Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-25
GOLF WAGERS BAD
Many Argue That Practice
Tends to Lower Sport.
NOT A QUESTION OF GAIN
Ordinary Ball Bet Merely Adds
Test to Competition in
Equal Matches.

NEW YORK, June 25.-Sevefal times
during recent years there has been con-
siderable discussion, pro and con. OF the
wherefore of the custom in golf Of wager
ing something on each round, hole or
match. The question has now broken out
anew. Like all other questions there are
two sides to this one and the arguments
put forth by each seem strong enough.
In all phases of sport, no matter OF
what kind, there is nearly always some
agreement made between contestants to
make matters interesting" and golf is
no exception, nor has it ever been. for
that matter The custom exemplifed by
q ball, hole or a ball a round has Gre
ated much talk, which to a whole lot OF
liberal-minded people seems idle, to say
the least. Others look upon 1t as q mat
ter Of principle, therefore decry even
these wagers. ...-.a
Talking on this matter a prominent
golfer said: Whatever our pose may
be-, there is ever under the skin a touch
Of human frailty that Is affected by some
kind of consideration. 1t may be vicious
and all that sort of thing, but there 1t is
for better or for worse, and / for one
boldly confess not merely to q personal
preference for ball on the game but to
foursome partners are not to be found
among those who prefer the unvitiated
pastime. A stake. however small. adds
snap to the match"
Merely a Habit
This question is scarcely one of finan-
cial loss or gain. for 1t IL rather the ef-
feet Of the wager to galvanize the sense
Of contention and the desire for victory
that has brought about this habit. There
are those, Of course, who wager cOnsid-
cradle money on the outcome Of hole or
match. but they are the exception rather
than the rule, and even under these cir
cumstances the desire Is for keenness
rather than pecuniary gain.
There Is q type Of golf that to some
others becomes somewhat q puzzle. One
in particular is he who processes handi-
cap Of something like fourteen. at which
he received two or three strokes IN all
probability. On the suggestion Of q ball on
the match he answers that he prefers not.
as he is not in very good form at present.
One golfer in describing this type declares
that they have rarely vague idea OF the
players and has found almost inevitably
that they have rerely a vague idea OF the
state Of the game
Granted that q small stake adds inter
est to the MATCH said another. rs It
good for our game? ! can only state q
conviction arising from my own expe-
rience. When once we have mastered
the first principles Of our game and have
adopted settled methods In practice. the
better the matches we play In and the
more eagerly we strive to win. the more
rapid will be our progress In actual skill
The foundations settled, our next ques-
ton is to cultivate the habit of playing
up toward a higher standard. and the
best way to cultivate that habit Is 70
- IT. 1T -
ard Of play that is a trifie higher than
we can expect to achieve. II the eject
Of such circumstances IL to disheorten US
clock golf at home and country walks
would seem best suited to furnish US with
pastime and exercise, for the essential
spirit of sporting contention Is not in US. !"
Not Necessary to Bet.
Those who argue against the waEerins
habit, however, declare thst the normal,
healthy, wholesome appetite for the game.
like the physical appetite which 1t cre-
ates, does not need to be whipped up
by the cocktails Of betting" Tho daily
and hourly making of wagers. the dis
putes and even jangling over bets. the
proniscuous discussion Of winnings In
the locker room or at the teeinE ground
and elsewhere do not make for the bene-
At Of the game. 1t 10 further pointed out
that golf clubs should not become schools
for youthful gambling. and It is claimed
that the majority Of golfers would gladly
see the practice Of betting eliminated.
A player opposed to the custom Of
wagering had this to say on the subject:
Every man must judge whether he is
losing his grip upon the best enjoyment
or influence OF anything or making vice
or virtue. Dvery man must work out
his own salvation. The question Is far
broader than the habits Of any individual.
II is Of the effects OF collective human
practice upon any cause or institution i
resolves itself into . question Of what II
this growing and wholly unnecessary
stimulant doing to the grand old game
ton frankly. The principle a3 stake has
eYar haAn ana win eyer b the anna: