Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-10
WILLIE DUNN.

WILLIE DUNN.
It Immediately became fashionable. Now
every one is playing it, and the game is
spreading moro rapidly than ever did lawn
tennis, ono of socicty's former fads.
But lawn tennis secured u normal and
steady growth even after socicty's sudden
interest in 1t began to wane, and 1t ls to-
day the most popular game OF gentle
folk throughout the country. Perhaps
because of its similar class of devotees
lawn tennis will be more affected by the
new found popularity of golf than any
other sport. Both appeal to the gentleman
sportsman rather than to the professional,
and both are games for the players rather
than for the spectators. Lawn tennis,
however, Is u game of infinitely moro Sc
verify than golf; hence the more active
enthusiasts of outdoor pastime will still
adhere to the older game, while those tc
whom the violent exertion is burdensomc
will find an excellent substitute in the old
Scotch gamo.
Ono plays golf as one takes an after din
ner walk. With cigar or pipe still in
ones mouth, and an argument on some
abstract question still on ones lips, golf
exercises the body while the mind is dis
tracted from fatigue by other matters 1t
is the healthy exercise without the severe
physical cxertion of more violent sports,
and without the attendant fatigue which
invariably follows any sport which occu-
pies both body and mind, that attracts sc
many to the game. Your enthusiastic
golfer Is the business man with the cares
and worries Of more important affairs
upon his mind who finds his long tramp
over the fields after u tiny golf ball an ex-
cellent excuse for the fresh air exercise no
needs SO much to maintain physical health.
To the unnitiated, golf presents few at
fractions. Boys all know the destinations
Of Shiny" while hockey and polo have
each their limited number of dcvotces.
But golf does not present the same features
of antagonism of all three of these sports,
and the sole object of the player is to drive
his individual ball into a small hole in the
ground perhaps quarter of Il mile from
the starting point, with fewer strokes of
his stick or club than it takes his opponent
to do the same thing.
To an uninitiated onlookcr, the game
reminds one of the Chinaman's quainI de-
scription Of tobogganing. When Ching
Lee first saw a toboggan chute he watched
the merrymakers very seriously for some
time. After trying the slide himself he
was asked what he thought of the sport.
"He funny game. Getee on sled.
S-s-s-s-shtl Walkee mile black again"
So golf seems to the stranger. Swotl
The player hits tho tiny unoffending ball
down there in tho grass and, whiz! it
flies through the air for 200 or 800 yards.
Then after the flying sphere the golfer
GnIl ha
broiling sun. Again he drives the ball. and
again and again until it reaches the
rolled putting green, and here
he plays croquet with it for a tiny hole
sunk in the center of the green. His oppo-
nent follows suit, and when both balls
have been "holed" the next link is started
and the operation is repeated to the end of
the course which Is generally Is links or
holes.
But to tho true golfer, whether he be n
Scotchman or only an imitator of the
Scotch, the sport presents a wonderful va
riety Of unseen possibilities and fascina-
tions. Tho dclicacy of stroke, the flncsse
of tho play, are both hidden books to the
novice Hc must play for years before he
learns the exact difference in value of the
different clubs he must have. His arm
must have long training before he can es
innate closely the amount of power neces-
sary to drive tho ball exactly the required
distance. He must have seen many ex-
perts do the trick before he learns how to
pass tho hazards and barriers put in his
course on all the good links.
Throughout the country the golf clubs
have sprung up like mushrooms after
summer storm. AT all the fashionable
country places courses have been laid out
and clubs formed which will be the center
Of attraction during the gay season this
In the suburbs of all the big
cities, too, where the Weather residents
live, the sport has thrived to a wonderful
extent 1t is impracticable for the cities
because Of the great space need
ed for properly laid out links.
The United States Golf association,
parent organization composed of most Of
She big clubs devoted to the sport, was
formed last winter and will govern the
sport in this country in the future. At its
head are some OF the oldest golfers In
America, and they are working hard foy
success. The new organization intends to
govern all golf matters in the country and
will conduct annual championship meet
ings. The bad mix up last season, when
two championship tournaments were held.
and there were two champions of the Unit
cd States-or rather one champion of the
United States and one champion Of Amer
ica-has shown the necessity for some such
and most of the prominent
clubs have entered into the spirit of the
movement with great xcst.
Theodore +. Havemeyer, the sugar king,
"a president Of the new organization, and
he has offered a magnificent silver chal-
lenre cup to represent the championship
for Amateurs. This trophy win be played