Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14


six which have attained international
recognition as tests of shot making. We
played the course with Bob Barnett of
Chevy Chase, Walter r. Hail. resident
professional at Annapolis Roads, and
Talbot T. Speer. former Virginia and
Maryland football star, present chair
man of the golf committee of the Bal
tinore Country Club. and a distin-
guished Baltimore sportsman and
golfer. We had gone to Annapolis
Roads expecting the usual Summer re-
sort course. which ordinarily Is a pas
ture turned into what is q poor re-
semblance Of q golf layout.
Instead Of that We marveled at its
fine condition. at the quality OF the
first two holes. and continued TO mar
vel as each shot uncovered new tricks
and possibilities Of great golf, as each
hole revealed the mastery architecture
OF one Of Americas great golf course
designers. The putting greens at An
napoljs Roads are tremendous in size.
The smallest green on the course is
slightly under 10000 square feet ir
area. and the largest-the fifth
measures something like $4,000 square
feet Of putting surface. But the
greens are so well trapped and so clev-
erly designed as to rolls and pitches
that the actual area in which rea-
sonable putt may be expected Is quite
small. Thirty and forty yard approach
puts are not uncommon at Annapolis
Roads. Try to get one Of those dead.
To one used to putting on the usual
sized putting green, it's tough propo-
sition.
First Flanked by Traps.
The first hole demands a carry of
about ITS yards over a cross bunker
which is directly in the straight line
to the hole. But room has been lett
at the right for the moderate hitter to
play around the trap. The first green
is enormous and is fianked by traps on
both sides which go down Is feet deep
Of one Of the famous holes at Lido,
measures 400 yards in length and is
par 4.
The second is q glorious golf hole
with the tee shot forced to the right by
row of trees and a deep trap which
surrounds the back Of the seventh
green. Then the second shot must be
played up 10 high green hanked on
both sides by traps The second shot is
long too. demanding lengthy iron or
perhaps a wooden club shot, depending
on the direction of the wind. It is
copy Of one Of the renowned holes at
Biarritz. Another par Of $50 yards
The third is copied from Prestwick.
one Of the famous British courses, and
has in 1t the same fine type Of archi-
lecture. Play from the tee Is over two
traps with q mashie pitch left sto q
green again hanked by deep traps. Par
is 4, and the distance Is $50 yards.
Fourth Great One Shooter.
The fourth is a great one-shotter,
where the slope Of a hill has been cley-
erly used to build thereon a monstrous
putting green to make hole 1913 yards
in length. flanked on the left by a real
~ tremendous trap. The green slopes
from the bottom sharply up to a ter
race wherein the cup is placed. The
shot is really a spoon or braSSie shot,
although Bob Barnett used No. iron
and reached the green, IS yards below
the hole. Par is 3.
The fifth is real three shooter.
where the tee shot might conceivably be
little more restricted. After the sec
ond shot a pitch must be PLAYED to q
green of tremendous size whose center
is deep trap Is yards across. The
green is fanked at the back by high
mounds which hold a ball from going
over. This hole is one of the features
of the course. For massive architecture
and good golf it has not an equal among
the three-shot holes about Washington.
Because of the trap in the center of the
green the pin may be placed in any Of
5, of STD yards.
The sixth gave a breathing spell to
the player who would hope to equal
par. For this hole Is a simple drive
and niblick affair of 32T yards. par 4.
But the rub comes in the second shot.
for the pin usually is placed around
behind the fringing corner of another
of those tremendous traps which make
golf a nightmare at Annapolis Roads
and iS RI he rAanhNd oY1lu nv Hpe
pitch high in the air to hold the green.
Seventh Real Test.
The seventh Is modelled after the
famous seventeenth or road hole at
st. Andrews and Is a real test of &C
curacy, both from the tee and through
the fairway. A well hit tee shot will
leave q No. iron or spoon shot to
another big green with another big
trap plumb in the center of the putting
surface. This hole will change in
character from day to day, depending
on the direction and strength of the
wind. The green is tight, even though
1t Is Of very large size, and the hole
undoubtedly will become one OF the
the Capital. Par Is 4. and the distance
Is claimed to be 437 yards, although
because the green Is built UP and the
tee shot cannot be struck far, 1t plays
about 40 yards in length.
The eighth is a gem of a one shotter
A claimed distance Of $50 yards really
plays about ITO yards. Play is to a
kidney-shaped green. hanked by the
inevitable deep trap to right and left.
with a decided hump In the green to
make the shot from the tee of extreme
diftculty. depending on which side of
the hump the pin is placed. Par is 8.
Ninth IL Fairly Easv
The ninth is fairly easy finishing
hole of the dog-leg variety, where the
tee shot must be placed to the right to
open up the second shot. A bunker lies
about $50 yards from the tee and must
be carried to give an easy second shot
to the green. The green itself is an
other tremendous affair, hanked again
by traps and is built up. Par Is 4, and
the distance is 405 yards.
Walter Hall. who. by the way, is
playing very much better golf than he
played when he was at Rock Greek
Park, told us that the record for the
course is "a. made by Glenn Spencer.
the long hitter of Baltimore, who holed
two chip shots In his record-making
round. Hall himself holds the 1e-hole
record with round Of "a, which repre-
sents very fine golf. Par for the layout
Is 3S-35-.70, and we doubt II IL viii
be broken very soon.
Harold Keats, resident manager OF