Other Golf

The week was notable for four other links happenings.

At Chicago, heavy-shouldered professional William Mehlhorn, of St. Louis, spanked his ball around the Calumet Country Club course four times, totted up his cards at 293. When it was known that this figure was eight strokes lower than the totting of any other of the 208 players present, Mehlhorn was declared Western open champion. Scores: Al Watrous (Grand Rapids), 301; “Chick” Evans (Chicago amateur), 302; Eddie Held (St. Louis amateur), 303.

At Shinnecock Hills, L. I., combatants struggled up sandy hills, hacked in the heather, maligned the strong sea winds as they played off the annual invitation tournament of the National Links of America. Curious galleries followed the play of England’s Walker Cup team, five members of which were in evidence. As no U. S. players of championship calibre had entered, it was not surprising that four of the Britons filled the semi-final match play-brackets.

It was surprising, however, that ponderous Cyril Tolley, the Britons’ garrulous leader, onetime British amateur champion, was not of these four. He took the qualifying round with a 76 (3 strokes over a most difficult par), but bowed to T. A. (“Tony”) Torrance, of Sandy Lodge, Eng., in his second match. Torrance simply refused to be impressed by Tofley’s enormous tee shots. Thereafter, W. L. Hope, from Turnberry, Scot, disposed of Torrance as Torrance admitted he has always been able to. And Hope, in turn, was scotched in the final by Willie Murray, of the West Hill Club, London.

The Britons were then invited to test out a new departure in golf balls, designed fatter and lighter* than the present standard to cut down on the distance attained by terrific hitters and punish half-hit shots. They found little difference in the new ball, save that it flew higher and a few feet less far than the old. Ponderous Tolley averaged 272 yards with four tee shots.

At Newport, R. L, six leading amateurs played over T. Suffern Tailer’s private Ocean Links in his private annual invitation tournament for his private prizes in precious metals. Big men were present but a little man won— D. Clark (“Duckie”) Corkran, of Baltimore (amateur champion of Pa. and Md.). In a stiff wind, he journeyed steadily around the nine difficult holes eight times in 300 strokes. His prize was a mashie of gold. Jess Sweetser, 1922 National Champion, required 301 strokes and got a silver mashie. Champion Max Marston, 305, got nothing. Jess Guilford, 1921 National Champion, was handed a silver golf ball for scoring a 73, best 18 holes for the weekend. Last year Mr. Tailer handed Guilford a golden mashie.

At Leavenworth, Kan., Captain Frazier Hale, tall Chicagoan now teaching in Atlanta, Ga., won the golf championship of the U. S. Army. Lieut. G. A. Lawyer, of Manhattan (Second Corps area), carried Hale to the 39th green.

*By joint agreement of the U. S. G. A. and St. Andrews officials, a standard golf ball is 1.62 in. in diameter, weighs 1.62 ounces. The test ball was 1.68 in. in diameter, weighed 1.55 ounce.