The Washington times., 1916-07-02

NOBODY has ever calculated quite now
MANY ways there are of engaging In
rivalry on the links. Certainly the va
riety is larger than In connection with
any other game, for while match and
medal play are the bases on which all
forms OF competition are established.
each has 80 many offshoots that the
person who likes frequent change OF
program and procedure land often the
holiday maker 10 In that mood finds
golf particularly accommodating.
think l have dabbled more or less
In every species of competition. from
the simple round in which one endeav-
ors to win more holes than the oppon-
ont. ar do the best score of the day. to
the more complicated forms or rivalry
which imaginative souls have evolved.
Only the other day / was introduced 10
new kind OF contest when, being called
upon to meet two beginners. II was sug-
gested that they should count their best
score at cnch hole while l should dou-
BILE my score. whatever l took.
That is to say. II one OF them did a
and the other an s at a hole. they reck-
ed as an S. 80 that lost the hole. II
was quite interesting, particularly where
AS happened several times during the
round-i found myself confronted by Q
mean a win and the missing or which
would result in a loss. Whenever theii
score was or 7 or 3. there could be
no such thing as a halved hole: the
doubling of my figures meant that had
to do either better or worse.
Naturally, the scheme Is only woru
considering when a good golfer anC
two real buffers constitute the company
II Is Just an instance Of the possibilit.
Of obtaining an enjoyable game ever
xyho,, tho uraa a diana ri y lima In ~ Il
exists between the sides. Personally,
enjoyed this match very much. There
Is no other pastime In which a cham
pion and two raw novices could find
real interest In a contest Each part,
would be simply n bore to the ether.
To Improve Players.
For the mediocre player who wants
to improve. l would certainly common,
the ordinary single as the best form O
rivalry In which to engage. What ma!
be termed the hybrid kinds OF compe
tition are amusing. but they are no
usually good training because they ar
apt to stimulate a person to attemp
things which he would never try II h
were playing the unsophisticated mattel
or medal round. Certainly Is this tru
where four-bal contests are concerned
Personally. ! have little to say agains
take part in It are four sNlirul ana ex
perienced players. because they kno,
their own powers and are not likel
to be misled by what happens. But
is not wise form of preparation 70
a man who is striving for even a mod
est degree of proficiency.
Too often each member Of the sid
depends upon tho other to play tn
steady game which will save the situa
ton In case Of attempts at brllianc
aroused a kind of artificial courage Dor
Of the knowledge that there Is a partn,
to share the responsibilities. The IN
veterate player In four-ball matches
not. I think. such good fighter as tn
golfer who engages chiefly In singles
he Is not so seif-reiiant and he is ofte
lacking In the judgment that counts 70
much In the critical period Of a single
match. The four-ball game has In
creased very much In popularity
while. so far as have been able [
Judge. It has become something of a
obsession In America. I am sure the
II Is n hindrance to individual progress
When II Is played, much the best pla
Is for the two people constituting a sid
to time where one shall go 'all out
for the brilliant while the other sha
play steadily in the hope or insurin
at least halved hole. This systei
helps to bring home the fact that whs
one attempts In n four-ball match
not necessarily what one would try |
a single.
Two-Ball FOursomes.
The oid-fnshioned two-ball fourson
Is very beautiful form OF the gam,
and II Is pity that It's vogue ha
waned. Still, In an age of hustle an
activity. ] suppose II is too much I
expect a person TO be content with ha
the number of shots that he can obtai
by playing any other kind Of contest.