Evening star., 1940-04-21
Federal Golfers Plunge Into SsrSponoed Title Competition This Week
Harper NOT Expected
To Be Eligible for
N. A. Pro Golf
Membership Application
TOP. 6. A. Mode Too Late
For PIoy, Beach Feels

Chandler Harper, the tall, dour-
faced pro golfer from Portsmouth,
Va, Is in the middle again, and his
application for membership in the
Professional Golfers Association
and to play In the Middle Atlantic
p. G.. A. championship this week
threatens to throw pro golf in this
sector into q turmoil.
Harper happens to be one Of the
better professional golfers in the
East, and a possible winner in any
tournament he enters. He could win
the forthcoming tourney at Old
Point Comfort, Va, next Friday and
Saturday, II the association per-
mitted him to play. But as the
matter now stands, Harper will not
be in the starting list. even though
the Middle Atlantic P. G. A. will
hold q special meeting tomorrow at
Beaver Dam to pass on his belated
application for membership and
probably will o. X. the application.
The situation, as explained by
Middle Atlantic p. G. A. President
Ralph Beach, Is this: A pro can
only become q P. G. A. member
after having been q professional for
f1ve years. Harper became eligible
for membership on January /, 1910,
but did not file his membership ap-
pncation until last Wednesday.
Takes Time for Action.
If the Executive Committee of the
sectional p. G. A. passes favorably
on Harper's application, 1t will be
passed along to the Board of Con-
troll Of the National p. G. A. That
body then will send it out-as a
routine matter-to all other Sec
tional associations, and II no OBJ
lection Is raised Harper will become
P. G. A. member. But it will
take time and Beach does not see
how Harper can play in the tour
ney this week.
This tournament will be open
only to p. G. A. members, and
Harper Is not a member now and
cannot be-in my opinion-by the
time Of the start of the affair next
Friday" said Beach.
Meanwhile, the folk in Tidewater
Virginia, who think Harper is a
ball of fire as a golfer tand they
aren't far wrong) feel that the men
in Washington and Baltimore who
control the Middle Atlantic P. G. A
want to keep Harper out of the
tourney to eliminate a serious con-
tender for top money, which hap
pens to be $3.50.
1T is Harper's own fault" said
Beach. Had he applied any time
after January l undoubtedly he now
would be a p. G. A. member and
there wouldn't be any fuss" Har-
per's application. dated April 10
was received by Beach April II.
Chip Shots.
Speaking Of boycotts: Walter
Hagen, the Old Duke, who has been
around washington for several days
now, never wears hat. Danbury
Conn, take note. We doubt if
Walter possesses one. For over a
good many years, in fair weather
and foul we've seen the Haig 70
on and of golf courses hatless. Is
that a spot for the hat people to
make a play for the Hagen business?
Feminine golfers, tired of bad
weather, are hopeful that the
Keefer Cup tourney at Chevy Chase
Wednesday and Thursday won't be
washed out by rain, as their team
matches have been. Entries for this
affair will close at / pm. tomorrow
with Mrs. Hugh Rowan at Wiscon-
sin 7l42. Although only 18 strokes
handicap will apply, players with
handicaps up to "a may enter.
Congressional members were play
ing today in the Walter johnson Cur
tourney for a trophy presented by
the Big Train.
Those long improvements
are getting under way at East Poto-
mac Park, where plans are in the
making for new fifth green or
Course B and a new ninth green on
the same course. Qualifying rounds
in the spring tourney will epd this
week with match play to start
around May l.
East Potomac Parks golf team
moved over to Anacostia today tc
play team match at Fairlawn.