Evening star., 1931-12-12
RECORD Of Al DUE
TO SCANT GOLF ING
Only Four Aces Are Made on
Fine Course That Is
Little Played.
BY WALTER r. McCALLUM.

OIS OF IOlKS nave JAelr own
ideas about which Of the
l. several major golf courses
around the National Capital
Is the "best"-which is commonly
taken to mean the hardest on
which to score, the course which
demands the finest Of shots, is in
the best condition and generally
is regarded as the finest test of
the game.
With returns on their all-time
records from other courses, it
would seem that from the single
standpoint of difficulty of scoring
Burning Tree is the hardest golf
course about the Capital.
For where the other courses show
all-time ringer records ranging from
the 35 Of the much played Columbia
course to the 37s at Washington and
Congressional, the all-time record of
Burning Tree stands today at Al
strokes, only 81 strokes below the par
Of 70.
At most of the other courses the
ringer records stand "a and 35 strokes
below par. But whatever the case,
whether Burning Tree is harder, or is
not played so much, is longer, or has
more natural difficulties, its all-time
ringer score is well above the record
at other golf courses about Wash
ington.
Judged by the single standard of
playing difficulty this might be inter-
preted by some folks as placing Burn
ing Tree at the top of the list, but
that conclusion probably would be un-
Soip 70 rfh 1o, rfrt.z
ing Tree is as fine a golf course as
you could find in many days travel. it
probably has not one-tenth the play
OF many Of the other golf courses.
which means that there are nine
tenths less chance of a freak shot
finding the bottom of the cup for the
score which brings down the all-time
record Of golf course.
Whatever the cause for the relative
obesity OF the Burning Tree all-time
record may be, no one can gainsay the
TACT that Burning Tree is as hard a
golf course-practically bunkerless even
as IT lS-as any man would want
20 play. The mere fact that 1t has
been played by many of the finest golf
ers in the world and that the alI-tine
record still stands at al is proof enough
OF the toughness Of the layout. If more
proof were needed, one look at the
carefully groomed course would place
Burning Tree on a par with those
layoutS which pride themselves on
condition.
Distinguished statesmen, business
men, professional golfers and others
have all contributed their bit to the
al-time record for the course where
much Of Washington of1cialdom does
its golfng. For example, one day not
so long ago genial Pat Harrison, Senator |
from Mississippi hit himself a fine tee
shot on the 435-yard first hole and
then, taking a brasste from his bag, |
settled himself into firm Jeffersonian |
stance and hit that ball a whack which
ended it in the hole for an eagle Q
the only which has been scored on
the first hole at Burning Tree, even
with the help of Judge Payne's rule.
one day last Spring Attorney General /
William D. Mitchell pulled an iron from
his bag at the par third hole and
knocked the ball into the hole for an
eagle ace. And If you want to start
an argument among the golfers in high
othcial places in Washington, ask one
which is the best golfer-Harrison OF
the Senate or Mitchell Of the cabinet.
That is the way it has gone at Burn
ing Tree. In between eagles by SEN
ators and cabinet officers have come
eagles by eX-caddies and by plain,
matter-of-fact businessmen like John
eagles by old time golfers like Walter
R. Tuckerman and Joseph z. Davies,
former Federal Trade commissioner.
How Record Was Made.
Here is the way that al-time record
Of Al for the Burning Tree course has
been made:
No. l--435 yards, par 4, holed In two
strokes by Senator Pat Harrison.
No. 2-475 yards, par 5, holed in
three strokes many times, only lately
by Frank Cunningham, whose second
shot stopped half inch from the cup.
No. 3-16O yards, par g. holed in one
by Attorney General Mitchell, Walter
Cunningham and John L. Barr
No 4-43O yards, par 4, holed in three
many times
No. 800 yards, par S, made In two
strokes by Walter Cunningham.
No. $40 yards, par 4, made In
three by Tommy Armour and others.
No. 1895 yards, par 4, made in two
by Walter and Frank Cunningham,
both Of whom holed iron shots.
No. 8-2o5 yards, par 3, made in two
many times.
No. s-465 yards, par 5, made in three
That makes a total out Of al strokes
against par Of 36
No. 1O-465 yards, par 5. made in
three several times by Attorney General
Mitchell and others.
No l1-ls5 yards, par 3, made In one
by Clyde B. Asher.
No. l2-290 yards, par 4, made in
two by Joseph E. Davies, who holed a
spoon shot.
No. 1875 yards, par 4, made many
times in three. A week ago Walter Cum
ninghamS second shot hit the cup and
dipped out
No. 14-l65 yards par 3. made in one
by Walter r. Tuckerman for his first
ace in 33 years Of golf Also made in
one by c. Bascom Slemp, formerly Sec
retary to President Coolidge.
No. 1910 yards. par 4. made In
two strokes by Walter Cunningham.
No. 1916 yards, par 5, made in
three many times.
No. 17-4l5 yards. par 4, made in two
by John L. Barr and J. Hopkins.
No. 1885 yards, par 4, made in
three many times.
That makes a score Of 20 for the last
nine and total card of Al for the
course.
The course record stands at Sc, made
by Leo Diegel about five years ago, but
the official record is SO, made in COM
petition.
MEMBERS of the District women's
vi Golf Association have decided to
change the date for their annual
meeting from March to January 8, the