Evening star., 1927-12-04
EN w Il NIcGAIIIN.

NCORPORATED in the layout oi
the five or six golf courses
around Washington that are oi
championship Caliber is groul
Of holes that compare favorably
with the outstanding single hole tests
nf the game found on any OF even the
more famed layouts where titles have
been won and lost. Judged hv the
standards of Oakmont. Pine Valley
aud Lido. the Capital has no course in
its enVirons that compares in difficulty
with these admitted super courses. BuI
out from the mediocrity of mere golf
holes intended to form just another
golf course a few real tests of the
game stand out.
ANY attempt TO present a composite
"best" course made up Of the holes as
they come in the championship lay
outs around the Capital necessarily
must be a matter of opinion. The
man who may win a championship
might see elements of weakness in
one hole that make it a rugged test
TO another. The CONAN may find
hole difficult that is comparatively
simple 10 the man who shoots in the
middle 70s Still the fact remains that
from the outstanding holes on the golf
courses around Washington a rugged
Test of the game may be developed
that would furnish any man-no mat
ter how good-a real chance TO show
his ability.
Two Tough Short Holes.
Outstanding among the short holes
ere the eleventh at Congressional
classic among the more lengthy par
3 affairs around the Capital, and the
second at Washington. The first is
a long and accurate iron shot hole,
and the second a hole that demands
absolute accuracy with the mashie.
Two-shotterS that stand out in point
Of difficulty include the seventh at
Chevy Chase, with its testing pitch
second shot; the seventeenth at Chevy
Chase and the eighteenth at Indian
Spring. From the back tee any of
these holes become a problem of con.
Germ to any man, particularly If
cross wind is sweeping over the course.
The par for such a composite course
figures out at 11-one under what is
supposed to be the standard length
layout, and the yardage is on the short
side-only 6,311 yards. Yet by stretch
ing out the tees such a course might
he heightened to $500 yards, and even
in it's short phase it would challenge
the skill Of even the finest shot-maker.
Here is the way the holes figure out,
rs they come on the cards of the six
courses under consideration:
No. 1-COiumbia, $40 yards, par 4
A fine starting hole and testing two
shotter that is perhaps a bit too diff
ficult for the man who has not yet
swung into his stride. Demands a
fairly long carry from the back tee,
straight down the alley, and furnishes
a testing mashie or niblick shot to
well constructed and aptly bunkered
green.
No. 2-CongressiOnal, 465 yards,
par 4-Primarily hole for the long
hitter, for he may drive to the top
of the hill overlooking the green and
from the elevation may play a mashie
or short iron to the putting surface.
Traps and deep rough at the left of
the fairway make it pure dog-leg
affair, unless the player wants to take
chance on finding a playable lie in
the high grass. The green is too large.
but ample trouble abounds at either
side. The shallow ditch in front of
the green should be filled and the ap-
proach smoothed up.
No. 3-Burning Tree, 1872 yards.
par 3-A testing one-shot hole to
green whose breadth faces the player
over a cavernous bunker of tremen-
dous proportions for such short hole.
Deep woods to right and left. Alto.
gether difficult hole, and a terror
10 the man who cannot put bite on
the mashie shot.
A Ragged Long One,
No. 4-WashingtOn. 472 yards, par
a-From the back tee a rugged hole
for the long hitter, but an easy il
the player keeps in the fairway. The
carry is just bit too much for the
long player to get home in two under
normal ground conditions, and if he
stretches for length. he is apt to find
woods and rough on either side of
the fairway. From the back tee
drive of extraordinary length is needed
10 get home, and the hole really
should be played as three -shotter,
particularly because of the difficulty
ot getting around the high trees
which cut off the right edge of the
fairway.
M 5-Baunockburn. $40 yards. par
aNothing particularly difficult about
the tee shot. but the fairw4y narrows
sharply IN the green and "A testing
Mitch shot is offered TO well trapped
putting surface.
No. S-Burning Tree. 372 yards. par
A grand hole for the man who can