Evening star., 1940-01-15
BY HAROLD w. PIERCE,

BY HAROLD w. PIERCE,
President. United States Coli Association.
NEW YORK, Jan. IS (P.-Golf's
prospects for the next IL months ap-
pear to be bright enough, if looked
at from the standpoint of the United
States alone.
However, nations today, through
the various sources of communica-
ton, are so close that the tragic
events occurring elsewhere are bound
to affect golfing activities in other
lands.
A Curtis Cup match scheduled
abroad for next spring, between
teams of British and United States
women, has been Cancelled. There
is serious doubt whether Britain'S
leading men amateurs will come here
for q Walker Cup match, scheduled
for the st. Paul Town and Country
Club, August 30-3l, or whether there
will be any sort of international
match.
Forgetting, if we can, the inter-
national situation, we can look for
ward to what should be year of
continued progress for golf here.
The U. S. G. AS four championships
are on a coast-to-coast schedule
the amateur in Mamaroneck, N. Y;
the women in Del Monte. Calf;
the open in Cleveland, and the
public links in Detroit.
May Limit Liveliness of Ball.
The year may bring limitation
that will limit the distance golf
ball will travel. The Golf Assocla-
ton, at considerable cost and with
the assistance of the Armour InSti-
tute in Chicago, has built machine
which now is being perfected. 1t is
hoped this machine will develop a
practical way of testing the per-
formance of golf balls, so that a
uniform standard can be achieved.
1t is hoped also to limit the scor-
ing of iron clubs, SO that it will
not be possible to put undue "cut"
VI oil a Vail Dy lNo
vision in these and other directions,
the association aims to continue the
progress of the game.
The U. S. G. A. green's section
is continuing its scientific work in
matters of golf courses and general
maintenance. Many of the green
keeping methods in common use are
traceable to the green's sections
activities; thus it has had much
to do with making United States
courses SO pleasant to play and with
reducing the cost of their upkeep,
real factor in making the game
available to increasing numbers of
people.
1t seems reasonable to expect that
public course golf will continue to
grow, as will the game in colleges
and schools. The U. S. G. A. will
carry on its educational efforts re-
garding the rules of golf and the
amateur definition.
Pays Tribute to Reid.
The last year was an interesting
one, especially on the competitive
side. Byron Nelson won the Open
championship after a double playoff
in which he, Craig Wood and Denny
| Shute originally we're involved, while
Marvin Ward, one stroke out of this
! tie. later won the amateur title
Betty Jameson became the wom-
ems amateur champion in a tour
nament which included many
prominent foreign players. In the
| public links championship Andrew
SzWedko won the individual title
and Los Angeles retained team hon.
ors. The public links competition
attracted 2,40l of the 1921 players
who entered the associations four
championships Beatrice Barrett
and Thomas Sheehan set scoring
records in the qualifying rounds of
the Women's and amateur Journeys,
respectively, while record fields COM
peted in the women's champion
ship and the National Collegiate A.
A. tournament.
The association has had the good
fortune to be guided during the
last two years by Archibald M. Reid.
With his retirement from the presi-
dency, the game lost a wonderful
leader and one who Was imbued with
the highest of the games ideals.
The U. S. G. AS Executive Com
mittee is made up, as heretofore, of
representatives from various Sec
tions of the country who give their
services gratis. Speaking for them,
can say that it is their sincere
desire to keep abreast of the times
and to make any changes which they
feel will benefit the golfing world
as a whole.