The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-01

How ulI ths nap
zen, There must be JOHN G. ANDERSON
an explanation which is somewhat apar,
from the beaten run OF things We would
cot hesitate to-day to match two and pos
sIby three Of those players in single com
bat. with any golfers, amateur OF course
in the British Isles There is little doubt
mat Jerome Travers Is as good n player
day in and day out as the present holder
Of the iltlc in Great Britain. Why. there
fore. did he fail down and lose 50 early
In the game
My theory may he doubted. but the
whole substance lis that Il was "A question
OF nerves. The nerves | think are golf :
thermometer. The game In the most deli
cAtely balanced Of all sports, depending
most upon psychologist poise and the con-
dilion Of a mans mental structure at the
moment he Is playing the game. The
least twitCh OF muscle and the shot Ia
spoiled Anything that affects a mans
nervous control. and hence his confidence.
will show somewhere. be 1t on the putting
green. in approach shots or driving In
Trsvers's particular case. while he was
putting mighty we'll before the champion
ship. that firmness of confidence In his
putting apparently failed under stress, for
We read that he was short on almost all
Of his puts. There was apparently some
thing which he did to recover his length
and direction with his wooden clubs which
affected his iron club swing. How often
ne have not only seen this very thing hap
pen but have had 1t happen to ourselves.
IN getting one back the other goes wrong.
Trayers's psychologist structure Instead
Of standing firmly on three legs, as II
we're. had one of these legs knocked out
from {; under the stress and tension OF
the great event. The result in his case
was exactly the same as II would be with
any one else.
with Mr. Ouirnet the case IL somewhat
different He had shown signs OF brill
lance IA u number Of preliminary rounds
and had played some golf of which he
was heartily ashamed. but It was felt
that lie was on the upgrade. Perhaps
he was, but he stopped of at way
station and was lost. In other words.
ne was unlnspired from the start to the
finish and could not play with that free
dom from emotion and lack Of the sense
q responsibility which was the dominant
note I'm his victory at Brookline last fall
Too much hippodroming. with the result
that IL made practice round loom up
AZ Of Importance, gave him too much to
think Of and the result manifested itself
in the usual way The moment 1t pops
into your head that sou are expected
tain putt or lay the ball dead then you
may rest assured that tho stroke will not
be- accomplished in the manner desired
That is as true as the stars that shine,
and I think II was the real reason why
Oulmet did 80 poorly.
n II. Hilton has come forward with
the statement which has been repeated
from time TO time. that the struggle TOT
the British amateur crown Is too gruel-
ling He believes that the winner could
and should be found more easily by
having The American system or
thirty-slX hole qualifying round ana
then thirty-six hole matches. In his
scheme no place IL found for the hrst
round ~ eighteen holes, which the num-
Der Of entries often makes necessary
with us Efforts we're made In Great
Britain few years ago TO get TINS
scheme under way, but there were not
enough inside" hackers, men whose
opinion meant a favorable vote. Now
L seems as II the change might come
IN the first place the number or en-
tries il getting to be unwieldy, 240
sending IN their names this year Con-
,der what that means when II Is all at
match play The International element
probably Induced thirty or forty extra
70 enter, hut even 200 Is an unwieldy
number Tradition alone seems TO De
the stumbling block. but that IL orten-
times more than enough.
rNere are many arguments to be used
~ 10th sides The large number OF golf
'r' N this country and very many abroad
agree that thlrty-six holes give no ex-
cuse 20 the beaten man. on that particu-
ar dav tho winner Is the better player
ana ne ultimate victor he who can be
lust little better than his opponent on
sac0 dav.
Tho 'h'rtv-six hole qualifying round
would undoubtedly reduce the number OF
entries and I fear that It would greatly
hinder the chances Of Americans. The
absence # a qualifying stage has been
me ~ the chief features which have
helped In the decision OF many OF our
golfers 10 try their luck abroad. The
knowledge that they were sure OF NJ least
one match anyhow precluded that sort or
helpless feeling which good match but
an errat,r medal player might have.
Y il rr.ouently thought that the after
noon round makes a big difference to the
one vino is behind. Well. he probably en-
Joys his luncheon bit more, but three
tines uv' II five at the very least the
result A the contest does not vary from
NE m1rulug results This percentage is
horne uur by the results OF the last rev
hamp ur-nlps in this country, and was
IN4lf ~ IT lt w INV ih"'N''' i'''
In Chicago two years ago. Then the only
contest 70 which the loser OF the morning
round ,rravors) led at the finish was
IN the Hual such cases are the excep-
0or none the less.
Thor me- scores OF golfers across tho
vatrr vino enter the big events when they
Know hat they have no chance or win
Ming THAT is where qualifying round
ae.ps for it weeds out all the inferior
players At the very start, a few good ones
~ the same time, and by reducing the
nuuU"r 20 thirty-two provides for excel
lent contests all the way through. 1t also
provides . sufficient number OF holes
which leaves no room for chance 10 enter.
ami, HH.t is especially important. II forces
mo winner 90 display ms calibre not only
IN mt'.u bu' also In medal play as well.
'r selfish enough TO hope that there
~ %. moo change in the system until our
e''. .,. mad another crack or two at
ne t.... otherwise I fear that the entry
rom 'h,s side would be lacking in that
&cnitl quantity and the chances OF our
Sp'H..Ug the honor reduced to mini
mum
am somewhat perplexed by the recent
s''sr 'hioh has been sent out by Robert
y. watson Of the L. s. @. A, concerning
Iafi Ian ha hpQt Inffa