The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-05
SEES RUIN OF GOLF
IN RETURN TO Guilty
After Match Against Himself to Test Old and
New Balls J. c. Anderson Swears Al
legiance to Rubber Core
BY JOHN a. AMBER son,

ny SO"N os
Runnerup to jerome ID. Travcrs In
the Amateur Cha piOnship of 1919.
Being sufficiently ancient a golfer 20
have had my early experiences on the links
linked with the gutty ball and sufficiently
modern to have a proper appreciation OF
the extra distance that the rubber core
can be hit with an equal expenditure of
effort being "all stirred up over the great
experimental match to test the relative
merits Of the guilty and the rubber core,
involving Harry vardon. George Duncan,
James Braid and James II. Taylor being
eager to get out on the links anyway
after . golfess winter in the frozen North.
! have just done a little experimenting
myself on the guilty versus the rubber core.
In q match at the Albemarie Golf Club,
NewtonviIle, Mass. J. G. Anderson, guilty.
played ]. q. Anderson, rubber core, nine
hole round. Ia which the rubber core had
the better of the argument by one stroke
on medal play and one hole In match play.
IL was not the actual score that IN
terested me, however, but the way the
figures for each hole came about Not
many strokes did II require to convince me
that there is a vast difference between
the old hard bail and the new sphere OF
far more lively temperament, ana rISht
at the start. I will venture the opinion
that a return to the guilty now would be
fatal to the popularity OF the game. ! VIII
not be 10 certain about the degree of skill!
that the two different qualities Of ball
bring forth. but am willing to submit
that the guilty would demand far more
accurate hitting to get good results.
To conduct an experiment between the
Rutty and the rubber core the first thing
was to ret a stock OF Gutties. a Boston
TOR ltsh ged TO
get track OF ten old balls which looked
as II they had seen better days. but which
proyed. even by the dents In their surfaces
that they could stand punishment ana stiii
retain their shape. In accounts concern
ing some OF the experiments made abroad
recently the fact was mentioned that the
old gutties played by George Duncan
were badly out Of shape when he had
finished. The balls with which l expert
mented we're a. round at the nnish as at
the start Maybe he hits them harder.
Before relating some OF the details OF
the experiment let me say that the next
time I undertake a similar venture 1t Will
he either with some old clubs for which
I long since have lost high esteem. or else
I shall ask some kind friend to lend me
his clubs for the experiment. II was AT the
ri xth hole, on tho tee. that happened TO
look at the face Of q favorite driver and
discovered sizable depression IN the
wood, palpably displaying the marking OF
lust the gutty ball. had used that driver
once 10 get that result and promptly de-
cided that II 1 wanted to get any good re-
suits with II during the coming season !
had better keep It away from the old hard
ball Later at the eighth hole. l thought
I would take II out once more Just Tor q
trial, and taking another glance al the
head found that the socket thread was
loose and coming undOne. Whether the
lnnaa hafnrA I atartQd OUT
was n question / could not answer. but
upon looking over my brassy I discovered
| the same thing had happened with that
| To cap the climax. l thought l would
| make a still closer inspection OF the driver
head to see II any further damage had
been done and discovered distinct crack
| In the wood.
ON the strength Of this discovery arr
ready to believe that a combination OF thu
| nard guilty ball, hard hitter and tho
| present day socket shafted wooden clut
would be about AS costly az for beginner
to do all his practising by trying TO drive
over a wide pond with new sinkable balls
The difference between the guilty anc
the rubber core in the mere matter OF dis
lance showed up In the drives to the frs
hole. Both the rubber core and the quit,
were we'll hit straight down the course
| and with the wind In back. Neither go
more than a few feet OF roll because th'
ground was soft. and there was differ
ence OF exactly twenty-three yards II
favor Of the rubber core.
At the second hole the drive with thu
rubber core was 20 yards ahead Of tina
with the guilty. and after using my samm,
for the second shots. catching the quit,
a powerful blow. hitting II even harder
than did the rubber core, the latter wa
5S yards further along on the course. Thu
distance OF the hole was about 44O yards
and after the drive and sammy shot tn
rubber core left an easy little mashi
wrist pitch. while q full mashie shot wal
not good enough to get the guilty hom'
In three
When It came to playing the third hoi
I was interested TO see how the two BALL
would act against a strong wind. Catch
ing the Eutty squarely with tho brass,
for line ball II disguised me to see tn,
ball come to n stop 125 yards from tn,
tee after I had hit II In such a way tina
normally, with a rubber core. ] woul,
expect to sec II 20 225 yards. or cours
the strong wind made n lot OF difference
but with rubber core Immediately after
ward ! went 1856 yards. or forty NOR
than with the guilty Tho hole IL 2s'
yards. and against the wind II toook m
two full brassy shots from tho tee 4