Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-02-04
The World
Of Sport.

|
For a long time the golfers of the
United States have been endeavoring
to get Harry vardon, the open cham
pion of the world and recognized as the
best living exponent of golf, to play in
this country. That they have at last
succeeded in getting definite promise
only makes their pay the greater. Ev
cry student of the game who can pos
sibly manage it will hasten to Florida
to see this remarkable player and learn
something, if possible, by watching his
method of making the various strokes.
To the uninftiated it seems the easiest
! thing in the world, while watching an
expert, to grab club, swing it lightly
and send the gutta percha sphere flying
though space for distance of 200
yards or more, but the difficulty of the
operation will be speedily realized after
a few efforts with a driver.
~ IL 10 Oliy INC Sollcl, tHclolOic, WIZ
can appreciate at its true worth the
wonderful skill attained by Vardon. A
man Of ordinary ability may possibly,
/ by means of wonderful streak of luck
combined with unusually good play,
win from players far above him as a
rule, and thus again an isolated victory
now and again. But il is the man who
can do this feat day in and day out,
| year after year, who is the great golfer.
And. truly, Harry Vardon's reputation
hangs by nc slender thread of a freak
victory! Instead. his triple triumph at
the open championships in 1896, 1898
and 1899 proves him to be a golfer of
wonderful caliber. Not only is he
liable to overcome his brother pros in
the medal game, but is grade above
| them in match play. Time after time
last season he led at the end of each
qualifying medal round by several
strokes, and also won the concluding
stages, which are generally decided un-
der match play conditions, thus proving
! his worth at every style OF game.
Vardon has style which is totally
unlike that Of any other prominent
player. He uses rather short clubs OF
| fairly light weight, and his method of
! holding them is different from that usu-
ally adopted. His grip is what is known
| as the interlocking one, in which the
left thumb is placed down the shaft,
contrary to the usual method Of
/ thumbs round the woou. The left
| thumb is buried underneath the ball Of
| the right hand. The little finger of the
right hand overlaps and is placed on
| top of the first middle joint Of the first
| finger of the left hand 1t Is the opin-
| ion of those who use this grip that
| overswinging is thereby reduced to a
| minimum.
Vardon's swing is not of the free,
! dashing order, but appears to be more
of hit than swing. The club, how
ever, comes down with terrific speed,
and the balls next resting place is
| some 200 yards farther on. A person
| al observer says that the average
| length of Vardons drives is between
| 220 and 230 yards.
In braSSie work Vardon is equally at
| home, and his strokes are also noted
| for their straightness. On the green
| his form varies considerably, being
sometimes brilliant, sometimes poor.
| This is his only shortening British
golfers are hoping that he will win the
open championship again this year,
| for, if successful, he will have equalled
| Tom Morris record of three success
| i've wins.
Judging from present appearances
/ the coming annual meeting of the
| United States Golf association prom
| Uses to be very interesting affair.
This latter characteristic will be und-
erstood when it is mentioned that sew
eral clubs will in all likelihood be in
| the field for the honor of having one
of the various championships held on
their respective links. In former
years it has been the rule that the U.
| S. G. A. has had to assign the meets
to clubs without any competition for
them as they were not then paying af-
fairs. Now the shoe is on the other
foot, and there is sure 10 be some tall
hustling and lively wire pulling in
dulged in before the places for holding
the championship games of 1900 are
decided upon.
According to the opinions of those
who are likely to be best informed, the
amateur championship will be held
this wear in the New York metropoli-
tan district, while the open champion
ship will be secured by g Chicago club.
There are a great many links mention
ed for the women's tournament, and it
is an open question which club will Sc
cure it. As the present champion and
$3.50, ~ tho urnmaO n1avarC arc pa Ct