The Washington herald., 1915-04-04

| entries. among them being William
Henry White. K. w. Burton. w. C.
Prentiss. Walter ]. Travtrs. John w.
Brawner. NJ. Beattie, and George Ran
kin. Several strong players are in the
list of survivors. but Beattie, Travers.
Rankin. and Brawner are perhaps the
strongest The winner will obtain a
handsome loving cup.
The house committee of Bannockburn
has arranged for a house warming at
the new clubhouse at Cabin John on
the evening of April II. In addition to
a formal reception there will be pro-
gram OF music and dancing All officers,
members and friends are expected to be
present to congratulate the committee
! upon having completed the furnishing
and equipment of the beautiful new home
| Of Bannockburn. ..'
About the only effect that the can
collation. Of tho British amateur cham
plonship can have upon the american
| amateur championship at Detroit in
September is that n few British goI-
fers who are too old for active service
at the front may decide to try their
luck on this side of the Atlantic. With
no title to play for at home they may
! conclude that an American crown is
worth trying for.
or the prominent British golfers who
might decide to come the best known
are Harold II. Hilton and John Ball
Both of the great Hoylake golfers have
passed the age for military service. al
! though as golfers they seem to he
about as good as ever. Both have won
the British amateur and open titles.
and both have held the amateur title
recently. John Ball was the British
amateur champion of 1912 and Hilton
held the title in 1913.
Alma Whitaker recently had some
caustic remarks about putting in the
Los Angeles Times under the heading of
To putt, or not to putt" she writes
thusly:
The mean illusive putt is under indict-
ment. Great and worthy golfers are in
the witness stand giving evidence against
| it, They regard it as an unworthy an
alien part of the most -blOoded of
games.
There are many who would abolish
! the puny. diabolicaI thing altogether.
These maintain that putting is not golf.
That putting is trivial yet utterly baf-
ling superfuity-the despicable and min
ute poisoned needle that can lay a great
man Iowa piffling, trumpery. pinnick-
tity, treacherous, unsporting addition to
an otherwise noble pastime.
There are still others who consider that
certain amount of putting is desirable.
but that the officious, self-assertive lit
tie creature should be kept in his proper
place. He should, in fact, be put down
And in order to achieve this consumma-
ton, they seriously advocate: % That
the hole should be made so big that 4,
the putt would practically putt itself, or
CD that strokes on the green should not
count more than half a stroke.
Pacific Coast Golf dWells D4nsiVely
on the subject. "A close student of the
game it says, will think that the real |
cause OF this agitation lies in the fact |
that golfers as whole have fallen so |
short in mastering the putting depart (
ment of the game" /
Which, of course, is a horrid thought |
Golfers are the best sportsmen in the |
world. They adore overcoming difficult |
ties, they take an exalted delight in loft
ing ball out of a bunker. they thrill
with nobility of purpose when they re-
cover from n bad lie behind a tree. So.
of course, they don't just dislike putting
because it's hard. Absurd idea. Their
scorn of putting is due solely to it's
childish simplicity. a babe can do it.
Nice. mild. elderly golfers can do it.
Heavens. one has seen the dubbiest of
dubby dubs hole a ffteen-foot putt So.
hang it all. 1t must be unworthy for a
dashing long driver. tail. slender, SUI
perb creature whose form is the pride
of his club. whose follow through is
the admiration of the gallery. The long
game gives a man chance. But put
ting. paltry. petty, eNacting
thing. A splitter of hairs, an irritation
to the flesh. II is like asking a famous
chef to fry an egg. He'd surely burn
1t in a temperamental excess of wounded
pride.
- But there are other souls who are
endeavoring to discover Il
simpler method of putting. The newest
and most iconoclastic suggestion Is that
one should feok at the hole, not the ball.
This from b. l.. Taylor. in Tho Golfers
Magazine.
Think of it. After five centuries of
to keep your eye on the ball.
too. He declares it is the only logical
way. 'In croquct," says this person.
age. "one keeps ones eye on the hoop.
In billiards one keeps ones eye on the
goal aimed at. In pitching nut to a
squirrel =" Il
Well, a mere female can multiply in |
stances. In sewing on button one GER
tainIy keeps ones eye on the hole. not
the needle. In driving tack one GER
tainIy keeps ones eye on the tack. not
the hammer. In threading a needle one
keeps ones eye on the eye, not
hole a much larger percentage Of puts
by his method.
OF course. vardon has declared that
are better putters than Eng
lishmen. All the same, some ships sailed
ever SO much faster than others before
engines were adopted. Maybe a greater
number Of golfers would be better put !
ters in the new way. And maybe that '
Is why large number Of women golfers
putt as well and better than the men
Correct instincts.
Try throwing q brick at a cat by keep =
Ing your eye on the brick. 1t lacks I
dneSSe. q
Perchance It might SAVIOR OF greater :
Justice II the indicated putt were given 7
another chance. There Is the possibility
that he yearns TO keep to the straight
and narrow path u only we wouldn't
persist In starting him wrong. We may
make him a decent and self-respecting |
member Of the game yet and be glad |
enough to grant him the dignity Of
hull stroke. The quality Of mercy is not
strained.
shanley Cup Date April 81.
Nss York. AIsii a-As usaai tie snnual com
skition for tie GhauIsy memorial cup will b /
- -. 7.xh ~ I'll.