The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-27
NOT YELLOW SIGN
Poor Putting No Indication of
a Lack of Nerve.
Evans Attributes His Final Sue.
cess to Perseverance.
BY CHARLES ("CHICK'') EVANS.
National Open and Amateur Golf
Champion


Champion.
1 think the reason 1 was asked to
write this little series of articles on
how l won two national golf cham
pionsnips in one year was that the
public was greatly surprised at the
fact thai after taking so many years
to win a national at all, [ should
gather up both of he national titles
within q few months time.
In my other two articles 1 have
stated why 1 thought this happened
so and this little writing is merely
sort of ecapitulation, giving a need
ed emphasis to certain facts. 1 think
the chief lesson to be learned from
my experience is the value of perse-
verance.
In the championships this year no
golfer l was playing against went
crazy al the particular time of our
match. 1t is true chat Jack Hutch
inson made a 6S finish at Minneap-
oils, but that was like betting me on
the bye holes, for it followed poor
rounds. Freakishness of play, how
ever, does not as a rule show itself
| in a full 72-hole contest, for over
that route steady scoring beats freak
| ishness almost invariably.
Counts in Match Play.
It is in match play that sort of a
golfer gets in his deadliest work.
When MacFarlane beat me in the Brit
ish amateur in 1914 he played golf
that could only be dreamed about and
then in the afternoon he was himself
beaten by poor golf. Said my caddie:
'-Oh, Mr.. Evans, that was cruel!
Your score this morning would have
beaten his afternoon round Z up"
L have only played Jerry Travers in
one big event and that was at Chicago
in 1912. By comparison 1 had beat
en- him for every Is holes of match
play during the week and then Sat-
ur,lay afternoon he beat me in a fine
display of unusual golf.
These are but two of many illustra-
tions, but they serve to show why l
of critics. that most of my national
failures could be attributed among
other things to freak rounds bristling
with long puts.
Much Tough Luck.
I wonder how many good golfers
have had a brilliant golf career turn
ed aside by only a few of these dis
couragements that faced me yearly.
And this question of freak rounds was
only a small part of the discourage
ments 1 encountered on my way to
national golf honorS.
Fortunately for me, neither of the
courses on which the national events
weer played this year was favorable
to freak scores. Particularly was this
true of Merton, where one had to earn
every score he got. I have always
been willing to earn my scores and 1
like to have the other fellow earn his,
too. OF course. my increased expert
ence was of great value, and I think
if one of those freak rounds had start
ed this year, 1 should have been able
to stop it by little extra effort.
Improves His Putting.
Another great factor in my success
this year was my judgment of clubs
the result of years of experimental
in addition to other good fortune
stands out the fact that 1 putted
better.
Critics called me yellow because
1 missed puts at critical times; they
always seemed oblivious of the fact
that 1 just as frequently missed them
at uncritical times. 1t was a habit l
had acquired. or had by nature. No
critic can tell me now that it is a
question of nerves whether one misses
short putt or not. The very idea is
absurd; it is merely a question of
whether you know how or not The
nerve test comes when you put your
second shot inside the other fellow s.
AS 1 take it. my success this year
was the result of a combination of
things to my liking, meaning courses,
pairings, draw and weather The
chief lesson to be learned. I repeat is
perseverance in the face of difficulties
Having put my hand to the pillow, I
kept on to the end of the furrow