The Washington times., 1922-09-03
BLIND GREENS |
PROVE TESTS
AT BROOKLINE
Chick Evans Declares Player
Who Has Feel With Putter
Stands Best Chance.
BY CHARLES r. c4CHICK"o
~ EVANS. Jr.

DROOKLlNE COUNTRY CLUB,
X BROOKLINE, Mass, Sept. q
- blind Brookline," one of the
greatest golf tests in America and
perhaps the most richly historic
links we have today, became again
the scene Of the annual fight for
the biggest golf honor in the
United States, the national anna
teur championship. The first quail
fying round, with ITO of the star
amateur golfers Of the United
States, Canada and England each
playing eighteen holes, took place
today, with a net rssult in score
cards that indicates several factors
viii have TO do with this champion
ship that have not been 50 greatly
In evidence before. The second
qualifying round takes place Mon
day. each contestant playing eight
cen holes. The best thirty-two then
begin match play for the cham
pionship, :.
leaves me feeling comfortable. My
fellow Chicagoan, Robert Gardner,
former amateur champion, shot
brilliant. II, IT Is not likely that
anything under 80 win have much
of n chance herer
The course is In wonderful con-
ditiori. call II blind Brookhne"
because so many OF the greens are
blind. The player here must be
deadly accurate because II ts not
often that a ball off an iron can
be trusted to luck and a favorable
roll IL 1t happens TO be short OF
where It should be In approach.f
Johnston Off.
The unusual number OF blind
shots threw Harrison Johnston, one
OF the finest golfers In America,
somewhat off his game, he told me
at one OF the tees. and the effect
upon him was a strange one. IL
upset his driving. Johnston Is one
OF the longest drivers In the game.
In last years Western amateur
championship. in Chicago, he was
credited officially with a drive OF
nearly 400 yards.
Usually the player who wins the
crown gets II by mastering the
green's, that is he gets what ne calls
the touch OF the greens. When 30
man is about as good a putter as
another, but up out OF the crowd
shoots some one star who develops
a putting streak. as II is ordinarily
termed. 1t Is not a putting streak
at all. He simply gets the touch,
the right feel, of the greens. When
he gets that he usually goes right
through to the championship II ne
keeps the touch during the week.
Guilford had Il at st. Louis last
year and his putting there was one
OF the most amazing revelations OF
complete mastery of a putter than
ever beheld--and ] had a good look
at II since went down to defeat In
front OF IL.
Wears Snappy KniclSs.
Tommy Armour, the handsomest
man in the game, with his sleek,
Valentino hair and his boom-boom
voice, II there with the niftiest pair
Of knickers a tournament has ever
seen. Armour was formerly cham
pion In Scotland, but now lives In
New York.
Bobby Jones, the Southern star,
drew the big gallery OF the day,
some 500 enthusiasts trailing the
sturdy Bobby during his round. Jones
is on his game this year. as he
proved at this years national open
championship In Chicago. and pick
him as the most likely player to-
pry the crown off big Jesse Gull
ford's head. All Jones has ever need
ed 10 enable him to take champion
ship was turnament experience. He
has now had that.
Paired With Townes-
Americas brainiest amateur play
err, w. g. BilD Fownes, of Pitts
burgh, was paired with me In today's
round. This recalled my
previous tournament experience over
Brookline course, when, In 1913, L
was matched with Fownes in the
semifinal OF the championship. He
defeated me and, won the title the
next day. In looking over the con-.
testants II became apparent that
Fownes and / are the only real old
timers left. One of the contestants
on the scene this year wears a beard,
and someone. referring to that fact,
asked who Il was--Eyansf
II is customary In amateur cham
pionships for the man who ultimate
ly wins II to have at least couple
of easy days somewhere down the
route Of match play. but don't see
any prospect Of easy days for any OF
the old stars this year.
The youngsters are coming on so
fast, and their games are so sup srb,
that Ouimet, Guilford. Fowncs,
Gardner, myself, and others Of the
old guard, so to speak. will have to-
play tip-top golf to last out &c the
semi finals and the Championship
flight this year, with such players
as Knepper, Sweetser, Ira Couch, of
Chicago: Eddie Held. of st. Louis,
who just won championship at To-
ledo-with boys like these to match
up against the competition is indeed
tough.
The play OF the English contest.
ants today was a revelation of the
concentration and determination the
English golfer is capable of. Eight
players from Britain are here to
make finish fight for our title.
Homans, one Of their number,
gave fine demonstration in today's
round OF why the British player
usually is a better match man than
the American. he took eleven strokes
on one hold. but stepped up TO the
next tee, utterly oblivious of the
hole Just passed, and lined out as