The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-03
MODERN GOLF BALL
DEFEATS OLD Guilty.
Rubber Corcd Sphere Wins Test
From Solid One by Total Of
Nine Holes on Day.
AMERICANS SEE CONTEST
Travers and Hcrreshoff Watch
Taylor, Vardon, Duncan and
Braid in Unique Tilt.
SPECIAL cdbis Despdtoh to TIVE sr,,

Npct'' NH'ih betpuNH 10 line Sun
LONDON. April 2.-The modern rubber
corsd golf ball overwhelmed the old fash
toned guilty In the big test match played
to-day on the Sandy Lodge course. When
J IT. Taylor. Harry Vardon, James Braid
and George Duncan holed out their final
puts on the thirty-sixth green this after
noon the rubber core ball had an ad-
vantage OF nine holes on the days play.
jerome ID. Travers, amateur champion
Of the United States, and Fred HerreshofY
we're among the crowd of on!ookers that
swarmed over the Sandy Lodge course.
Tho test match attracted even more in
terest than had been anticipated. In the
morning there was a gallery Of about
1000. including many prominent ANA
tours. but by afternoon over 1000 en-
thusiasts were on the links. They were
at times unmanageable and hampered the
four contestants so that II became almost
impossible for them to play good golf
Vardon and Duncan had a little the bet
ter OF II both In the morning and in the
afternoon. They began the first round
playing with the rubber cored ball, while
Taylor and Braid were assigned to the
guilty. For the first nine holes It was a
great match and the spectators. who had
expected to see the users of the solid ball
left far behind. found cause to wonder,
FOR when the turn was reached Nardon
and Duncan were only one hole ahead
on the incoming holes. however, the lively
ball came into Its own. Hole after hole
vent to It's u'ers and when the round
was over Ward, n an" ~,ncan were up
a notable triunh for the modern ball.
Duncan. the only golfer of the four who
had won his fame since the Introduction
OF the rubber core--each Of the others
ras champion In the days OF the guilty
did wonders with the old fashioned ball
IN the afternoon and continually called
flrsh H.. .Ia.a - ~
lery Taylor and Braid. using the mod
ern balls. Immediately began to win back
the holes which they had lost in the first
round while using the guttics and It was
Duncan's play with the guilty. rather
than Vardon's, that kept them from win
ming them all back. As II was. the open
champion and Jimmy Braid won the Sec
ond round by margin OF four holes and
finished only one behind on the whole
Gays play. The rubber cored ball. how
ever. was nine up.
One thing which was shown BY the
teet AMI which seemed to make the same
Impression on the mind OF every onlooker,
Is that golf owes rs present widespread
and almost universal popularity TO the In
reduction OF the lively golf bail All four
players admitted tina, they used up far
more physical energy and that the ner-
vous strain was much greater when play
ing with the old solid ball
II was expected generally that the guilty.
would prove superior when II came 20 ap-
preaching and putting. but his dill not
urn out 10 be the case to-day The
bitches that had TO be stopped quickly
heside tho min were done no better ~ the
nssrs OF the guilty than by the users IT
the rubber core.
Now and then. however. Taylor. the
greatest master of them all with tie
nashle. would make pitch with the
solid ball that would seem to show that
s'ttr all II Is superior for certain shots
of TINT character. so the question Is still
open TO argument AZ far AS that branch
% the game IL concerned.
il was found that there was little TO
choose between tho rival halls in the ma
ter OF sirHightness Of flight. Though II
could be seen that IL took much creator
force 10 get away good shot with the
Old ball The biggest advantage u the
rubber core was in the distance OF the
run after IN, first bounce. There the
disparity between the two balls was re-
realef plainly. much to the cred; ~ the
resilient snhc'e
Between he rounds n driving contest
vas neld ard Braid and Duncan shsr.d
ne nonors, he victory OF the rubber core.
In this department being a foregopc con-
cluson. Braid drove the rubber core 27S
yards % Inches, while the best Duncrl
could do was 2ss yards 81 inches With
'he guilty Duncan i.du the hest Of n. lie
drove the solid sphere 2i0 yards 10 inches
Brad drove 225 Yards. The CO Irse was
IN perfect condition for the tes'