Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-02
~ WIN, LOSE OR
.DRAw > FRANCE. STAN.
Everybody Remembers Spring Mir

Al HoUGHToN sedate and impressive with his white
name and the proper paunch for man of his years. sat at
table at the Congressional Country Club and waited for
the scores to be reported.
. Outside 1t was DRILLING q thin but steady wetting
against background Of heavy clouds. The two star
performers seeking to qualify for the National Open
somewhere on the rolling hills Once in while a man
would come In stamping his wet feet and give snatch
report on Sam Snead or Deane Beman
"Beman is tired-ooking kid" said "After what
he went through winning the British Amateur and the
receptions it's Q wonder he able to show up"
Houghton sighed.
"It is wonderful to be q years DID, he said wstfully
IT wonder how many 21yearods realize it. Now you take
that snead out there. He's how old? Never mind he's
ageless. But I'll tell you about 1899 80"
TWENTY YEARS AGO, it was, that Snead also chose
to qualify for the Open at Congressional His playing
partner Houghton then the esteemed pro at
Prince Georges Country Club.
81 remember having q SO in the morning II say So
myself that damned good golf Snead had "A and
unhappy Par in those times at Congressional was 73
1--WE had some lunch, Just like we're starting now and
then began the afternoon play Snead revelation
First or he must have dropped four 2O-oo puts After
that Sam sheer perfection He didn't need the long
puts He shot IS in the afternoon and witnessed
better round Of golf"
That the year that Snead goofed in the Open at
Spring Mn taking horrendous the final hole Every
body had him tabled the shot, solid choice as
the field narrowed.
1--WE got nothing to say about that hole" Houghton
gressional. 1t measured 325 yards"
1T about 2o7" nterposed Jocko Miller the assistant
Congressional pro who also is chairman Of the District
Boxing Commission.
1T 325, about" Houghton argued, when we
played the hole 1882 used driver and Just bit
short. Snead hit iron-maybe a 2-iron-and was
Just about feet away from the pin He sank the putt for
a deuce, and led the cheering"
WITH THE RAIN DRIPPING off his garments Frank
Cronn up to talk of Beans progress in the ourna
ment Cronin the University Of Maryland golf COACH one
reputd to have played part in the success OF Beman
Most people talk Of Deanes prowess around the
Of his putting shucks he hits good long iron as
anybody He's got picture swing concede because he
slides away 80"
HE slides away. all right" Ralph Bogart chimed in
"but so did a lot of good golfers"
Bogart, a better than average SHOEMAKER himself
should know whereof he speaks He cited Gene Sarazen
Byron Nelson and one two others They slid on the
ball." Ralph sad n order to get more power into their
swings The duffer he falls away The good golfer who
knows what he's doing, slides away"
sNEAD, HATLESS AND LOOKING little different
from any other baldheaded member took table
in the grill shortly after He began to spoon up
some SOUP hardly content with his morning r. He knew
that he had better in order to be among the II quail
fiers in the field Of 81.
"Ths is good course" he admitted "but they all play
tough"
al Houghton was remembering when you and he
played in a qualifying round here in 1889" said
Hell, yes remember" sambo grunted II finished
with g."
ut was a IS, according to Houghton."
whats the differences "a or IS? 1t was pretty
good round"
Then you blew the National L. :"
Snead put down his spoon
Look" he said why Is 1t that nobody up to
and says SAM you sink that 2Ofooter to win such
andsuch tournament But why that everybody stu
remembers that blankeyblank I'D hole at Spring Milf"