NEW ENGLAND NOTES THE AMERICAN GOLFER 205

Transcription

1 THE AMERICAN GOLFER 205 NEW ENGLAND NOTES By BUNKER HILL. Some time in the future, when the science of meteorology has advanced to that state where prognostications of approaching weather can be made months, instead of hours, ahead, there will be regular tournaments arranged to take advantage of such weather as the first half of December brought forth in Boston and other New England points. Few days in the spring, summer or fall were so delightful for playing golf than the first four days of the week of December 10, during which the temperature climbed above sixty degrees each day, the sky was cloudless, and hardly a breath of wind. Fortunate, indeed, were the golfers that there had been no snow to put the links in an unpleasant state. On one or two of those days mentioned there were from 40 to 100 golfers out on several of the courses around Boston, which is something out of the ordinary for the time of year. The Wollaston Golf Club, at Montclair, Mass., was still using its regular putting greens on December 15th, wherein its members were doubly fortunate in their postseason pastime. Practically all of the regular events of the season around Boston terminated with the club tournaments on Thanksgiving Day. Previous to that the clubs which hold members' championships, based upon play during the season, had seen the completion of such events. The championship and results in different season contests at the Brae-Burn Country Club were of more than ordinary interest for the reason that this club, located in West Newton, has a lion's share of the leading golfers of Massachusetts in its membership. In fact, it has so many low-handicap players, as set forth in the Massachusetts Golf Association handicap list, that it played two matches this season against an all-rhode Island team, winning on its home course and losing upon its opponent's links. Mr. W. C. Chick met Mr. H. W. Stucklen, a former State champion, in the final round, and defeated him by 8 up and 7 to play in the final of 36 holes. This was one of the occasions where Mr. Chick showed flashes of the form which won him a front rank in Massachusetts golf six or seven years ago and, combined with one or two of his other performances this season, stamps him as a player well capable of holding his own with the best in the State provided he could give the necessary time from business to keep in form. W. E. Stiles and A. L. Squier were the finalists for the Quaigh cup at Brae-Burn, an attractive trophy which is competed for each season, and Mr. Stiles was the winner by 5 and 4, Mr. Squier also was in the semi-final of the club champion-

2 206 THE AMERICAN GOLFER ship and lost to Mr. Chick by 2 and 1, this being one of the most interesting matches of the season's play. J. N. Manning defeated Walter S. Wait in the final of the club championship consolation, 2 and 1. Mr. Manning, though still young in years, is one of the real old-timers of Massachusetts golf. It was he who defeated J. G. Anderson, the present State champion, the first year that Mr. Anderson entered for the State title, in 1901, and he is another who lacks only the time for practice to make him a valuable addition to a Massachusetts team in the Lesley cup and other such matches. Mrs. G. W. Roope won the women's championship at Brae-Burn, defeating Mrs. F. G. Davis, 5 and 3. Mrs. Davis and Mr. J. G. Anderson won the mixed foursomes championship of the club, and proved a strong pair at that style of play. They defeated Miss K. F. Duncan and Mr. Karl E. Mosser, formerly of Yale, in the final, 4 and 3. In two of their other matches they had medal rounds of 81, a figure which is quite respectable for a male golfer over that course. It's better to have played and lost your ball than never to have played at all. Tom R. Fuller, a former State amateur champion, and several times a representative of Massachusetts in the Lesley cup matches, was pitted against C. M. Hart, president of the Wollaston Golf Club, in the final of that club's championship, and Mr. Fuller proved himself the better in that round, by 5 and 4. Professor Charles Zueblin defeated E. R. Rooney by 2 and 1 in the championship final of the Winchester Country Club, the match being at 36 holes. Mr. Geo. C. Dutton, Of the Oakley Country Club. Harry T. Watkins won the championship cup of the Reading Golf Club by defeating J. W. Morton 5 up and 3 to play in the final. A. F. Rockwood won the title at the Newton Golf Club, defeating C. N. Fitts by 3 and 2. W. Hickox, Jr., won the Rugg cup at the Albemarle Golf Club, defeating H. H. Cook 1 up in the final. Rodney W. Brown won the championship of the Vesper Country Club. One of the most pleasing events of the entire season at the Country Club of Brookline was the Goat dinner, held early in December, held in the evening of what was termed "St. Goatherd's Day." It brought to a close, with appropriate ceremonies, the season of goat medal competitions which began

