Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-01
PRESTON TO MAKE
WASH|NGTON'S BID
Golf Committeeman Leaves
With Capital Players for
Muny Tourney.
BY WALTER r. McCALLUM.

championship never had been
held below the Mason and Dixon
line. which runs approximately
across the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
border. In 1921 the national open
was played at the Columbia Coun-
try Club, marking the first time
In modern golf any major golf
event carrying a national title
had been played below the Mary
land boundary. And next year
the national amateur champion
ship will be played over the Five
Farms course of the Baltimore
Country Club.
James D. Preston. national public
links committeeman for the District of
Columbia on the Public Links Commit
tee Of the United States Golf ASSocia-
tion. left the Capital today with mem
hers of the Washington public links
team. carrying with him a request on
the part Of the Greater National Capt.
tai Committee OF the Washington Board
of Trade 10 bring the 1882 national
public links championship to Wash
ington.
The plea Of the committee Is based
en- the fact that inasmuch as Washing
ton will be the actual center Of the
Nation during the 1882 Bicentennial
celebration of the Birth of George
washington, it Is fitting that national
golf championship be held here. With
the amateur scheduled to go to Baiti-
more and the open to a Long Island
club, boosters for golf here feel that
Washington should have one Of the
major title events for next year.
Moving Toward South.
But the move toward the South In ma
konal golf is Just beginning. if we listen
TO the claims of those far South of
Washington for major events. Down
In Atlanta, the home of Bobby Jones,
the golfers there have been limiting for
years that Atlanta should have a ma
tional championship. And down at Au-
gIsta a group of wealthy men are plan
ming to build golf course that will be
a model for the entire country, on
which it is hoped some day to hold a
national tourney. Albert r. Mackenzie.
popular Columbia golfer. is on the
Board of Governors of this new golf
club.
Washington has been honored with
three national championships. Back in
1903 the women'S national tourney was
played at Chevy Chase. In 1921 the
national open was played at Columbia
and in 1923 the national public links
championship was played at East Po-
tomac Park. where it may again be
played next year. But ma or champion
ships have gone further South than
Washington. The women's title event
has been held in recent years both at
Virginia Hot Springs and at White Sui
phur Springs, which are in the noun
tains of the Virginias south of Wash
ington, although high enough to get
away from the conditions that beset
putting green grasses along the coastal
plain.
Washington could have been awarded
the national amateur championship
next year If one of the large local clubs
had wanted the tourney and had gone
after IL strong enough. The award to
Baltimore came only after it was made
plain TO the United States Golf ASSo-
citation that the Washington clubs were
not In the position of actively bidding
for the tourney. And the Baltimore
folks acted very neighborly about 1t. too.
They held of their bid in favor Of
Washington until they. too. learned
that Washington did not want the
event Then they went after it with
vengeance, and got it.
Plenty Of Fine Courses.
Scattered through the South are all
kinds of fine golf courses. Down at
Richmond. to mention a neighboring
city. are three fine golf courses which
could be turned into championship lay
outs with a little brushing up. These
are the two courses Of the Country Club
of Virginia and that of the Hermitage
Country Club The course Of the Prin-
cess Anne Country Club at Norfolk
could be transformed into title layout
With few changes. Down near Green's
boro. N. c., there is fine golf course
at Sedgefield Another fine course is
ut Myrtle Beach, S. c., where an In
Htation tourney is to be played in Sep
TENDER and at Augusta right now there
are two fine courses at the Augusta
Country Club and near the Forrest
Hills Kicker properties. Over at At!e1+
ia there are at least two golf courses
which, are worthy of championships.
with such wealth of fine golf
courses scattered through the South,
and with so many good layouts around
Washington, it may not be long before
the United States Golf Association gives
further heed to the claims OF the South
and holds a. national championship lar
below the Mason and Dixon Line The
main argument against such tourney
at present seems to be the uncertain
condition of the putting green's and
fairways. But If championship were
held in the South in october or May.
such an argument would drop OF its
own weight. Golf courses in the South,
below Washington, are at their best
early or late in the year and heat will
mot bother the players.
The Indian Spring Golf Club has
received wire from the manager OF
Billy Burke and George Won Elm that
Won Elm must be in New York en-
August 80, and In consequence, the ex-
hibition match in which they were
scheduled to play at Indian Spring on
August 80 must be played on another
day Club of6cials hope it may be
played on August %. but it may be
played on Saturday August 20.
INDIAN SPRINGS team of woman
/ golfers scored an overwhelming VIC
tory over the Columbia team yester-
day in q match at Indian Spring, win
ming by points to 8. The summaries:
Mrs. j. r. Gross and Mrs. H. H. Shin
n point. from Mrs. Herman Stabler and
Mrs. j. r. De Farges, Columbia.
Mrs. P B. Hoover and Mrs. Tom
Moore. Indian Spring, points against
MRS. Frank Tomlinson and Mrs. H. r.
Quinter Columbia
MRS. j. M. Haynes and Mrs. J, w.
Beller. Columbia, gig points against
i point for Mrs. Betty P. Meckley and
Miss Dorothy Hunter, Indian Spring.
Several Washington amateur and
professional golfers were to leave the
CAPITAL today for Bedford Springs. Pa,
where they will play tomorrow In an
anateur-pro best ball competition. The
pros will play on Monday in 36-hole
omen tourney. Among those who viii