The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-28
BETTER GO..F PIAT.
Mr.. II. II. Hiiton's Lucid Reasons for Think
Ing That tho Game Is Better Than 1t
Used to Bc-New Players Beat the Old.

ern golfers with tho famous men OF earlier
days il probably that found in the Book OF
Colt and Golfers" uIonRmans. Green & CO...
by Mr.. FL. ii. Hilton, the ourn champion OF
Great Britain for 1891. In substance IL IL this:
Has golf improved? The older class Of
golfers. who remember Allan Robertson aud
young Tom Morris in his brilliant meteoric
career across the golhng horizon. say nay the
younger school Of golfers. whose golnng educa-
ton only commenced after the passing away of
those two old-time celebrities. say yna; to
which the old school reply. How can you form
an opinion? You never saw either young Tom
or Allan play This is only too true.
and this is whore lies the weakness
In the armor of the arguments Of the
younger school: but against this they can
bring forth a number of hard. stern facts.
which are difcult to dispute. Scores are re-
corded now which were never even dreamt of
nve-and-twent years ngo. Courses are I'M
doubleday kept in much finer condition nova
days; the horse mower was an unknown
luxury to the ancients. Again. clubs have
improved and players have the advantage Of
many years Of experience in connection with
the manufacture OF balls. But do these ad-
rantages compensate for tho enormous dispar-
fty in the scores OF twenty-five or thirty years
ago and those OF the present day. That Is the
real basis OF the argument. and am afraid
that 1t can never be settled to the satisfaction
Of both sides
M experience Of the royals and ancient game
unfortunately does not 20 far enough back to
remember the days OF young Tom. as when
first / began to take an interest in the game
his fame wns but q memory /. the minds of
men-n memory. however. which will never be
FORGOTTEN. and golfers may come and golfers
may go. but 1t is very, much open to doubt
whether any golfer will be quite the idol OF the
day that young Tom was during his brilliant
not even Harry Nardon. has shown quite the
DECIDED superiority over all rivals that he was
a Gm,H Ts'n It tV wa mf not mrr civ a tn nnc pfi1S Of of o NJ,
seasons brilliant play. AS from the very COM
mencement OF his golting career almost TO the
Naturally the question arises. whom had he
to compete against? Certainly not the strength
of field a professional of the present day has TO
meet: There were good, players in those days.
put they We're feT; probably the players who
be counted on the fingers OF one hand. and
that is where the difficulty Of comparing his
| the present day really lies. The scores OF the
latter are undoubtedly far ahead Of any
had the advantage of finding greater obstacles
to overcome. anu that 1t Is an advantagethe past
ten years golf has plainly proved Experience
form among young players. but among expert
enccd players. those Y no may be said to MAJ"
served their apnrenticeship and been through
the fire, we must look for some other cause to
account for the decldei Improvement in the
general run OF the play, an IMPROVEMENT which
has certainly taken place dur nv the past ten
years or so. and / have no hesitation in saying
that II |. chiefly due to increased competition.
association with Players OF an equal or higher
standard of excellence. and that consequent
spirit OF emulation which tends to uneurth any
The tendency OF the age is TO %Iengtlfen links;
still records are continualN reduced. and it
unless there ia a great improvement IN the inn
plements OF war. II certainly appears there
must be q limit; and that limit must certainly
soon be reached. IL may be that some goling
Goliath may turn UP who can regularly drive
holes OF 800 yards In one, hut as yet this Broh-
quite satisfied 10 worship at the shrine Of a
Blackwell or u ROLAND. as they drive quite far
ever. TO ordinary Individual records that we
must turn for a proof, OF the improvement
which ha1 taken place it Is to the higher level
cha!WWPjonshi contests;
score at PreStwick this year would Do as
s low az -o %0ai or p an nySrng@ 2t under - fer
not" they ~" placed 'G a Much fGia;Srr value asE on Thy
merits o. their course as z difficult test of the
Sdbms' b RTt not 9 rsn T Vim 'a vsry G ;t07; G }"5t two
ssps ,titS'}f;S~ and at at 's @%% 5 5S", s piassrs f. F.:
sSorS'S would be. Now tho Willing l"S E'H seorS
pionshir was played at T~restwicK, in 1888. was
322. or an average OF over 80 a round. The
weather conditions were certainly not favor
weather CONDITIONS in 1895 aud 1898 could
hardly be said TO account for a disparity OF
is taught right through all the important COM
petitions which have taken place during the
the courses are VIRTUALLY; the same, and we "a are
forced to the conclusion that, TO, produce these
'hnd ALTHOUGH" the old school ar fam TO adj.
NIT that the hrst-class payers OF the present
day Obtain a greater length than they did in
recent results conclusively prove that they
do-.it may be that the st. Andrews celeb
command that the leading players Of The pres
emf day have, but they we're apparently afraid
to r use IT, y And we M have e, on ny to turn to ,hat in
called "td sIiff"; and Go 5nS sEE' in " wh hiSh" He ex:
plains, the manner in which Allan Robertson
oyer The ~bunkers with his second and a spoon
Yes, Allan Robertson proSabIy obtained as
SSysr% ~ q S,S irs sTe ii TiaySs sst & Tie fE1sy p 1s snf
four to this particular hole. But suppose I'd dur
ing tho course Of these three spoon shots some
cieni-how would Allan have Jared? Badly. /
ttninE: or even how would a player who
'Ga2mSa ss sS'' AnJ mS%e K ri a inS1"es %Sa hi jsfe
Agar, badly. | think. 1t would be tempting
- 1919 w. swat q premium On
accuracy and superiority in the short game.
No. the race goes to the swift IN the days 0i the
present. risks, are taken which were never
thought OF IN the Did days. 1t may not he due
to any superiority OF talentthat these risks are
successfully overcome, but the ever-increasing
number OF .frSt-class p.avcrs has had abenc-
fhneial effect in sitting the wheat from th0rhan.
These risks have, 70 be taken. and unless a
player can successfully overcome them he will
find himself left behind in the fight for fame,
Even during the past Ave years those who
nave followed ne game closely have noticed an
Improvement, in frst-c!asS play, and have
always thought that the advent OF j ii TAYLOR
in the world ot trst-class golf was In n sense
responsible for this improvement; His play
tS3 unsuccessful rs he eventually proved to
school OF golfers; he played full shots IN to
the, hole side with an amount Of accuracy
regulation to them, Take your click for
safety, was the old motto. Taylor ignored
earthed, new possibilities In the game, which
other players have unconsciOuSly cOpied and
have conquered. with the result that other
Rlchmonds are in the field to challenge thu
SUPREMACY Of 1915 and 1886 "
Ihat ,Vaylors play has dctcriorated as many
assert, cannot believe Tor one moment. He
can stu hold his own. ms he has proved on
many occasions during the season lSIS. But n