Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-17

I circumstance of playing on champion
snip links will soon tone up the constI-
tuition to the proper condition, but have
| round as rule that there is too much
hustle and excitement to give one
chance OF working out means OF saliva
ton. When championship or some
| other such contest is impending the
| course is usually crowded for a week or
two prior to the beginning of the event,
and there is little opportunity of study
ing and practicing shots.
The thing to do is to attend to the
weak points in ones game before pro-
ceeding to the place of battle, and when
there to take matters easily and not play
lot. An average of less than two
rounds day is plenty. It Is often good
10 rest for morning or an afternoon, or
10 stop at, say. the 18th hole II you feel
@ @tire9 ana your partner is willing to sus-
pend operations. At any rate this is the
principle on which l have always acted
as far as possible, and II has not paid
oadly. To play too much in the week
preceding championship is more harm
ful than not playing enough.
would advise any aspirant to cham
plohship honors to do most of this prac-
ucing and experimenting in the tram
guilty of his homo course three mr. four
weeks before the tournament when he
reaches the scene OF action he will dIa-
cover That he can accomplish very little
beyond taking part in matches. A month
In advance is the time to try new clubs:
then there is a chance for strangers in
the bag to win the complete confidence
OF the player. He might have a shadow
or doubt about them IL he took TO then,
on the eve of competition. although that
step is sometimes imperative as a last
desperate remedy. In the ordinary way.
however, 1t is best to arrive on the course
IN fairly settled frame of mind
Last year 1 felt that I would have to
chanBe my driver and driving iron, so
erected the alterations some six weeks
before the championship, and was on the
best OF terms with the newcomers by the
time that the all-important occasion arose.
IN 1917 my favorite mid-lron, the pct of
the bag, turned against me some time be-
Tore the News of the World" tourna-
ment there was an inclination to per
severe until the last moment with such
an old favorite, but 1 had sufficient cal
lousness to put II TO one side and try
another. The new club, which was two
inches longer in the shaft than the old
one. soon showed its tractability and IL
assisted me very considerably to victory.
The knowledge that had gained of IL in
several weeks gave me complete conf
dence In 1t. Its work done, gave II up
for the old club. which came into action
again In the best OF tempers 1t is the
eleVenth-hour change which is dangerous.
do not believe in practicing for a very
long period on a championship link. For
one thing, the tees are not usually put
right back until day or two before the
start of the competition. so that the ideas
OF distance which have become fixed in
the mind are apt to lead to confusion.
Infinitely the worst form OF prepara-
tion for big event is a series of four
ball matches. have no objection to the
fouF-ball match as an entertaining way
OF spending day. but 1t Is very bad Tor
ones golf. Everybody Is prone TO depend
TO some extent on his partner, with the
result that nobody takes the same troubIe
with his own shots that he would do IN
single or an ordinary fouFsome. There
is something In this form OF contest that
initiates against whole-hearted coneen-
tration The player does not slaeken de-
liherately, but he fndH deal OF comfort
In the thought that II he should fail his
partner VIII probably come TO the rescue;
and as the other man holds the same
eontented view. there Is lacking that indi-
golf,
The single is the best kind Of game 10
play as a preparation for a Champion
snip, but when all the verVs that can Be
summoned Is needed for the competItlor
singles.
Copyright 1918 by the wheeler Syndicate, Inc
This Is the sixth OF a series OF articles
on golf that Mr VaFdon Is writing spe-
elally Tor the EVENING LEDGER The sew
enth article will appear next Saturday