The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-19

u.
The player with the discolored canvas
bag, the rusty mud caked sticks and
the repainted balls may enter the cad
dy fraternity under a handicap, but
if he spanks the pill for a birdie he
is just as near the heart of the bag
burdened boy as the member of the
foursome who has the glittering in
struments.
If you want the dope on a player
ask a caddy. The caddies know the
strength and weakness of every player
on the course. A twoSome or four
some may start off with a. little ball
| a-hele bet-just to make the game in
teresting, yer know-and the club
welding minds harbor hope and
hatred. Not so with the caddy. He
knows the outcome before the first
| hole is left behind. He knows when
player is off his game. He knows
when he is going right. He knows
what will become of that two-weeks-
| old slicing slump. or that hook that Is
| tampering with the temper of the man
| who is painfully attempting to change
his stance and rush his stroke.
In the club house there is a handi-
cap list. The caddies are not allowed
to enter the rooms but it isn't neces-
| sary. HaRdicapS are a snare and a
delusion anyway. Their flattering
| figures may arouse the nervous Curl
osity of the opponent in a. tournament
| but they mean nothing to the caddy.
A mans proud boast that 'he would-a
shot a 40 if he hadn't missed a
| couple-a short quits" glances right off
the bronzed ball chaser. He knows.
| eli knows that this man is lucky when
he turns in a 4s. He knows that the
| two unlucky puts were more than Off
set by lucky bound out of the tall on
| No. 2, a miraculous roll on No. 6, a
l poise on the edge of the trap on No. Z
and a hop-skip- and-jump over the
ditch on No. 9. This 'if' stuff doesn't
make a dent with the caddy. He is
too wise a bird for that.
The Shawnee players have their ia
vorite caddies-and the caddies have
their favorite players-but the boys
must stand in line to be chosen, for all
that. The old system of allowing
players to reserve their caddies has
out on the Highland Park course.
Charley is strict about it, too. He
keeps an eye on favoritism tactics but
sometimes the boys put it over on the
''old watch dog of the links
Now it seems that a caddy would
} rather lie all afternoon on a club
house bench than go out with a slow
player-or a woman. Rafting down
the course behind dub shots is a
caddy's idea of a rotten time. He pre-
fers to lose the fee-big as it seems in
his little corduroy pocket. But the
question is--can he get away with it ?
Not long ago a woman member OF
the club, accompanied by an admirine
friend. entered the club house yard
and picked out one of the bright eyed
veteran youngsters.
"Wash up my ball, please, I'll be
out in a minute" she instructed
st can't caddy today, I'm SICK" the
boy replied.
Later, out on the course, the woman
met the boy as they were hunting
balls in eAe tall grass.
: well" she exclaimed, looking him
over with her hands resting on her
hips, IT thought you were SICK
ST wuZ," the boy answered as he
edged away from her. But I ain't
now"
, The pair stood silent for a mo
, ment. He snickered. She laughed
He knew. She knew.
" Gee" said the lad afterward, "shs
8 must-a just made a good shot,
v With your game going right en-
h mites are forgotten on the golf links
Every caddy on the Shawnee cours,
a knows Phil Eastman. And Phil ha
been playing only since last spring
n and gumdrops from Mrs. Stawitzi
y club house supply than any other fiv,
y players at the nineteenth hole. Phi
r is the most consistent golfer in To
y peka. He has visited the Shawnee
locker room LAG times by actual coun
o in the last six months. The fans hav
d figured that he has covered 500 mile
Q on foot since he took up the game
= He has owned 3S clubs in this time