Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-24

upset all preconceiVed calculations as
to what should be the result of the
play to this hole. on the basis Of the
strokes played preparatory to put
ting.
at Is perhaps only natural that the
ex-Amerfcan amateur champion should
when forming his opinions be influ-
enced not a little by the trend OF
events in connection with the game
played in HIS own country. And re-
viewing the history Of the past in
connection with amateur golf in the
states, 1t is plainly evident that the
art of putting has had much to do
with the destiny Of hampionships and
the making Of regulations in that
country. Mr.. Trayers has won the
amateur championship of the U. s. A.
on no less than four occasions; and
w. ]. Travis has been successful in
the same event three times. and more
| over has British championship to
his credit And the reputation Of
both these noted American players is
mainly associated with their consist
Ient accuracy when on the putting
greens. %..@
Again, as confirmation Of the in
1uence which putting has had upon
the history of the game on the other
side, we may quote the case OF Charles
Evans, Jr., who is generally credited
with being the most brilliant exeeu-
tant in the playing of individual
strokes that transatlantic golf has
ever produced. But a championship
event of material importance has
never yet fallen to his share, and the
majority Of his failures have been adj
mittedly due to his lack of confidence
in his own powers when on the put
ting green's. Contrasting the record
of Mr.. TraEers with that of Mr.. Ey-
ans, one cannot help but being I'M
pressed with the effect that putting
has admittedly had in connection with
championship events in America. and
| in consequence we. cHn thoroughly APP
Ipreciate the point ofeyiew Of Mr.. Tray.
ers that the putt is the winning shot
in golf
But when one reviews the record of
the game in this country, there would
appear to be an entirely different as
lpect OF the case. OF our leading ami
teurs and professionals 1t cannot be
said that the reputation Of single one
lof them in any way rests in their
Exceptional ability when they have ar
rived on the putting green's. In the
very front rank OF British golf, anna
teur or professional, there is not TO
be found a single golfer the main
strength of whose game may be said
to rest in his consistent accuracy on
the putting green. In truth, we may
4 go further than this and say that, TAX
ing them as a whole. they may be con-
sidered as putters Of an Indifferent
class, and at least two Of them John
Ball and Harry Vardon have the rep
[utation of being considerably worse
than average IN their attempts to pre-
vail upon the ball to go into the hole.
|eniinentiy successful despite this nest
evident weakness.
I'VE have good putters In this land
men who In their ability to hit the ball
straight toward the hole can vie with
even Mr.. Trayers, but 1t is not a little
remarkable that these men who find
such little difficulty in the CARRYING
through Of this nest trying and diff
cult section Of the game should all
exhibit such weakness in other sec
tons as to preclude them from attain
ing the very highest honors in the
game.
whilst we do not in any way wish
to hint that successful putting is not
the most effective weapon in the ar
mory of any golfer. still. on the other
hand. it is not a little significant that
our own great men have not achieved
their exceeding greatness by this
means. but rather by their exceeding
and consistent accuracy when Dlaying
all manner Of shots up to the hole
side; and their wonderful ability in
this phase of the game enables them
to win championships despite their
comparatively Indifferent work on the
putting reens. -..-.~ II.
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