Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-02
"A SMALL AMOUNT OF THOUGHT
WILL COME IN HANDY ON LINKS
Golfer Who Uses His Head More Often Than
His Niblick Finds Less and Less Use
for the Latter Weapon

quickly back few feet and dropped the
ball, which ran down the embankment
bit and gave him a bad hanging lie.
The result was that in his hurried shot
and who would not be hurried-he
topped the ball and again was in the
brook Then another lift. a lost stroke
and three puts and an eleven was reg
istered.
The Great Neck professional was but
which would have given him the win
with ease If he had thought out the
likelihood of failure before making his
first shot in the water The trouble OF
1t all is that these splendid shots which
we make once in a great while remain
in our minds SO much longer than the
poor ones and we think that we can
make them every time. Such is golf
and one of its secrets. which makes it
the game that it Isl But it does not
help to win championships or qualify
in the same or any event.
/ must confess to a similar bit OF
stupidity in the Massachusetts open, just
finished On the last three times when
played the ninth hole / had for
a thirty-seven going out. On every oc
casion my drive brought me to prac-
tically the same spot and for three times
l tried to reach the green with deep
face niblick when l knew that the soft
ground had spoiled the attempt on the
previous trip. That hole, possible 3.
times l played it and my VOW from now
on is to a bit more gray matter
when confronted with soft ground and
a high pitch is necessary.
Need of Careful Thought.
The play which prompted this article.
however. was none of the aforemen-
toned bits. although they have their
good lessons 1t was the play of Patrick
Doyle going to the home hole which gave
ways a need for sustained power to the
end and demand for the most careful
thought in times of golfing need.
| had followed Doyle for the last ten
holes and had seen him play with
scarcely a mistake after the tenth hole
formed of the play Of his nearest rivals,
Brady and Barnes, and knew what he
had to do to win. He played according
to schedule on every occasion, and when
the last home hole was reached he knew
that he had to make only a 5--the hole
Is A par ito win the title and purse.
If he had had to make a 4 to tie for
the title L believe he would have done
so, for he would have kept up at top
notch. The thought that he had the title
as good as won perhaps caused him to
relax in his efforts. not consciously, of
course, but with less intense effort. This
showed In his drive. He went back slow
as usual, but at the very last minute he
put his right hand ii..o the shot with
more than the customary force and a
pulled ball resulted. 1t crashed through
the trees and came to rest in a good lie
with the line to the hole cut off but with
plenty OF open space where he could play
the ball hundred yards or so up straight
and then have an easy pitch to the green
and two puts to win. A Vardon, Tay-
lor or Braid would have been able to
play that shot, know with a slice
| right onto the green, but Doyle did not
| He did the wise thing in playing out
| straight. But he did not walk forward
| far to get better idea of the distance
| to certain big maple which would loom
amateur. | am sure. would have taken
that precaution. Not so DOYLE who
banged away with a midiron and then
| found himself dead stymied by a spread
ing cluster OF branches. There were four
plays whereby the title could be won.
provided he went down in two puts on
| the green. Doyle could have PLAYED a
: low cleek shot under the branches of the
tree and reached the green. or he could
have played out to the right and had an
| approach of forty yards or less To Law
| dead to get his five or he could have
even played to the left of the tree and
I let the contour of the ground bring down
the ball to the edge of the green or he
|
| niblick shot over the center of the trees
and landed the ball on the green.
Opportunity Is Snubbed.
This was the spectacular shot which
| one would have been tempted to try.
| but which common sense would saw
should never have been attempted at
| such stage of the game. If it were
| necessary to lay the ball dead that was
the only shot to be played. but here
| were two shots after the tree problem
was solved. Doyle essayed to play
over and he took not his niblick, but a
light mashie which. when he hit the
ball, gave him too little elevation and
sent the ball crashing into the tree
branches Every one knew then that
1t was all off. that even though he did
lay the next shot within eight feet of
the hole. he would be short on his next,
and SO he was. Opportunity knocked.
but found too careless an attitude, a
too quick snap judgment, and failure
was the result. as 1t Is ninety-nine
times out of hundred. How many
times must we be told or tell ourselves
that a thought in time saves one stroke