3 THE AMERICAN GOLFER 207 in the spring. Mr. Herbert Jaques, the ex-president of the United States Golf Association, presided over the dinner and the awarding of prizes that followed. No merrier party ever assembled, the very nature of the event being of itself sufficient to start the fun going, and right fanciful were some of the tales told about matches that were played for each other's goat medal. There was no disputing the fact that Arthur W. Stedman had been the most successful at gathering in the much-desired medals, for he was proud possessor of no less than fifteen; to him, therefore, went the Goatherd's medal of gold. The dinner also was made the occasion for presentation of other prizes won during the season, including the Thomas cup, won by T. G. Stevenson, and the Amory cup, won by Henry H. Wilder, both of them identified for several years with the State golf team, Mr. Wilder being its captain this season. Present at the St. Goatherd dinner were : Herbert Jaques; P. W. Whittemore, H. H. Wilder, T. G. Stevenson, S. H. Bennett, M. R. Wendell, Jr., W. L. Sanborn, David Coolidge, F. S. Chick, A. von Schroeder, H. W. Lamb, W. D. Orcutt, R. E. Paine, F. D. Balderston, W. E. Putnam, Jr., Geo. V. Dexter, Alex S. Browne, C. E. Mason, Dr. E. C. Briggs, R. P. Sneling, C. T. Crocker, John E. Spring, George L. Clarke, George Lee, J. B. Milet, William L. Mc- Kee, M. G. Haughton, John W. Farwell, C. L. Smith, William Grosvenor, W. B. Merrill, E. P. May, N. B. Whittemore, James A. Parker, S. E. Farwell, Edward A. Clark, F. F. Cutler, C. E. Hubbard, W. A. Rollins, George B. Harris, James B. Davis, Arthur Winslow, R. S. Hale, Thomas Russell, George F. Willett, George F. Brown, G. H. Gray, A. W. Stedman, George Walker, G. N. Towle, P. E. Presbrey, E. Jewell, G. R. Alley, W. S. Bucklin, G. H. Phelps, C. H. Cross, A. S. Porter, Jr., H. A. Tucker, John Wylde, R. G. Lockwood, Harry Lee, G. E. Stevenson, W. H. Rand, Jr., and R. A. Leeson. Seventy-five or more members of the Merrimack Valley Country Club of Lawrence, Mass., attended the annual dinner, at which trophies won during the season by members were passed out. Like the goat dinner at the Brookline Club, this one was marked by merriment and cordiality. The wit was set in motion by Mr. Paul R. Clay, president of the club, who presented as the toastmaster of the evening "an unset jewel," Tom Jewel of Haverhill. The latter's humor, as toastmaster, was fully up to the standard set by his name, likewise it was a jewel of brevity. Albert W. Dole, who played more than any other member during the year, even to the extent of one round by moonlight, won five of the prizes for events during the season, while his brother, C. E. Dole, captured three. A like number were won by John G. Walsh, C. J. Mahoney, Alfred Hollinghurst and Charles L. Lanigan, the latter an excellent golfer, but better known as a baseball player at Harvard. George H. Butters captured the club championship cup and Daniel V. O'Connell the Governor's cup. It's an exquisite pleasure to look up suddenly and see the ball flying swift and true towards the cup. The only marring feature being that the one who looks up suddenly never gets this exquisite pleasure. Notices from Secretary Watson of the U. S. G. A. concerning the coming annual meeting of that body in Philadelphia contain the information that the Essex County Club of Manchester, Mass., is an applicant for all three national championships next season, the amateur, open and the women's. On the face of things, that would look as if the Essex County Club were extremely desirous of landing one of the

4 208 THE AMERICAN GOLFER championships. The fact of the matter is, however, that the club did not mean to go on record as an applicant for any of the championships. It merely desired to place itself under the same status as the Nassau Country Club, which stands willing to give its services to the U. S. G. A. for any championship if that body desires the use of the links. The chief reason that the services of the club were offered for national championships next season was that some of the women golfers desired that if the championship for their sex should be awarded to Boston in 1912, they would like to play it on the Essex County links. And it would be a most delightful place for them, too, because aside from the excellence of the golf course, the surroundings and everything pertaining to the place are delightful. Some of the Boston women feel that in all fairness the tournament should come to their district next year, for it has not been played on a Boston course since 1906, the year the title was won by Miss H. S. Curtis at the Brae-Burn Country Club. In 1907 it was held at the Midlothian Country Club, in 1908 at Chevy Chase, in 1909 at the Merion Cricket Club, in 1910 at Homewood and this year at Baltusrol. The natural order now should be Boston again. While the Essex County Club officials would by no means refuse either the amateur or the open next year, should it be deemed advisable on the part of the U. S. G. A. officials to award either of them to the club at Manchester, at the same time those who are striving so hard to bring the course up to a high standard of merit are perfectly willing to wait a little while longer. It takes a long time to satisfactorily work out such extensive programmes for altering and improving as has been going on at Essex County the last two years and results are showing just now in such fashion that those responsible for the changes feel they would rather wait a little longer before submitting the course to the test of the best players in the land, and then show them something well worthy of their highest skill. Not alone baseball fans were interested in the announcement that John M. Ward was to be the new president of the Boston National League Baseball Club and next year would take up residence in Boston. Golfers read the news with as much interest as followers of baseball. Mr. Ward, in fact, has a fairly wide acquaintance among the golfers of the Boston District and he is always a welcome guest at different courses. To have him become a resident of Boston means, presumably, that he will become a member of one of the Boston Golf Clubs and become eligible for the Massachusetts golf team. To see John M. Ward a member of the Massachusetts team in the Lesley cup matches, playing against New York, would indeed be a novelty. For Massachusetts it would be something more than a novelty it would be a prime asset. Mr. Ward has some of the "fighting spirit" which has been so lacking in the Massachusetts golfers, a deficit which, more than anything else, has hurt their chances in matches against New York and Philadelphia. Whether Mr. Ward as president of the Boston baseball team will have much time to devote to golf is a question, but one thing is pretty certain, and that is if he has any spare time, golf is pretty sure to get it. It would be rather interesting to see Messrs. Ward,

