Evening star., 1933-12-09
RATED IN FINEST
TRIM IN HISTORY
improvements Made During
Year Have Added Much
to Layout.
BY WALTER r. McCALLUM.

A GOLF course groomed to
~ its finest possible condition
4 \ greets the members of the
Congressional Country Club
these early Winter days. For
some reason Congressional, al
ways a good golf course, is in its
: finest playing shape in November
and December, and this year it
is better than ever.
Tommy Armour. who used to be the
professional at the Congressional Club,
remarked year ago that he never had
seen a golf course more carefully
groomed than the Congressional layout
in the Fall of 1882. He made the same
remark this year, after playing a few
rounds at Congressional prior to the
National Capital open. Some of the
changes suggested by Tommy exist to-
day, among them the green at the first
hole, and the change in the tenth and
eleventh holes.
Congressional has two of the finest
holes of their type around Washington.
The new tenth. which has beer in
play for a little less than two years, is
an outstanding two-shotter, a hole
which may be drive and mashie hole
one day and be two full shots the next
day, depending on the direction of the
wind. The short twelfth, 210 yards in
length. is the outstanding one-shotter
OF its type around the Capital. hole
on which anything may happen and
usually does. The Congressional Coun-
try Club course of today is strong
golf course, and one on which the par
of 70 is true par, seldom beaten.
Improve Quality of Golf.
CEVERAL improvements have been
- made in the Congressional layout
this year, all designed to improve
the quality of golf needed to score well.
A new long tee at the eighth makes
this hole real three-shotter. From
the old front tee it was not unusual
for lengthy hitter to get home with
a drive and medium iron, and many
times the old hole has been played
with following wind with drive
and maShie. But that isn't being done
these days from the back tee.
The real changes have come on the
back nine. where the new tenth and
eleventh holes challenge the ingenuity
and skill of even your fine golfer.
Played into the wind, the tenth be-
comes two full wooden club shots. With
the wind a long hitter can wallop a
tee shot over the hill and have a
mashie shot home. But in either event,
and Notwithstanding the big green, the
hole is a good test. It Is the out
standing two-shot hole on the layout
The eleventh. while shorter, has been
much improved by the addition of
of the loft
side. to catch the sluggers who essay
to cut the corner of the dog leg. Those
traps do Just that. for it takes a
phenomenally hit ball to carry the last
one, and even if the tee shot gets be-
yond them, the pitch is over corner
of the old quarry that used to raise
such hob on the old tenth.
New Tee at Eighteenth.
THESE are the major changes, but
there still is another A new tee
has been built at the eighteenth
far back on top of the hill. raising the
distance of the finishing hole from 285
yards to something in the neighborhood
Of 800 yards. all uphill. No more do
the long hitters stand on the tee and
take a poke at the green on the eight
eenth at Congressional, for 1t cannot
be reached from the back tee.
Even the longest slugger cannot wal
lop ball far enough to reach the put
ting surface from the spot where the
markers are placed nowadays. Many
bird IS are being made, but they are
being done by an accurate pitch or
lengthy putt. The green just isn't be-
ing driven any more. like the Annie OF
the song.
The Congressional Country Club
course of today measures up to cham
pionship standard. If grooming alone
would bring a golf course titular
tourney. Congressional would get the
award. for it is in the best condition
of its 10 wears of existence.