The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-05
~DELIBERATION ON LINKS
USUALLY is PROFITLESS
Its Main Result Is to Hold Up Other Golfers Rather
Than to Increase the Skill of the Slow Movers
or to Decrease Their Scores.

"a v " minutes, WHICH 10 tnem
would seem long enough.
-Wykagyl is not the only course thus
affected. for almost every links has
some such problem. To make the
players drive OF from the tee In tours
Is an excellent thing and should be
followed. for experience has proved
this to be enicaclous but I would plead
Tor n faster game. especially on the
short holes. Not only would the play
OF hundreds Of golfers be helped but
the temperament and perhaps the di-
gestion Of as many aided as well.
Finally, II might be well to remind
the brethren weak In this respect that
the time Is now ut hand when the
dawdlers Of the links. especially In
match plny. will cause free and adverse
criticism, but In medal play rounds
the remedy is still nearer and will be
most efficacious, I think. II IL to start
off those who are spotted for being the
"toilers " last. Then no one Is hurt.
ana if the qualifying oun In at thir-
ty-six holes In one day this system
ought to help nightly In changing
these habits. II never pays TO try and
'hatch' your shots. not even the putt.
wonder how many-perhaps !
should say. IL any-of the hundreds
'''' VI tnpIsI1uS OF RClTerS In
inc United states CAV ever a passing
glance or thought to the brief item
which appeared no. long ago telling of
the death OF Bob Ferguson. three times
the open champion of Great Britain
and former idol Of Musseiburgh. For
years he had been one OF the few bonds
which bound the oldtime golf which
was NO masterfuliy displayed by the
Morrises. the Dunns. the Strains and
tha p 60 NlA
when Nardon. Taylor and Braid are
household words denoting class In golf.
In the years lSs0-i-2 Ferguson won
the title with comparative ease, and
then In his effort TO win the fourth
straight. as did young Ton Morris, he
lost only In the playoff after a tie
with Willie Fernie. The last round IL
worthy OF note. for II was played I'm
November. and the last few holes were
nished by matches. Ferguson on the
last hole led Fernie "A stroke. but the
latter holed out for "A 9 with his mashie
and SO tied for the title which he later
won.
The passing OF the once great golfer.
who In latter years made only a bare
living by his services M caddy or re-
pairing clubs, revived the old question
as to whether the game has improved
~ oNNi ilaN VI nue. Years.
Not OF course In the sense OF general
all round play for all. but as regards
the golfing abilities OF the Morrises,
Dunns. Parks. Allan Robertson and the
rest. compared with Harry Vardon,
James Braid and John II. Taylor. Could
these golfing giants have held their
W under present day conditions with
the present day leaders? The trend OF
the discussion has not departed far
from Tho hAltaf that tha Isl 49,.
er" had all the attributes possessed by
those OF the present day and that there
would be no difference at all In the
eScellences OF the golfing g~eniuses.
II Is to be expected that the general
OF play would be higher. for
there are so many more go!fing. In
the Did days the entries AT the open
championships numbered only twenty I
1ve or thirty. but they were the pick
or the players. Nowadays a field Of the |
same number might well be chosen 10 !
play for the title, for at least 80 or 90
per cent. have no real chance. TIT dis
parity In numbers Toes not. therefore, |
mean 30 much as would AT first appear
on the surface. Al the same time il is
quite unlikely that the accuracy now an |
parent In the play Of the worlds hes,
would have been "A strong feature OF the
In the case Of Harry Var |
'O' We 'l' a SSitTul tNttiltNCt ana we ]
are accustomed to speak OF his de-
Observation-Disclosures In the case
OF Tom Morris. Willie Park and others
are told tales of their excellences
In one particular branch OF the game, |
such az Parks great putting and driy-
Ing and the place shots OF Tom Morris.
Harold X. Hilton I'm this connection
takes the sane view that the matter
cannot be satisfactorily settled ever, but
he believes that young Tom Morris il he
had lived would have continued to win |
championships with almost unceasing
and would have vet up a
record for wins which would never hay. !
been equalled. Those golfers who were
al the recent championship at Baltusrol
cauxht a glimpse OF how olden play com |
pared with that Of the present DAY when
they followed wee Ben Savers. who was
In his prime at least twenty-five years
ago. and saw him not only qualify but,
turn in a 90 and several other scores
under 10. And yet Sayers IN his best
was below quite a few others of
his period.
the only hope. says one writer, Is for
a golfing prodigy to arise who will be !
possessed Of IA physique and ability to
n OF his competitors forty or :
hfty yards. and who at the same time
can putt with the finesse OF "A Travis mr.
IA Travers, In the matter OF iron plav
mere seems TO me to be little possibility
OF It's being improved. In this respect. !
AZ least. perfection seems close mt hand.