The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-13
~ JOHN q.

son, but our hearts are there' i"S
frain may not find a response In the case
Of those clubs which have planned 30
many fine tournament for the snowplrd
golfers, but to the vast majority Tor
the next I'VE months golf must be post
poned. We shall talk about goif' OF
course, perhaps with more than increas-
ing fervor AZ our ambition mounts Win
hope for the coming year. but all cnatter
will be of the unimportant personal items
which mean much to the individual out
little to the reader or listener. Any ad-
vice as to the running of OF matches OF
club tournaments and new fixtures Al
this period Of the season may as well 30
omitted, Tor they would soon DO for
gotten.
What then shall be done by those VINO
| wish to hold the attention OF gciiers IN
"A serious attempt to write something
which shall be worth a moments renec-
ton? On thinking the matter over care
fully In my own case i am leo 10 tne
conclusion prompted by not a rev letters
which I nave received from patient read
ers that a series OF articles dealing with
the architectural side OF the game, the
construction and r%eshaping OF golf
courses, the shape. length and width or
the greens and tees, the enect or golI
architecture upon the style n the play
ers with specific examples. the nature OF
soils, grass seeds and the need or COM
pliance with certain conditions. and Kim
bred subjects. would be timely. Such a
series OF articles may help the green
committeemen who have their worries
and in some cases not too much money
., ..anl nm tIA AnNalnnnanf or the
sort of links which the members con-
tinue TO demand for their money.
have nae such a series OF articles IN
mind for a long, long time. years In
fact. They will not be elaborate now,
although in the future / hope to make
impression first OF all from a players
standpoint. II has been my good for
tune to play over a number OF the finest
links in the world-of the best twenty l
do not think that I have missed two
and the excellencles and defects cannot
but impress themselves. In this connec-
ton | was profoundly impressed not long
ago, less than twenty days in fact, when
I saw at Woodcote Park Golf Club the
style OF course architecture which has
been In my own mind for dnany. many
years. There are two courses near a
other called Woodcote, but this Is the
one which Is neal Purley station, forty
NV hAi4auAtS AicAi A<pNiSoAis "'' fON t'N
course which was opened a few months
ago. | had been told that II was worth
a trip to see the links and I found II
so indeed.
There is no need OF speaking OF the
traps and bunkers. which were Of the
orthodox. difficult kind but their place.
ment and the greens not only excited my
interest but my admiration as well.
There was a different angle OF undula-
ton on every putting green. On the
course the rolls varied from the fairly
steep built up formation TO the slight al
most unseen and, II the player was not
observing. unjudged undulation. More
over. many of the greens were seventy
yards long. BY the term many /
mean hat In the round OF eighteen holes
the majority of the putting green's were
from fifty to seventy-1ve yards long
and few II any can 7 recall which were
as small as forty yards.
This at ONCE made the course Of al
exceptional sort. different far from the
=, great number OF courses. and bringing UT
the point as TO the wisdom of having
large or small green's, a subject which
has been much under discussion durins
!. the past twelvcmonth when we have hearc
so much about the value Of the putt anf
y the seeming undue. Importance with
which it has been rSrsdited. | had
: pleasing interview with the greenkeepei
ana PROFESSIONAL ana agreed with MN
. that the larGeness OF the greens had In
a troduced into the game a somewhat new
! form OF the approach putt. the very Ions
runup which could he made with a mid
iron without the necessity OF taking turf
II will he seen that there will bc needeI
n fine delicacy OF touch from "A distance
of whsrh is lacking elsewhere and ye
q which is a ine part of the game. tn
d department. in which James Braid shine!
b and which he advocates with so muci
pleasure and consistent belief.
y Then too on the short holes, whei
o there Is a distance of. say, 1875 yards ant
:. the tee Is perhaps only a hundred yard
from the start of the green. a nicely O
wrist action and feel is required for th'
~ shot from the tee. especially II, as 1
the case usually on courses abroad, Their
is a consistency and tirmness 10 the tur
% which makes a long run after landing
more often than not the usual thing.
In somewhat this same connection. toe
IA I Was agreeably impressed when tn
putting greens were of tho sevent
yards va riety that even from a dtstanc
n OF $50 yards or more ~ was necessar,
Is to calculate with precision and mus
forethought as TO where II was decree,
that the ball shoul LAM II IL woul,
10 stay near the hole. So often We STAR
= bang up 10 the green content to get O.
- or near II and feeling that We must b
1. satisfied II we arrive at any point on IN
At putting surface. But when we have
'e green of this kind. where II IL know
that the ball viii run fairly true TO rh
n hole provided that II gets the rigf
a start, then we have the player iigui!n
a. out even from "A great distance III
-, chances of his laying the ball dead. 70
Il. as never before. the opportunity is thei
ts II he will but do his part. found ths
in general the enormous green's mac
the player try to feel his shots and Ia
them dead rather than to try TO jU
make the green. Any idea in golf whit,
ID will force carefulness is a good point.
n, am prone to believe.
/ There was another V cry good featu
~ sponded 10 a nicely with my own ide'
VI on the subject. I do not know how II m
appeal to other people. but here II
=. There was a wide space given to a
" drive. traps of rourse intervening
catch a badly hit ball and also lol
y, grass II the bail were pulled or slice
~ but In the main there was a chance +
," a very wide margin. which was bound
nd please the good golfer as we'll as Il
., average player or the duffer. But aft
70, the first shot had been played and &
/. hole for the time being opened up, and
e, possibility OF lost balls minimized To
dy very appreciable extent, the tough wo
ak could be plainly seen. Practically spea
NJ. ing, for n who had pulled or sliced