Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-11

We have gone into the subject OF
the chances our representatives are
likely to have abroad, in some re-
cent articles. According to Fl. H. Hill
ton. II appears that they viii have TO
tsbeWafesof the veterans. From his re-
marks, there is not SO much likelihood
of member of the younger school in
Britain carrying off the championship
as there is of parallel occurrence
happening in America. He seems to
think that over there, at least, the
amateur element has not been adj
yancing as rapidly as the profession
al; consequently, there is less prob
ability of a British Ouimet astonish-
ing the world. He says there was
once a time when the finest amateur
opponents of the game were in point
of playing merit little, il at all, be-
hind the professional talent. There
can be no doubt that between the
years 1890 to 1898 the professionals
always sstood just little in awe OF
the probability Of an amateur success
in their own particular event, the
open championship. That these
thoughts were not unjustified was evil
denced by the fact that an amateur
proved successful in three of these
years, while on several other oeca-
sions an unpaid player made a great
contest of it with the professionals.
/ It was just at the end of this epoch,
namely, In 1898, that Harry Vardon
was approaching his prime as golf
er, and It would seem that the won
derful excellence of the game he de-
veloped had the effect of raising the
standard of professional golf to a
height which the amateur could not
approach. Except for a transient
CLEAN of excellence on the part OF
some individual amateur, the profess
SIGNALS have had the open champion
ship very much to- themselves for the
past Is yeaTe or soA
We have always considered that
Harry Vardon was mainly RESPONSE
Bile for the preSent-day excellence OF
the professional player. 1t is truo
that, in earlier years, J. H. Taylor
went a long way &C raise the standard
of the game, but the level to which !
he brought it was not sufficiently high |
to be altogether cut of the reach Of
the amateur player; and for some !
years dIIOi tic ddNChI W Tic "OoGN |
ward Ho! prodigy, the amateur walk
ed side by side with Taylor and his |
brother professionals.
But when the time came for the ,
great Harry Vardon to astonish the !
world with his extraordinary accu !
racy, the amateur was straightway !
left behind. One might almost say i
he was hopelessly left behind. The !
standard of play which the Jersey !
man set up seemed to be quite be. i
yond the reach of the amateur He |
incapable of any further de- !
and, consequently, in the !
course of a few years the profession
al lost almost altogether his concern !
of amateur opposition; ana the feat
Of an amateur in the open champion
ship of 1911 at SandW Ich, when On ;
two sepaI ate occasions he was lead
ing the field with but a few holes TO
De played. administered something
like a surprise to them In their be-
lief in the unassailability of the pro-
fessional's position.
This season of 1911 was viewed i'll
the light Of an amateur revival, ami !
great were the hopes for the future
Unfortunately these hopes were only
too quickly dispelled, as in the follow
ing year, at Muirfield, the exhibition
of the amateurs was almost pitiable