Evening star., 1953-12-08
'Early-Morning Drills
Pay Off for Buppert
In Debut as Golf Pro
By MerreII WhittIesey

Billy Buppert, who quit the
University of Maryland in his
senior year to become an assist
ant golf professional, made his
tournament debut as a pro yes
terday and found those 8 am.
practice sessions pay of.
Buppert is a big. polite young
ster. who decided his heart was
in golf and not school work.
That's one of the reasons he
didn't return to college this fall.
The other is that his wife is ex-
pecting a baby.
Billy, native Baltimorean,
and Cos Tiso of the Bonnie View
Club tied in the pro sweepstakes
with par 72s at Sherwood For
rest in the first wintertime pro-
amateur Of the Mid-Atlantic
PGA.
Winter Events Added.
The experimental event, played
at the suggestion of Eddie Graefe,
the host pro, was so successful
that Dick lanes has scheduled a
second next Monday at Court
House in Fairfax. And there's a
snow shovel pro-am this Sat-
urday at Goose Creek,
The golfers luckily drew one of
the prettiest days of the winter
for their tournament. Most of
them were playing the pictur-
esque 9-hole course on the Sew
ern River for the first time and
they liked it. In fact, almost
everybody suggested Crate hold
a midsummer pro-am, when che
other facilities of Sherwood For
est could be better appreciated.
meaning water sports.
Buppert, the last golfer to
finish, had a chance to win in
his pro debut. But he finished
SIS, bogey. par, to tie Tiso, who
a few minutes previously had
pared the 18th hole and eagled
the 18th with a good drive, a
half-topped 4-wood that ran to
the green, and a long putt.
Billy. 81 years old, had made
considerable strides as an anna
teur golfer the past two years.
He won the Worsham Memorial
Junior tournament here in 1852
and last year was low qualifier
for the Eastern Open. At Char
lotteSville, Va, last spring he
took Bobby Brownell to the last
green in a quarterfinal match
in the Mid-Atlantic Amateur. He
won 81 matches and lost two in
college.
Buppert is an assistant to Ar
mold Haneke at the Fountain
Head Club in Hagerstown. "Mr.
Haneke is wonderful to me" !"
Billy said. Il don't have to open
the shop until 9 o'clock, so I
practice every day from 8 until
9. Then he let's me play nine
holes every afternoon" Buppert
probably is the only golfer north
OF Florida practicing at 8 am.
this time of year.
Trick Holes Take Toll.
Local knowledge is a big fac
tor at Sherwood, which is only
5000 yards long. However, it
has some trick holes, including
a 129-yard par-3 where Andy
Gibson, the top pro sweeps win
ner of the season. took six.
Charley Bassler had Tiso by
six strokes at one time but Tiso
beat him with 72 to 73. It's that
kind OF a course. Johnny Mus
ser apparently had the pro
sweeps locked up but finished
6-5 because he tried to play too
safe OF the % pros nobody
broke par. two matched it and
only TOUR Shot lower than n.
Bassler and a 17-handicapped
partner, Will Lecompt of Rolling
Road won the pro-am with a sc.
Three teams had Cts, Buppert
with John Alderman of Goose
Creek and Al Gardner of Foun-
tain Head, and George Diffen-
baugh and Maury Fitzgerald of
kenwood. Gardner, Hagerstown
amateur champ. was the only
amateur under 80 with a IS,
Larry Lying of the host club
won net with 87-14, 73.
Billy Buppert. Fountain Head 70
CoSlmo TiSo, Bonnie View ro
Cnariey Bassler. Rolling Road-- ~
John Musser. All View *
Andy Gibson, c. C. of Maryland II
Johnny Bass, Clifton Park IL
Dick Sleichter, Naval Academy 5S
Ward Burgess, Chevy Chase ~
Al Houghton. Prince Georges - 70
George Diffenbaugh. Kenwood - 10
Bill Bassler. Rolling Road 10
Carl Rasnic. Berwyn Range -- 20
Eddie Graefe. Sherwood Forest 70
Jim Bolts, Sherwood Forest 50
Bob williams. Naval Academy IS
Tee Baker. Goose Creek SO
Geroge Gary, ANNAPOLIS Roads S:I
al