The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-24
~ JOHN q.

question which las not been touched
upon In the proper manner. or so 1t
seems to me. This has to do with the
implication as set forth by NJ. l.. Crosby.
an executive committeeman OF me
U. =. q. A.. that there are many golfers
In this country who only enter tourna-
ments for the sake Of winning prizes.
that the summer hotels are visited
mainly in the hope Of securing a mas
sive trophy and that the winning OF a
third or fourth division trophy carries
with IL no genuine pride.
In q recent article entitled 1.-THE
Game for the Games Sake" Mr.. Crosby
makes the following statements: play
ers appear to enter tournaments held by
neighborins clubs and by managers "
. summer hotels more because OF the
chances to win handsome prizes thar to
test their skill on unfamiliar and per-
haps untried courses. 1t appears also
that In local club events the prize SEEK
in: habit is somewhat too conspicuous.
In many clubs there are throughout the
golf season regular week end tourna-
ments in which prizes. often costly ones,
are offered for the best gross. the best
net and the second hsst net. Every
club naturally holds a tournament Tor
the club championship and In this II Is
reasonable 10 offer a prize for the win
ner of the qualifying round. the winner
Of the championship and the runner up.
Even a consolation match play sixteen
with prizes has it's advantages in keep
ing up local interest.
But In open or invitation tournaments
what signifies a second. third. or. rs
sometimes happens. a fourth sixteen,
each with prizes for the winner and run
ner up. When he comes to think it over
how much genuine pride can Mr.. Doe
feel IN the possession Of a trophy
marked Fourth Sixteen. Runner Up
John Doe? Ii may make an attractive
mantel ornament to show his friends.
but that is all. The result Of all this
Offering and accepting material rewards
for unimportant achievements Is that the
prize winning ambition is stimulated and
encouraged and "A too noticeable num-
! Der Of players are led to feel more con-
Germ over changes In their hardicaps. re-
joicing over increases and depioring re-
ductions. than they do over the always
possible Improvement OF their game
Another rcgrettable phase OF
this playing golf for something other
than the love of the game .
When "A player Of only moderate means
is asked to Join II fourball match In
which every player plays against every
other player for half a dozen balls a
hole he IL likely to accept the challenge
in both cases because Of a false notion
that IL he refuses he will be looked upon
as a poor sport"
Mr.. Crosby is entitled Of course to his
opinion based upon what experience he
may have had. but I am supremely con-
nden, that In most OF his remarks he is
almost wholly " not totally wrong. !
base my own opinion upon my acquaint
ance with thousands Of golfers upon
both sides OF the Atlantic. upon what
many OF these golfers have said In re-
lation to their friends opinions and
upon what seems to be a sane express
sion OF the facts which are patent 10
almost every golfer who a AT any
time enjoyed the game.
To begin, the game ~ golf is founded
upon that mos, fundamental OF AL
emotions. hope. We wish, a. my good
friend Henry Leach says, to do better
with each stroke. each hole. each round
each day and month. The topping OF
a drive only gives all the more IN.
SEPARATION for the next shot the splendid
tee shot which leave one well down
the centrr of the course go yards away
gives all the more hope and wish for a
nne score at the hole. II We play poorly
al the first We can make il up at ths
second, perhaps. and II We don't we car
always keep trying until We are beaten
and then there Is sure 10 come an
other day. or week. or year, Hope Is
ever with us and It il that most human
| OF elements In the human breast which
Is famed into the deep devotion OF the
game which characterizes almost every
golfer who Yields an iron.
This feeling Of hope finds expression
in the growing excellence OF ones game
and when We are told that "a too notice.
able number OF players are led to fee
more concern over changes In theii
handicaps, rejoicing over increases and
deploring reductions, than they do over
the possible Improvement In their game"
II Is only right that a word or two
should he said in defence OF that hu
mar interest which has endeared the
game OF golf to 30 many hundreds OF
thousands Of golfers in this and other
lands. For every golfer who can he
| discovered who wishes to get higher
handicaps for the sake OF winning a
prize In some tournament Il hundred
thousand can be found who scorn this
sort OF thing.
Then we are told that there can he
no genuine pride in winning "A fourth
sixteen cup. Why not? Why ISM
there lust as much honor as in winning
n 0rst sixteen or second sixteen or third
sixteen" On n handicap basis. the mer
in the fourth sixteen are playing sup
posedly on Just as much an equality as