The Washington herald., 1908-08-02

A-p4iNolls England Aug l. " oulQ HOl
believe it that began playing golf at II,
age Of ive?" said James Braid, the Brit
ish open champion, when asked when h,
started 70 play the game.
Reckoning the two years I spent work
ing at my trade as d carpenter at St
Andrews before going 10 Edinburgh, my
three years as a clubmaker In the army
and navy stores. I had only weekend
solf at Chiswick then, and the eight pleas
ant years 1 spent al Romford before go
Ing 10 Walton Heath in 1894 have been
way from EarIsferry for eighteen or nine
teen years. except during holidays. ]
played golf when I was five, but so far
from It's coming easy 20 me. there were
problems 20 solve then. just as there are
now The great problem always remains.
how TO set the ball into the hole. When
was boy player, like that prodigioUs
sviper. Douglas Roland. the brothers
Smpsou-David Simpson. who mas al
w1ys remained an amateur and has been
living at :. Andrews since 1891, Jack
Simpson. one Of the prettiest players who
ever lifted club. and who won the
open championship al Prestwicz IL ls>4
with ROLAND se-a1di and who is now
DEAD AlN.-lr sim lFf~HEs dlNllrI ELeleei -A
PLAYER. now aJ Aberdeen. and Bob Simp-
son. nov al Csrnoustie. who. though al
ways a good pIayer. did not come promi-
nenJly 10 the truut-these were among
the local cracks
Archie Simpson was at that time
looked upon as a particularly good man.
He was second 90 the upcn mDlo1srip
somewhere about 1S>9- So long have the
Simpson brothers been -xilrd from Earls-
ferry that few people think they are ma
tives Of that place The names mentioned
brothers The elder brother. -1.ec, ouly
took I'D golf seriously after the boom,
and he has now developed a good busl-
ness in Edinburgh IS a clubmakrr.
Another brother. Charles. is also hne
PLAYER. Then there were the four kedtie
brothers. all good players In my boy
hood M Foggo stood out as one Of the
leading amateurs OF the place. and 7 am
glad tc see that he still plays a good
game. Another local crack was Forester.
the clubmaker. who afterWard became
genius in invencing new clubs. Probably
he has invented more clubs than any
other clubmaker- His son now takes a lot
Of beatinE at Earisferry- Other outStand-
ing players tn the East Neck who were
then starting their golf were A. H Scott
and Charles Smith, who is now at West
Afiddlesex. and has figured in the inter
national team
Cousin of Great Golfer
But the most interesting personality
Of all in these days was Douglas RoI-
land. who Is my cousin There used TO be
an annual competition at EarIsferry for
amateurs and professionals. They came
from st. Andrews and Musselbrugh, and
il was a kind Of tradition that the win
ner should play ROLAND or Jack or David
Simpson. who were the best Of the local
contingent. and who all played as ANA
teurs at that time About 1850 there was
a great match between ROLAND and John
Bel. the present amateur champion at
Earlsferry and Hoylake, which ROLAND I
Won rather easily on both greens An I
other match Of that era which should in
terest EdinburgH folks was between /
Gregor MacGregor and Sandy Ross on I
The one hand and ROLAND and David 4
Simpson on the other. on Bruntsfield 4
Links. II was a ding-dong game. and /
forgot whether x ended square OF IN /
favor Of AIacGreg0r and loss by one hole. d
II was a new experience for NIacCTregor
70 have such a hard match, and he look
Cd pretty Elum at the end OF the round.
but he frightened up when ROLAND men
toned that he and his partner should be
pleased with themselves. seeing they were
the only pair who had ever held or beaten
Simpson and himself
ROLAND, as everybody knows. was at
his best almost invincible- Few had any
chance with him in match play. but he
was a shocking bad hand at the short
puts. II there was long nut required !
10 save the match. II was almost Ger
-aiHty that he would hole IL, II II was
eighteen inches he would probably miss
j. As q matter Of fac5. the majority
lf golfers belonging TO Earlsferry who
have made a name for themselves have
been long hitters and bad putters RoI-
and could drive nearly as far with his ,
ron as any other man could drive from
he tee He got a tremendous carry on
lis drives and his game throughout was
exceedingly brilliant He had real virtues
h a player. for he never knew when he
vas beaten. and he went for every {
hing After he came 70 England I lost
ouch slightly with Roland but one OF J
he last public games he PLAYED was At I
,hiswick, where, partnered with one of {
he Keddies. he was beaten by another
Ieddie and myself.
His First Championship
I will naturally be expected 20 speak
bout my championships When YOU are
champion you are. Of course. a lion.
~ first championship IN 1901 was nv
oughest. and 10 tell the truth felt
'retty glad when It was all over. The
train IS always greater when YOU feel
ou have a chance Of winning. and I felt
all the more on that occasion owing TO
he fact that Taylor and Vardon. who had
or so long been the twin stars IN the
'olfng armament. were chasing me
throughout the competition. Il was a
reat satisfaction in many WAYS to get
n level with Taylor and Vardon. oUite
part from the glory Of the thing il
leans a lot 10 the winner from a business
oint OF view. II means many exhibition
patches and perhaps the doubling Of
nuT business Il may carry YOU from
0scur1ty into the first flight. and in the
ase Of a professional il enables him 70
otain that important element Of success
g connection
1t is sometimes as foolish 10 pIav 100
afe as 20 gske undue risks I ren,ar,l,a-
hat in 1897 I only lost the omen cham
ionship to Mr- Hilton at Hoylake bv
cling overcarefuL In the case Of the 1q67
championship Fardon and I were equal
nth the second day 10 60. In the third
'uno 1 got a six-strokes lead. but in the
lst round 7 slipped one or two through I
7ends pressing and telling me 10 spur
? All the same 7 always prefer to |
now how my rivals are getting a1on- I I
puts you on your mettIe. and you know /
Nactly the amount Of enterprise Won are Z
equired 20 put into your play. In nv 1
rher Championships I had nothing Ike /
le same strain. though in 1905. with a /
~ shots in hand. I had one or tvro any | Il