Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-07-17
HINTS TO YOUNG GOLFERS.

That golf has come to this country to
take root and stay, is the earnest wish
and belief of all old golfers. 1t is such
game as would have tried the patience
even OF Job, and the young American
who once takes an interest in driver,
''cleek and ''putter," and the innumer
able other clubs and paraphernalia of
the game, will make up his mind TO get
at the bottom of the thing.
For centuries golf has. as a pastime,
held the first place in the hearts of most
Scotchmen. Its chief attractions are
the splendid exercise to both mind and
BODY, and the glorious uncertainty of the
game. Americans, in many respects, re-
semble the Scotch. They have the same
tenaclty Of purpose, and are, like them,
always unwilling to stop in the face of
difficulties. and the greater the difficult
ties become the greater becomes the
perseverance and endurance of both ma
lonalities. Since its introduction into
England, golf has taken deep root.
Above all things avoid the use of need
less clubs. 1t would require horse and
wagon to lug around the green the nu-
merous recent Inventions The finest
players use few clubs, seldom carrying
more than eight or ten, and often not
half that number-and the bulk of the
work falls on three or four clubs. Many
fine round is made by the professional
with but a "cleek," or with a''cleek,"
iron" and driver" There is record of
| professional playing an amateur, and
winning too, at that, ''niblick" against
everything, and in the minute books of
one of the Scottish golf clubs (Aberdeen)
! there is note of a wager between two
| members whereof the one thought so
| little of the others prowess as a golfer
| that he undertook to beat him with a
champagne bottle and ball, as against
his stock of clubs. But it should be said
that his wager is recorded in the minutes
as of jest" and was probably made in
the sma' hours of morning, when bottles
and brains We're alike light. By using as
few clubs as possible you will come to
know them thoroughly and consequently
to handle them with greater skill and
dexterity.
The old adage, ''learn young, learn
fair is especially applicable to golf.
Few players will ever attain perfect
style and swing unless they begin when
the sinews are young and elastic; and one
cannot begin too early. True, men be-
gin to play golf late in life, and play
well, too, after time: but the exception
only proves the rule, and there is always
something about their style which gives
them away to the experienced golfer.
The swing of the club (Which should de-
scribe a complete circle round the body
y.
short. jerky and faulty, and the style
is generally cramped and stiff. If it is
your misfortune to begin late in life
get some experienced player-a profess
SiOnal from chOice-tO give you a few
lessons. You will learn more from him
IN Il week than you will find out for your
self in a year. He will show you how to
handle and when to use the different
clubs-a matter which requires consider
able experience. as every different club is
used in different circumstances and for
different lies. and the same club is diff
ferently handled according to distances
full. half or quarter shots Wear easy
fitting clothes and good, stout, broad
soled shoes, well studded with nails to
prevent slipping. Stand firmly and natur-
ally. and let the body swing naturally
and easily (nearly every muscle in the
body comes into operation in golf play
ing), and if you are not already in the
''sere and yellow" you will. in time,
with practice and patience, become an
average player.
Don't lose your temper is common
professional advice. If you are in hard
luck-and you will get many an unkind
players are often in the same boat, and
that the best player is he who gets out of
his difficulties most successfully. These
difficulties are the very tests Of a good
green. The more hazards you can pack
into the course the more the course is to
the true golfers liking. A bit of plain
sailing here and there is of course de-
sirable, but the easiest hole is sometimes
the one you will make the biggest bOtch
of. Your best shot may get you the
worst lie, but keep your temper.
Don't break your club because you
make bad shot; and don't strike the
poor 'caddie'' should he laugh at your
poor lack of skill. Once a player re-
turned with only one whole Cuba nib
lick He left the clubhouse with a sound
round lot of fifteen or sixteen. The cad
die, on being asked for an explanation,
said that after each bad shot he made
added, naively, IF the niblick had ma
been too tough tough for him, he would
have smashed it too
Locate the distance and direction care
fully, but keep your eye on the ball.
Disobedience to this fundamental rule
is responsible for half the errors made.
To the inexperienced it looks quite simple
to put Il ball on the ''tee," and send it
far and sure to glory" But try it, and
you will find that it is at least no easy
matter, and that it is impossible if you
take your eyes off the ball for a frac-
the club topping the ball flaming the
air or digging a grave" IN the turf,
and in all likelihood smash goes the club
and oh, what a fool you look! Keep
your eyes fixed on the ball, raise the club
easily and not too rapidly, bring it around
the body almost on a line between the
opposite shoulder and toe, and bring it
back with an ever increasing momentum,
and you will find that it is knack, not
strength. which makes the guilty (gutta-
percha) fly.
Don't run away with the idea that
golf is an easy game. 1t is the very re-
verse. and remember that in overcoming
the difficulties of the game you viii get
many 9 setback, and discouragements
innumerable. After few months prac-
tice. you will find yourself playing fairly
we'll and steadily-you will begin to think
you have got into the hang Of the game
and that you are the coming champion of
the universe: The old players have all
been there. But reaction sets in-some-
how or other yovr right hand seems to
have lost its cunning; you begin to play
badly. Worse and worse your play be-
comes. until you feel inclined to sell out
or make kindling wood OF your stock-in-
trade The depression attendant is awful,
especially as you know not the cause.
But be not disheartened. Success has in
all probability made you careless. Take
/ =. IL