The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-02
ny JOHN q. An


number Of readers may be mystifed
at this rather strange query, which as
sured,y must be preceded by examples
II a reasonable explanation 10 to be
given. 1t 10 easy to find samples to show
clearly Just what 10 meant.
Perhaps the best explanation Of the
past year is furnished by Gilbert Mich
oils. In the Shawnee open tournament,
which came a little while before the
national open championship, h brill
liant Englishman literally smothered the
course with accuracy and extraordinary
scoring ability. In the practice rounds
previous to the open. Nichols kept up
his speed. In the preliminary rounds Of
the national he led the field with l47.
His last W rounds In the championship
proper showed also the same figure, l+7 /.
a combination OF the two would rave
given him the title by three strokes
But in the preliminary round Nichols
vas playing too good" golf he was
getting too much Of the good golf out Of
his system. n when the searching
test came he vas just enough stale to
make good scoring a matter of sincere
effort. The extra effort required which
was not necessary I Shawnee or in his
preliminary rounds at Baltusrol was
what made his score mount. There were
hundreds OF II old you Sos when
Nichols handed in a card for the first
thirty-six holes at Baltusrol, which left
him we'll down the list and practically
out Of the running for the championship.
The professionals agreed pretty much,
II not unanimously. that he had played
toe good golf beforehand. Could Nichols
then have SO regulated his play. to some
extent at least. that he would not have
had such bad rounds when he did? It's
a bit Of a question. but l think It can
be answered when We have taken other
examples OF this too good" golf.
A few years ago at Muirfeld l re-
member following Tom Ball for the last
twelve holes in the qualifying play Of the
British open championship. He was go
ing great u playing champion" as
the spectators said and qualified first
because Of this one brilliant round OF
IS. II was a wicked day for golf. the
wind coming In short. strong. ntful
gusts: nothing was favorable for low
scoring but Balls will n heart were
stronger and his play nawless. Dun
cans score was a 70 and there were not
many scores under so.
oNe would naturalIy suppose maj IN a
case OF THIS KIND ban would nave oeeh
mace q tavorite Tor a low score money
pri.e IN the championship especiahs as
he had played well In two previous pro-
fessional tournaments. The spectators
who had followed the round. a goodly
number. told over again every shot and
spoke par..uIariy Oh y ueeu,' pr
clsion III putting Whtch 'ney sa'a ~ouiu
wIn Nv eIown y hin W ." .SNn
80 nu ~. 49,. SrnIs
Il Iii .arrn i,,ps ~ ais
o,.di, N. niay ~ rLxd m. ODDS spains,
h;s u,inn,rs ~, very ,,gh, from 10 "a
"n '"I ~, =. ~
80 @ 49, ~, n,.ra r,rh,
npnu az ia no, ,- 70 ,or,insr, no.
p w ny III "sN
Iohr c@h.m ,b. u,us, r,ou. ama..ur
,So ~, daa,n ON ,hs ha,tlsaeld hu, a
az. - 1870 80 ,nsn whom there was
hardiv q hs,tsr he,ov.d man or more
hr,,iisp, medaI niaver in the history
Of ,he zane. usually tur,ed in a .,rik.
,no,y br,Ilian, round in th- practice pre
iin,narv 70 ths ch,mnionship he wor
the medal play trophy, held Jus, before
the matches wsre started. on more thar
,ns occasion hu, he generally failed tc
ref through the semi-final round. il
may he that his too good" golf cam,
on, ~ him too "a rly in the game.
I, may he. perhaps. that the play o.
Harry Vardon and Edward Ray tw,
Years ago suffered in this way. They haC
heen breakine records. playins day ate
DAY travellins much and neither golfe.
in his last round al BrooklIne could d,
better than would be expected OF a han
dlcap three golfer at least one In thre.
times, Their good golf was not In then
With them also much conscious effor
had 20 no made on the playor and fail
ura came 10 them as Il does to almos
eyerv rolfer in such A plight.
In the same tournament I recall tina
, George O.. Simpson. who had tied a
, Chicago two years before for the title
went over the Brookline course In prac
tice in "a. "a. n. In the cha mpionshil
: proper I think he was 81 for the hrs
, round. I remember the incident witt
peculiar interest, for a caddy who
hsd frequently met at Brae Burn ha,
, asked me h get him a man with
chance 10 finish in the money, and whel
I told him Of what Simpson had don
in former wears he gladly wen. roun
determines 10 give his very best ser
Via After his man had made thes
nne scores in practice the caddy wen
and bet ali the money which ne counte
upon making that week on the chance
of Simpson finishing among the frst ten
his face when I saw him going to IN
> home hole On that 80 round was a stud
for a futuris artist. Simpson had ha,
his day too soon.
49,.