Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-11

PNf
ONE time along in late fall or
- early winter. when golf ae-
~ ivities are slowing up, it is
49,. .,,etom of critics to present to
w .ynectant public a carefully Sc
80, iH list Of the sixteen best golf
-, the country. Sixteen has a
.arta,n golfng significance, propa-
~. hacause it is the number OF
o' o,,aars in most cup events. 1t ,
lid nerhaps place too great
.oir on the analytical powers OF
+Sa critics and the tender sensinh- y
;t,es Of the golfers to select 81
49,, 49, number permitted to qualify In
.bo national and Western cham
pionships.
tI.ving been inoculated with the
oor+agion and, after due delipere-
t,on and taking all my courage y
bands. / have. determined TO
Uncover my little list of the sixteen
Ne. 70 the public's gaze. / am only
COO we'll aware of the fact that
-, not a trained critic and am
- douht utterly lacking in the an
n,,,+,caI faculty necessary to crit
30. bu+ tf can not bring anything
~ value to the wisdom OF the pub
10 discussion, may add some
.bing to its gayety, and such con-
+r,bution is not to be despised' 1t
nav be. too. that a certain inter
,.+ will attach to a list selected
trou a players viewpoint.
Past Performances on Record.
u the best golfer be merely the
rr,,ner OF match-play tournaments,
the critics path would vino
through a pleasant country; or II
+hA hest golfer be the maker OF
Ane medal scores, then he would
sail over summer seas. The study
of past lists, however, shows the
Qualification of the best golfer to
Ia a composite of medal play and
match play prepared according to
tina inclination Of each critic.
Speaking broadly, 1 suppose that
medal play shows pure skill at gof
and match play demonstrates a
esrtain golAng ability plus tenn
nerament. Alas for the word! 1t
brings I'D visions of rough coun-
try and a stormy sea. One day
tha critic decides a player has the
trus golf temperament, the next
dsy he has tt--not. Apparently 1t
IL A ghost that haunts club houses
and golf courses, demoralizing low
ers Of chance, covering prophets
with confusion and playing the
rnischiet generally. 1t masQuerades
under strange shapes and often is
only an illustration to mark tenn
porary difference of bodily fitness.
Whether temperament. is a ques-
ton of digestion or not, it is real
specter and not easily laid.
The possession of the true golf
temperament, vague as the term
IT, is a valuable, asset in match
play, or poker, but II is not the
whole Of golf.
Regulations Do Not Count.
Many a poor player has won a
match play tournament or a single
match from better player, and 1t
also Is true that good players have
failed to qualify in important
events, In my selection have en-
deavored to bear these facts in
mind, and in close shading 1 have
favored geography.
have placed Jerome d. Travers
at the head Of the list because he
holds the national and metropolitan
championships, and because he is
undoubtedly the best match-play
golfer in America. But at the risk
Of bringing down upon my head a
hornets nest Of trouble, / feel it
only fair to confess that hegitated
long between him and Warren
Wood, and at this moment l am
not absolutely sure that I decided
rightly in giving the premier place
to Mr.. Travers.
In comparison with Warren
Wood, Travers is much the better
match player, but 1t does not seem
that his medal play is so good or
that his average game is so steady.
can not find that he has won a
low score medal throughout the en-
tire season. He has the national
and metropolitan championships
and he has lost the New Jersey
~ a NnhH n
good margin. He has played
some splendid rounds, but his golf
on the whole has been a little
streaky,
IraVers Meets Opportunity.
l acknowledge, to my sorrow, |
nave never seen a finer exhibition
OF IRON play than Mr.. Travers in
the afternoon of the national finals
d. wheaton. He hardly used a
wooden club, however, during the
"hoie 80 holes, and only the phe-
HoIhenal drouth made such an ex-
"p1lon Of iron possible. Through
Out the tournament Warren Woods
uFlVlhg was excellent and his game
averaged well, but because Mr..
lraVers was there at the right time
nave placed him at the head of
the list.
warren K. Wood has played
s'eadier and more reliable golf.
var IN and year out, than any
o1"er amateur in America. He is
"d'fied and is in business, circum-