Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
NEWS OF GOLF AND
REGULAR GOLFERS
Why Near-Experts Lament at
the Death of Good Old
Summer Time.

This Is the season Of the year when the
near-golfer sends up his lament at the
departure OF the good old summer time,
with its many helping factors toward low
scores. Wormcasts and dampness on
clayey courses check the roll of the
half-topped shot. which. under summer
conditions. often rolled quite as far as
cleanly hit ball-and otherwise interferes
with the Indifferent players game
Mashie approaches aimed to reach spots
just short of the green that would roll
nicely up to the pin now stop yards short
OF where the golfer expects them to. or
are widely DETECTED by wormcasts, which
often make them Jump of sharply at an
angle and stop at unexpected spots.
Again, high winds accompanied by a chill
make the scoring Of certain holes against
the gale most difficult for the player un-
skilled in the low penetrating ball that
seems to go on it's way .unswerved and
almost unchecked by wind forces
Under conditions OF high wind the
uncertain or Indifferent driver usually gets
little for his effort. the ball goes away
feebly and rises on the wind for a dis
lance and is then blown back a few yards
before 1t comes to earth. II he is IN
clined to hook or pull the wind exagger-
ates the error. making the game more
hopeless still.
How to Meet Wind.
Even when playing before the wind the
weak driver is penalized by it, for seek
ing to overcome the stroke lost on the
last hole against the elements now that
conditions seem to favor him. he presses
and the extra effort coupled with ten
dency of the wind to defect the circle of
| the club head to the ball. tops the ball
and suffers whatever penalty there may
be ahead OF the tee.
| Against the wind 1t is best to fatten
the swing to the ball and play for a
slight hook. as to get a low ball. BY
! playing the ball a trifie further toward
the right. bringing the club nearer to the
body on the back swing and endeavoring
! to f1atten the stroke. the desired ball may
be secured. Practice alone will give con-
fidence in seeking distance with consist
ency under this condition of going.
Before the wind the chief effort should
be to get the ball well up and clearly
away. A ball that ordinarily would not
/ go over $50 yards in still air will fire.
/ quently fly and roll to 10 before a wind.
| A following wind in some way or other
/ tends to prevent the club head getting
to perhaps make the stroke little more
| vertical, being sure to get the ball clearly
off the center of the club face.
Heavy Dress Handicap.
Playing golf in the chill OF the early
fall and winter seasons after months of
summer practice seems to change the
| whole game. The wearing of heavy
sweater or coat appears to check the
|
feels as IL he really could not get hold OF
| the ball with sufficient certainty to play
with his accustomed skill. Then. again.
unless able to play with gloves. the
hands don't feel at home on the grips.
Even high class players feel the changes
| in conditions. Jerome d. Travers. former
amateur Champion openly admits that he
| can never play his game when 1t is cold
and windy. No one can play the wind
and utilize 1t any better than he can. but
| the cold blasts seem to cramp him up in
! a knot as it were, affecting his swing
probably through his less secure grip on
the club.
On the other hand Walter j. Travis is
the only player on this side who seems
| to be able to play his game regardless
| of conditions. That marvellous score or
| 90 in a gale and rain at Garden City In
| the qualifying round OF a tournament
| there a few years ago when Travis made
| 1OS and all the other cracks were In the
| nineties and early hundreds, showed the
difference.
Perhaps. also, this marked difference In
| their ability to play under adverse chilly
and windy conditions. so prevalent abroad.
accounts for the glorious victory OF the
British championship by Walter J. Travis
there in 1904, and the early defeat OF Je-
rome d. Travers over there this year.