Evening star., 1939-02-18
Washington Is Rated
As Major Center
In Links Sport
Manufacturers Of Comes
Equipment Find City
Rich SoIes Spot
BY WALTER McCALLuM.

The hot-bed of golf that is Wash.
ington and the metropolitan area
surrounding the National Capital
produced, at q conservative esti-
mate, more than 10000 rounds Of
golf IN 1898 and will produce more
than that number this year. With
all the professionals looking toward
a banner year and an early spring
robins have been reported at
Chevy Chase 1899 should see an
increase in the number of rounds Of :
golf played and it may Jump up
toward the million mark.
Most clubs do not keep accurate
records OF the number of rounds
played, for the reason that because
OF the physical location Of the golf
shop in relation to the starting tee
or tees. 1t is almost impossible to
Keep a check. But Columbia does,
and Columbia found in 1898 that
35,922 persons topped EN- or hooked
'em or hit 'em straight down tho
middle Of the first fairway last
year.
Congressional kept an accurate
check, too, and found that IS 900
people, give or take few hundred,
played the course In 1898. Chevy
Chase, which does not keep records,
OF the starters, estimated that around
$4,000 rounds of golf were played.
Add to these the figures from Beaver
Dam. Indian Spring, Argyle, Cap
ital, Kenwood, Belle Haven, Army
Navy, Burning tree, Washington
and Woodmont and you'll find that
around 100000 rounds of golf were
played on the private courses In
1898.
Public Course Play Heavy.
But the big golf incursion comes
on the public courses. A source
close to the public links manage
ment estimtes the number Of g.
hole rounds played at East Potomac
Park at 900; at Rock Greek Park
In the neighborhood of 10000, and
at Anacostia Park at $4,000. These
figures, the same authority claims,
will be increased this year, with
emphasis on decided boost in play
at Anacostia, and several thousand
more rounds of golf scheduled for
the new colored course at Deanwood,
D. c.
The fact is that interest In tour
nament play among the men has
declined, while the feminine golf
ers are showing more interest than
ever before. both in medal play
Journeys and in the match play
affairs for team championships. A
mems invitation tourney with 100
entries nowadays is a big one. Ten
years ago an invitation affair with
300 entries was considered small.
Columbia's invitation affair around
1928 drew more than $50 entries.
Journeys Draw Women.
Both the women really go to town.
Nowadays women's cup tourna-
ment with less than l25 entries
draws forth apologies from the
Women's District Golf Association
for the meager entry list. One tour
ney last year drew more than 1870
entries and the size Of the field
generally is around $50. It all adds
to lot Of golf played in and out
OF tournament play. But the big
turnover comes in the steady play
OF public links golfers and men at
the private clubs who do not COM
pete In tournaments. Several clubs.
like Washington and Columbia, have
a steady clientele of men who play
every day golf If possible right
through the year.
Washington happens to be one of
the big golf towns of the country.
Manufacturers of golf equipment
view the Capital as tops in links
goods sales with respect to popula-
ton. Washington has is private
clubs and large group Of public
courses, serving metropolitan pop.
ulation Of around 650,0O0 persons.
Baltimore, with metropolitan pop-
ulation around a million, has only
seven private clubs, and less ade-
quate public golf facilities than
Washington.
You don't have to look far behind
the first tee to find that golf In and
around the National Capital Is q
big game. in participant intsrest
and In manufacturers sales. !;