Evening star., 1941-08-03
No Breath Of Scandal
Ever Has Touched
Ancient Sport
Governing Body's First
Concern in Awarding
Tourney Is Course
By WALTER McCALLUM.

Sentiment and tradition and not
the hard hearted actions of a group
of men who rather would see good
tournament than make lot of
money, is behind the championship
awards of the United States Golf
Association. You'll see that sentl-
ment in the coming amateur cham
pionship at Omaha late in August.
The course over which the tourney
will be played happens to be the
home course of Johnny Goodman,
the chunky lad from Omaha who
has done all right in golf, and in
addition, has helped bolster the COL
fers of the ruling body.
The links fathers are FAR from
the crusty. hard hearted crew some
writer's picture them. Through the
wears the U. S. G. A. has gone big
for unfolding the traditions OF a
game that hasn't had major scam
dal. Golf happens to be the only
widely played game that hasn't been
touched by the breath of scandal.
There never has been a move to
install a high commissioner to keep
the game straight.
Grass Atlanta's Drawback.
Without any question the U. S. G.
A. would like to have sent one Of its
major championships to Atlanta
during the years when Bob Jones
was winning everything. But they
couldn't overlook the hurdle of Ber-
inuda grass greens which would be
unfamiliar territory to three-fourths
of the entrants And for years the
Southwest has elamored for a major
title tourney. 1t came to Fort
Worth this year when bent grass
was installed on the putting greens
ut the Colonial Club.
II the United States Golf ASSo-
citation harbored a money-grubbing
crowd who cared little for the SEN
timent and tradition of the game
they would go overheard listening
to the pleas of real estate operators
and others who could line their own
pocketbooks by buying a national
championship. But they consistent
" have Shied from such business.
The result has been that there is
today fairly definite championship
rotation at the older clubs. A few
Of them are Oakmont. near Pitts
burgh, which holds many title tour
neys: Brookline. near Boston, where
the amateur title event twice has
been held in the last two decades
and where the womens national is
due again next month, and the clubs
on the Monterey Peninsula. near
San Francisco where the traditions
Of the game remain as they have
been for many decades.
Would Hold Tourney Here.
The u. S. G.. A., we are told, would
like to see a major national tour
ney come to Washington. but the
two clubs which have watered fair
ways "a prerequisite for national
tourney nowadays are not in the
market for such events. They would
accept one If the offer was made, but
because Of full membership lists and
heavy play they are not actively
bidding The clubs happen to be
Chevy Chase and Columbia, two OF
the finer links tests anywhere in
the land. A little tightening up of
the tee shots. little grooming all
along the line and either would be
ready. for a national.
Right down the line the United
States Golf Association consistently
has thrust off the opportunities Of
real estate developers and promoters
who hoped to springboard to att1u-
ence through major national
tourney. in favor OF sending the
major affairs to spots where they
would produce good championship
and worthy champion.
With golf growing as 1t IS, some
day a solution will be found in the
Southeastern part Of the land for
that putting green trouble, and q
bent grass developed to fit the hot
Southern climate. Then you will
see a national tourney going to one
of the Carolinas or Georgia But
the first condition will be that 1t be
held at a good course, without any
real estate promotion figuring. AS
long as the U. S. G. A. carries on
with men of the high character Of
1941 and past years, golf will remain
all right.