Evening star., 1938-07-08

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the mathematical chances for and
arrived at anything every one didn't
Is fortitudinous gathering together
lot Of luck on the bounce, combined
with superb direction Of the shot.
That is, when it isn't altogether forti-
tudinouS and doesn't find the ball
bouncing of brick wall into the cup,
or slanting of the shins Of some sepia
caddie, or glancing of the nagpole
bunting directly on the down-beat into
the cup. But the chances are some
thing less than a million to one: at
least on the courses around Washing
ton. And at least on two Of them it's
considerably less than 10000 to / and
at one it's less than 5000 to l.
Tracking down the elusive ace with
super Holmes skill, If not with the
nonchalance of the fictional sleuth,
we ascertained that the chance OF get
ting an ace at Rock Greek Park is al
most exactly 5000 to /; that the
chance Of getting a holed tee shot at
Columbia is something less. or about
1900 to l, and that substantially the
same ratio exists at most of the pri-
vate courses as at Columbia with the
possible exception of Washington,
where the eleventh hole has been made
in one SO many times that profess
sional Dave Thomson has lost track
Of them all.
80 to l ut Rock Greek Park.
But, getting back to Rock Greek
Park, which happens to be Washing
tons more fertile birthplace Of the elu-
sive and seductive hole in one, we found
mustached Harry Graham, the course
manager, willing and even eager to
talk. How many aces do you have
here . year," we asked that affable
gent, fresh in from q winning iound
Of golf. "Oh, we average about 80 q
year, depending on how long the nth
hole is open," Harry said.
That 97-yard hole probably
averages 4-to-1 more aces than
any short hole about the Capt.
tai. yep, I guess 80 = year
would be about right"
And how many rounds OF gof d.
you have a year," we inno:ently
asked. Il dunno why all the ques-
tions," said Harry But I guess we
nave an average Of about 400 = day
through the year"
With all the avidity Of an old fg-
ure-hound, who never averaged better
than "F' in high school math we
pounced on Harry's figures and after
wearing our pencil down to a mere
splinter We came up triumphantly
with the results.
ANY player who leaves the first
tee has about one chance in 1900, in
round figures. Of making an ace," we
told Harry. 80 what?" he said. 80
it's all screwy," we added. Which it
Is, We learned, from what Harry said
further. They come in punches" I"
said Graham. Right now we've gone
more than two weeks without an ace.
But won't be surprised to see three
or four of them made In the next 10
days. That's the way they happen.
We 60 along for = month without
one and then two or three Of 'em
come right along in row. But
there'd be more Of them If that nth
hole was OPEN"
BanaEan Does His Stuff.
Over to Columbia we trailed, to
find Red" Banagan. sitting like q
full-blown Buddha, under the shade
of the trees by the first tee. The
women's District tennis champion
ship was on, and the dear gals were
pretty and cute. out there in shorts.
But you can't hinder . flgure-fiend,
Of the right kind. How many aces
q year," we asked Red" And how
old Is Ann?" queried Banagan.
Seriously. Red how many do you
get here a year," we quavered, with
drooling lips.
A fellow gets fanatical on .
chase Of this kind.
think Galento can lick LOUISE"
said Red" But how many aces?"
we insisted.
"Oh, alright" said the Columbia
golf boss. I'VE have three, or four or
i've . year, I'd say we average about
four. Our short holes aren't any push
overs, you know"
"And how many players . year?"
The chase was getting close About
35,O0O," said Red" That was q soft
one. -Four into about IS, 900 makes it
somewhere just short Of 5000. Call
it 5000, for short, and those players
who leave the first tee at Columbia
have about chance in 5000 Of
getting an ace.
So don't let EN- fool you with
that million to one stuff. Its
much less than that.
Figures don't lie, 80 we stopped out