The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-28
Gossip Of the Links
ny WALTER BECKErr.


BY WALTER BECKErr.
Now that the average golf club has
completed plans for improvements, or
tho improvements themselves. more at
tention Is paid to the work OF the com
mittee delegated to arrange a schedule
of8cyents. Thus far only those COM
petitions which may be listed for some
time in advance have been arranged.
but the clubs are rapidly completing
this task and arc announcing their
schedules for the season, no that the
committees have time to plan and put
into effect something off the beaten
track.
The craving that seems to exist in
American life of the present day for
something different something now,
has even made itself felt in golf
stiinulant is wanted and in tht course
OF golfing season II Is remarkable
how many of these little ifnprolnptu
affairs are arranged. Practically every
club has some special coterie OF its
meplbers who strive to attain a GER
taF thing. such as the Tightwad Az
ISOLATION at Montclair, where a num-
her OF the members have agreed to
neither give nor accept puts Of any
length.
As variety is the spice OF life so the
unusual becomes attractive even I'm ;,
game with such traditions rs golf
Ihere are several tournaments i'm va
rions parts of the United states each
year which are open to teams COM
mother and daughter. OccayionaiIy
protherly matches are arranged. Last
year some Of the Chicago golfers held
a tournament to which only left-hand
cd players were eligible
Moonlight golf. straightaway golf.
Eoll through city streets, driving from
roofs. or over wagons, putting on the
parior carpet and thousand and one
similar varieties OF the game are con
stantly praciiced for Tho uiirnosa Of
driving away duliness. Down i'm south
Jersey they have a nine-hole putting
course, lighted by gas There are com
petitions Tor youngsters. for men OF
age ana Tor every other conceivable
division of humanity. IL would seem
This class of golf acts as a brake
upon the tendencies OF those who de-
sire something else besides simplicity
and dignity. something that there Is
lie 70, as 1t were-something odd.
particularly in the United States.
where individuality enters largely into
any phase OF sport, such petitions
are evolved, Not long since a West
ern golfer wagered something like S4,-
600 that he could play a ball over four
ana half miles OF city streets in $50
strokes. and succeeded in winning. de-
spite the fact that II cost him upward
of $1,000 for the damage that resulted
number OF Pittsburgh golfers once
started at Ormond. Fla, and ended at
soabreeze. four miles away The en-
tire match was played along the beach,
which al points reached a width OF
3Vo feet. and was hard as a rock
sometimes even the dignifed Eng
iish stoop TO the extraordinary. II was
once recorded how a certain three holes
were selected from eighteen by com
niittee and the numbers placed in
sealed envelope. The competitors had
TO play the full round In ignorance OF
which holes had been thus selected. and
when they had finished the cnvelope
WAS opened aud the PLAYER who had
dore the best at the selected three
holes won tn. prize,
Some golfers appear TO revel In cal
cuiauons, and have ambition 10 be
PLAYING half = dozen matches or more
AT the same time. OF course IL can be
done. II Is related how ono golfer
went out one morning with twenty
one matches depending on the round
ne made. II was done in this manner:
The players in the party went out in
tho fours and two OF a side would
make not one match with the two oil
the other side, but three matches at
different odds one side. say, giving the
other three. I'VE and six strokes In
three different matches. Again each
man OH each side would have a match
with each man on the other. /, will
be perceived that many engagements
. . .MciS up Dut tnlS Was only the
beginning OF the matches for the part
ners OLE each side would play best ball
matches--the scores being taken and
the results worked out afterward With
the partners in other matches before
and behind. and individuals would play
more matches against the individuals
of other parties.
With regard TO novelty, some one
has suggested that lie would like 10
see competition In which every con-
tcstant used the same grip. The sug-
Ecstion, however, failed To strike 4
responsive cord, for when a player gets
accustomed to style he would rather
do.most anything than experiment with
something new for fear of throwing
himself off his game
Apropos OF the manner OF grasplng
the clubs IL Is surprising how many
players still regard the Vardon grip
as form OF golfing amcctation. and
yet the mere fact that 1t has been
adopted by many of the leading play
ers should in itself he a testimonial
10 It's genuine value. In teaching the
game some professionals do not insis st
on 1t on the part OF their pupils. They