golfer who has had experience under
such trying conditions will find an
advantage while the beg nner gains
exper. ence that should stand him well
In hand.
The good people Of the State of
California, as well as of Wash .ngton
and Oregon, are golf enthusiasts of
rare type. One would think that
they had always known golf out ther' ;.
he galleries ara we'll behaved nd