Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-01
CHARACTER OF THE man
REVEALED ON THE LINKS
Unlimited Possibilities Present.
ed for the 'Golfologist''- THE
Player Who Can Forget What
Happened at the Hole Before
Always Has a Grip on Himself

"A really ODSerVant necrOmanCer
might make a fortune on the golf links.
At the present time there are suave
old gentlemen who will feel the bumps
on your head and give you a good
character for small amount, and it
seems that the time should now be ripe
for the appearance of the golfologist.
A careful study Of a mans peculiari-
ties on the links would surely provide
a better indication Of his character
than the scienc Of palmistry or phen-
ology. The possibilities of character
reading from golf are unlimited.
Mans attitude toward life is gen.
orally much the same as his attitude
towards golf. The contentious, ar
gumentative individual who is always
invoking the aid Of his lawyer in bus
mess is the man who insists on the
strict reading Of the letter Of the
law on golf tits he who supplies the
rules committee with some of the
worst "conundrums: And the player
who airily wishes to waive every pen
atty that either he or his opponent
may incur is possibly a person whose
standard of morals in the ordinary
way is somewhat lax. For instance, it
is easy to imagine that the people who
wilfully violate the rules would re-
main silent if the income tax collector
underestimate the amount Of their
income. In no other game does the
human factor play such an important
part. 1t is not necessary to see any Of
the leading opponents Of the game play
more than a couple Of holes to know
them for men Of indomitable persever-
ance. There is generally something
about the firm jaw Of most Of them
and the masterful way in which they
take their stance on the teeing ground
which tells the story Of men who sue
coed in anything they set their hands
to.
So it is also with most players, and
their demeanor on the golf course may
be taken as a fair indication of their
characteristics in their homes and in
their businesses. There is one we'll
known golfer who has confessed that
when he obtains a lead of a hole he
puts it away in a bank, as 1t were.
and forgets all about it. He tells
himself that he still has to fight for
the lead, and if another hole should
come his way, that, too, is paid into
his mental bank. BY this means he
saves himself from becoming unduly
elated when he gets a good lead. To
all intents and purposes, he is always
just struggling to keep his head above
water. Then, if the gods have been
good to him. he has reserve fund on
which to draw in times Of stress. 1t
may be mentioned that this player
wins many more matches than he loses.
the same practice as he does in golf.
Character Influences Play
Most other games, especially those
that are played in early youth. have
some influence on the moulding of ones
characterter; but golf is different. In
this, the general character of the play
err seems to have an important effect
away his chances in pure wantonness,
and the safe business man husbands
his advantages as he does his bank
balance The CHEEKY hail fellow we'll
met kind Of man trips around the
course as though he enjoyed every mo-
ment Of his life, and the lugubrious
soul trails after him, the picture Of
despair.
The one is a fighter who can battle
stubbornly against early disasters. but
the other is a beaten man as soon as
things begin to go wrong It is quite
possible, of course. that the golfologist
would turn out as hopeless charlatan.
But golf should be an indicator OF
character and a fascinating specula-
ton. II a man insists on you holding
a foot putt for q half-and you miss 1t
it is so comforting to reflect that in
private life he must be niggardly and
cheese pairing. In plying the family
Of such man you can forget your own
evaporation.
The importance Of the general equip
ment of a golfer in all it's details is
often overlooked, and it Is therefore
proposed to mention few things to be
remembered. Perhaps the greatest
problems are the best grip for the
hands and feet. So far as the former is
concerned, to many this is no trouble
at all. for they just rub some pitch or
wax on their grips and have no further
difficulty, BIT there are. others who
taifn05t use either Of these because it
smaakes tie hands sore, thus taking
away much Of the pleasure Of. the
game.