Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
us. c. A. IS TIRED
OF PICKING FIELD
Method Similar to That If
Use by Professionals Is
Being Contemplated.
BIZ WALTER R. McCALLUM.

ClatlOn Is BeCGlnB 6tTe0 Oi
4 taking it on the chin be-
cause it has to turn down
something like $50 entrants in the
national amateur championship
each year and is carefully and
thoughtfully considering a change
In the time-honored system of ac-
cepting entrants for the simon
pure title by which those who
wish to play in the championship
viii qualify in sections like the
professionals now qualify for the
national open championship or
the P. G. A. match play tourna-
ment. -
The tip-of from quarters close to
the U. 8. q. A. Is that next year or the
following year may ind the parent golf
body casting aside the system of hand
picking the men who will play in the
amateur championship and asking
them all-from the champion down
to qualify in sections before they can
play. The recent championship ct
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pain in the neck. It seemed that every
one who was anything at all in golf,
wanted to come to Merton, and the
u. S. q. A. was Swamped with more
than 800 entries.
Many of them were rejected, for only
366 golfers faced the starter when the
championship opened. Among those
rejected were the State champions OF
Arkansas and Indiana, and II you
don't think those gents tried to get in,
you have another guess coming. The
Governor of Indiana and United
States Senator wired the U. s. q. A.
asking that the State champion be all
lowed to play, but the association had
90 draw the line somewhere and the
champion was out.
Reasons for Action.
The same thing happened to the
State title holder Of Arkansas, but the
pickering and remarks made about the
governing body left their imprint. The
net result was that the gents who COM
prise the U. s. q. A. are said to feel
that they should not have to accept
insinuations that have been cast at
them, and believe that the competitors
themselves should determine their right
TO play in the championship by the
sectional qualifying method.
The amateur championship was
called, among other things, an "invi-
tation tournament" to which only the
few favored by the golf body were in-
vited. The Executive Committee was
declared to have q New York and Bos-
ton complex, and was declared to have
hoods above those from other sections.
OF course, these insinuations were
not true at all. The United States
Golf Association Is composed of q rea-
sonable body Of men, whose ambition
1t is at the amateur championship to
bring out Of the list Of entries the man
who Is the finest golfer Of the lot. They
did not wish to bar any men who had
cnance to qualify. And yet, because
Of the time and expense involved, they
wished to play the championship In
six days. What would have happened
had the entire list of entries been al
lowed to play. Four days would have
been taken for the qualifying round,
and in all probability the results would
have been very much the same.
Being group of reasonable men, who
do not have the completes with which
they are charged, the Executive Com
mittee and the Championship Com
mittee do not feel ike shouldering
further the onerous burden Of choos-
ing the men who shall play in the
championship, and are leaning toward
establishment Of the sectional qualify
ing method. It may come next year
and It may not come until the follow
ing year. But the way the champion
ship Is growing, and the growing size
Of the entry list makes imperative. ac-
cording to those close to the u. S. q. A.,
that some method replace the present
scheme.
How II Would Work.
Let's see how this would work out.
Maryland, the District Of Columbia and
Virginia probably would be awarded
three places or four or i've places, just
Is Is done In the qualifying rounds Of
the open. The u. s. @. A. would deS-
i9nate course over which the section
81 qualifying rounds would be played
and on that day It would simply be
up 10 the prospective entrant TO DEM
onstrate by his skill at golf his right
70 qualify.
The same system would work out in
the Me- York, Boston and Chicago
neigh, hoods, where more places
would naturally be available, since
there are more golfers in those sections.
But the basic idea would be the same in
every section Of the country, the main
purpose being for the prospective en-
tTants TO, demonstrate in the sectional
rounds their right to play IN the main
event
After the qualifying rounds the men
who made the grade could all gather
ct the place Of the championship and
90 on into q 36-hole qualifying round
and the subsequent match play rounds
IS they have done this year and In
other years.
It is perfectly simple plan, and It
lifts the onus of picking and choosing
from the shoulders Of the Champion
ship Committee. If a State champion
cannot make the grade in the sectional
tests, that is just too bad II men like
Francis Ouimet and Chick Evans fail
to qualify, that also is too bad. They
have failed to qualify in other cham
pionships before and II they fail again
the heavens will not open up. It
seems to every one who has watched
the championship that this sectional
Qualifying idea Is the right way to
cope with the increasing list of en-
titles for the amateur championship,
and the u. s. q. A. is coming to that
line Of reasoning, too.