The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-19
Former Champion Gets
Away to Swift Start at
French Lick.
LANCE TURNS IN So
81 Compete in Title Tour
ney Competition.
BY DICK MILLER
Times staff Correspondent

Times staff Correspondent
FRENCH LICK, Ind, Aug. 49,
Dwight Mitchell of French Lick,
state amateur golf champion of 1925,
set up low score honors on the first
nine holes Of the qualifying round
in the state tourney with "a here
this morning. He had two brides
and an eagle and went over par
two strokes on the short sixth hole,
taking a five. He was under par.
Mitchell was playing with George
Lance, defending champion, who
had SO, even par. Nine more holes
were to be played this afternoon.
Scores Of the other ex-champions
entered this year, for the first nine
holes were: Herman Seilken, In
dianapolis, SO; Bobby Resener, 80,
and William Diddel, 80. Keith
Young of Lafayette had a 35. There
were several BIS and 38s among the
early starters.
80 For Slack
Mayor l.. Ert Slack of Indian
apolis got the low score fever play
ing among the state golfers and
turned in an 80 over the difficult
Hills course, the lowest score of his
short golfing career. This is his
first tate amateur championship
tourney. After hanging up a IS on
the first nine and a 43 coming in,
the Indianapolis mayor expressed
himself as being "as happy as a
baby with a new toy"
Slack nosed out r. Earl Peters
of Ft. Wayne by one stroke. Joel
Baker, indianapolis purchasing
agent, had an Sc, and Blaine Patton
90. Others early scores:
G. A. Young, Lafayette, IS.
Arthur Lockwood, French Lick, 81.
Tournament golf is not a. popu-
lar this year as it has been," said
Jesse Mossler, veteran secretary OF
the Indiana Golf Association, late
Sunday night as he posted the pair
ings for the qualifying rounds of
play in the amateur championship
tournament here this week. Moss
Ter backed up his statement with
figures. He got opinions all over the
state at every club he visited that
tourney golf seemed to lack some
of it's former gusto.
Instead of the 1875 entries that
faced Pop Whitney, the veteran
starter last year when the tourna-
ment was held here, only 90 we're in
the field today. Quite few of the
old regulars were absent and there
was not the usual number of new
faces on hand for their first tour
nament.
Reasons Differ
Some blamed automobiles an6
touring and others poor business
conditions this year. Others passed
the opinion that golfers felt they
didn't have a chance with Lance al
the throne and that it itself caused
many absentees.
Lance has held the title two years
and if he wins this year will tic
Diddel's record of three consecutive
wins which was also tied by Eddie
thinner of the Indianapolis Country
Club, among the absent this year
thinner also ties with Diddel for the
honor of winning the title foul
| times.
Another of the ex-champions who
is absent this year is Johnny Simp'
CON nf r7prrn HoIITn
The defending champion, George
Lance, has been on the ground sew
eral days, playing over the course
which he pronounced in very gooc
condition. Considerable bent has
been sown into the local green's AND
the fairways also are cut very short
the cup with a putt that wouldn't fan
! Several of his rounds were in the vicinity
of 20 and it will be tough job to. de
Terre Haute. Mike Moore of South Benz
| had nice chance for 6S, too, but in
stead Of par on the last two holes, Mike
finished with 20.
The boys began congregating in the lobb,
Of the Springs hotel Sunday night at s
the hour set BY Secretary Mossler to begin
pairing up the players. AS soon as the!
| found out their starting time they, coult
their rooms for good night in the ha.
before the big day.
Dick Cant also was batting tn
ball on the nose Sunday, and col
lected 10. His father, E. w. Cant
was going good and they will MAKE
. e+~o,,o, L1;J fO,- tho fo+Ioar ord co1
championship. G. A. Young of La
fayette, the association vice-preSi
dent, has an infected foot and Dr.
c. H. McCaskey warned the eide
Young not to play, but G A. seemed
to feel he could prevail on Doc
golfng sympathies at the last mo-
ment for special dispensation tina
would allow him and his son, Keitl
Younf, ocompete for the father
and-son honors.
Homer Mckee. association president ant
his son Bob, played with Dick Cant ant
made Geld chills run through the Macs.
w. c. Hubbard and his son, J. F. Hibbart
Of Richmond, are fguTing strongly on tn
craWfordsvilie will have to be feckOnet
with before the award is made.
Jesse Mossler had a truck load of prize
that he put on display in the hotel lobb!
Sunday night. They we're quite attractive
to the men and women. incidentally theri
is quite a large number of women her,
for the invitational play Tuesday ant
Wednesday. Twenty-one had registered
| Sunday evening.
| =
THERE Is MUCH SPECULATION or
WHETHER CHAMPION LANCE CAr
| COME THROUGH WITH SUCH A STER
LING EXHIBITION OF GOLF IN TIL
QUALIFYING ROUND AGAIN THIS YEAE
TO HANG UP THE LOW TOTAL OF 14S
WHICH HE PLAYED LAST YEAR. LANCE
| SCORED A SIS AND THEN A II TO HAM