Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-06
GOLF GOSSIP
BY HARRY yARDoN.
(The British golf cnampion.l

When the gclI season IS al It's nelSnt
the desire to excel all ones previous
perform ances is an everyday ambition.
and many player is given to wonder
ing whether any form of special pre-
paration is advisable for match or
tournament which he wants particu-
larly to win. ! read that Charles II.
Geist Of Philadelphia has wagered
500. 900 to $1,000 that he can beat DIR.
Edward Martin of the University OF
Pennsylvania on the links: gather
that championship and other big CON-
petitions in the states are being APP
approached with greater zest than ever.
These are events in which every emit
rant has made mp his mind to omit no
precaution that may contribute to sue
cess, and 1t is worth while considering
how best one may acquire perfect
condition of fitness for an important
occasion.
Rigorous Training Unnecessary.
For a young man. ! do not think that
any form OF rigorous training. such az
be might adopt for boxing or running.
is necessary Be it remembered that
for golf we want not muscles that are
hard as whipcord and extensively de-
yeloped: we need muscles that are in
state Of what ! night call healthy
flexibility. Golf itself is as good
means as any of promoting that condf
ton: the walking and the swinging
constitute just the right kind of bodily
exercise. The man who is strong In
the sense that he can lift enor-
nous weights or fell an OK with blow
Of his mighty fist is not likely ever TO
be much of golfer; his muscles are
bound to be so large and powerful that
they would render ii impossible for
him to swing a club with that easy
flowing motion that produces accurate
timing.
For that reason am sure that dumb
bell and similar exercises which some
players practise are bad rather than
helpful in golfing connection. ! know
a sculptor who dearly wants to acquire
a moderate measure of proficiency on
the links. but who will never be able
to WELD club properly for the reason
that constant work in his studio has
developed the muscles Of his right
arm so greatly that he cannot even
manage a half swing with competent
comfort. That is ahs~example OF my
meaning.
Lioht Diet Advantageous.
To a certain extent dieting is adVan-
tageous, especially when one is getting
on in life and the system is more sus-
ceptible to nervous and physical strain
than in youth. ] confess that 10 or 20
wears ago land / could hit bali then
with absolute confidence as to where
II would finishl never bothered much
as to what ate, but in recent times |
think that very light diet-consiSt-
ing chiefly of fish, chicken, pheasant
and grape fruit, with a little white
wine as the thirst quencher-has as.
sisted me to maintain such form as !
have shown At any rate. dieted IN
this manner for some time prior to the
British open championships of 1911
and last year and managed to win on
each occasion.
Severe Test Of Nerves.
In the first instance even gave up
my pipe for a month before the con-
test: that was the greatest struggle
of all. On the whole. however, do
not know that smoking is bad for golf;
the very deliberateness of the game
and the tension which one suffers
while walking forward to execute the
next shot in a critical situation con-
stitute severe test of the nerves, and
nicotine is very soothing ] have often.
envied Ray when watching him making
his wav around the links, putting plae-
idly at his pipe, and smoked most OF
tie time that was playing during
NV last tour in the United States, ex'
cept in the championship at Brookline,
Mass. And it is an interesting conf.
mentary on this matter that ! made
more faulty shots. at Brookline than
anywhere else.
When / returned to Britain I smok-#
ed a good deal when playing golf; that
I had never done SD before was due
simply to the fact that had been I'M
able to summon the courage to start
after so many years. ! had harbored
an idea that it looked disrespectful 10
the game. 1t is really good for one
nerves, especially when they want
steadying for the delicate business OF
holing short puts, but ] do not know
that a young man has any need OF II.
When one turns 40 is the time that the
nerves begin to grow troublesome