The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-15
PROFESSIONAL PLAY
INSPIRED GOLFERS
Allan Robertson, Tom Morris
and the Dunns Did Much
to Popularize Game.
BETTING WAS PREVALENT
ny JOHN @. ANDERSON.

Almost every sport Is started by anna
tours who foster its early growth into
lusty hardness. Most of the inspira-
ton for playing the games comes from
the efforts Of the professional. This
truth is particularly in evidence In the
game OF golf where flashes Of amateur
briliance are discounted by tho player
OF professional sustained excellence.
To make a 8 and then a 6 and re-
peat twice or thrice may be good four
bail golf. but 1t does not give the maker
the position in golf which comes to him
who plods along with a string OF sue
cessive As.
Tic beginner and the man who is just
beginning to wax enthusiastic over the
possibilities of securing six of the eigh-
teen holes in par figures know full well
that hole made under par has enough
OF the element of chance In 1t to pre-
clude it's being done again for some time.
When they see other amateurs, even the
best, playing after this fashion they
are slow to admit a definite progress,
preferring to put their trust In the men
like Vardon, Ray. Taylor and Braid,
who go through season after season with
grand average OF play around the "a
mark.
They secure their inspiration in see
! ing or reading about the play OF the
masters who day after day prove
that there Is a right and wrong way
of playing the game, even though the
method may BIO thoroughly individual.
Few of the crack golfers resemble each
other in style. Inspiration may there
fore run riot, for the galleryites have
always some favorite stylist from whom
to pattern.
The report has come once again that
the great quartet Of British golfers. Var
don. Braid. Taylor and Ray, will tour
America the coming season. adding the
only feature needed to make the year
OF unparalleled brilliance, and when the
confirmation of this rumor has been re-
ceived We shall endeavor to set forth
an anecdotal history of the PLAYERS who
stand at the very top OF the world
golf.
what Pros Did for Game.
Our present topic is to show how, af-
ter the game of golf had become a
favorite with all classes in Scotland and
England, 1t was the mighty play of the
professionals who brought to the game
excellence. rivalry. invention, to say
nothing OF the elements of character.
pluck. determination and Judgment
which enter into the ultimate success OF
champion.
Those golfers, comparatively few. who
saw the play OF the great feather bal
and early gutta percha experts, the re.
nowned Allan Robertson. Tom Morris
the Dunns. Willie Park and others. never
tire OF relating stories of the matches
which were the forerunners Of golfinp
events International in character and
scope. These eminent pioneers of golf
greatness were fully as competent in
their day with their more or less print
tive golfinE weapons as are the players
of note today.
With them golf was even more or n
religion than II is now. for they lived
on or at the side OF the links, thought
talked and lived golf from morn til
night. and one years end TO the other
decade after decade. The two most
famous were Robertson and "Old" Ton
Morris, so called, because he had a sor
by the same name who WAS also n cham.
pion As a team. Morris and Robertson
were well nigh unbeatable, and theii
matches against other well known play.
ers provoked more enthusiasm than ha:
! a'hSe NeeH APPARENT Wnl!e tne sums OF
money played for far surpassed in value
the purses OF the day.
Important from the standpoint tina
these champions lived in the Transition
period from the feather ball to the quits
percha and interesting because of tht
make Of the golhng weapons, IL follow,
that these men and others played a won
derful part in their influence upon tn,
players and the playing of the game es
pecially around 1850.