Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-17
GOLFERS ARE SHOOTING FAST
Seven Have Scored Below Seventy
Within the Last Fortnight.
COURSES ARE NOT as HARD
old Grounds Were Laid out fou
Match Games Rather Than for
Making = Low Medal
score.

score
NEW YORK, Oct. 16.-within the last
fortnight no fewer than seven golf scores
under 70 have been recorded. A. c.. Lin
coin did SO at Felixstowe and ]. II. Tay-
Tor did a 81 on the same course. IT. Hilton
had q 81 at Ashford Manor and w. r.
Reid a 50 at Banstead Downs. w. BInnie
did 90 at Dodhoad Bruntlsland. J. Rowe a
60 ct Ashdown Forest and t. Lamb played
a marvellous round at 50 at ~Saltburn-by-
the-Sea. Saltburn is a shortish course, but
all the others are long. measuring approx
imately 5000 yards for eighteen holes.
Such low scoring is remarkable even in
these record breaking days, and It is evil
dent that the limit has not by any means
been reached.
The scores of the best players twenty
five or thirty years ago were seldom under
80. Indeed, It would not be too much to
say scores under 80 at that period were
not than are scores under q
today. At first sight this looks as II the
best players had improved about ten
strokes per round, but II would not be ac-
curate to set down to lower rate OF scoring
to a proportionate Improvement in play.
The question of whether the older genera
ton OF players were as good as or better
than the present is incapable Of settlement
because the conditions under which they
played were so very different. It does not
follow because their scores were higher
that they were less s%killful, A score OF 50
on one course may require as fine golf
or finer than a score Of 70 on another. II
all depends on the nature OF the courses.
The old courses were not laid out for
the scoring game. The holes were made
for match play and the idea was to make
them as difficult Of access as possible.
The putting green's were small and well
guarded 20 that unless the approach was
perfect the ball did not stop anywhere on
the green. The fairway was narrow and
the lies on it was generally poor. The
ground was full of cups and patches of
loose sand and the small hollows were
full OF long grass, so tina a good lie
through the green was not the universal
thing 1t is now. The length of holes and
the placing Of hazards called for the ac-
curate judgment Of ever varying distances.
All these things made low scoring diff
cult and the question Is would our first
class players do scores under 70 as often
as they do, or would they do them at all
hlAhNA nv bN 1uAAAAAN1AH aug W NiAoAA
the old ohampions2
Modern Course Less Difficult.
Leaving the improved clubs to balance
the greater length Of holes, it is evident
that the modern course does not present
anything like the same difficulties. The
lies through the green on a first-class
course today are practically perfect. A bad
lie is the rarest experience. The ball is
- A.. Io1rA ~Nnk .fNa. akAN
is precisely the same way. Even the
stance Is seldom anything but flat. A
large proportion of the holes are two-shot
holes and all the player can set his four
all right. whereas in the old courses he
would have been in the rough, or in the
hazard. and would probably have required
at least three 10 hole out. The abolition
OF the cross bunker, whatever may be said
in favor OF It, certainly makes low scor-
ing easier to a straight player, since a
topped approach is not punished.
In addition 10 all these factors, the max
ing Of holes that are multiples of full shots
tends to stereotype a mans game, so that
II he Is driving or putting well, there is no
call upon him for any variety of stroke,
and his play becomes largely mechanical
Al any rate, he is always playing prac-
tically the same shot, and 1t is little won
der that III becomes proficient at 1t. II he
partially misses a full stroke the approach
he has to play is usually quite featureless
a pitch and run on TO large, open putting
green.
These remarks on modern courses apply
Of course, TO play when there is little OF
no wind, and Il is to be presumed thai
scores under 70 are seldom done except
under favorable conditions. On a windy
day our champions take much nearer 80
for then there Is a call for a much greater
variety Of stroke. But the old courses re-
quired this more skill and more OF It, fol
their negotiation, even on a still day, and
Il is this that has to be remembered In
comparing the scores Of the past with those
Of the present.
In one respect the moderns certainly bes'
the ancients. and that is in driving. Ever
allowing for the rubber ball ana the new
clubs. the driving Of our besttplayers Is un.
doubtedly better than 1t was twenty-five
years ago. 1t is more accurate. Our play
ers get SO much more OF It that It is only
natural that they should be more prof
Client at It than the old players. After the
tee-shot Il was usually a cleek shot or :
jerk with the spoon. and how often have
We to play these shots today. But are oul
modern tracks better approachers or better
u,t4ara than N aucianta2