Evening star., 1915-11-20

1t is not wholly correct to say eha'
there has been a revival OF the oie pr
fessional matches in this country ho'
although away back in the late nine
ties there were many contests "heie
the professionals were featured ehe
motives for the matches were far dii-
ferent from those of the present nay'
writes John G. Anderson In the ne"
York Sun. It is a thoroughly heanhy
sign that we are having these strug-
giles between the best known palo gun
ers. and especially when we discover
that they are often playing Tor more
than a few dollars of their own. iha'
makes the game well worth whiie
watching, for it is human nature TO Try
harder not to lose ones own money
than to play for purse. Every eAhi-
bition match should be the best enor's
of the professionals, for oftentimes
there is much betting not known to
them, and the people depend upon se'-
ting the players best known form.
The forming of combinations such as
Gilbert Nichols and Alex Smith nave
made is a fine idea. 1t makes o.ns
combinations spring up ana .., Mo.e
matches The golfers who can WITH
stand a pair like the ones JUS. men
confidence each in the others same. !
notice that Hagen is being parnnereui
by both Tom Mcnamara ana Mlchaei
Brady, and. no doubt, these PLAYERS aie
trying to find out whether tney piaS
their best game most consistently -~hen
matched up thus doubt not that wren
the southern season comes rouno there
will be many pairs who Will chaliense
and rechallenge each other ana HiaHe
rare sport for the lucky indiViooais
,y,< r,1o
1t is a rare occurrence where cou
pie of professionals in four-paii
match will accept or be expected 10 get
any odds in an eighteen-hole rounu,
and yet the wise players kno" .nat an ,n
the long run the pair which mas the
strongest couple will outlast all chance
of exceptional rounds by the opponents
and win the majority of the matches.
This was proved last year when tne
Hagen combination won
match after match in their contests In
the south, for each was at the top OF
his game or near 1t, and they proved
just a hole or two stronger even on
courses which were new. 1t was class
which told. So, now 1t behooves all the
good players to team up and with the
strongest partners they can find IN an
ticipation of a busy season.
Charge Outsiders Fee.
I have wondered oftentimes why 1t is
that we do not adopt the system In
vogue across the water and have few
professional matches where there Is
small fee, say quarter or half dol
lar charged those who are not members
of the club. There has never been the
slightest objection to this scheme
a6road t,s SO far !. od knsM and gof
among all classes and arouse greater
degree of interest in the sport. There Is
NO doubt that the number OF profess
sional matches would be trebled. and
on some day every week the golfers
would enjoy their play all the more. 1t
may be doubted, but believe that there
are mighty few golfers who do not like
to see a good match played either by
good amateurs or by professionals. es-
pecially If there are in the group some
well known golfers. The best ms thod
of handling the play is to have a cer-
sum would not exceed SIS, and $25 to
/, be divided among the losers. This sum
could be raised If a half-dollar admis
sion Were charged. for 1t is quite sure
that If champion or a rear champion
Were on hand and matched up with the
local professional he would draw
!: couple of hundred people.
1t may not be known. but in the last
few professional matches which have
been held around the metropolitan dis
trict mewhat after this manner tn re
have been hur dreds of spectators, and
in the amateur eessional match held
La couple of weeks ago in Belmont.
Mass. there Were almost 1000 people
nresent to see the money presented to
the prize winners II deemed best an
amateur might come from the visiting
players club and play with his .'pro"
arainst another amateur partnered by
the home professional and the prize
money could he much smaller, as there
need be no prize for the amateur at all
H4 <Iao hair ~
sional. upon whom the brunt of the
work would fall.
Couldn't object to Tax.
In New England this past season there
have been three amateur professional
events which have come under this sys-
ter. so far as it concerns medal play.
There also have been exhibitions where
the same have been partnered and the
interest has been well worth a repeti-
tion of the style Of play. There 'wo ould
be TO real reason why the members of
the club should not pay If they follow
round and watch the professionals in
the exhibition. and most assuredly those
who come out and are non-members.
perhaps are not members. of any club,
would not object to a small tax.
I speak Of this manner of doing
things because 1t has always proved
successful where tried. When Harry
Vardon made his first appearance at
several of the New England links the
charge for seeing him play was 81, and
his price of $500 was alwayb easily
obtained. 1t was not a difficult matter
to bar the people who did not pay. for
the course is private property.
am of the opinion that next season
will see wonderful session of first
class professional contests. We can
have many more of these delightful
affairs If we will but try out this
scheme beginning the price at a rea-
sonable figure. What we want is both
quality and quantity, and it is only by
some such method that clubs in gen.
eral can afford to pay the piper.
Playing for Charity.
Speaking of professional contests
brings to light the fact that recently
a number Of the big pros abroad have
been taking part in the charity and
soldier relief fund matches which have
been held in England Harry vardon
and A. Mcdonald, playing at the Boil
ton Club against T. G. Renouf and H.
B. Simpson, won after a fine battle by
2 up. The particularly brilliant bit of
work was done by Vardon on the home
ward journey when he made a 81. His
round total was 68, the bogey of the
course standing at rs. Evidently the |
master still has his old power with |
him. In a four-ball match at the Anson |
course Vardon made 73 in the morn |
match was watched by over 1900 per- |
sons. and a goodly sum was received |
from the entrance fees and the balls |
which were auctioned Off at the con-