Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-20
LAST TWO IN JULY
HAVE BEEN TORR|D
U. S. G. A. Has Set Time to
Accommodate An sans
in British Event.
BY FRANCIS J. POWERS.

~HICAGO, July 20.-It is
n probable the United States
~ Golf Association will give
serious consideration to q
June date for future national
open championships, particularly
when the venue Is in the midlandS.
The last two opens have been
played in July, and unfortunately
under climatic conditions that
completely exhausted both players
and officials, and reduces the
quality of golf.
In scheduling the open for July the
U. S. G. A. has been accommodating
American players competing in the
British open The British open usually
Is scheduled for early June on the
claim that English and Scottish courses
are not in their best condition before
that time, although the British amateur
quite often Is played late in May.
But it is believed that it Is possible
to schedule the United States open for
late June date and still permit Amer
leans competing in Britain to return
home in time for our championship,
particularly when 1t Is played along the
Eastern seaboard or in the near Mid
die West. Such arrangements would
oblige the invaders to make q hurried
boat connection for the States and cut
short any tunketing on the continent.
But there Is the welfare Of the ma
jority to be considered.
Date No Guarantee.
OF course. a June date for the open
Is no insurance OF equitable weather.
The 1925 championship at Worcester,
Mass, was played June 3-5 and ran
into one of the most terrifnc heat waves
TO strike new England in many years
As late as 1920 the open was played
in August, but championship at the
flag end of the season does not permit
the winner much opportunity to cap
ltalize upon his victory and gallery in
terest always is more keen in June and
July. So an early date Is best for the
championship, but the U. S. G. A. can
not be expected to guarantee tempera-
lures that will satisfy the contestants.
The scheduling of the Western open,
Ryder Cup and National open for con-
secutive weeks also was an unfortunate
coincidence. The heat was broiling and
binding for each of the events. and
such fellows as Walter Hagen, Gene
Sarazen and DenSmore Shute, who
campaigned through the three events.
had little left when the final rounds of
the National began, and they wanted to
put on extra burst or speed for the
climatic 36 holes. The Western particu-
larly suffered from its close proximity
to the National and drew one Of its
smallest fields in years, as many of the
big stars preferred practicing for the
national TO competing In the big sec
tional championship.
East to Get Open.
The 1882 National open is due to be
played in the East, and likely in the
metropolitan %ector. That would auto
matically bring the 1888 championship
back to the Middle West, and since
Chicago will be staging its World Fair
at that time, the city will be a strong
bidder for the play. The 1892 National
amateur also will be played in the
East, and several Ohio cities are bid
ding for the 1888 event. There seems
little probability Of any national cham
pionship going to the Pacific Coast for
several years although California would
have liked to secure the 1882 open to
supplement the Olympic games that
will be staged in Los Angeles.
1t is unlikely many British profess
SIGNALS will visit the States for the 1882
open. The British have become rather
discouraged in their efforts to beat the
Americans on their home fairways. and
after the fraying they received at Scioto
and Toledo. will have little desire to
sacrifice their necks as well as reputa-
tons in pursuit of a championship.
But the Americans will be after the
British open again In numbers. and
right now you can put Walter Hagen
down as the No. man in the pursuit
The Haig's champion again. and he
still would like to win another British
open. He needs two more to tie Harry
Vardon's record of six. And who will
say he cannot get them?