The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1938-01-10
AMERICAN GOLF
HITS IT HIGH
DURING SEASON
Use of Unlimited Arsenals
Will, However, Be
Barred, 1888
By BILL BONI

NEW Iofth - lIltIt SJIOIlB
possibility that the year 1897 will
go down in the history of American
golf as the last campaign in which
championship asplrants were per-
mitted the use of unlimited arsenals.
On January l, 1888, the United
States Gold Association rule cutting
championship equipment to IA clubs
went into effect.
While they had the chance, the
1897 club swingers made good use
of the weapons at their disposal.
They blasted all butone of the 1886
national title-holders loose from
their moorings, drew sufficient gall
leries to give the U.S.GA. pleas
ingly profitable" year, contested u.
S. titles in areas that never before
had witnessed championship, and
gained the first Ryder cup victory
ever won by visiting team.
Lone repeated champion, and
therefore worthy of a special niche
in the links hall of fame, was Dens-
more Shute, the modest, methodi-
cal SHOEMAKER from Massachusetts.
Having won the 1886 PG.A crown in
/ November at Pinehurst, Denny made
sure he wouldn't be the most short
lived champion on record by sur
viving this years renewal in May
at Pittsburgh.
Goodman and Guldahl Win
"G-men" knocked off the two
other principal crowns. Johnny
Goodman and Ralph Guldahl both
Of whom had been rapping on the
throne-room door for several years,
finally broke it down this summer
Omaha Johnny waded through a
strong field at Portland, Ore, and
STAYED off a game rally by Ray Bill
lows of Poughkeepsie, N. Y in the
final round to win the amateur title
he'd been trying for since 1929.
Stoop-shouldered Guldahl set up a
new 72hole record of 281 in VIM
ming the open at Birmingham,
Mich.
The women's and public links
crown also were taken over by new
members of COLTS royal family Mrs
Estelle Lawson Page, pupil OF 1896
open champion Tony Manero. and
hard hitter from Chapel Hill, N.
c., succeeded Britain's undefend-
ing Pam Barton at Memphis, Tenn.
Bruce Mccormick, Los Angeles fire.
man, came out on top of the pay
as-you-play heap at San Francisco.
The awarding Of the amateur and
women's tournaments marked a new
step in U.S.GA. policy. The Pa
citic Northwest and the deep south
never before had staged national
championships.
Americans ROut British
Besides winning the National open,
Western open, and other major tour
naments, Guldahl also played an inn
portant role in retaining the Ryder
cup. The rout of the British at
IOo0eiiPoit mai hcQ tile llISl JlIUc
either country had beeen able to win
on the others home rounds.
Americans were less fortunate In
Britain's two major Journeys. The
open went to Henry Cotton while
the amateur was won by Robert
Sweeney, American-born but too
long resident of England to be
dubbed truly American golfer.
Beyond these high-spots, the year
in gold produced such events as the
further development of brilliant
young professionals like Slammin'
Sam Snead, West Virginia sensa-
ton, the successful introduction
of the Belmont, Mass, $4,000
match play open, won by another
youngster, Slim Byron Nelson OF
Texas and Reading, Pa, who also
won the Augusta Masters; Harry
Cooper's usual reign as top money
winner; the fine showings of such
young amateurs as Billows and
MILFORD Wehrle, western amateur
winner, and the development of a
prize crop of girl golfers, headed by
Virginia Guildfoil, of Syracuse, N.
".