The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-04
~ JOHN q.

that figure long? That seems n rather
queer question to ask. perhaps. since It
Is quite true that there are in this
try to-day probably W hundred thou
sand players who boast, but only In
secret, that they are In the handicap Is
group. But the question 10 prompted by
the belief. which has been strengthened
very much lately. that 1t Is absolutely
unnecessary for any golfer who has SUCH
a high handicap to remain there. l
know OF men who have been getting this
number OF strokes from an association
or a club for the past ten years. and
they always will get such a f1gure. l
am afraid. unless they take a little heed.
We hear about the wonderful drives
which are made by the young fellows.
OF their Elasticity of muscle. OF the great
advantage which they have over those
who have started the game when joints
were s,iff and backs could not bend with
! the essential follow through required
for a sweeping drive. n how the old
fellows look on with a sort OF hopeless
ness when they fail by a stroke or "
! to equal par at the different holes. and
see their young friends get around un-
der so more often than not. When all
sit around the fire In the cool autumn
DAYS and review the scores and the play
WI tIo past "AtA Wv 49, f
of the seniors Is that they cannot drive
and therefore annot make a score.
That the deceive themselves and are
not aware of the fact l am very confi-
dent.
The golfers who nave an IS handicap
that Is. those who will play "A par ~
hoe course In 90 or so when going well
are not as a rule what we would call
bad drivers. They cannot be very bad,
or else their score would mount with
very great rapidity In fact this lot or
players take more pains in their driving
thar in any other part OF their game
and although they may not be able 10
carry bunkers which are one hundred
and seventy yards from the tee, sun
the can get out far enough TO get away
from trouble. How then car these play
ers get their score down two OF 'hree
strokes a round?
The answer Is to be found in the pla
on the putting green ard when within
twenty yards of the green. opinion may
be to the contrary. but ! believe mat the
Is handicap men are very poor
putters. tina they are worse short APP
preachers, and that they are decidedly
inferior in this branch OF the sport. the
short game. to n average 8 or less
handicap golfer. Moreover. this is not
at all necessary. The good player take
more pains, studies the roll OF thc ground
more cautiously and above all takes pains
10 have as near as possible the same
stand when putting SO that he may lin
and size up the putt with as little chanct
for error as Is possible.
Plasticky has nothing to do with put
ting. and yet almost one-half the strokes
In a round OF 80 will more often than nc
be taken on the putting green. A cracf
golfer when he gets within twenty yards
OF the green. or say forty yards from th'
pin. tries to lay the ball dead and offer
succeeds; an IS handicap player
probably thinks only Of getting the bal
somewhere ON the green. | believe tina
II he would try hard each time TO la,
the ball dead he would improve a.
once. -,
, II ia a rare sight to see a high handi
cap golfer go down IN 2 from the eng
OF n green which has a roll and which 1
large. A few attempts which have me
with failure have 50 ~disheartened I'M
golfer that he 1907 stops trying and whei
he does succeed he Is AS much SURPRISED
as any one. Yet such a golfer Dies no
take tho same care that a good playe
feels compelled 20 exercise. The averag
Is man puts hurriedly or with NJ
minds eye Of the hole, gained throug'
n study OF the line and I feel sure tina
at least a half dozen strokes a round ar
thrown away carelessly on the green
| ana auJacelH tuTI, ant lldt " ="
effort for a week will suffice to brinI
down the handicap AZ least n strok
and possibly two.
Try II. you IA handicap golfers
and see II It In not your short game an
no your driving which is the real caus
Of your high score You can improve !
putting II you will snatch a little con
fdence and a a hour Of practice wit
the putter will get you ont OF a rut tn
sides of which grow deeper with eac
succeeding month. Patience they say !
one Of the virtues which come with se
. niority. A half hours practice at tn
short approach and the putt will max
virtues reward we'll worth the labor an
trial.
A few days ago a business man We
known in the financial world was tcllin
me thai, he believed the game Of golf ha
. developed In him a degree of patienc
which had helped him in his business rt
, ~lations. / was greatly interested, for !
q general men under Atty who have take
: the game up late in life and wish 10 su'