The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-23
GOLF PROS IN NATIONAL MEET
TO GATHER FROM NEAR AND FAR
THIS WEEK on MYOPIA COURSE.
Aspects OF the American Open Champion
shlp-Amatcurs Have Thus Far Done
Hotter Than Homebred Teacher
Points About the Players ana records.

ship-Amatcurs Have q Far Done
netter Tnan Homebred Teachers-
Points AbOut the Players ana Records.
Professional golfers will meet this week
la their annual national championship
tho open tournament Of the United States
Golf Association. Besides the pick OF the
fock in the United States there Will be
starters from other countries-Mexico.
Canada, and possibly Great Britain. The
contest will be over the course OF the Myo-
pia Hunt Club, at Hamilton. Mass. the
qrandeet organization Of sportsmen In old
Massachusetts,. The course Is the best test
Of golf In the United States, every hole
free and unhampered. with no terrors to
n who plays on the line and cah get dis
tancc. There ore no taos where q good
player must put the brakes on when using
wood. But there IL a penalty to follow
every mistake--there 10 no sllpping past
the due punishment by good luok-so that
the course ID the hardest to SCORE over In
this country.
f.. H. Barker, for instance, has done 90 at
Garden City, but 1t will be q long day be-
fore any such score Is made at Myopia.
The difference !s that despite their odd APP
pearancs and number tho hazards at tho
Long Island course ara not formidable to
o clever hand who has tho opportunity TO
con the lay OF the land. Such a player, II
he will chart the route n not deviate from
the schedule, is as sure to mako q low score
ut Garden City as an able seaman to steer
by the compass safely into the harbor.
And on some bright particular day when
the lies prove TO be all outstanding and q
few long puts are safely bagged the expert
familiar with the course is apt to beat or
equal the par score. At Myopia there Is no
use In trying to trick the course: the one
way a score of no or under may be gained
10 by playing every shot for it's full strength.
To succeed at Garden City a powerful
player must change his game to suit the
course. which some term head work.: at
Myopia the best golfer must use both brain
and Drawn on every hole to play well-he
must be always striving and never holding
back.
What Barker will do at Myopia, by the
way, 10 a cause OF comment wherever golf
10 played. for he was n Of the worlds best
amateurs and is now to make his first at
tempt or distinction az O professional.
Great golfers are 90 few that their doings
arc discussed wherever there is q links. from
Maorihauish to Australia. Mid-Surrey to
Pekin or Myopia to Simla. Golfers in all
chimes are ready to place on q pedestal the
man who can SCORE on a hard course, and
the interest In the British and American open
championships girdles the globe. Tn merit
OF the two competitions was fixed during a
short spat between two British champions.
j. II. Taylor and Harry vardon. who played
In our open championship at Wheaton In
1900. vardon won. leading Taylor by two
strokes.
Il still regard myself as the years cham
rion.' announced Taylor. who had won the
British title hat spring.
mo one denies that r~ejoined Vardon.
Tho British open 10 the greatest champion
ship in golf. but the American title ranks
next In esteem. aud that's why you have
tried 90 hard to win it.
II Barker had not turned professional last
season and left Yorkshire to take the Gar
den City Job he might. ~ things turned out.
have won this years British amateur cham
pionship. He was for several seasons
champion OF Yorkshire. A. E. Lassen. who
won at Sandwich in June, is one Of the
Yorkshire golfers Barker has often put out.
1t Ii quite possible that II they had started
at opposite ends OF the draw Barker would
now possess the title held by his clansman.
Barker has played in minor matches here.
but barring the low score at Garden City
he has done nothing as good as his Yorkville
class. Yet az Myopia is uplifting to every
true golfer Barker Ia bound to 60 well there.
just as q thoroughbred is eager to race
when 1t sees the Derby course. and ina man
ner II will be the same az having the British
amateur champion as starter.
Ar,.kA,ru haua the riUht IN NAV In an
open tournament. although in the initial
British championship held at Prestwick in
1850 only professionals could start. But
in 1851 the committee voted the tourna-
ment open to the world. and until 1885.
when the British amateur championship
began, 1t was the only title event in golf.
Now in every country championship COM
petitions outnumber the jewels In a bellies
necklace. In Great Britain two amateurs
have victories to their oredit-John Ball,
Jr.. winning the title once. and Harold H.
Hilton twice. In the American open cham
pionship the best showing made by an
amateur has been to tie for second place.
the performance Of Walter j. Travis in 1902
at Garden City. Findlay 8. Douglas and
Il. Chandler Egan have been placed. while
in the pioneer contests Of 1895 and 1893
the lap6 A.. W. Duitn u tCu "
third place each year. When last played at
Myopia the two amateurs to do the best,
W. J. Travis and A. G. Lockwood. were
lied at one stroke outside the placed division.
Has an amateur q chance this time?
Perhaps, for on their best streaks the few
entered are always dangerous, u 1t would
do the American game more good II a home
bred pro should win.
Our homebreds. while they have been
steadily advancing In skill. have mover been
az fortunate In the open as In the minor
championships. To gain the title or be
In the money means more to q professional
than the actual cash he receives. Success
Is reputation. Those who gain 1t are In
demand to lay out COURSES. to coach good
players. to teach beginners and to o In
exhibition matches. Besides there are
bonuses to DO picked up by boosting a
particular make ~ Goi: hall or golf club.
THUS far these perquisites. or the cream
Of them. have been gained by the Scotch
or English professionals. A number Of
American professionals are capable players
and teachers. holding good jobs and max
ino money. hut IL one Of them could pain