Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-04
THE HUMOROUS
SIDE OF GOLF
BY MARY E. L. HEzLEr.

BY MARY z. L. HEZLET.
To have a ready wit Is an excellent trait,
but a still better possession is a keen sense
of humor. There are far fewer people IN
the world who prefer to laugh than groan
over untoward Incidents and 1t is greatly
to be regretted for. in this case, the mi
norlty have distinctly right upon their side
Life is short, and those who possess the
faculty of seeing the comic in the struggle
for existence are never at a loss for amuse-
ment They invariably grasp the funny
side of every situation and this quality
stands them in good stead in important
crises as from constantly taking a light
view Of affairs they see them in their true
proportion, and are not always on the alert
TO detect and resent imaginary Sights and
rebuffs. To preserve a calm equanimity, is
to suffer far less from the minor worries or
life
In games 1t is very necessary to be able
to view matters from n humorous stand
point Golf especially is so serious In itself
and brings 50 many difficulties and cares
in It's train. that the only resource left is
to treat it as lightly as possible Missed
shots bring such heavy penalties on the
head OF the unfortunate player, and missed
puts have such a demoralizing effect that.
We're he not able to treat them as an ever
recurring jest, he would be completely
weighed down with sadness. Every one can
see ut n glance how wretched and miser-
able golfer becomes when off his game,
and there is no more lamentable spectacle
than those who are dependent on golf for
their sole interest in life. The chief diff
Guilty appears to be that one can very read
lily see the laughable side of an opponents
mistakes, grasp at once the amusing weak
nessCs of his disposition, and catch the
humorous points in his game, yet when 1t
70 tFr~r he re
totally different. Similar results somehow
wear a different aspect and ii is hard to
realize that one may present an equally
funny appearance.
Colt lends itself to laughable incidents
and the vagaries of some players are most
amusing. Fortunately for their own
peace Of mind they become so absorbed in
the game that they are quite unconscious
of the spectacle they present. 1t has lately
been the fashion, and the humorous artists
have reveled in it, to decry and satirize the
'gnif girl" Amusing sketches are given
OF her various attitudes and costumes and
altogether she is held up to ridicule but
surely ii is better that she should fall I'M
consciously into these natural positions
than that she should adopt a stiff, self-con-
scious style. playing constantly as it were,
TO the gallery Golfers are not more en-
thuslastic than "devotees' of other sports
Every game has its own faithful band of
followers who talk and think principally
about that game and take a superlat.ve In
terest in everything connected with it.
Golf stories are occasionally most anus
ing and rival fishing tales in the way of
veraCtiy. They are usually about wonderful
deeds done in past rounds on the links, but
sometimes they are of more general char
acter. The following is rather good story
Illustrating the ignorance of the general
public with regard to golfing terms. The
Incident occurred in a large hotel at
well-known resort. One of the players
wished TO know II she could get nails put
I'm her shoes at the clubmaker's shop close
by or if she would have to talle-them into
the town. She asked at the office and was
referred to the hall porter. who in the most
soIemn way replied: "Oh yes, miss; GER
tainly. miss. you can get them put in down
there at the shop where they repairs cad
dies and them things" Golf certainly
must have a difficult phraseology for out
siders to understand. but all shop talk
is very much the same crucially interesting
to the initiated and dull in the extreme for
those who do not understand the subject
in quCs ton. The humorous side of golf Is
seen at its best during a large open meet
ing where players from all directions are
collected together and spectators assemble
10 watch the matches. Few people realize
how dangerous it is to discuss, the appear
aHce, personal history, dress, character and