Evening star., 1932-10-08
MAY BREAK OR'0LE
ANDD. c. MONOPOLY
Brilliant Little Scot Is Dis
tinCt Asset to Game in
This Section.
BY w. r. McCALLUM.

uQlll UlllS year IIlc COilpc-
titions among the profess
~ Sionals of the Middle At
lantic area have been con-
fined, on the competitive side,
largely to a split of the prize
money between the professionals
in Washington ard Baltimore. For
many years the mentors from the
two cities who try to teach buffers
how not to slice and hook, and
demonstrate their own ability
with tournament victories have
had the competition in the mid
Atlantic area sewed up tighter
than a sailors knot.
But the situation Is due for change
and it may come within fortnight if
Bobby Cruickshank, the wee Scot who
has lately taken over the professional
berth at the Country Club of Virginia,
elects to play in the Middle Atlantic
P. G. A. tourney at the Maryland
Country Club, starting October IT,
None Of the Virginia pros ever have
figured to any extent in the competi-
tons among the paid golfers in this
area, for the simple and all-suficient
reason that they were not good enough
to crack down and win against the best
the Washington and Baltimore clubs
can put in the field.
DUT "Cruicky' is another matter.
- The little Scot is golfer of first
rank who has travelled along a
tough road since the club to which he
was attached in New York blew up
with a loud bang a year and half ago.
For a time Bobby was selling sport
goods in New York department store,
unable to get job at a time when
most of the pros were sticking as close
to their posts as grandfather's red
flannels. But he is out of the woods
now. with a fine job, and worthy one
for such a fine little chap. If he elects
to play in many of the competitions
among the pros of this area he will
have considerable to say about the di-
vision OF the purse. Bobby Cruickshank
is product of Edinburgh. He grew up
with Tommy Armour, when the two of
of youthful golfing machinery at Braid
Hills and Musselburgh. In those days
Sandy Armour was the big shot, but
Tommy and "Cruicky" have passed
him. Cruickshank came to America in
1922, and the following year tied at
1nWood with Bobby Jones for the ma
tional open He lost on the play-off
by a single stroke. His career has
been marked by series of spectacular
successes, and only a few months ago
he tied for second place in the ma
tional open at Fresh Meadow, scoring
289 to finish three shots behind the
amazing 286 shot by Sarazen.
DoBBY CRUICKsHANK is a distinct
~ asset to golf in this section. Not
only is he a fine competitor-a
man who can win any tournament he
enters. but he also is first-class stylist
and a fine teacher. He hits the ball a
long way for such a little fellow, but his
irons are the tools that bespeak the
master golfer. Bobby can clip a golf
ball toward a distant pin with those
irons, and make 'em talk brides. AL
ready, SO it's rumored from Richmond
"Cruiky" has aided Billy Howell in
ironing out the kinks in the slim Vir-
ginia lads swing. Those same kinks
were seen by keen observers of the
game when Billy first started to go
somewhere in golf two years ago. As
shrewd an observer as Fred Mcleod
said that Billy's fiat swing would keep
him from winning a championship un-
til he overcame the hook caused by that
swing. Now, SO I am told, Bobby
Cruickshank has iro, d out that fault
in Billy's game. 1t will not hurt Howell
bit to have such golfer as "Cruicky'
down in Richmond Out of it Howell
may win national, and Cruickshank
may profit thereby If "Cruicky" plays
in the coming Middle Atlantic P. G. A.
the fur will fly, sure enough.