Evening star., 1941-07-06
Wen-Rounded Game
Should GET S|ugger
More Victories
Cliffs 283 at Columbia
Better Showing Than
Barnes Open Victory
BY WALTER McCALLCM.


One of the major mysteries in
pro golf around this perspiring
town is Cliff Spencer. the long, lean
slugger from East Potomac Park.
Cliff is a mystery man, because
consistently he qualities for the
major championship with scores
that put him away up in the top
brackets in the land. and then he
does little or nothing in the big
tournaments against flrst-class op-
position.
Here is a man gifted with one of
the fine swings in any links bracket
. fine putter and a splendid iron
player. BY all the standards of
good golf not only should he be
winning big tournaments. but he
should be a potent competitor for
any national crown. Cliff hits those
tee shots so far he converts the
ordinary tough para hole into a
drive and pitch affair.
Cliff led the Nations qualifiers
In the National Open championship
at Fort Worth. Tex. last month,
pacing the sectional tests at Co
lumbia on May 26 with scores OF
6s-69-137. That mark led the Ma
ton. Then he went to the Colonial
Club at Fort Worth and shot scores
OF BOT, failing to qualify for the
final day of play. He was probably
a better golfer than half the men
who qualified down there on the
Texas plains.
Outscores Open Winner.
Twenty years ago the National
Open was played at Columbia. won
BY Jim Barnes with the marvel
Gus" score of 289. Two years ago,
over a rain-soaked Columbia course,
the same layout over which Barnes
won his national crown. Cliff Spen-
Ger won the Middle Atlantic P. G.
A. championship with 283. Granted
that links skill and links equip
ment both have improved in 20
wears, that score of 283 stands as
a far better showing than the 289
of Barnes in 1921. Spencer also
has won the Maryland Open over
Ille same tOu1 SC.
A few days ago Spencer played the
last II holes at Washington in seven
under even As over tough, sporty
little layout. where the slightest
deviation from the ruled line spells
eobs of trouble. So you can't say
the guy isn't straight when he has
to be. He has proven that he can
be both long and straight with the
big shots.
Cliff played part of the winter
circuit in 1939-40. He left the cara
van in Texas after doing nothing.
Yet here is man who can score
and play shots with the best in the
Nation. He's a major mystery to
the pros around this town. Why
he doesn't go on and win is puzzle
that has them shaking their sun
burned locks.
Defends Maryland Title.
Two weeks hence he'll defend his
MARYLAND title at Elkridge in Baltl-
more. That course is short and
tight. Yet Spencer probably will
finish in the first three even If he
doesn't win. And the field will be
good.
On the age side Spencer right now
should be and probably is at his
peak. He's around 80, which is the
age at which skill and experience
should combine to win big titles.
With Spencers equipment, ability
and range from the tee, the fact
that he hasn't made his mark in
major tournaments remains a mys-
terry.
Unlike some of the topnotchers,
Cliff doesn't spend much time on
the practice tee. He has a grooved
swing that seldom gets out OF gear.
Before he shot that 68-69-137
score at Columbia in May he had
PLAYED about three rounds of golf
during the preceding month and had
practiced possibly total of an hour
in the same period. Hard work and
steady practice might be the answer.
1t was for Ben Hogan and a lot OF
others. And Cliff seems to have
as much native ability as Hogan
and some of the other men who
make the national headlines.