New-York tribune., 1922-12-31

Of the national amateur touII@iieA'
native son.
Sitting by the chimney lug" In the
clubhouse these merry Yuletide days
the old time veterans OF metropolitan
links knock the ashes out Of their
pipes on the warm hearthstone and
tell about the days when the New
York nibliek forces were the strong
est band Of golfers from coast 70 coast
Not alone was this true in the pre-
historic and antediluvian days when
John Reid sr, went golhng on
the old original St. Andrews course
along North Broadway, Honkers, IN
high hat and scarlet breeehes; not
alone in those later epochs when flnd-
Law Douglas carried the Knickerbocker
pcnnant 10 the peak Of the golf world
but above oil IL was in the compare
tiyelv recent ages when the mower OF
metropolitan golf burst into full bloom
and amateur golfers Of purest ray Sc
rene we're welding a wicked brassle ~
defense OF the broad domains Of goli
az played within hailing distance OF
this particular metropolis.
In those hallowed days Jerry IraY-
ers was roaming about the links cap
turing sectional and national titles as
nonchalantly as a grapepieker pIuehs
his blushing fruit in "Lusitanian sum
mers" -Four national amateur utles
and one open championship fell TO his
LOT through the unerring accuracy OF
his midiron shots and his persistent
objection 20 being beaten in a matcn
round Walter Travis swore alegl-
ance to this district while he was put.
ting his way 70 fame as the hrst
American golfer 10 win the British
amateur championship-and also the
last i'm spite Of many assaults on the
same stronghold In recent times
Brought Three Titles
Old "Walter j." also brought three
national amateur titles 20 the metro
politan district. But there were other
golfers who brought fame and glory 70
local links, even II the crop Of national
titles was reaped by but few gioTi-
Gus harvesters. There was freddie
Herreshoff. who died few years back
In his prime Freddie was rip-roarihG
linksman, a long hitter, A good ,putteI
and game fighter. lie chased Haroid
Hilton right up 10 the thirty.seyenth
hole at Apawamis in 1911 before the
Rritisber could shake him off in the
race for the national amateur crown.
One Of Freddies great feats was ms
hack after a breakdown in 1915.
Tbe following year Herreshoff and Os-
wnld Rlrkby played the final round OF
me metropolitan championship at Mas
sau. and a great match it vas. kirkby
plaved wonderful golf, but Freddie
nlowed after him, wild from the tee
cutting huge swathes through the Boggy
rough. but eyeriastingly playing 70 the
hole with grim determination. kirkby
won On the final hole, but Freddie
mad SHOWN what a real warrior Of the
links can do under adverse eireum-
KirK himself is another Gaze in
point IN 1916 the Englewood star
seemed unbeatable in local tourna-
ments He was at the peak Of his
career and seemingly headed FOR the
rational crown. he qualified az Mer-
ION hut In the second round Of match
nIav he faced Gardiner White, and
wbf+e played two Of the greatest
round Of the whole week in putting
the METROPOLITAN champion under the
scd for that year. Kirkby has never
quite recovered from that shock.
Business has him in its clutches OF late
years, and he may never again reach
Inc heights he attained before the
war
Carter Valiant With Nibliek
A voungster named Philip Van Gelder
Carter-plain Phil Carter for short
dashed 10 the front as a sehoolboy
golfer about eight years back. lie
swept everything before him in South
crn tournaments and was brilliant
knight OF the niblick in metropolitan
ranks. Where is he noVl About once
year Phil plays in some tournament
on Long Island, but he is not the same
dashing Phil Of yereryear. Max
Narston has gone, too. Max was q
school erony Of Phil Carriers. The tai
blond youngster progressed 20 the
point where he was one Of the strong
est golfers IN the country Just before
the war. but be has retrehted DIT De
fore the attack Of Ouimet, Evans Jones
et al since the brave days OF oid.
IMoreoveE, he hBS abandoned the mstrS-