Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-28
WALTER
HI AC EN-
T A l. k S
1T OVER

TT would be interesting If a discus
sion could be started concerning
the best way to determine the
/ champion golfer each year.
Golf is a game of long tradition
and history. and since these compe.
titions began, the British open and the
American open have been considered
the annual tests to determine the
champions.
To suggest that some other method
of selection might be more efficient IS
revolutionary, but am not sure the
present arrangement is sufficient. For
years Abe Mitchell has been the out
standing golfer in Great Britain. yet
Abe has never won the British or
American open.
In America, Johnny Farrell mas
been a most consistent tournament
winner. as has Bobby. Cruickshank,
but the major championships have
eiuded these great golfers. :.
Some sports are much more exact
than golf. A ranking tennis player is
virtually certain to beat players
ranked below him every time he
starts. There Is little element of luck
in tennis, and therefore there cannot
be much question about the justice
of awarding the highest titles in the
game upon the results of single
championship at Wimbledon and For
est Hills.
But golf is an entirely different sort
of game, with the element of luck
playing tremendous part.
Factor of Luck Great.
There is so little difference among
the leading golfers and the factor Of
luck Is so great that it seems bit
Ezs. 1t :, 20,
the winner of a single open champion.
ship. I have an idea that the player
entitled to be ranked as first for a
year should have to work harder and
demonstrate a little more clearly his
leadership. It might be remembered
that players selected for the Walker
Cup team or the Ryder Cup team in
both America and Great Britain are
picked on the basis of their records,
not upon single performances.
Just what method might be used in
determining the leader would be diff
cult to say, but II certain number of
important events were designated as
counting toward the highest award in
terest would be greatly increased in
all these events, and the soundeSt
player would have a longer journey
and thus a better opportunity to offset
the element of luck and establish his
leadership. Five events might be
credited as championship tournaments
and points awarded for scores and fin
ishing places in each event.
In base ball players position Is
not made in a single series. Batting
and fielding averages are kept for
every game during the season. and
not until the complete schedule has
been played out are the awards made
to the leaders. The boys are forced to
show their superiority over a long
route.
1t would be manifestly unfair to
Babe Ruth for the big leagues to an
nounce that the champion home.run
hitter Of the league would be deter.
mined by the player who knocked out
the most homers during one desig.
mated week.
Two Classes Of Professionals.
Golf is now a IL months pastime
with many golfers, with practically all
who aspire to win the open champion.
ship of the United States. There is no
getting away from the fact that we
have developed in America two classes
of professionals-tourn players
and club professionals. A few try to
mix both assignments, but I notice
that the most successful in either en-
deavor are the boys who stick close to
one or the other.
OF the American Ryder Cup team,
five Of the eight are practically out
and-out tournament golfers. I refer
to Leo Diegel, Johnny Farrell, Joe
Turnesa, Bill Mehlhorn and myself
While Diegel, Farrell and Turnesa are
associated with clubs, they act as play
ing professionals and have associates
on the job who really handle the club
business.
Gene SaraZen, AL Watrous and
Johnny Golden. although tournament
players, do manage to stay fairly close