The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-10-06

there be, OF course, who never play
golf; either they have a poor "eye,"
or their muscular sense is but i'm
perfectly developed; Or their keenness
in sport is nil; or they are too much
taken up with the things Of this world;
or they are men wrapt up in the con-
temptation of so-caled higher things.
University professors l have known
who, when they ought to have had
their eye upon the ball, had their eye
upon the clouds. and their minds
farther off STILL Other men l have
known to whom round OF golf was
so casual and frivolous pastime that
they would seek to relieve the tedium
OF the game (and perhaps entertain
youD by the narration between strokes
of interminable and pointless anec-
dotes.
Never by such men will the ancient
| and royal game be properly played
BY such men golf may be given up
| at once and forever. For, despite al
appearances to the contrary, solf is
one of the most serious Of sports. As
well try to study metaphysics iEdif-
ferently, or to attack the feminine
heart indiscreetly, as try to play golf
| spiritlessly. One cannot serve golf and
Mammon. Golf is the most jealous
or mistresses. Are you worried and
distrait; are you III debt and expect
ing dun; are stocks unsteady and
your margin small; is q note falling
due; or has q more than ordinarily
| delicate feminine entanglement gone
somewhat awry? Go not near the
links. Take a country walk or go for
a ride; do anything rather than attemp.
the simple task of putting a little ball
into q little hole. For to put that
little ball into that little hole-or rather
quires-requires what? Alas, so many
things, so many unthought-of things
1t requires, in the first place, a mind
absolutely imperturbed, imperturba-
Die. You may play chess or bridge
or polo or poker on the the eve CT
bankruptcy; Gefy you to play golf On
the eve of a curtain lecture. 1t takes
strong character to play strong golf.
Golf is an accurate an ethical criterion
of man as the Decalogue.
Perhaps this is why your rigid and
puritanical Scots Presby terrain plays so
admirably. An eminent Scots philos-
opher once told me that the eminence
OF Scottish philosophy, note the Scot
fish appraisal Of things Scottish. and
you will. was due to the fact that
Scots philosophers were brought up
on the Shorter Catechism. l venture
to think he might have extended his
axiom to the ST. Andrews game.
But, not to beat about the bush, this
much is certain: Golf is a game in
which attitude of mind counts for in
comparably more than mightiness of
muscle. Given an equality of strength
and skill, the victory in golf will be to
him who is capable of his soul. Give
me clear eye, a healthy liver,
strong will, collected mind, and a
conscience void Of offense both toward
God and toward men. and will back
the pigmy against the giant.
Oo1A 10 q lCStS IlOt ~ uuuCu VI tuG
muscle, or even of the brain and nerves
of man, as it is a test of his Utmost
veriest self; Of his soul and spirit; Of
his whole character and disposition;
of his temperament; of his habit of
mind; Of the entire content of his
mental and moral nature as handed
down to him by unnumbered multi
tudes of ancestors. Does his pedigree
date back to romantic heroes-Frank-
ish horsemen or PrOvencal knights:
Let him see to it that he curbs his I'm.
pulsive Southern ardor. Does he trace
his descent to the Vikings OF the North,
strenuous sea kings that roamed afar
and devastated foreign shores? Let
him see to it that he applies himself
to tasks more close at hand, that he
wins nearer victories. Is he stolid
Goth, bull-necked and big Of loin? Let
him see to it that the more agile-witted
Kelt does not wrest victory from him
by dizziness more delicate.-From
''The Mystery of Golf" by Arnold
Haultain, in the Atlantic Monthly.