OLD-ESTABLISHED GOLF CLUBS CLOSE DOWN

Southland Times, Issue 24056, 21 February 1940, Page 10

OLD-ESTABLISHED GOLF CLUBS CLOSE DOWN

Shortly before war was declared the British golfing authorities announced the names of Britain’s Ryder Cup team. The match, of course, had to be abandoned, writes a London correspondent. The powers that be in America, however, decided recently to publish the names of their own professionals who would have opposed the British team had it been possible to hold the contest. The list gives, food for a little harmless conjecture over “what might have been,” and most good judges of the game in Britain seem to be agreed

that the American team would not, by any means, have proved unbeatable. The controversy now raging in America over the choice of. the team, and the subsequent challenge by Gene Sarazen, must make British professionals wish they had been able to carry out the tour instead of lounging through the winter with little work to do and still less money in their pockets. They have done a great deal of good work in the way of exhibition matches, but with no financial gain to themselves. Not a few have even found themselves out of pocket over such matches. MONEY RAISED FOR RED CROSS But Henry Cotton and his colleagues have now raised more than £6OOO in this way for the Red Cross—a splendid achievement. Most of the clubs to which these well-known professionals are attached are still going strong. James Adams, who tried to enlist at the beginning of the war, has not "yet been called up by the military authorities, and is still at his post at the Royal Liverpool Club. R. Burton continues at Sale, and Reggie Whitcombe is still at Parkstone.

But it is sad to hear of fine, longestablished clubs finding themselves “on the rocks.” Not long ago it was Prince’s at Sandwich; now I hear of another in the same district that will have to close down in a very short time. This is the North Foreland Club, on whose links Mrs Critchley learnt her golf when still a school girl and known as Diana Fishwick.

North Foreland is a favourite holiday course on the east coast, and when the present lease expires at the end of April the tenants will not be able to renew it. It will remain with the local council to decide whether they try to find new tenants or decide to turn the course into a municipal one.