Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-29
GOLF GOSSIP

50 absorbed in their own game
that they take no interest In
the doings of the professionals.
says the Worth of Golf. When the
rest OF their HUB members. and
every other golfer for miles round.
are interestedly ALLOWING q match
between, say. Ray and vardon. they
viii engage In more or less friendly
combat with another Nplayer who
finds nothing attractive n the play OF
the masters. The maioriey however.
easily succumb TO the fasclnation Of
these great personalities. They hold
our attention. almost In spite oi our.
selves. They perform such pro1lEies
Of skill that we follow them IN their
exhibition and other matches IN
kind OF entertainments
The golf professional. even when
new generation has taken the place
OF the present leaders, win always
command the respectful admiration
OF most of us who vainly. try 70
emulate his example. The question
as to how long the men who now
hold the stage will continue In undls-
puted possession Of the limelight that
is shed upon their order always crops
up at the beginning OF the season.
Signs and portents which seem to In
dictate q change are carefully consid-
cred. Years ago il was thought that
the Triumvirate could not continue
much longer. Likely young men were
put forward as their probable success
aors. but those likely young men
never realized expectations.
Last season, however. the cham
pionship monopoly was broken by
Ray, and II the form he has shown
In several OF his recent exhibition
games be any criterion he should
start warm favorite at Hoylake next
month. Hay mas always been q long
driver, but this year he Il getting
farther than ever from his tees. At
gloucester against Duncan and at
hipon against Vardon. he completely
out-distanced his opponents. both OF
whom are sometimes more than mod
erately long drivers. II he keeps up
his present form in this respect 1t
VIII probably go long way towards
enabling him to finish at the top OF
the tree in 1913.
Long Game Counts
The advantage Of being able to out.
distance your opponent with the long
shots lies In the moral effect on the
man who always has to play the odd.
II Is apt to discount the Indifferent
player who has no claims to be q long
driver. How much more serious then
is the effect likely to be on players
who have never previously met their
match In this department OF the game.
II Is almost inevitable that they begin
to press, and pressing Il as fatal TO
the success OF ex-champions az II ID for
the nerest tyro In the matter At
length Braid used to reign supreme.
until he met the observation-disclosures
Dauge at Paris some years ago. But
according to all accounts even Dauke
would not be able to keep I'D with RAY
On his present form.
The first breach in the citadel Of the
Triumvirate has been made. and It Is
not unlikely that 1t will be further
sidened this year by Duncan. For 4
good many years now the Aberdonian
has been regarded as a potential cham
Dion, and his day cannot. be far on
now. 1t has been said that he will
never win the championship until he
starts with an Indifferent first round.
We imagine, however. that he is not
he impressionable Duncan OF few
iears ago. He still plays with all his
I'D dash. His golf Is still electrical,
Tut, temperamentally, be seems to
lave settled down. With Ray and
Iardon of to America about the mid
lie of August, Duncan ought to have
! great chance OF securing some OF
he plums of the profession. The
,hannel Islanders will be away when
he so-called German "open" champion
hip and the g400 tournament are
Iecided. This distinction Of winning
he German affair Is not, perhaps,
,reat in itself, but from a pecuniary
'oint of view 1t is well worth secur-
ng. We understand that the prize
money this year will amount to R7O0.
asst Playing.
A story which illustrates the rapid
" Of Duncan's lightning methods is
old in connection with the last Ger
IAN championship. The condition OF
nO 81 CCnS a. DduCu-DduCu IlduG IL Hi
ossible for player to consider him.
elf dead over six inches from the
ole. On one green, Duncan ran this
istance beyond the tin with one of his
utts. With an almost imperceptible
Movement he attempted to hole the
all with another putt with the back
( his club, and missed. It was done
D quickly that the marker did not
office the stroke, and two Americans,
no were following the round argued
lie question, one persisting that
.roke had been made and the other
rat no stroke was intended. Duncan
as appealed to, and the lynS-eyed
an who had seen the lightning stroke
as proved to have been right The
anger-Hill man is master OF synco-
ated golf.
Braid must also be taken into cons
deration for premier sonors during
lie coming season. II Is true that he
as beaten by p j. Gaudin. a short