Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-05


~ nouncement Of the great
retirer" of Merton that
golf has become too expensive for
him to play as an amateur and
that henceforth, If he is good
enough to win a money prize in
open golf competition, he will fat
ten his purse with loose change
and Herewith Immediately forego
the use of the descriptive and des-
ignatory Mr." before his name in
golf events.
We refer to George Won Elm, the
blonde tiger of 1926, who won the anna
teur championship from Bob Jones at
Baltusrol, the only amateur who has
beaten Jones at SO holes over the last
decade, and certainly-until ne an
nounced that he would leave amateur
golf shuddering in its tracks without
hin-one of the outstanding simon
pures of the world.
What significance is held in Won
ElmS announcement that he cannot
afford to play amateur golf any more?
And the similar announcement few
days ago by Johnny Goodman, that
amateur golf is too expensive for the
Omaha youngster to play. Does 1t mean
that these young men thereby ac-
knowledge the surprising supremacy OF
Robert Tyre Jones and admit that
while the ravaging corSair from At
lanta enters championships they haven't
a ghost of a chance to win? We think
it means just that, but behind these
statements there is a deeper reason for
their retirement from amateur golf, II
common gossip at Merton becomes
fact.
Lots Of Gossip.
Merton was gossipy championship.
There was the rumor that Jones is to
enter the movies; that the sand wedge
Is an illegal club; that the United
States Golf Association is tired of be-
ing criticized because of its so-called
''hand picked" list of eligibles for the
amateur championship. And there
were many other rumors. Chief of
them all was the rumor Coming on
apparently good authority that the U.
S. G. A. is due to make a thorough
house cleaning of amateur golfers who
reside In that maitland bordering on
professionalism, even though they may
still use the word Mr." before their
names. In case you are not familiar
with that appellation, the designating
word "Mr." before the name of an
entrant in an open tournament means
that the young man has not demeaned
himself by accepting money for his skill
In playing or teaching golf.
Now the Merton rumor had it that
George Won Elm was tipped of that the
u. s. G. A. is shortly to clean house.
and. beginning about January /, Is to
start bearing down on the quasi-ama
teurS who work in brokerage or bond
houses or sell insurance or sell what
not, and because of their ability to
please customers in the ritZy golf circles
in which they move by their ability to
play golf, make for themselves very
comfortable living. Many of the lead
ing amateurs of America were placed
in this class, which was said to start
at the very top of the list and move
right on down to the little bond sales
man who has good game Of golf and
exc out their income by playing golf
with gullible gents Of fat purses, who
buy bond or two now and then. In
deed, tits said That one of the men who
went well along in the Merton cham
pionship made something like 100000
last year through his golhng salesman
ship.
George Tipped on.
New Won Elm Is supposed to have
to have known that he was one of the
men whose names were on the U. S.
@. A. blacklist of those whose activities
were due for rigid scrutiny. And he
Is supposed to have beaten the golf gov
erning body to the punch by announc-
ing his retirement from amateur COM
petition. We cannot say whether these
rumors are true. They may be and
they may not be the fact. But we
know that lot Of golf professionals,
including one Of Washington's fore
most and best loved mentors has made
the statement repeatedly that the pres
ent generation of golfers will not live
to see the amateur championship won
again by an amateur Ponder over
that statement and think what inplica-
tons 1t holds.
Won Elm's announcement that he will
take money prize II he is fortunate
enough to win one, pleased a lot of
people. Others said in blunt language
that the Detroit blonde Is nothing more
than old John w. Sap himself. But
the fact remains that George Won Elm
has had the courage of his convictions
and has established new kind of tag
I for quasi-amateurs. He is henceforth,
the moment he takes a money prize,
! neither one thing nor another, in some
senses OF the term. Under the present
ruling Of an amateur, George cannot
accept money prize in an open COM
petition without accepting the status
of professional. He will thereby place
himself in the same class as the travel
ing professionals, such as Tommy Ar
mour, Leo Diegel. Walter Hagen, Hor-
ton Smith and many other who have
club connections, but who 60 up and
down the land. gathering in titles and
money where they will. Won Elm is said
TO have made a connection with De-
troit golf equipment manufacturing
company, and also is said to have sew
cred his insurance connection with the
Fisher Brothers Of Detroit. All this IS
part Of the whispering side show of
Merton. We have been watching major
golf championships of and on for the
better part of rs years, and Merton took
the crown as the chief of the whisper
ing championships. Chief of all the
whispering comment was the Won Elm
matter and the coming house cleaning
by the q. 8. @. A. Well, we shall see
what we shall see. And don't be sur
prised II lot Of quasi-amateurs are
placed out on q limb within a few
months by the golf powers that be.
aIN@-~ ~Hn~A an ANu~