The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-18

~ I'LL OF ar Is hIltN.
superstitious. took the lucky bit and
proceeded to win the title which ne holds
yet In view OF the fact that the war has
stopped all competition. lie kept the
piece in his pocket during all the
matches In the championship at fk-
wanok. but In his case II il quite GER
tain that he forgot he ever had such
a bit Of money while the matches were
In progress.
Two very good friends Of mine in
sisted on wearing their raincoats and
perspiring like troopers in the final
ma'ah at Detroit because when they had
them on in the morning | had been in
the lead. And some players will not
press the button marked down" in n
hotel while a match is on. What queer
things, q superstition we do In thy
name!
These are but a few instances OF the
physical side OF superstition. When We
attack 1t on the mental side We get
INTO deep water at once. Golf being a
game which calls for such great silence
and respect 1t is only natural that we pay
extraordinary attention to the little things
which in themselves are little. but which
We make big for no sane reason. our
attention is all the time called to a
nicely OF detail in dress, in our opuo-
1919 y hiiu tNtIN IlOkt Nnltn
has come to be a part OF our golf
mental set" Where there are thou
sands or minor incidents and details
which can upset II II IL small wonder that
We become subservient to those which
seem to have the most weight while We
are accompanied by success or visited
with disaster. Some men there are who
always while putting let outside inlu-
ences obtrude especially. and these
golfers become superstitious through
past mental experiences. as opposed to
some outside seen influence. II hurts
ones game n good never comes of IL.
The superstitious habit can he broken
! know by the exercise Of a strong will
power. and the sooner the better.
what "A change has come over the bag
OF clubs which n player or his Caddy
must tote around the links when n
match is in progress nowadays. Ii was
no. so very long ago, eight years Mt the
latest, when We were told tina il was
unnecessary to carry over seven clubs
in the bag, that he who limited himself
10 this number always Jared better than
she man who stocked up with twelve or
more. This was as much due to the fact
that the men who had these large num-
bers probably could not play very well
anyhow and so filled up the bag In self
defence. having at their command clubs
selected perhaps by their professionals.
and worthy of being in the bags of the
hnesi players in the land. The good
golfers did not have a great supply
on hand because perhaps they could no,
md the clubs which suited their fancy
and more particularly because the golf
course as "A rule did not demand that
they have "A varied assortment OF inn
PIGMENTS AS is the case at present. For
the large number of clubs necessary
lame the courses. the added difficulties
being such that new and wonderfully
conceived weapons are needed Ia cir
cumvent he traps u ev.ou devices
which lie partly hid for tn. golfers
tnsnarement.
Six or seven years ago all that was
essential for "A player to carry around
IN his Kit was u driver. "A hrassie. a
cieek. "A midlrcn. "A mashle. a niblick and
a putter. The distance between the
traps and the greens was such that any
kind OF mashle would hold the ball
within twenty-five to forty yards after
II struck, which was quite sufficient. The
niblLck was rarely used for approach
work except when In long grass, There
seemed n time and place for every club.
came a change with the rapid de-
velopment in the architecture II the
links. Bunkers We're pushed right up
the face OF the putting surfaces,
ho!eS were 40 arranged that u shot OF
with regard to height n the
air would have to lie made IL success
were to he gained, and the greens were
made krener t'dn ever, Assurcdly the
ordinary mashic would never do whcn II
gave much run. Clubs such as mashle
pitchers "stopums.' and the
Vke came into existence and every gn'f.r
1t necessary to add to his list Of
seven another mashie which would do
the deadly work. that is lay the ball rs
dead as the skill of the player would
aided ny the invention OF the
club 10 help in that RESPECT.
Then there came a time when q high
must needs be made on the course
and the midiron had not the distance I'm
II. The cleek or the driving mashic.
II mat were In He bag In its place,
could not raise the ball quickly enough,
ana so a spoon had to he requisitioned
which did the work with neatness and
despatch. \ PLAYER who gets accustomed
I" "a spoon hnd has a good one generally
becomes so fond Of the club that il
would be the last one which he would
let go | know Of players who use
This club out of deep grass much after
the fashion of a mldiron. and il H.
wonderful what results can he gained.
There Were some in this evolutionary
process. however. who did not take up
a spoon and bought another brassy.
MICH they had faced back I'm order to
play the shot calling for immediate
and this made for them the ninth
club in the set. Then there were a mum
Der Of misguided pcoplc-misguided to
way of thinking-who insisted unou
getting an extra putter. 1t is all right
+" have as many puttcrs "a one wishes.
out only one should he carried round in
he course OF play. Blu for most players
putters came into being. Then there
the distance say of li5 yards. !
IL seemed n hit too far for a
leht mashie shot and not far enough
'or a m,dlron. Golfers in their desire
o get the club w>ich would do the work
'or them with the least possible eXertion
Wen to work and bought a heavy
nashie or n light m!dirou or both. and
hat made two more, or one al the very !
east. which the poor caddic had T. carry
'ound, Then the niblick began to bc
by Instruments which had the
appearance of shovels and were cnlcu-
ated to make the ball quail wren il saw
he club head descending. Usually one OF
hese bludgeons was added. The niblick
proper was sometimes used as a mashi.
approach club ana many find II an ex--
client club for that purpose. Then
'ttentimes "A player would find a club
OF mongrel like. which was neither
me nor the other hut which felt good
o the touch, That went in the bag
Without a murmur. and then nj last the
golfer felt that he had "A set of which
10 need not he ashamed, at least so far
- the clubs were concerned, Nowadays