The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
Fashions IN GOLF SHOES.

FASHIONS IN GOLF SHOES.
American Golfers Now Learning the Value
of Nail-Studded Prefer
ence for MISUNDERSTANDING of n Player
Who Wore His Golf Footgear in Town.
Next to the clubs he Yields. a golfer thinks
more often Of his ~footgear than Of anything
else. The custom in Great Britain Ia ~lnvaria-
bly, to use footwear of thick. waterproof
leather. having heavy, nail-studded soles. The
preference there is for shoes rather than boots,
or, as Americans would Say, for low-cut rather
than laced-up shoes. In this country the win
ter shoe is high and laced with leather thongs,
and the hot-weather shoe is n low-cut one.
The leather and soles are heavy, but not
SO thick. except when n man prides
himself on having imported boots. as
the sorts used abroad. Almost any sort Of
coarse-graincd. tough leather may be used.
and tan is the orthodox color. or non-color. as
one may choose to term the natural shade OF
the dressed skin. Just now the fashion in
this country is for shoes OF horsehide. which
makes q very durable and pliable leather.
Other shoes on the market are made of moose.
alligator and monkey skins. 1t is said. for. ex-
cept when confronted with an alligators scales.
the ordinary golfer is seldom a precise Judge Of
leather. Ready-made. serviceable golf shoes
may be bought as low as $3.50. while to order
some shoemakers get $50 for a pair.
Most American golfers will pay gladly n fancy
price for outing shoes which they are sure will
be comfortable and easy. Americans who take
up the game in middle life, although one and
all may deny that at any prior period have they
ever worn tight shoes, almost invariably suffer
from tender feet. On this account a pair of
heavy shoes thoroughly well fitting Is q price,
less boon. to be coddled into long life by re-
peated visits to the cobbler for patches and re-
sollng. for to break in u new outfit means a
painful stock OF corns and bunions. This ac-
counts for the raggcd-looking ~footgear of many
players met on the links who in other respects
are quite the fashion plate in attire.
There is no aIrectation in having the soles
studded with nails or pegs, for the danger Of
slipping is ever present. and never more liable
to occur. strangely enough. than when the turf
is dry and harl under the midsummer sun. In
this country. until the arrival OF golf. to slip was
never thought of except when on the ice. or.
possibly. n floor wayed for dancing But the
golfers have learned that the yer iure- clad hill
sides a ID plains are slippery places. especially
when the feet are the pivot for a strong swing
with brassey or cleek., As ie', however, few
even of the best go fers have thyir shoe-soles as
thickly studded as the pla yers do abroad. This
Is because the usual tee here Is alike! square of
dirt which affords a sure footholi. and the play
green. There is always danger OF smashing
club head on q dirt tge; and tle tear Of this ncci.
swing. so that many OF he BIS are suhsti' uting
turf for earth tees. and with the change Ameri-
in their shoe-soleS as they do in Scot and and
England. There the teeing places are on turf
away Of the grass. Consequently the posi-
bility OF slipping when driving off must always
be T F"srdS %h @ss snM W n 5heG Pa Ws .G 5f, OF rI ir9n here
during his first visit. in 1895. were amazed at
The heit Of his lHwreut shoes and their iorm Il
n battleship. but that the PLAYERS abroad are
justified in taking. every possible precaution
stroke was forcibly demonstrated at the finish
Of the last open championship OF the world in
Harry vardon Won from willie PARK. Jr., by a
single stroke. The one notable exception TO
t W%s t Tsa Iats A. OF J! hf 4. Hila sp't the s seotch o yo9tS
who won the amateur championship of 1897,
and who played in ordinary walking shoes.
Parks example rather than AllRn's, although
they do not find it necessary to have shoes
heavy enough to serve as anchors for a Rob
In travelling, while he may wear his twceds
% nI"y tnE shoesI IL a ste sHsi into se ehsse a wesr At t h,s
rule had an odd experience lately. This is the
I hate to wear my golf shoes in town, but
city pavements. as impressive in a way as the
thunderous %clqtter of the statue, In Don
80 I turned into, the Grand Central Stallion
with a sense OF relief In, passing through the
usual waiting room crowd an uneIbeetGGd push
Somehow. as I drew back with an apollo
boot, Men win be married IN dainty shoes.
ciating pain as each OF the thirty nail heads In
my boot. Under the weigh OF ny 100 pounds
loot Ies us III i@iP eosns on must ".s Isn"sf 6e ,@a"t crushed ns ) to
Jelly. for he yelled. pnd. for one who, had only
There on one foot and nursed the other in his
hands. 70 the utter disart1nEement Of his wed,
fell oil and was subsequently Jumped on. that
bridegroom Just hopped around and swore, 1t
way. but the, people in the waiting, room had
formed a circle around us and couldn't get on.
th ~ J fTTfI e' w to H wnS% Goi ne T tSs 1 pro pc act C p a%6
partially supporting the bridegroom, who was
still hopping on one foot, After landing on the
but no still voiced. fluent maIedict!ons, and
nursed the crushed foot. Whenever possible I
was his own fault Each time that ! did th5S
t bHt pew I Was sy n%t sagrS gray as .l porSS Nv '@ .Sg%sSf;
mere Ef. Ia, too pd full ,n r pity Il ios r. the rs5e Eri aSoR Ct
R Ss deal 'I Poor hing No o wonder thai h%r
while she stood SO patiently, as The pivot
around which the husband whirled and cursed.
] tried to tell her this In a whisper. but. with
and actually shook her tiny fist In my face.
This was too much for me and broke away
special grin, for my golhng shoes and never
journey without it,"
The beginner should be especially careful TO
IN ordinary walking shoes. by the time the first
round Is over hC will. to borrow n phrase from
classic BoXiana, DO 'Groggy. on his pins"
SHARP and strange pains will dart through his
feet, and the instcpS will crack Mt each step as
though all the small bones were swapping.
One such experience will plant the seeds OF a
crop of corns that will bother the beginner
throughout his entire goling career.