Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-30
GOLF)FR EVERYBODY
A Foursone the Most Genial Form of
!, the Game.
FAMOUS CONTESTS OF old
First and Second-CIass Players
Form Ideal Partnerships.
TACT AND SELF CONTROL
ANGUS CONTESTS OF old
TACT AND. SELF CONTROL

Pherson.
A foursome is really the most genial form
OF golf 1t is not to be thought that four
ball matches are advocated. The Americans
have dubbed these Scotch foursomes. Now,
playing four balls, the best of two against
the best of two, is a wearisome process,
and all four players must be pretty equal.
Moreover, unless in big exhibition matches,
where the links are not otherwise much oc-
eupied, there would be no place for them,
as so much time is necessarily taken up by
even four good players going to work. 1t
is of the grand old foursome that We are
to write.
To bring back golf to its pristine purity,
before record-breaking, handicapping, pot
hunting and concomtant evils were dreamt
of; to cast off the Accordingly selfish ele-
ment and to restore the social, noble, hon
orable and manly game, we must urge golf
ers to go in more for foursome play.
In the 'hfties'' and sixties '-when golf
was at its best-scoring was confined to two
days in the year with the Royal and An
clent Golf Club of st. Andrews. Yet,
strangely. the mere securing of the medal
by strokes was never dwelt upon. 1t was
necessary evil, at the time the only
means of bringing out the medal holder
mot the best player for the two meetings.
But nobody remembered it for a month.
In fact, it used to be almost the invari
able custom at st. Andrews, in the days of
old, to play nothing but foursomes, except
when actually playing for the medal There
were no invitation competitions, no handt-
caps Except farce handicap on the medal
day, which nobody but the winner with
eighteen strokes remembered), no prizes in
the shape of cups. 1t was the medal
week." but big foursomes ruled every day
except the scoring Wednesday.
One rejoices to look over the minutes Of
some old golf clubs which arranged for
foursomes The Honorable Company Of
Edinburgh Golfers possess records and
medals for century and half. The club,
in the days o, auld lang syne' would
meet at dinner some six times during the
season. After dinner the match book
would be produced. and sundry foursomes
would be arranged and recorded therein,
with any mild bets that excitement and in
terest called up. These matches had to be
when the results were officially declared
and the bets melted By this system OF
foursomes members got to know the play
of all grades.
In Praise of Foursomes.
When GOLF ceases to be a social game,
when it's rewards are specially individual,
when medals take the place of honest
pleasure. the game is doomed. A great
philosopher7.Lessin said that he would
prefer the pleasure of the continued and
progressive search after truth to the sud
truth itselfjiIn a somewhat similar way,
comparing great things with small, there
is really, to the true golfer, more satisfac-
ton more .epeering heartsomeness, in the
social development of foursome play in its
integrity, than in the individual glory for
the time being of having secured a cham
pionship. In the latter pride is fostered,
and conceit is apt to make player cynical;
in the former mans nature expands into
genial fellowship, true brotherhood is en-
gendered in hoSother form of the game,
and Notwithstanding energy is given to
the generally worried, care-driVen, over
wrought, oVer-moneyed, or over-indulgent
man.
The ideal foursome, as to successful re-
suits, would be to have on each side tre-
mendously long but every accurate driver,
and never failing short game player, on
condition that the latter commenced play
whenever he was within reach Of the hole.
A driver like Braid, and a putter like jamie
Anderson lat his besD would be invincibIe
among professionals; a driver like Black
we'll (regulated, and a putter like Macfie,
would take the same place among anna
tours.
But the ideal cannot be reached. We
must begin with smaller things. In the or
binary alternative stroking we have plenty
of scope for hearty, absorbing and invig-
Grating play.
Lord Wildwood is of opinion that when
playing regularly good foursome is pre-
ferable to any series of singles; and he is
right, especially after man passes forty
years of age. Of course, partnership in
wolves discrimination. A haphaZard match
may turn out very uncomfortable: but
man is very short-sighted who will fall into
the trap often. A grumbling partner is not
to be borne; continuous foozler is a NUS
ance; one who accounts for his mistakes as
if he were good player out of his game
is great bother. But such partners are
educative for a time. They teach tact and
self control. In order to win the match
you must make the best Of a bad bargain.
Never scold; If your partner is timid, it
will make him nervous: if obstinate he will
sulk; if choleric, he will say unpleasant
en- a poor player by unsparing f1atterv Let
him ask you for advice; never offer it.
Ideal Partnerships.
But it is not long before a good PLAYER
can select for his partner one who will he
a joy to him in the game. The most pleas
ant foursomes are where a flrst-class and
a second-class player are on each side.
There was no better partner to a strong
player than the late Mr.. John Blackwood
editor of Maya" He knew he was not
crack player; for. though steady he could
never drive well with his twisted swing
But he had the rare power of boiling puts
regularly of six to eight feet The moral
effect of these puts was paralyzing to his
opponents, and his partner knew it was
in him to do 1t at the time needed He
played as a real whist partner, not for his
own glory, but to win the match His en-
lnuSlddm hIleW bounds, the cares of
Maya" never sat on his shoulders ali the
round.
For enthusiasm there is nothing like q
close foursome There is a partnership in
the excitement as in the play. One can
never forget the real burst of living ran
ture with which old Sutherland described
the haiving OF a keen match: And we
would have lost it, but by the d-dest prov
idence Blachwood theled the last puttr'
The beauty of genuine foursone play lies
in this. that q MANS individuality is absorb
ed in the csf11mo1 cause. He must not
take liberty or risk anything without his
partners consent He has to Calculate
where to drive his ball, not as If he had to
play the second-the important shot of the
hole, but thinking of what his partner is
best able to do and what will suit him
best. There must be mutual counsel and
encouragement. Even the frst-class play-
er is not beyond sreseiving at times a small
need of praise for q good shot. But bad
player for a partner is sometimes very ex-
acting; he considers that you ought never
to make mistake.
1t is matter 0f,eommon observation-on
paper difficult to- account for-that a good.
steady, secoad,eiass player and a first
class player sHtilE hole the round in nearly
as few strokaf al the first-class. PLAYER can