The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-01-12
YANKEE YOUTHS
TAKING TO Golf
Ward Says Yankees Will Soon
Produce Greatest Stars.
PLAYERS ARE IMPROVING

Within the Next Ten Years Americans
Should OutcIass the WorId-MentaI
Strain Is Most Severe In Final Round
of Championship Play.
That the United States will soon pro-
duce the greatest golfers in the world
is the opinion of John Ward, old time
Giant shortstOp and an expert now
with the driver and niblick. This pre-
diction is based on the vastly improved
form of American players, which to
Ward was the feature of the 1916 golf
season. If this improvement in play
ing form continues few years longer.
says the veteran, American golfers as
class should at least be the equal if
not the superior of the English and
Scotch players
Il have competed in many tourna-
ments last season and watched a mum.
Der of Others" declared the champion
of the Garden City On. W club. What
surprised me most was the improved
playing style Of the majority of golfers.
1t was only a short time ago that only
about one golfer in ten played in cor
rect form. The others would simply
club their way around without regard
for golfing style. This season would
say that seven out Of ten knew the
proper way to play their clubs. Those
that generally showed the best form
were young fellows.
'These boys have been imbued with
the idea of starting the game right
They have received lessons from COM
petent professionals, with the result
that their progress has been exception
ally fast. It is certainty that many
additional youths will be attracted to
the game, and all, being anxious to
forge ahead quickly, will learn at the
beginning to handle their clubs
''This will mean that most of the
present stars who helped to make the
sport SO popular will be compelled to
stand aside. With the proper instruc-
ton of our young players l should say
that within ten years our golfers will
be the best in the world
cat the national amateur tourna-
ment at Merton some time ago Bobby
Jones, the fOurteen-year-old Atlanta
lad, gave an illustration of how young
and able some of our youthful golfers
can be. l understand there are sew
eral other boys in Atlanta who will
soon cause considerable comment, and
it is reasonable to expect other sec
tons Of the country will produce re-
markable boy golfers
According to the old baseball star,
golf now is just beginning to enjoy
real popularity and there is no telling
to what lengths the present rush for
the links will go. Ward believes golf
is the best form of moderate exercise;
yet he says that the final round for q
national championship is the most Sc
we're strain one will encounter in any
sport The veteran declares that an
ordinary round of golf is good aver
age exercise, not nearly SO much of a
strain as a baseball game. Recalling
his championship days with the Giants
|. Ward relates his own experience or
the diamond as a means of contrast
with golf to test the players physical
strength.
Golf" says Ward, lis not SO much
Of strain on the player, except, of
course, in a big title match. Baseball
is different. Every one in the big
leagues plays the worth of ten games
in every morning practice during the
early months of the season. Often |
would only get few chances, yet |
would be so tired from the nervous
and mental strain that would hardly
be able to stand up at the finish of the
game. This mental and nervous strain
I have found to be greatest in a hard
championship golf match.
''Then it is terrific. But golf can be
played by almost everybody, young
or old, without much physical exer-
ton, and that is probably the main
reason why the game is growing so
pODular''