New-York tribune., 1909-08-22
What Constitutes an Ideal Hole IN Golf?
Close Approach 70 IL a cbTeJed d
on Fbe So-CaNed Ma
rionaI LinkS."
By 4 G PuiNrr.
CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII
To travel flom ul1-ront.uert To s,a.usst and
back again is Thought nothing ~ by the eItlusi-
astic golfers iu this age ~ rapid transit These sud
den shifts can s,a.ltI. Jail to prove ~ interest.
more especially 90 Those l,su ID tendency to study
golf course conditions a- they 90 .-t binder q ffrert
environments Ear out 3n Long island. iu The
vicinity OF Shiuuec9c. Hfs. where the sand d..res
and natural urdulations follow each other IN an
attractive variety suggestive ~ the restless rise
and fan of old ocean. g~t,lg ir tie distance lies
a new golf course that sooner or later must claim
worldwide attention. As cne Iner suppose refer
ence is made TO the ideal rls"-or IL is some
times called 'the national lnAs'-the course OF
the future
person having once played or even walked over
this series Of holes. which some dav must nrov-
q golfers paradise. readily appreciates why il is
called the ideal course" When Charles B. Mac
donald conceived the plan OF these links several
years ago he speedily made up his mind that the
thing 70 do after first procuring the proner loca-
ton, would he initiate so far as nossfl,le holes
abroad that have become famous II is not nv in
tenton 10 describe in these chapters the ne coprsa
IN de1a but rather 10 refer 10 Il in a general way
touching on the interesting points the vast work
that has been accomplished and what stil remains
be done.
One OF the principal objects in laying out
course IS 70 insure variety. Each hole should he
sui generis and possess characteristics OF its own
Holes can. generally speaking, be separated into
Two classes-tiloSe II which the green can b.
reached IN one shot and those requiring two shafts
or more Al first thought 1t might appear the eas,
est task in the world 20 make a short hole We,
experts asTee that there few really good short
holes il. J. whigham saws:
THE first reQuisite-and his IS important-,. tha.
not only the flag should be visible from the tee bur
possible, every bit OF ground between the tee and
Ane nag. One ought 10 play always for a 2 a,
short hole. and one can only do that with INV
DEGREES OF accuracy when the flag ana ground
around about IL are visible. The much boasted
Maiden al Sandwich is really an indifferent hol.
because is easy and is largely a matter az.
luck since IN playing from the the entire putting
green is Invisible In the second place Il is well 70
vary the shor, holes in length, so as to set every
Kind OF shot On the National links the .hortes,
hole Is about l40 yards. The shot Is play.d from
hirh ground across wide bunker TO a small
plateau which is entirely surrounded by bunkers
Where the hole is go short il should n. mad. -.
difficult possible, consequently. the little pla,esu
u unoulatinx snc slopes on every side tows re
the punAers. The incest accuracy is necessary In
order 70 Keep the ball on the green With the wind
behind. the shot must be played with a good deal
OF back spin. The bunker In front o. the green is
tcep snd cheer. that IL is quite impossible for
. topped ball 10 through The bunkers round
about Will not be severe. because even a we'll
DAAys4 shot may run just over the green and . re-