Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-12
CHANCES
IN GOLF MEETS
RUINED BY RAIN

THERE IS an opinion deeply root
ed in the minds of most Am,eri-
cans that Il rains hree-fourths
If the time in Great Britain. and that
in consequence, the British golfer is
an amphibioUs creature. ! can not
testify to the truth of this belief be
cause | visited Britain in d dry year.
but a friend who spent several
months in the British Isles, assures
me that, although it rained every day
while he was there, the British rain
was not so wet as the American va
riety. Perhaps my friends delusion
springs from the fact that almost
every clubhouse in Great Britain has
a drying room where golfers may
hang their rain soaked clothing,
while such a convenience is almost
unknown in America, the New Edge
water being the only American club
that, as far as l know, has made
such provision for its members.
Playing golf in the rain is a good
deal like jumping into a cold tub
there is always hesitation in the be-
ginning. but the act itself is never
regretted. for the real golfer can not
let little thing like the rain inter
fere with his game. When a man
has journeyed all the way out TO
some country club ne is almost sure
to play, rain or shine, and l am
confident that playing in the rain
does not injure any one physically. |
II is attended. however, with many in
conveniences, and to find enjoyment, |
the player must be well prepared
for the weather He needs an old
pair of shoes and other wearing ap-
parel that can be easily dried and
not easily injured. But the best of
rainy day clothes are usually too
many and too binding for good golf,
and rainCOats are an abominatiOn.
/ well remember that w. c. Fownes,
Jr., once spent a great deal of val
liable time trying to invent one suited
to the needs of the golfer.
Moisture Ruins Clubs.
Personally, l dislike to play in the
rain; l do not like to get my clothes
wet, and most Of all, l detect the eff
feet of moisture upon my clubs. The
shafts are always heavily stained,
so that they may Withstand the
weather but water warps wood, and
l do hate to draw a wooden club from
my bag on a rainy day. Then again.
the best grips are supposed to be of
oiled and treated leather, and mois-
ture affects them most unfavorably.
So the golfer carries towels, because
wet hands and wet grips are dis
tIinctly disagreeable combination. An
other rainy day necessity is the
hooded golf bag.
Of course, no golfer expects to play
his best on a rainy day, but in all
big tournaments or indeed any COM
petition, golfers must play regard
less of the weather. The luck of
the condition is. however, more deep
~ felt in a qualification round. Per
haps in the morning the course may
have been too fast for the players,
then. between l and >, "A heavy shower
comes up, catching those who must
go out then; al the rain ceases and
he latter players start forth under
most favorable conditions. for the
rain has softened the greens and made
the balls more manageable. This is
a chance of the game that affects
almost every score with unequal con-
ditions.
DeIuge Has Spoiled Tournaments.
Glen View, for a long time. had an
unfortunate reputation for rainy tour
naments, big events there being al
most invariably attended by terrific
downpours.. In the National of 1904,
the river overlooked the second nine
holes, and only the first nine were
playable in the finals. None of the
Western players can forget the de-
luge at Denver, and I also recall Wv
idly four-day tournament at Chi
cago Golf when it rained practically
during the whole competition.
These incidents merely teach us
as old fables say that the real golfer
must be a bit of philosopher. He
accepts the weather cheerily and
makes the best of it,