Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-10-06
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Golf Continues To Hold Its DcVO-
tees and is Winning More.
Mention of Remarkable Score
which Has Never Been Duplicated.
Talk About GOLF Clothes and Gnm-
bling on the Game.

Talk About Golf Clothes and Gam
bling on the Gnme.
New York, Oct 5.-ISpccial Con.
trnry To the somewhat snecrinG p.rlic-
tion of few who even yet have not over
come their dislike for the game of golf
the vogue thereof is as pronounced today
as il was year ago in this vicinity,
while news of its growing popularity
elsewhere continues to be received by the
local "cranks."
1t is true that a few who picked up
the Scottish game with enthusiasm in
order TO be lin it" socially or otherwise
and some others who took an interest in
it as they do in every new thing have
dropped the sport. but they are insigniti-
cant in number compared with those
who are sticking TO it steadily and he
coming more ui more absorbed in its
destinations as time passes. And natu-
rally, since this is so, the fairly good play
ers. who can at least occasionally make
a "bogie" score, are much more numer-
Gus now than last October.
"Bogie" Golf Scores.
"Bogie' golf scores differ on different
links, owing TO the varying character Of
the links. Until all links are made alike
as to lay Of the land, distance between
holes, nature of hazards, etc. this must
so remain, and that means that there
will never be uniform 'bogie" standard.
Conditions can be made similar on GRO
quet grounds and tennis courts. but not
on golf links. which must occupy several
acres and may spread over hundreds.
Nor would golf players like uniformity
Of links If it could be obtained. The
very diversity is one Of the charms of
playing over strange links.
There are many readers of golf news,
no doubt, who do not understand what
'bogie' score is. There are golf players
who comprehend the term insullicicntly.
Among certain OF the half informed
"bocie' score is held TO be the best that
can possibly be played, but this is a mis-
take. Scores better than "bogie" have
been made, through accidental or
scratch shots on nearly every link in
the country. the true "bogie' score being
that which really good player ought TO
be able Co make with practical uniformi-
ty. providing he has no hard luck and
makes no abnormally fortunate shots.
just how the term "bogie" rs applied TO
golf score originated is a matter OF some
mystery. At least the writer has inquir-
ed about it OF at least a score Of expert
golfers. and none of them has been able
to give any definite information. But
from the fact that the phrase Colonel
Bocie wouldn't do better than that is
quite a common one it is safe TO infer
that Colonel Boyle was some hard
headed British colonel, Scot by birth
probably. retired from the army on half
pay who devoted his declining years to
the links. the clubs and the gutta percha
white painted balls long, long ago. At all
events. it is the ambition OF every golf
enthusiast to equal Colonel Bogie" once
in awhile AT least.
a Remarkable Score.
Writing Of scores. brings 10 mind some
remarkable ones that were made one day
last week on the links OF the Montclair
Golf club. located over in Jersey, but still
so near New York that some of its mem
bers are residents of the big city, while
nearly every one Of them does business
or is employed on Manhattan Island.
The players We're Paul Wilcox, presi-
dent OF the club, who has appeared in
several OF the tournaments in this vicin-
ity within the last two years and a. Ken
been seen on many links east. west and
south. The scores were not remarkable
by reason OF the Smallness Of the figures.
but because of their closcness. In fact.
there was an absolutely perfect tie. II is
not meant by this that each won and
"halved' the same number of holes
merely nor that each used the same num-
Der OF strokes in getting over the links.
AS matter Of fact, neither won any
holes AT all, for they were exactly even
at each and every one and, OF course,
used precisely the same number OF
strokes. SO far as the writer has knowl-
edge. such a thing has never been done
before. 1t is so extraordinary that some
who have seen the scores are inclined to
suspect they could have been made with
out collision only.
But the truth is that, while neither
man played quite mp to his record. each
did the best he could to vanquish his op-
ponent The very fact that they started
ont playing ties made each work harder
to get the advantage after the first few
holes. and naturally 1t. was this very
striving, making each nervous, which led
to the rather poorer playing. Several
times one or the other appeared likely TO
do better than his opponent only TO get
into a bunker" on a drive or to foo
zle'' at put" or do some other piece of
bad playing which no one expected of
him and so lose whatever temporary ad-
vantage appeared to be his. Once Ken
nedy missed a six inch shoot at one of
the holes. The figures for the nine holes
for the match was over the short course
were as follows: First hole. 6; second,
8; third. 4; fourth. 6; fifth. 3; sixth, 81;
seventh, s; eighth, 4; ninth. 3.
Gambling and Clothes.
It was at first believed by those who
hoped TO see trousers abandoned for
knickerbockers and stockings that the
prevalence of golf would ultimately do a
good deal toward bringing this result
about, but this now seems hardly prob
Vble. since an increasing number of golf
players are wearing trousers. On nearly
Rvery course in the vicinity OF New York
Just now you may see about an equal
number OF players attired in each style
OF rig 1t is possible that the approach
ing cold weather may increase the num-
Der Of knickerbockers, but il is by no
means certain.
Golf like every other game, affords
plenty OF opportunities for gambling, and
some enthusiasts hereabouts have won
and lost good bits of money within the
last few months, not only on games, but
on single strokes. Only the other day
two experts at what is known as put
ting" got to betting on their proficiency
at that stroke, and before they knew it