Evening star., 1942-06-18
Mower Fuel Scarce,
Grass on Fairways
Isn'tCut Often
Condition Doesn't Annoy
Golfers; Women's Meet
Reaches Torrid Semis
By WALTER McCALLUM.

BY WALTER McCALLUM.
Without blowing trumpets or ad-
vertising patriotism the local gol1
clubs this year, almost without ex-
ception, are adopting policy OF
retrenchment where fairway cutting
Is concerned, and most Of them
even during the height of the sea-
son. are using so-called winter rules
through the fairways. There are few
exceptions to the winter rules pro-
vision and even at these clubs using
summer rules fairway cutting Is not
done nowadays with the plentiful
use of gasoline and labor OF other
years. BY mid-June in a normal
year summer rules, which NEAR
PLAYING the ball where 1t lies, have
been the regular thing at all coun-
try clubs, but not this year. 1nfre-
uuent fairway cutting saves gaso-
line and labor costs, and results In
no hardship to the golfers them
selves.
Indeed the golfers welcome WIN
ter rules. They like the chance to
tee the ball up on the nearest
clump of grass and get a preferred
lie in any situation. But it's all
very different from the custom OF
past years.
MANY people don't know about 1t
but golf clubs do not now get tne
ample supply of gasoline they go,
before Leon Henderson starteo
clamping down. They get 80 per
cent OF normal, which in some cases
means cutting fairways once a week
instead of twice a week. But ho
one minds, even If the falrways
grow thick and heavy. The situa-
tion has crept up without many
people noticing the change. ana IN
asmuch as championships are ln1re-
ouent nowadays little inconvenience
Is caused. ,l
Championships, of course, should
be played under regular rules witt
the ball not being touched until II
Is holed out.
Women in Seminal.
The women's District links cham
pionship, singularly free OF upsets
entered the critical semiflnal stage
at the Chevy Chase Club today as
three of the big four OF local woih-
ems golf remained in the title tour
nev and another who can become a
member of the new big four maoe
her bid for top recognltlon. Inc
new member is Mrs. Thomas v
Brandon, champion woman player
at the Columbia Country Club ano
a linkswoman with a SOUND game
and championship capabilities. She
met Mrs. Leo Walper today.
For a wear now the local feminine
golf world has awaited another
meeting-this time on another local
course-between Betty Meckley, tne
Kenwood veteran, and Mrs. Walter
p Stokes of Manor, the quiet DIS
trict champion. Mrs. Stokes oeat
Mrs Meckley in the final OF the
District championship last year at
Manor. and Mrs. Meckley turned
the tables in a tourney at Baltimore
The score was even between them
last year, but this year It's a olner- :
ent story. On the result OF To-Day
match between them may hang tne
local feminine ratings for 1912.
Mrs. Meckley. playing with ner
usual confidence and assurance
pulled a tough one out OF the nre
Yesterday when it seemed she was
about to be upset by Mrs. Landra
B Platt of Chevy Chase. Mrs. Platt
was 3 up at the turn, and all even
at the 18th, where she laid her thlro
shot dead, with Mrs. Meckley 10
feet away on the like. Just as sne
did last year in the final OF the
MARYLAND State championship, Mrs
MeckIey holed that big putt to keep
the match level. But she faced still
another bad spot, on the 18th. where
Mrs. Platt played two magnlncent
shots to 18 feet behind the pin
while Mrs. Meckley didn't reach the
green in two.
Mrs. Meckley Good Clipper.
Around town there may be better
chippers and putters than the Ken
wood veteran, but they aren't Wis
tble to the naked eye. AS she seems
always to be able to do in the tlgnt
spots she Clipped up 21s feet from
the cup. Mrs. Platt missed her BID
for a 3 and they went to the 18th
There Betty holed chip shot with
an 8-iron from the fringe OF the
green, and the match was over.
The gal can chip and putt. Give
some of the top-notch pros hel
ability around the greens and YOU'D
hear less of Hogan, or Nelson or
Snead and more of some guy who
doesn't quite win.
Mrs. Platt played one of her finest
games of the year to carry the
MARYLAND champ an extra hole
Each scored an approximate 30.
Still another match ended via the
ehip shot route, when Mrs. John
Ives of Congressional, one Of the
coming top notch linksWomen
around town, holed shot from on
the green to beat Mrs. Fred Evans
of Kenwood on the 18th hole in the
second flight.
Warner Gray In Town.
Warner Gray, former assistant to
WHY Cox, is pounds heavier and
looking the picture of the fighting
COB is in town on furlough from his
NAVY lob. Warner has been around.
He isn't talking about where he has
been, of course. but he has seen a
lot of ocean. And I haven't been
seasick," grinned the lad who grew
up at the golf shop at Congressional
NAE.-U All