New-York tribune., 1901-11-25

clubs have added TO their links in the last twelve
months than the whole history Of the game here
In the United States Golf Association alone there
are two hundred clubs and those outside the as
sociation number twelve hundred more Figure
this out on the basis Of two hundred members for
each club, which is a conservative estimate ana
you have a total of two hundred and eighty thou-
sand people paying dues for golf privileges ana
when you consider the families of such members the
number reaches more generous proporlohs.
Possibly there is not so much furor about the
sport but this because It is no longer novelty
j 1t is taken as matter Of course now that man
plays golf his leisure moments and not SO nuch
talk Is made Of It. Another thing is that the
faddsts have left the game for good And, might
add for the games good also. This is another
reason why there is less talk about it, The man
who played because it the thing and not
because he liked it, has given way to those who
love the sport for it's own sake There are just as
many players and just many links but the game
has assumed a more rational and permanent basis
and for that believe 1t TO be more strongly
entrenched than ever
The practical Scot lays it down axiom that
you want held to play GOLF and of all the men
who have won prominence in the game this season
Walter J. Travis. the present champion has shown
conclusiYely that 1t is headwork and persistent
practice that has brought him to the top They
used to say OF Travis he practised one hundred
puts before breakfast every morning This Is SIM
nlv mentioned TO show the caibre of the man. Not
brilliant player at the outset, Travis has worked
his way to the top through the kind OF effort feW
man are willing to take Above all he is student
always watching for mistakes. always ready TO
take advice He has learned the game from the
bottom. and can probably diagnose the good ana
bad points OF opponents style quicker man il9st
T6a G sor of golf always wins in the end
And this very success makes hiIn an tau
close observer OF the game in the last tweLve we
months and one is better qnai1ed 10 talk Oh us
development In that time than he.
strangeiy enough. Travis does not think that the
younger set ben % Il is remembered that Chicago
schooboy Walter Egan; met MN IN m ale IL lho tboieb u0
his opinion would be exactly the reverse IraSs: us
however has good reason for his views Views t ne hbe be
seen n good many on the various INKS Where ne
has PLAYED and at his home course at Garden City
irons hs is hs nearby school
o OF o g1v who may be called really good golfers
Hoabird is certainly an fSceent tba dments Of the
gane II takes three or four years for boy TO 90
Sf hs bt SS SSoad sag hat if 70
to stand It 1n m faks ten '9e at
least for them to develop the necessary proficiency
Am afraid the sport sh has it Ofsn had baen Perhaps
then a would get better cnanee nee 10 opdaS piaS
There are more men playing now, than there ever ever
we're that very reason all this is tax a39nI
ehampionship is sheer nonsense. see many
eno for It's abolition People to have an idea
that because it has never oeen hseS on On eter is
that English golfers have never been confronted p ie
with a hIg entry and don't know what 1t is TO silt
field to zabe proportions This aefS Kear for and fns
now. I understand, they are talking OF adopIing
our plan In my opinion, the qualifying rouho Is
a good thing and should stay go -. ., ,o
Incidentally, the rubber filed golf nng bail a5e 15e
strEtnC fsstures of the year. This ball. with It's
inner sphere Of rubber protected by wrappings un-
der hard shell, made it's appearance IN 1llosun1-
mer, and changed the whole aspect OF the game
for scores OF players Previous to us in5roouG 5
fion mon who had got certain point ana coulu
go no further losing their Interest IN taurna a.
nnents and staying away. With the fntroducuon OF
the new ball all this changed Instead OF drV-
ing l25 yards, the ball enabled them 70 carry
seemed too difficult took new possibiHties ana
the game has profited as a result TO a cegfee haro
to estimate.