The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-06
Dy JOHN q.

II PROOF or the pudding 10 IN the
eating" The proof OF good teaching ID
In the play OF the pupil when the instruc.
tor IL not present.
Golf teaching has undergone vast
changes in IA hundred years. 1t would he
expected that there would be changes
in utmost everything taking into con.
sideration that stretch Of time. but since
the game Of golf has the same principle
to-day as it had In 400. the hitting Of q
bail with a club. the chances for great
changes would seem TO be remote. A
teacher Of any school, ancient or mod
ern. would he expected to show how the
bail should be hit. and that would be the
end Of 1t SO FAR as instruction went.
In the olden days when the golfing
giants such as Allan Robertson. Tom
Morris, Willie Dunn. James Ferguson
and others wen. around with their
friends or those to whom they ave les
sons they were wont to play with them.
and i was the pupil who was wont to
ask and say. How did you play
hat shot. Andrew" or. How do you
hold the club and stand when you play
Ina, low shot against the wind. and
other questions OF similar import.
To the beginners in Scotland golf was
more than a game. IL was. as the old
timer said when he rebuked the English
lady for scorning the interest OF the
crowd at -. Andrews. Not n game but
a study Of q lifetime" 80 /, was that
the !nte'es. OF the golfer who wished in
struction wat high and keen. and he
watched with diligence just how his
mentor played. how he held the club.
Row he placed his feet. how he swung
the club around his neck, and because the
utw players n in fact all copied so
genuinely after the amous players at
tnc shrine OF golf there cane to be
known tho "St. Andrews swing" and
later on other swings modelled after
various players who had gained fame.
Then II was when hero worship spread
or rather divided It's worship and there
came TO he schools Of upright, Nat and
Medium swingers in golf.
One swing In OIdcn Days.
The professionals twenty years ago
~ more dd not look upon the golf
swings as being Of s.para," c~ategorics.
nor did they Try with any degree 20
pattern the swings Of their followers
after the style which the mans or woni-
ans physique you'd seem TO demand.
WITH "a few exceptions. when a profess
sioual got Il new charge he Immediately
began 10 pattern the play OF his pupil
after his own style IL he was % fine
player he mad a good chance 10 have his
pupil improve, hut II he was q poor
PLAYER the chances were against any
such luck. Twenty years ago golfers IN
genera! knew little of the styles Of other
golfers tasl ;hosr they saw right around
them. They were eager and interested
To such AN extent that they would try
To- do AZ they saw the professional
teacher do and with fairly good success.
Then came . change.
Fifteen Years ago or so Harry Var
don made his first tour of America. ami
thou-ands II people who had become
used 10 H." styl" III play Of their rom.
professionals. When .hey saw Nardon
with thai long back sv.ug which
he had IN those days and saw and read
how he had defeated SO easily the hest
'rcu players IN this country. they i'm
mediatciv began "a take account Of
Sto,h. So far AS their own playing was
concerned. and underworld 10 model
their form after that of the master
player. Some few Were successful most
Of tn" golfers who tried failed because
thu" help which they :seded from the
professional was not forthcoming.
Then came the era of golf professional
tournaments with big fields a; the United
states open championship. the Metropolis
tan and Western and several state open
championships, and the people began to
taxi" account Of the different styles and
follow after that which Wa common 20
tho leader of the lot. Il was a poor sort
"f hero wurShip. which to this day We
have not "utgrown.
Great Game for JhcOrlcs,