Evening star., 1915-06-21

Whlle golfers were getting ready to
discuss the matter more at length the
era of long driving came into view
again and today holds the fort. Ever
since the remarkable carries of Edward
Ray, and the cannon shots of Siege Gun
Gui1ford, who last year at Ekwanok
sent the ball flying and rolling a mat
ter of 250 or 800 yards or more with
unWonted frequency, and Jack Hobens
and Macdonald Smith showed tre-
mendous drives at the Metropolitan
open championship last year and the
reports Of 300-yarders by Harry Davis
were waited all the way over the west
ern plains long driving has been promi-
nent in golfers minds.
Comparing Different Drives.
long driving? On comparative basis,
of course, it often means the man in
the club who gets the longest ball,
without due regard to the actual yards
Let this man meet driver of much
greater length and at once and forever
he has lost his reputation. He must not,
therefore, be included in our list Then
comes another question as to what long
driving is. Is not the long driver the
one who gets his ball nearest the hole
with the most consistency? Any other
Judgment would be a bit fallacious un-
less there were certain well defined
limits. Moreover, how are we to decide
between the ball which runs long dis
tance and that which is all carry? 1t
is difficult, naturally, to make a set
definition. but if I were asked to state
what constituted long driving it would
be where the ball was made to fly the
furthest in the air. The advantage day
would be with the man who played a
carry" and that this fact is we'll
agreed upon by most professionals can
easily be seen.
rol watch the players who depend
upon roll following a slight hook
and you viii discover that at least
nine out of ten play for a decided loft
with as much carry as possible. The
possibilities of running out Of bounds
so much that this feature is not only
recognized but adopted by all the
thinking golfers. 1t must not be sup
posed that an abnormally high ball
which rises gradually until the final
swoop down is the most efficacious.
1t was with pertinent degree of
interest that followed a golf slugging
match recently at the Woodland Golf
Club at Auburndale. Mass. Four well
known players. whose long hitting
procIivities have been told and read
about for some years. made up the
party. Included in the list was Jesse
Guilford, who has a reputation second
just what distance he would get on
the average of say ten drives. and
taking what / found as the average l
am prepared to say that the distances
accorded to most long drivers are 20
per cent too high.
Not one of Guilfords shots nor of
those of his champions. Rodney Brown,
Paul Tewksbury and Brice Evans.
measured foot over 250 yards. count
ing roll and all, and the average carry
i,,1 rIc RIlt
this is big carry. one which would
place any golfer in a beautiful posi-
tion for his second shot on any course
in the world and make fopn1ida BILE
other shots. provided it was a con-
sistent display, which in Guilford' S
case is true. That is what makes US
regard him as such a long hitter. 1t is
consistency above all other things
which makes a reputation. 1t was
Travis and Travers' consistent work
with the putter that brought that por-
ton of their game into prominence,
and with the long drivers 1t has been
the same.
Guilford tells me that his driving
this year is not as powerful S last
Evans and Brown have always been
long hitters, but never truly consistent.
while many a golfer could be named
has given him standing in the ranks
OF long hitters quite undeserVed we
would do we'll TO remember that spas
modic bits of spectacular play do not
stand for the whole rounded out game
or for any part of 1t.
In this connection let us think OF
Francis Ouimet. No part of his game
has brought forth plaudits of the eX-
ceptional kind. 1t is praised for its
roundedoutness. it's lack of weak spots.
and for that kind of game we should
all strive. And just as we are accus-
toned to say that our score was high
because the ground was wet and soggy.
so let us be chary Of accepting any
wonderful record drives until we know
Mcnamara putted a ball four miles
two years ago. Yes, 1t was on io4.
of course