Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-21
FIRST HOLE DITCH
TO Be COVERED UP
Tee Also to Be Moved Back.
Big Reason for Changes
Is to Speed Play.

THAT species of buffers woe
known as the first tee trem-
bleS" Is to be done away with,
L at at least alleviated, at Column
-, bia during the Winter. With
announcement today by the officials in
charge OF course. maintenance that
the water ditch which crosses the first
fairway about 100 yards from the tee
Is to be filled in and covered with dirt,
scores Of golfers of the. club who have
considered carrying the ditch one of
the feats of the day may take heart
OF grace and proceed to play the first
hole without the everlasting fear of get
ting into trouble.
Extensive plans are in the making
Tor the Encouragement Of ColumbiaS
starting hole. The tee is to be moved
back a few 49,, making necessary
a longer tee shot for the expert who
would reach the green in two shots
The. ditch Is to be tiled and rooted
over with dirt and grass, and an entire
~ new putting green is to be built
on top Of the HILL overlooking the
present green. None of these changes
will come about during the present
playing season, but they have definite
1y been decided upon by the club au-
liberties and will be made during the
Winter.
From the back tee the first hole
measured 1862 yards. For many of the
golfers of the club the real hazard of
the hole is the ditch which crosses
the fairway just below the caddie house
and about 100 yards from the tee. So
difdcult Is the carry for some players
that they use the lower or short tee
fearing they may not be able to make
the carry over the water hazard. Under
the plan to be put into effect during
the coming Winter they may use the
upper or rear tee next year and the
worst they can get will be hanging
lie.
One of the main reasons for the step,
according to o. P. Fits, the course
supervisor, is to speed up play. Fits
explains that so many balls are driven
into the ditch and lost for a short time
that the move is highly desirable.
During the present heated period
the long hitters can drive the ball so
far on the first hole that the second
shot is an easy affair. The hole was
course officials believe that with q green
on top of the hill above the present
green, the second shot will present a
more difficult problem for even the
experts. In addition, because Of its
unfavorable location the present first
green does not lend itself readily to re-
tention OF good stand Of grass. For
these reasons Columbia will have next
season what will virtually be new
starting hole.
Martin F. Mccarthy played a spec
tacular shot from behind a tree to the
eighteenth green and ran down the
putt for q birdie 8 to win the final
match in the tournament at Buena
Vista Springs, Pa, from L. S. Stott
Both men are members OF the Beaver
Dam Club and Stott was a medaliSt.
In the semi-final round Stott defeat
ed T. Boyd of Cumberland, while Nc
Carthy defeated w. C. Murphy OF Bal
timore.
r. valentine of Richmond won the
second flight, defeating RI. G.5$Levts OF
Beaver Dam in the final round. The
tourney marked McCarthy's first i'm
portant win.
A. l.. Houghton, professional at the
Harper Country Club, tied the profess
sional record for the Columbia Country
Club course yesterday with score OF
&C. He was playing in match with
Joe Barnard of Columbia, and starting
with four 3's in a row, picked up seven
brides en- route to get out IN 81 ana
back in "a. During the past four days
Houghton has played three courses
about Washington under 10. Last Fri
day he played the Washington course
in SO. On Monday ne made a similar
score at Burning Tree and yesterday he
scored Sc at Columbia.
His card yesterday follows:
Out-Par ........ FS5