The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-21
M~EREDITHIAN GOLF.
you play a much better game now

you play a much better game now
adays,' said L%landrin's friend plain
lively. as he lifted his ball from the
green and acknowledged the fulness OF
his defeat. At the turn he had been
2 up. but Llandrif had won six holes
straight after that.
at is due to an accidental perusal
OF George Meredith said Llandriff
alphabetically, as they took a short
cut toward the clubhouse. Il used to
go around the course like an express
train. When bunkered behaved with
the exasperated violence and flourish
ing tactics of n rotary snow plough
bucking n monumental drift. After
wasting n dozen strokes In this way
one day | sat down In such n state Of
exhaustion that I fell asleep.
VISIONS OF The Egoist.' which l
had Just been rereading. commingled
themselves in extraordinary fashion
with the game Of my choice. Sir
Willoughby patterne was playing golf
on "A beautiful course laid out on the
grounds of his imposing estate. | was
playing with him. The accomplished
and detestable Sir Willoughby played
a wretched game. nj least as bad as
my own. Rut his spotless self-esteem
would not permit him to become angry
or even to recognize his miserable
showing. My own shots were SO poor
that | could not lake a natural M
malicious satisfaction in the way he
topped his ball. slic,l his drives and
dribbled his approaches.
1T was extremely startling. in the
midst of this sorry match. TO hear the
sound of silvery and ironic laughter
coming out of a patch of woods off
the ninth green. | stopped short and
questioned Sir Willoughby. but he
was unable to hear anything at Alt.
When he said as much there rang out
a particularly delicate peal of inir.h,
as If some celestial sprite had reached
the highest apex of an amusement
hat was obviously superior to the
limited enjoyment of mOrtals.
AT the next tee | pulled my drive
right into these trees. | had spent
ten minutes looking for il and had
attained a state OF perfect fury when
| the Comical aspect OF our playing sud
denly struck me. While | doubled up
| with outlaws that appeared To- CRATE
extremely upon SIR WilloughhN's sus-
capabilities the Comic spirit echoed
my enjoyment in musical notes that
floated in and out of the grove and
must have been audible 10 every one
within half a hundred yards except
my partner.
THAT WAS the turning point. l
drove "A new ball and beat Sir Will
loughby 10y five and our. AS he babe
me "A polished but frigid Good-by |
awoke. | am afraid that the people
who appeared play ny up behind me
got the impression that | had played
the nineteenth hole first
well. but | don't see how a thing
like that could improve your game.'
insisted L%ldndrlff's friend.
1T gave me the necessary detacn-
ment, "A thing | had never possessed
before" l.ltrat.n explained. Il am
able To take a bad stroke with equL-
n!mity now. When my brassy shot
lmbeds itself in the sand trap guard
ing t1le green | adopt II certain suhtlt
Indifferent mental attltude-and the
hall rolls to within a foot Of TN"
cup. ! don't know how it is with
others, but with me. TO play my best
game, II * requisite that IN addition
TO coclness. perseverance and atten-
i've exercise of my best skill should
be able TO command a kind of amused
! ~aiuofncss iuaCi.eL wi;h scOrn. ! dare
say Meredith has made me six strokes
! better than my handicap"