Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-18

4 united service country Clup
near the Capital of the
United States is fast becoming a
cogent fact.
Organized only three or four
years ago, with its aim a great
country club to which officers OF
the Army, Navy and Marine Corps
would belong, the new country
club, fashioned of dreams and
woven of that Sterner stuff which
makes the services the fine organ
izations they are, is fast becoming
one of the biggest factors in coun-
try club life around Washington.
Any organization that has increased
its membership from mere handful in
less than three years to something more
than 1890 members scattered all over
the globe wherever the American flag
flies has done something few clubs ever
have done before.
And a resident membership of nearly
800 officers points the way to the dream
of Gen. Charles P. Summerall U. S. A,
retired, that some day nearly every
officer of every service detailed in Wash
ington will belong to this newest giant
among country clubs around the Cap
ital. Civilians are allowed to join the
club only in one way-through the
medium of life membership. Officers
of the services constitute practically the
entire membership
Maj. Newman on Job.
Three years ago Maj. Richard D.
Newman Cavalry officer, was brought
cINin0fnr1 hV the then chief OF
staff. Gen. Summerall. whose life dream
it was to see a united service country
club located near Washington and
ordered to go to work and look over
property in nearby Virginia with view
to the establishment of such club.
Flying over the terrain in an airplane,
he looked down on rugged country over
near the wireless towers at Arlington
and found thereon a commodious club
house used for years as knights Of
Columbus country club The organ
izers purchased this property, and New
man, again with the aid of the airplane,
built thereon unique golf course.
Stretching out to distance of more
than $500 yards, this golf course has
not a trap on it. and yet the best pro-
fessionals have barely been able to beat
par on the layout. Newman builded
better than he knew, for now the course
is in f1rst-claSs shape and the natural
difficulties are such that no traps are
needed. Only one drawback remains
on the club course. This is a piece OF
property located between the ninth tee
and the new ninth green which is
owned by private individual anQ
which the club cannot purchase because
of the prohibitive price. Failure Of the
organization to secure this property has
resulted in short ninth and tenth holes,
whereas under the original scheme for
the layout the ninth and tenth holes
both would be two shelters.
Occupies Historic Ground.
The course is laid out over historic
ground for it was up the valley in
which the major portion of the golf
course is laid that an advance squad
ron of a Confederate raiding force
came in the middle days of the Civil
War to stand upon the hills on which
some of the tees are located and look
across the Potomac into the Federal
Capital Had they known that the
outposts along that portion of Vir-
gtnia were few and the Federal de-
lenders Of the Capital concentrated
mostly on the northwest side Of the
city, they might have made an entrance
into the Capital But sentry fired on
them from an eminence located within
the club boundaries Of today and AFRAID
toward Culpeper
over the snct where their horses
trod men of the united services today
strive to drive golf balls toward an elu-
sive hole. Thus have the pleasures and
sports of peace taken the place of the
clash of arms and the roar of battle.
Only two major changes have been
made in the golf course since Mai.
Newman, equipped with a topographic
map, laid out the holes from the eleva-
ton of his airplane cockpit. These
are the seventh, a short hole Of about
ITO yards, which formerly was blind
hole, where a hill has been cut down
TO give clear view of the green. and
the fourteenth. where an ordinary
straightaway hole has been convert
ed into a fine hole whose water haZ-
ard in front Of the green has caused
all sorts of tangles and SnaTls in the
smoothly operating machinery of golf
as played by officers of the services.
This deep-water hazard stretches
across the entire front CT the green,
and catches many a golf ball. With the
exception Of rebuilt sixteenth green
the course stands today as Dick New
man laid it out-bunkerless-b
Astounding in natural hazards which do
not need bunkers to add 10 the terror
Of the slice or hook.
Capt. Menzies Now Here.
Up in the club house, and indeed on
the golf course, too, Maj. Newman's
successor presides with the same
knowledge and ability that the con-
structor of the course had. Newman
now IS attending classes at the Army
War College, preparing to go on to
higher things in the Cavalry, while
Capt j. T. MenZies, his successor, car
rieS on as manager of the Army Navy
Country Club. Newman and MenZies
have been together in many spots of the
globe, and think and act alike. Both are
thoroughly inbued with the spirit that
here is one of the coming country
clubs Of America and Menzies is carry
ing on where Newman left off. Within
the past two months two massive wings
have been completed on the original
club house, commodious and ample to
take care Of the large membership. A
unique touch TO the new construction Is
the fact that the masts Of ships which
once plowed the seven seas now up
hold the porches of the new wings. A
swimming pool is under construction
to be ready for use next year and far
down in corner of the property polo
field where Army polo matches will be
played one day. is taking form. Yes,
the Army-Nayy Country Club Is NOV
ing along. Not In many years have We
seen such rapid and satisfactory prog