5 George Wright and John F. Morrill striving to down each other on the golf links in the morning and rooting for the Boston team in the afternoon. They are three old-time stars of the diamond and three good golfers of the present. The comment was made, when Mr. Wright and Mr. Morrill were talking over the coming of John M. Ward to Boston, that between his love for golf and his love for baseball, he will be making some strange utterances and doing some strange things next summer. Viewing a ball game, with three Boston men on bases and a slugger up, he is more apt than not to call for a 250-yard drive. Then out on the golf links he may be getting ready to putt when he will suddenly recall an error on the ball field the day before, that lost the game, and goodness knows where his putt will go. When the shortstop makes an effort it will be "he flubbed it," and of course a bunt will be a "short putt." Tom McNamara recently returned from a trip in the South, during which he played at the Louisville Country Club, in the Southern open championship at Memphis and after that at the Nashville Country Club. He considered the Louisville Country Club possessed of one of the finest pieces of natural country for golf that he ever saw. At Memphis he did well, leading the field the first day, but eventually landing third place. The golf that Alex Smith, the winner, played on the second day he styled as simply marvelous. He also declares that such tee shots as J. J. McDermott, national open champion, is getting off these days are the most consistently long that he ever saw. M. J. Brady, professional of the Wollaston Club, who tied with Mc- THE AMERICAN GOLFER 209 Dermott for the 1911 open championship, is planning upon an extended trip south and west this winter, and efforts are being made among his friends to raise funds to send him abroad next spring to compete in the British open championship, along with McDermott, Alex Smith and one or two others. Brady and George L. Bowden of Fitchburg will play courses in Virginia, Tennessee, possibly Texas, and then plan to go to California. Massachusetts golfers appear to have broken even in the political game this year. M. Fred O'Connell of the Alpine Club, Fitchburg, ran for a fourth term as mayor, more on the eager solicitation of his friends than from his own desire. He was defeated by a small margin, probably on account of the fact that the city has never elected one man for more than three successive years. F. W. Broadhead of the Salem Golf Club, president of the Salem Common Council in 1911 and a member for several years, advanced into the Board of Aldermen. Brice S. Evans, the prodigious swatter of the Massachusetts Golf ranks, recently married. The bride was Miss Mildred Jessie Fraser of Ottawa, Ontario. They were married at the home of the bride's parents. Evidently Mr. Evans had good reason for taking in several Canadian golf events last season. Many of the leading golfers of the Boston District also are enthusiastic curlers, and a number of them are members of the Boston Curling Club, including Mr. Herbert Jaques and Mr. G. Herbert Windeler, two past presidents of the U. S. G. A. Brae-Burn and the Country Club of Brookline go

6 210 THE AMERICAN GOLFER in strongly for curling, but up to the middle of December their ponds were only fit for swimming competitions owing to the continued mild weather. Curling was taken up last winter, also, at the new Belmont Spring Country Club. Some of the clubs are planning for skating carnivals and tobogganing, as well, but it looks as if Jack Frost were in connivance against them. The Merrimack Valley Country Club, which purchased 100 acres of land in Methuen about two years ago, have been very active since that time in developing a nine-hole course which will be extended next year to eighteen holes. Donald Ross has gone over the property and has presented two plans covering the eighteen holes which are now receiving the attention of the committee. The general character of the country is undulating and possesses many natural advantages. The club has a membership of 400 active members, about 100 of whom are active golfers comprising business and professional men. It has been the custom of the club since its formation to have an annual golfers' dinner at which the prizes won during the year are presented. This was held as usual this year, when 60 members were present and 39 prizes were presented. The Mt. Tom Golf Club, of Halyoke, Mass., which was organized in May, 1898, decided a year and a half ago to acquire a new tract of land and to construct an eighteen-hole course. One hundred and fifty-nine acres were secured, within fifteen minutes by trolley from the City Hall, at a very reasonable price, and hope is entertained that sufficient land will be sold as building sites to offset not only the cost of the whole tract but also the new club-house and the expense of constructing the new course. At present work is being pushed on nine holes only, which will be opened next season. Later on the remaining nine will be developed. The course was laid out by Donald Ross and offers promise of being one of the very finest in the State. A Golf Course in the Making. View of the seventh hole from the tee, of the Mt. Tom Golf Club.