Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-05-25
TRICKS HOTS At GOLF.
The Game is Too Earnest for
Many Spectacular
PLAYS.

Golfers and geometricians agree in one
belief, that a straight line is the shortest
distance between two points. In the eff
fort to get from tee to hole IN the few
est strokes this rule is always in the
mind of the golf player, and, whether III
driving or approaching, to be ''off the
line is a reproach, while in putting, UNI
less a stroke is purposely made to take
advantage of slope or furrOW III the
turf. not to play straight for the cup is
a dire disgrace. This obligation to get
there" is so strong that it effectnally
banishes merely spectacular play or
trick shots.
When the balls lie within six inches of
each other-measured from their nearest
points-the ball closest to the hole may
be lifted until the other is played. In
medal play the opponent must lift when
ever his ball is in the line of your bail,
but in match play, when more than SIX
inches apart, it is a stymie. The ball
furthest away must be played over the
intervening one to make the hole, unless,
by taking advantage of an unevenness,
the cup may be made by playing slightly
off the direct line. Stymie is An old
Scotch word, meaning 1.-THE faintest form
Of anything" It is good definition to
stroke must be played. 1t is the fanciest
stroke in the game and a legitimate one,
for the issue cannot be shirked without
losing caste.
In playing it lofting iron takes the
place Of the putter. 1t is held loosely
in the hand, so that the face will go well
under the ball, lifting and placing cut
"doss" by the golfers corresponds TO the
reverse twist in billiards, the effect being
to check the forward roll of the ball.
In a well-played stymie the ball is
pitched over the intervening one, and,
after describing a half circle in the air,
drops into the hole. 1t is a very pretty
play, but a most uncertain one. A
novice may perform it brilliantly at the
first attempt, yet no professional, al
though gray in the game, can be abSO-
lutely safe in making it.
Cut also figures in snowy style Of
approaching, sometimes a necessary
stroke when the green is OH an elevation
guarded by bunker, but only played
on level ground, as a rule. to impress
the spectators. It consists Of pitching the
ball on the putting green with the loft
ing iron, the cut making it stop dead
near the hole, or, by glorious luck, drop
surely into the cup. The position is the
same as for the ordinary half stroke,
but the right hand is held loose, and
the stroke, rather across the ball than
straightforward, is finished off by the
turn of the wrists alone. Badminton
says, and in this point the experts do
not greatly differ, that the more loosely
the club is held in the hands, consistent
ly with accuracy, the more dead will
the amateur tries it, is to send the bail
bounding along past the hole to the far
edge of the putting green, bringing forth
mirth rather than applause from the
throng. When neatly done, by an ex-
pert, it is one of the most scientific and
spectacular plays that can be made.
At tennis spin can be put on the ball
day "cut" can be put on a golf ball so
that it will spout up nearly straight in
the air.. and after a rise of 60 or 100
feet will fall within 80 feet of the player.
This is a purely trick stroke of no ad-
vantage whatever in a game, but in an
idle moment it is not unusual to see
group of players attempting the shot.
The iron is held with the face very fat
and the stroke made with short curve
we'll under the ball, sending it up like a
rocket. George e. Armstrong of the
Richmond Country club and the ST.
Andrews Golf club can make this trick
shot very effectively.
Whenever men or women play in an
important competition in Great Britain
there is always crowd about the first
tee and the home putting green. while
the best players are followed by Il
throng throughout the course. A rope
has often to be stretched to keep the
spectators back from the green's. The
gallery" does not seem to worry the
amateurs over there, but it is different
in this country. Our best amateurs, it
is true, are quite Indifferent to the by
ISLANDERS on tee or green, and perhaps
are sometimes guilty of unduly "wag-
Cling" in the preliminary strokes to COM
pei attention to the actual play. 1t is
like the trick in the circus, where the
acrobat will fall twice in thrilling feat,
only to excite applause for the third
and triumphant attempt at last. With
the novice, who faces a gallery" for the
first time, or with nervous players who
are not quite sure of their game, the
situation is different. Then the presence
of a crowd is q cause of much trepida-
ton. The "waggle," performed calmly
enough in private, and necessary to
with shaking knees. and the hands feel
as clumsy, in the effort to grip the club,
as though they were muffied in boxing
gloves. In this plight an utter miss or
a topped ball is inevitable. The latter
mishap is usually the most welcome, for
the novice may hide his confusion by
striding from the tee after the ball,
tanning the air, he must try until sue
cessful which is not cheerful in sight
of gallery" After tournament or
two the young players pay no more heed
to the onlookers; in fact, many amateurs
and most professionals play their best
game under the stimulus of applause
New York Sun
Change i'm Social Life.
The wheel is slowly but surely affect
ing our social life In England we learn
that girls are becoming independent of