Evening star., 1933-12-09
ISCUSSION of fairway watering
systems on some of the local
golf courses has been revived
again by the nnssihilifv that

L. golf courses has been revived
again by the possibility that
one of the prominent golf clubs about
Washington may decide to install such
system. This club, one of the most
prominent Of all the golf clubs about
the Capital, with one of the finest golf
courses, has not yet made a decision,
but it win not be surprising to see such
an arrangement under way within
few months. For the time being, the
name Of the club cannot be disclosed.
The first club which installs an up-to-
date and adequate fafrway watering
system will almost Immediately become
the poSsessor of the outstanding Sum-
mer golf course near Washington. For
fairway watering in southern climates
has become almost q necessity, and
particularly is it needed at the courses
around the Capital, where fairways be-
come hard and baked during the heated
period beginning early In June and run
ming through to early September. when
the early Fall rains begin to appear
The soil around Washington lacks sufii-
cient sand to keep it from baking hard
under the whitening rays of a hot
Summer sun, and the result has been
that fairways. generally speaking, have
become so hard that in some instances
the clay top-soil has cracked.
90 universal has become the practice
- OF artificially watering fairways at
the better courses that it Is unusual
nowadays for the United States Golf
Association to award major champion
ship to a course which does not have
fairway watering facilities Courses over
which the major title events have been
held for many years have had watered
fairways, notably the Merton course
near Philadelphia, where the open
championship goes next year.
Installation of fairway watering on
the local courses would have one highly
beneficial effect In the reduction of crab
grass.
At present crab grass is boon to the
local courses, for it Is one of the few
grasses that thrive in hot weather. Crab
and Bermuda grow best under the hot
rays of Summer sun.
But II fairway watering systems were
installed the finer grasses would not
die under the heat of Washington Sum-
mer weather and the crab grass would
not be so plentiful. The result would
be finer fairways, for at best crab grass
40 NOoAcC AA1 SCAstAC dkAd doCc AAOt AidAC
fine fairway grass. You seldom see
much crab grass on the fairways of a
watered course.
OF all the watering system installa-
tions have seen, the arrangement at
the Fresh Meadow Club of Flushing.
Long Island, where the open champion
ship Of 1892 was played. stands out.
This system employed a series of gush-
ers scattered through the rough. which
projected an arch of water across the
fairways and flooded them completely
The most popular system of fairway
watering and the least expensive Is one
wheels with hose to be attached to q
water outlet, which can be trundled
over the fairways at night.
VYYATERED fairways have the ad-
" vantage of not baking to an
appreciable degree. The ball
does not Toll 50 far on fairways which
have received a generous sprinkling,
and usually sits up better because the
grass Is alive and Of full and finer
texture. Divots taken by the iron clubs
and immediately replaced start growing
almost at once If fairways are watered,
while divots taken from q dust-dry
course in the middle Of Summer seldom
md sufficient moisture to begin growing
again
The cost Of fairway watering
systems b not prohibitive. Natu-
rally there h wide price range
between the cheapest and the
most elaborate systems, but IN
adequate and satisfactory fairway
watering installation may be had
1t cost Of about $l5,oeo.
At Fresh Meadow the club has q unique
manner Of paying for the cost Of In
stallation and Of water used In watering
the fatrways. Instead Of the usual
ca6dle fee Of rs cents for 10 holes, the
club charges 81. The extra two bits
goes toward the cost Of fairway water
ing. II Is painless tax and one which
the golfer never misses, even II he pays
his caddie 81 and spends another quar-
ter for his fairway watering system.
Water is not expensive at the clubs
about Washington, and II some such
system Of payment Is the Fresh Meadow
arrangement were put into operation,
the golnng membership probably would