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.

rms 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 a
Clearly 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 off sharply at an
angle and stop at unexpected spots
Again. high winds accompanied by 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 its way .unswerved and
almost unchecked by wind forces
Under conditions of a high wind the
uncertain or Indifferent driver usually gets
littl. for his effort. the ball goes away
feebly and rises on the wind for dis
lance and is then blown back few yards
before IT comes to earth. II he is in
ates the error. making the game more
hopeless still.
How to Meet Wind.
Even when playing before the wind the
weak driver is penalzed 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 it is best to fatten
the swing to the ball and play for a
Slight hook so as to get a low ball. BY
playing the ball trfie further toward
the right. bringing the club nearer to the
body on the back swing and endeavoring
! to flatten the stroke. the desired hall 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 80 yards in still air will fire.
quently fly and roll to l15 before wind.
A following wind in some way or other
tends to prevent the club head getting
down to the ball. Therefore, ii is safest
to perhaps make the stroke little more
vertical, being sure to get the ball clearly
off the center of the club face.
Heavy Dress a 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
snap and certainty of the swing. and one
feels as If 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 il 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
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 OF
50 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.