The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-06

side hill holes and
spots where the UNI
dulations were the
worst had been SCI
lectcd to determine =
the survival Of the JOHN q ANDERSON
fttest, and II was no wonder that the
grumbling was not confined to n few
There are several reasons why club
officials wish to make the scoring high
IN n round In which a hundred or more
of the prominent golfers participate. II
only one or two scores are under so then
those who read or hear about the results
will imagine tina the links must h.
wonderfully different In nature and Of
championship calibre. But this is gem
orally far from the truth. I PLAYED last
year on course which measured .. 40
yards. and after skinnng down the greens
until the ball could hardly refrain from
oscillating at the mere APPROACH of a
putter the holes had been put In spots
where no self-respecting putt would come
20 a stop and the lowest score was an ST.
Tricky" and sporty" were the terms
applied to IL by the members Of the club
when we spoke Of the unfairness of the
putting greens, hut you may rest as
sured that the holes were never placed
In the same positions when their weekly
tournaments we're on the programme
noticed. too. with more or less amuse-
ment, that on that particular day the
members NJ the home club were far down
the list In the summary and many failed
20 return cards al all. The holes then
had been cut with sinister purpose.
Was 1t right? Was it golf? ! do not
think So
Another reason why the holes are
thus placed is TO make the PLAYER keep
trying all the time and II bring about
a harder scheme in the playing order
@ II i.
TO get down In two or so say the men
who take in the scores But is that so?
II will not be denied that hard holes put
a premium on the most accurate sort ~
play, hut II is possible 20 get this with
out the other unpleasant features. Take
for instance the golfer who has played
up 20 the hole and lies eight feet from
the pin. suppose that the hole Is just
over a mound and failure to sink the
putt means that he will run as far over
or nearly so. Then take his opponent.
whose approach shot from an equal dis
lance has left him fifteen feet or perhaps
Just eight, but on the easy side. The
first mans play was equally ms good. yet
he has much the worst Of the result
You say. perhaps. that he should have
played to be on the safe side OF the hole.
Where are the golfers who can play
within eight feet of the pin on either side
OF the hole? And suppose. as happens
again and again. that the hole Is blind
one! What then? II might have been
that the two players tried to get on the
opposite sides to whore they landed, hut
in neither case was the shot other than
good | see an injustice. therefore. in
the placing OF the holes whore the ball
within three 10 fifteen feet on all sides
10 not as easy to hole relatively speak
ing) for one and all.
The blind hoe is n snare Nany times
but there are several Ways OF making the
hole easier. and these, followed TO some
extent by few clubs. should be adopted
by many. II the green Is undulating or
there Is a hogshack running somewhere
near the middle which would cause the
ball TO bounce to the right or the left az
ter an approach. this fact should ~ made
known 10 the player while he is at the
tee. Oftent!mes IL would make a differ
ence In the placing of the drive and the
manner of telling is simple enough. Al
the very back OF the tee should be placed
a disk. and this should he pat al the right
Of the tee II the hole is on the right OF
the putting green or on the right OF
these fluctuations II the hole is at the
left, then tire disk is shifted to cOrre-
sponl This has been done at q number Of
courses In tho metropolitan district. but
have seldom seen 1t elsewhere. be-
leve that this was done at the second
y
the topography OF that hole you will
recognize how much Of help II would be
10 the player before the start OF his
drive Putting tho hole IN unnecessarily
hard places In an open tournament Is
more of an injustice to the visitors thar
II 10 10 IN" hu'pu PLAYERS. who are IA
n!lar with the green undulatlons and
play, with no thought OF the matter, tC
the easier side of the hole. and at tbs
blind hole theirs is a real advantage.
In the cNa nplousnip7, professional anC
amateur. a broader spirit Is being mani
tested. In Great Britain the holes arr
not put In difficult places they are usu
ally found on championship days In tn,
centre of The green; last fall the hole!
AT the Country Club. with one exception
the sixth, were placed in perfectly fai'
spots. A. the amateur Championships M
fault could y" fCI;d. and these example,
ought No be Lessons n those who at pres
ent have not broadened their view.
The question OF whether the sand II
the bunkers should be rlked over eacl
morning and possibly at noon or left II
trodden state Is perennial Stancl
adherents there are on both sides AM
the matter has never been settled prob
ably because II mas never been presented
| 10 committee which had power TO ac
\ with fnaltv. Although a minor flea
ture % golf Il at times assumes unwonte'
| and harsssing proportions Three year
| ago, at Sandwich, Edward Ray lost tn
| championship because his drive to tn
lshort sixteenth was found embedded i
la brogan hoof pr!nt from which he wa
unable TO extricate his ball until he ha
WASTED several golden strokes, When h
iemerged from the trap he looked at tn
Ihoof print, grown considerably large
Toby this time, and said In my hearing
i"If I were not a good sportsman | woul
let that hole stand as II Is for some othe
| poor mortal to founder In. but | do no
| think 1t right for such large holes 10 b
J In bunkers"
In 1905 nj Engewood y J., the green
keeper and his assistants raked IN
bunkers relIg!ously at different period
during the day, both during the qualify
ing and match play rounds OF the anna
teur championship. and comment at tina
time was more against than for this pre-
Cedure. There should be. to my way
thinking, happy medium. Several Z
~ greens Keepers helpers should /
delegated to fill In the extra large hole
made by and left by careless golfe