The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-16
BLIND HOLES LOSING FAVOR
AMONG THINKING GOLFERS
Modern View Is That 1t Should Be Possible to See
Pin From Point at Which Approach
Shot Is to Be Played

manifestly unfair TO judge Of a courses
value from one visit. But I would re-
mind you that It takes only one visit to
Myopia, to the Detroit Country Club. TO
the National golf links, TO Garden City
or to Ekwanok to prove the quality Of the
course, and 80 far as the courses have
got away from blindness so much the
greater has been the praise bestowed
upon them
There are good holes on which the pin
cannot be seen from the tee, as in TIE
case of splendid dogleg holes, but the
thought In mind is that all shots to the
green ought to be made with the pin at
least visible.
A blind hole is golhng irritant.
Present day attitudes would seem TO in
dictate that rs soon as possible II Will
have to 40. 1t will not be required
that the entire fairway to the holes Will
have TO be seen from the tee. but rather
that on all approach shots the pin be
visible There can be few objections to
this theory. II In built on the proper
foundations. for In a blind shot the golfer
IL forced TO include in his calculations
certain compasslike points which ought
not TO go with the stroke.
While dealing lightly with the sub
ject OF course NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. do
not feel an authority at all on the sub
1cct but can present only thc players at
word or two about bunkering back or
the hole We must begin with the old
question as to what should he the stand
ard. II $4,000 golfers think that there
should he no regular defined trap iinne-
diately back of the hole and ten archi-
tects believe that there should. who Is
right?
The demand for dificult and long
courses strongly trapped and undu-
latingly greened has come from the
better golfers as rule. and they have
educated the others To my mind the
golfers who play good game. tl'1 Is
those with handicaps ranging on par
from scratch TO twelve nope the
others will pardon me for seeming rude
ness--are the ones who should. and TO
large extent do. determine the con-
struction OF a course.
In this instance I am reminded OF
meeting which took place at the Brte
Burn Country Club just preparatory 20
the improvements which have since been
made All the members were invited 20
attend and the discussion took place De.
ginning with the first hole. Every word
that was uttered that evening was taken
down by stenographer, and thus che
green committee had the viewpoints from
every angle But the interesting part OF
IL all was that nearly all SUGGESTIONS
were from golfers whose handlcaps We're
from scratch up TO WE'VE Inc '''
did not care 20 JON IN
Which brings me back TO my archi-
tectural topic suggested moment ago
should there be bunkers back OF the
green's Naturally. II all depends upon
the hole. But ] am speaking now Tor a
multitude of golfers who feel that the
back of the hole trapping 10 being over
done And these are the reasons gwen
for their convictions:
In the first place. one OF our moet cher-
ished maxims In golf is BE sure 10 oe
up" on the putting green this has De-
come a cardinal point, and too mucn OF
a cardinal sin as well In It's relation 10
many a golfer The man who IL 'pawky,
who fnds firmness in his shots lacklne'
never gets to the top. Somehow or other
we are afraid OF the hole. This FEELING OF
running over. of going beyond, is intensi-
fled when We have shot which calls Tor
1s5 Yards with a carry OF l65 and a keen
green TO encounter. Oftentimes II Is prac-
tically impossible TO have the BAN stop
anywhere near the hole, and when there
Is a trap beyond there II the dickens TO
pay. ! have seen many flne shot hurt
imneasurably because OF the nearness or
a back bunker which, In the frst place
was too much Of "A mental hazard before
the shot was played, and secondly, be-
cause the keenness OF the ground sur
rounding the green did not permit OF
stoppage Long grass back OF the hole
ought preferably TO be the trouble. and II
should not he 40 very long at that Two
or three inches at most ought TO suffice.
Good golfers generally believe that II IS
unwise TO have such traps when the shot
IN 10 the green Is one which calls for
bra ssie or cleek or its substitute ana
think that they are right
These remarks do not apply 20 all
courses-the large clubs naturally have
members with splendid knowledge in these
affairs and put II TO good use-but 1t does
At hundreds of small clubs which would
do we'll TO think twice and carefully be-
fore making improvements. After long
stretch of years we now have arrived at
certain definite conclusions in regard 20
the architecture Of courses, little and big.
and this knowledge is freely given II the
members OF the green committees will but
ask for II from the heads of the state
associations. or in lieu of this from the
green committees OF the larger clubs. The
spirit Of cooperation Is strong among
golfers.