Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-02
EVEN THE BEST OF GOLFERS
CAN MAKE WRETCHED SHOTS
One of the Worst on Record Is Charged to
James Braid, Who Made 1t in
Title Tourney.

has been found where the golfer did
not seem to have finer touch and got
better than the ordinary results. This
was first called to my attention some
years ago when had round with Sid
ney H. Fry of Mid Surrey. On the very
first green ] noticed that he fairly ca
ressed the ball toward the hole and
that seldom was it that the ball did
not fail to stay near the hole. making
an easy two puts to the green.
! spoke to the then open champion
J. II. Taylor. my partner at the time
about this stroke of Frys, and he said:
''Of course Why he's the best billiard
player in the land. His touch is deli
cacy itself" That day Fry made a II
for the course at Mid Surrey and took
but twenty-four puts. He is not
long driver by any means. and must
always rely upon his wonderful putt
ing ard short approach work to pull
him through Within the past week
spoke to James Hepburn of the Ma
tional about Mr.. Fry. and he said:
I've played with him many times, and
unless you're on the green with two
strokes to spare you're not safe in
thinking that you've got better than
half He runs them down from all dis
tances. There is no better putter llv-
ing today.
Now. the significant part of il all. it
seems to me. is that the game of golf
does not impair in any way the game of
stroke TO one which is bit harsher is
much easier than vice versa, but with
all his play over the links Mr.. Fry has
retained his former delicate touch with
he cue. In the past month he has won
the amateur championship of Great Brit
ain at billiards. and did with COM
paratve ease. This made the fourth
time that the title has been in his pos
session The first time when he won the
event was away back in 1900. just at
the period when he began to take
big interest in golf
Never long driver. it would seem I'M
likely that q beginner at the game could
so improve in one years time that ne
would he rated at scratch. but this is
what Mr.. Fry did. and it all was due to
his marka BILE experiences when near the
hole. II fine lesson to the slug
gers when men who had been Dragging
of tier great driving powers through
the years that were gone went down 10
had to play the odd. In 1902 Mr.. Fry
was the runner-up in the amateur cham
pionship of Great Britain and three
times has he been the runner-up in the
Irish open event and twice also in the
South of Ireland championship.
His play at all times proves the
theory that good billiard players are
fine putters. koji Tamada, the well
known Japanese billiard player, goes SO
far as to say that he finds golf 10 be an
aid to the table game because it benefits
the cue eye. We need not go far to get
other examples. \. l.. Fowler of Boston.
a crack billiard player but a golfer with
AN Is handicap at present, takes off his
hat TO no one when il comes to putting
while if championships were won on the
green alone W. w. Harris of Dunwoodie,
j. L. Abbott of Brae Burn and others of
lesser note would he in the last bracket
Still, even so. if you are a good billiard
player ii is because your mind controls
well and your nerves are right. Putting
is conquered by just such traits.