Evening star., 1939-11-19

the green's and tees
Thus reads paragraph of the
present contract of the S. G. Leoffler
Operating Co.. which controls all
the public golf courses within the
District of Columbia, under lease
from the National Park Service.
Another paragraph says: "Addi-
tional facilities may be required as
necessary from time to time to meet
the demonstrated needs of the
public and also to keep the courses
and facilities in first-class condi-
ton"
Has the Secretary of the Interior,
or his duly authorized representa-
tive (in this case officials of Ma
tional Capital Parks any real idea
of the inferior condition of the golf
courses in the public parks of
Washington?
Does the real responsibility for
badly constructed and poorly
groomed courses lie with the Park
Service or with the operating COM
pany?
And if the thousands of people
who play these inferior courses want
| improvement - can they get it?
These questions all fit into the pic
ture of golf operation in the Ma
tional Capital.
Little for Improvements.
The operating company has put
comparatively little money back
into capital Improvements, out Of
profits. The S. G. Leoffler organiza-
ton has five-year lease on all the
public courses, with the option of
renewal for another five years, in
the discretion of the Secretary of
the Interior. Obviously, the opera
ton is profitable.
Last years operations indicate a
net profit in excess of $4,000 for
63 holes of golf. The operating COM
pany now leases 80 holes, which
would indicate comparative up
swing in profits.
Why cannot the S. G. Leofder
Operating Co. either turn back some
of it's profits into capital improve
ments or get together with Ma
tional Capital Parks officers to work
out a scheme for general improve
ment of all the public golf courses in
Washington? Why cannot some w.
P. A. money be used for golf course
improvement in Washington, as it
was in Baltimore and New York, to
mention only two localities? Is it
not better to operate the courses by
the Government, turning back the
profits into improvement of the
courses?
East Potomac Park could be made
into one of the outstanding golf
courses of this section. Rock Greek
Park, with it's favorite topography,
could be considerably heightened
and very much improved. Anacos-
tia Park, even if the present course
is not improved, could be bettered
to fit in with the splendid 9-hole
course now in construction in Fort
Dupont Park. That part of the
Anacostia course now in use in Sec
ton . of Anacostia Park will be
discontinued as soon as the Fort
Dupont course is ready for use.
Capable Architect Needed.
A head scheme for general i'm
provement of public golf courses in
Washington, with an experienced
and capable course architect in COM
plete charge, is the answer to bet
ter public golf facilities for the city.
Golf course improvements are ex-
pensive. But they are badly needed
and apparently the golf1ng public is
already paying the money that could
produce such improvement.
Except for tiling and draining
and installation of heating units.
and restaurant equipment, the s.
G. Leofaer Operating Co. has done
little in the way Of capital improve
ments at East Potomac Park. Last
year the gross income from the golf
operation, including the driving
i. range and miniature course, was
nearly $4,000 in the one park.
Golf experts estimate the cost
of rebuilding putting green's at
around $500 a hole. This would
make $4,000 for the SO holes ut
East Potomac Park. But other i'm
provements are badly needed. Tees