Evening star., 1916-06-18

We nave 1t from the professional. am
uttering no new statement Of fact. but
simply repeating what has been writ
ten and spoken of many times-namely.
that there was time not 80 many
years ago when the good golf teachers
In hundred could be counted upon the
men were copsidered fine teachers, since
they taught after the style of their
own play exclusively. and the pupil
thought IL he played badly that it was
his own fault and not that of his in
strutcor.
Vardon the Great Example.
Now it is very different. Failure to
bring results means a rapid change OF
heart toward the professional, for the
reasons have hinted at in the former
paragraphs. There is a greater knowl-
edge of play shown by many fine golf
ers and a belief that there are but
two or three kinds of STYLES upon
which to mold. Only the other day !
the market, and at the end of each
short chapter was the line, Whatever
Is natural and Harry Vardon." 1t was
for the most part very striking and
professional has some such thought In
mind he is bound to be star teacher.
| fear that l have wandered bit
away from my text, which was the
change which has come over the golf
instruction and the golf instructors. A
few years ago when a committee got
together and talked over the matter OF
hiring new. professional the real
topic of interest vas whether the man
In question was good greenkeeper or
was handy about the course, attending
to his duties with little trouble. But
since that time hundreds and thou
sands of women have begun to play
the game. little children have been
come much more of personal friend
than in bygone days. Now the subject
of teaching ability and personality has
caused the final decisions.
1t is not to be expected that the in
f1uence of such people would be lost on
the professional. nor that he could fail
to see the path which he must tread III
he would make himself more and more
va1ua BILE. AS a result the professional
who was wise took more interest in his
pupils. and today within a hundred
miles radius of New York city are at
least a half hundred pros who are be
loved by the members
Kindly Pros Beloved.
It is needless to mention names; still
what golfer is there who does not feel
more In love with the game after gazing
into the kindly face Of George Strath
who listens with such evident concern
to the golfers tales of woe or happiness
or sees Jack Mackie out by the orchard
at Dunwoodie, or Jack Hobens down by
the big tree at the first hole at Engle-
wood getting the kinks out Of drive
of some club member. Patience Is writ.
ten all over the efforts OF Hohens. and
when the ball flies straight and true
what golfer can help but feel the power
Of the man. We might go on and give
many other instances Of similar import
all Of which would tend to show that
a In, hA nd
both OF the professional and the member
From time to time we hear from a
golfer that he did not have success with
such and such professional because tbs
which was that of the professional Thi,
in some cases IL bad fault, not tc
take into sufficient account the physical
attainments Of the golfer but it is no,
new at the game. and. what is more i'm
portant, the professional has game
which is founded upon reasonably cor.
rect style. No man should ever force
upon another a style which his owr
physical parts makes good for him
II you stand near the first tee at soms
, open championship meeting you will sec
a hundred different styles Of driving al
made so by. personal or physical
Of all these players with the varied
swings would have been taught to swing
| as did their teachers: but today finds
most or the professionals suiting the
height and weight and seeming strength
and aptness and keenness to the parti.
cular style which these attributes would
warrant
You cannot come as near to Warden ir
execution by trying to copy his style
when 1t is laborious act to do SO, al
by adopting to your own peeuliaritiei
; g style which approaches his. And The
fact that the professionals Of the coun.
try as never before realize this Fac
90 MI COZ t,Zt
past Ave years their teaching ability and
prowess has increased 100 per cent.