Evening star., 1941-07-13
Good Linksmen Here
Lack Inspiration,
Cox Declares
Congressional Pro Says
Star Improves Rivals;
Puid Clan Active "a
By WALTER McCALLUM.

BY WALTER McCALLUM.
Washington's amateur golf crowd
the boys who play in tournaments)
need a couple Of topnotch compet-
itors to spur them on to the point
where they can figure in the big
national affairs.
That's the view of Witty Cox, the
big Congressional pro, who looks
over the amateur field around
Washington, says they are pretty
good" but not good enough to have
a winning shot in the major national
affairs.
What we need around this town
1, a couple of really fine amateurs
said Cox. Fellows who can play
fine golf every day and who can win
In the big tournaments, Yes, 1
know about Bogart and Skinker and
Rippv and Peacock and Burnett.
But are they good enough? I don't
think so. At least they haven't done
anything yet in the national cham
pionship,
The best spur in any links sec
ton is really good golfer. He car
ries the rest of the boys along with
him. They all try to lick the top
man and the result is that a lot OF
them improve. But without some
bellwether the boys just remain IN
the doldrums.
Inspiration Is Needed.
Take this Bogart boy. He's the
District champ and has the makines
of very good player. But Ralph
hasn't shown enough yet to make
him anywhere near a favorite in the
national amateur championship.
Neither has Skinker. They seem to
be the best of the youngsters and it
takes youth to win. What I'd like
to see is a boy such as Frankie
Strafaci or Ray Billows or Marvin
Ward around Washington. A win
ner. if you want to call him that.
But guy can get along in the big
show. More than anything else
such a man around Washington
would be what we need to produce
a possible national champ
Witty is right. We haven't around
town nowadays the crowd OF anna
teur golfers of 1926 or 1927, when
George Voigt and Roland Mac
Kenzie-who definitely were big
time champions-were leading the
parade. In their wake they brought
along men such as AL Houghton,
now a pro; Page Hufty, John Shorey,
Harry Pitt and Roger Peacock, who
around 1885 was about as good a
golfer as you could find anywhere.
But Roger hasn't played much COM
petitive golf lately, and he hasnt t
the spark he used to have.
Big Days for NJ. A. Pros.
Pro golfers of the Middle Atlantic
sector are due lot OF highly paid
action over the next fortnight. To-
morrow they'll play at Elkridge Club
of Baltimore in the Baltimore
Open" a tourney planned as testi-
monial to Jimmy Roche, who has
been the boss of the Elkridge golf
shop for % years. The club has
added S100 to the usual purse and
the winner may drag down twice
that amount with other luscious
prizes due to be split up.
Tuesday, July %. over the same
course. the best pro and amateur
talent of Maryland will compete for
the Maryland Open crown, with first
money of s120 and total prize dough
of $500 That isn't bad pay for play
ing 36 holes of golf under pleasant
surroundings. Cliff Spencer will
defend his Maryland title. and can
win again. But Al Houghton is the
man to watch.
Al won three Maryland titles in
row and is thirsting for another
crown. Over the short Elkrldge
course he will be cor should be- the
hot man AL hasn't been without
links crown now for around IA years.
He hasn't won one yet this year and
will be out there trying to bag the
Maryland diadem.
Handicap Crosses Redick.
CnuCR ReOlCk, piehS VI uio "
erak Golf Association. is moaning low
over a handicap deal which fell his
way at Kenwood Chuck went out
with his partner in a 36-hole medal
plsv event. At the end of the first
round they had a good chance.
Rain fell the morning of the Sec
ond round and Chuck didn't want to
leave home to play golf in the rain.
He went out, however, and they
turned in a score which would have
won. Chuck said.
Later they found out their handi-
cap had been reduced and they
didn't win,