The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-09
THE EVENING TINES, GRAND FORKS, N. D.

vealed in his open countenance and
his engaging manner. Although he
has that confidence In himself neces-
sary to success, he Is no boaster. He
is more ready to speak of others than
himself, a stranger could be in his
company all day and never learn that
he was speaking to man who had
won the open golf championship in
1896, 1895. 1899 and 1903. besides
breaking records wholesale, both in
this country and on the other side of
tho Atlantic.
Naturally the conversation took
technical turn for the most part, the
advantage and disadvantage OF vari-
GUS greens being discussed. Vardon
confessed to 4 Partially for Sandwich
and admitted that he was not pre-
JUDGED in favor of the one and only
st. Andrews. He told of greens on
which he had played which resembled
nothing SO much as mud pudding"
and Of others where the stones actu-
ally grew. There was a twinkle in
his eye as he made the last assertion.
but he repeated that at Rye the stones
actually forced themselves above the
surface like growing plants When he
played there in 1896 the course was
very rough. I'm fact" he added with
another smile. II lost my ball on the
putting green" He understood that
the conditions were now considered
improved. We spoke of the increased
popularity of the game during the last
few years. and in reply to a question
as to whether golf would ever be played
by the masses to the same extent as
cricket and football. Vardon said he
say no reason why it should not be.
He pointed out that the only objection
was one of expense, and if public
green's could be provided and the
game muncipalised. golf would soon
take precedence as the king of games
among the people.
He is not altogether enamoured of
the new rubber ball which has done
so much to popularize the game, and
he asserted that personally he and
many other experts preferred the old
ball. The new ball made golf easier,
but it did not improve it. AS an in
stance, he stated that he used to give
Il prominent member OF the Scar
borough club a stroke hole, but on
the Introduction OF the rubber-core
ball he found he could not give more
than a third: and yet. in his opinion
his opponent did not play any better
goli.
Over the coffee vardon grew more
communicative. Someone mentioned
Mr.. Walter Travis. the American. who
won the Amateur championship at
Sandwich. and vardon said that Ira
Wis did not receive the credit he de-
served in this country, neither the
newspapers nor the spectators esti-
mating the Americans abilities at
their real worth. it was said thai
Travis could not drive. and that he
won by his putting. but he was good
at all points of the game. He played
good golf. and he would have won
either at St. Andrews or Hoylake,"
said VardOn earnestly.
The mention OF Travis led Vardon
TO say that he had received signed
photograph from Mr.. Travis, and he
highly appreciated the compliment.
He then went on to speak of his own
American experience, and he declared
that he had high estimation of the
good fellows.
THE American amateurs are much
better than the English amateurs:
they take golf more seriously" said
he
Don't you think they take it too
seriously?" ventured one of the party.
Man, you cannot take golf too seri-
ously." replied Vardon.
A compliment was made that the
Americans were such stickers for the
observance of the rules, but Vardon
firmly upheld them in this respect.
You cannot play good golf unless
you strictly observe the rules" said
he. IF you once begin to slacken you
never know where YOU will stop"
Then somebody told golf story,
and Vardon told golf story. and we
all told golf stories. but Vardon's were
the Observation-Disclosures. Eng, En-
press and Star.