New-York tribune., 1909-09-05
WHAT CONSTITUTES AN IDEAL HOLE IN GOLF?
Varying Opinions on Fa.
nous COurSes-A Score
and a Half of "Don'ts."
By p. c. Puiver.
CHAPTER XIV.


In searching for the ideal In golf one is continu
ally being presented with ideas and suggestions so
varied as TO cause 10 wonder if it will ever be
possible TO fashion hole. series holes capable
OF meeting with universal approval There is abso-
lutely no doubt in the minds OF those working on
the national course out on Long Island that
direction is all important Traps and bunkers have
been so cleverly placed as 10 make il practically
Impossible for person to pull and slice without
paying the penalty. A with half an eye can
hit The ball fairly clean ninety-nine times out of a
hundred. but how few there are possessing the ab-
ity TO make the rubber travel in the desired
direction.
Without doubt the course OF the Deal Golf and
)ntry Club. situated few miles down the New
fsey coast, Is one Of the most popular in the
metropolitan district. a matter OF record that
couple OF years ago, more than hundred play
ers teed up in an open tournament there, and. for
that matter, whenever this club holds tournament
a large field invariably responds. Despite this. a
prominent amateur said recently that he did not
care for Deal because IL was simply a case of
beating the ball TIL one got tired. II should be
remembered that the course in question one Of
the longest in the country likewise one Of the hard
est, for although the best amateurs have played
there from time TO time. they never succeeded In
getting round better than IT,
At all egents, the opinion OF the golfer who de-
ciafed IL TO be a case OF beat at Deal hardly
conceded with that of another almost equally prom
,nent player, who said he would rather go the
Deal links than any he had ever seen. You have
got room 10 let out on the shots there and that IS
far better than your narrow cramped fairways &"
was his observation.
While the devotees OF the game continue 10 differ
On a number Of points, IT Is least gratifying to
see that Americans have safely passed that prtm-
tive period in which golfers in England found
themselves some fifty years ago. Considering the
fect that tho game had been popular in Scotland
for centuries. Il is difficult to imagine how the fol-
lowing. which appeared IN London publication in
asos, could have been seriously accepted:
Golfing requires for its purposes a Kolnng club
ard a regular ball for the game. The club is from
three 10 four feet in length. curved one end
and where IL is also fuller and heavier. to give
weight TO the stroke, and faced with bone or ivory
y is also loaded with load. and strengthened by
tapping II with cord or silk. while the handle is
ever various clubs differ but there is a regulation
The ball is about and one-qusrter inches in
diameter. and .s made very hard and strong by
Nufflng case OF wet leather with feathers until II
IS perfectly full and round end then after stitch
ing IL up and drying IL carefully painting II over
with several coats OF white lead The field where
the game is played should have a hole in each
ia any of its sides. and that side has an Irregular
tty, IL is better to make another hole there II
the ball should fall into deep cut I'm the
ground, an iron club Is ised, which is carried by
an attendant ready for such emergency
In gohng the game is conducted by two sides
each OF whom has ball. the score depends
10 drive their ball from hole hole A miss scores
one for the opposite side The rules OF the game
vary much with the different clubs and IL is there
fore useless TO insert any OF them here. II is
chiefly played in Scotland, where Il is completely
q national game, but sometimes the game is at
tempted ia England. yet IT has never been at ali
Returning TO this country, and incidentally the