Evening star., 1939-09-17
Defending Champion,
Burke Rates Only
Fair Chance
Peacock May Not PIoy;
Helen DettweiIer in
Exhibition Today
BY WALTER McCALLUM.

A District amateur golf champion
ship that looms as the best in a
dozen years comes up this week at
Burning Tree. The angles on the top
tourney of the year for local anna
teurs are these: John P. Burke, red
headed Georgetown University stu
dent from Providence, r. l., is the
champ. He happens to be one of the
top Simon-pure linksmen of the
Nation.
But around Washington just now
we have crop of home-bred anna
teurs who represent just about the
best we've had in more than
decade. All of them would like that
District crown. and any one of half
a dozen is good enough to bump off
the champion.
With Bobby Brownell, Billy Shea,
Buddy Sharkey, Volney Burnett,
Dick Myer, Jimmy Stephens, David
Ross and Billy Houghton in there
pitching, even a tough hombre like
Burke will be no standout. We
haven't mentioned Roger Peacock
yet, for although Roger would like
to win that D. G. title to rack up
alongside his Mid-Atlantic cham
pionship, it isn't sure he will play.
Likes Burning Tree Course.
Another angle of the thing is that
the boys like to play Burning Tree.
They recognize in this course one
of the great ones around town, and
inasmuch as many of them don't
often get a chance to play it, they'll
go for this tournament in a big way
to get in two or three days of play
over the course. That's one of the
reasons Secretary Bill Barr of the
District Golf Association expects
big field when entries close with
him tomorrow night.
It's also the last big one of the
year for the male amateurs around
town this year, and all the boys with
chance are sharpening their shots
for this one. There isn't any doubt
that the forthcoming District title
tourney will be one of the best
since George Voigt and Roland Mac
Kenzie were stealing the show
dozen years ago. An 18-hole medal
round Wednesday will precede two
days of match play, with the new
champ to be crowned Friday after
noon.
Women Face Busy Week.
Womens title tournaments break
out in a rash of activity this week,
with seven different clubs holding
their club events. Two titleholders
won't play in this years affairs. At
Congressional Mrs. Myron Davy is
the ranking favorite to succeed
Helen DettWeiler for the club crown.
Helen has turned pro and is not
eligible to defend. She beat Mrs.
Davy in an overtime final match
last year. At Indian Spring Marion
Brown will let her club title 60 unde-
Tended because the Manor and In
dian Spring title tournaments con-
flict and Marion has elected to play
at Manor. That puts Mrs. Betty P.
Meckley in the role of favorite at
Indian Spring, as she might be any
way. Other club Journeys will be on
at Army Navy, Washington, Ken
wood and Columbia. The women
of the Chevy Chase Club will stage
their title affair early in October.
Helen Dettweiler Plays Today.
Helen Dettweiler will make her
first local appearance of the fall
season this afternoon, playing with
Tommy Doerer at East Potomac
Park in match against Al Hough-
ton and Mel Shorey. Helen will
appear later this week at other local
courses.
Al has been working hard on the
Middle Atlantic P. G. A. and the
pros just about are ready to an
nounce the course and the date. AL
predicts purse of nearly $2,500.
That would make it quite a tourpa-
ment, the best here, in fact, since
the national open of 1921.
Indian Spring Clubs star-studded
golf team had no soft spot today
in the opening round of the Mary
land State team championship
matches, as they swing into action
against the Capital club wielders at
the Capital Club. The Glen Echo
layout is one where local knowledge
counts heavily and the boys, led by
Billy Houghton, the Capital Club
champ, can spring a big upset by
licking Indian Spring. 1t isn't likely
to happen, however, for the Indian
Spring bunch loom as the best golf
team gathered here since the cham
pionship Congressional team of
1887, which had on it several men
now playing at Indian Spring. Seven
other local clubs play in State team
matches today. Congressional, the
champs, 60 over to Baltimore to play
Rodgers Forge.