Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-02
BRITISH COMMENT ON
AMERICAN GOLFERS
Jack White and Rowland Jones,
Professionals, Chat Concern
ing Their Experience.
Special cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram to The Star
LONDON, April 2.-Chatting first with
Jack White and then with Rowland Jones
in reference to their golf tour in Mexico
and the United States, nothing Is made
more apparent than the keenness of the
Americans for the game. Their grip of
it amounts almost to a craze. and the pur-
suit of 1t is being taken up with that gusto
and terrible earnestness that characterize
all things Yankee Rowland Jones, whom
the Wimbledon Park Club is fortunate
to possess as a professional. is of opinion
that the average level in America is be-
low the average in Great Britain. But
that may be true of today-it may not be
true OF tomorrow.
Young, but Coming On.
They're young at the game yet" said
Jones, but they are coming on fast.
There are lot Of young ones coming on.
Take their clubs; they are both many In
numbers and big In membership, and 1
shall not be misunderstood when l say
that our visit-the visit of kirkcaidy. Hord,
White and myself-gave something of a
stir to the wonderful public interest in the
game. Yes, 1t Is all very astonishing, even
to US who have watched its progress IN
England.
Did enjoy 1t all? OF course, L did
especially after we left Mexico" Jones add
ed as an afterthought. Like Jack White,
Jones did not relish the conditions of heat,
glare and sand under which modern goIr
is played at San Pedro.
NO" he went on, sit wasn't the heat
that l felt so much as the bhstered feet.
l made mistake by playing in rubber
shoes when l should have done better to
have stuck to my nail shoes. There's moth
ing like leather, you know. For some days
my feet were In cotton wool and oil. which,
raf tlI,'f q a n n
to my long Shots.
Jones says both Willie Smith, who won
the Mexican championship, and Willie An
derson are brilliant opponents OF the game.
and he is not quite certain which Is the
better. OF talent likely to be heard OF IN
the future, he especially named Percy Bar
rett, young fellow who holds the cham
pionship of Canada At Palm Beach ne
played In the same tournament as Mr..
w. j. Travis, whose sensational and mo-
notonously accurate putting, when he dra-
matically won the English amateur cham
pionship In 1904 al Sandwich, first drew at
tertion to the possibilities of American golf.
Mr.. Travis is still putting with the same
precision as ever, says Jones, and at four
yards from the hole he would always lay
evens that Mr.. Travis succeeded.
Strenuous Work
Before leaving for England Jones had
time to make a short tour, but 1t was siren
uous work-hours together in the train, and
then having to tumble out and play first
class golf. AS he sadd, 1t was big tax
on human endurance, and there was small
wonder that he had not a decent night s
rest until he got to his Wimbledon PARK
home
Pm still tired" he said, land the roll
of the ship still sticks to me, but / feel
fit" He went on to say that he had re-
ceived most tempting Inducements to re-
main in America, one offer being such as
would never be made to the best profess
sionai in England by the wealthiest club.
AS the career of golf professional VINO
comes into the front rank cannot be very
long one a man who declined such an Of
fer as would feather his FEST for the ru-
ture would only be to blame were he to re-
fuse on mere grounds of loyalty and pa
trfotism. Consequently golfers In Eng ianu
need not be surprised should they hear
some day that Jones is forsaking England
for the stars and stripes
In the meantime Jones is making big
bid for the open championship Last year
he was distinctly prominent and actually
led on the first round at st. Andrews He
has always been fine golfer, but it is only
during the last year or two he has shown
that confidence which must be inseparabIe
from a champion. His' health is not ro-
bust, but when 1T is considered that he
turns The scale at less than ten stone one
Is impressed more than ever with the re-
Election that the secret of the long ball at
golf is not solved by brute strength, but
rather by precision of swing and perfect
timing.