The sun., 1919-05-18

bre fall In moments of stress let us be
careful about any dlsparaging remarks
concerning the courage OF any golfer
when he fails to hold what looks like
rather comfortable lead.
II has been said of George Duncan
that 1t Is nerves which have kept him
from winning the open title on more
than one occasion. Duncan In q wonder
fully brilliant golfer. and like most Of
that clan Ia a speedy player. To wait
at tee spells disaster, and Il 10 true
that the irksomenees of waiting Is shown
in his scores. which mount higher as the
round draws to a close and an easy par
four lie just as often as not a Ave-
There are many reasons advanced for
case Of golf nerves, which are seldom
II ever present. 1t has been noticed, when
the player Ia UP to his best game, but
which appear In the twinkling OF an eye
after an opponent has made a gallant
stand and recovered the early losses.
Moreover. In trying desperately to vie
with the exceptional shots which have
been the means of ones undoing the
nerves become very much unsettled and
the mental load, added to a physical
tautness, makes u very uncomfortable
golfer.
For those In this strait the advice of
James Braid, which has been followed
this:
1.-The only remedy is not to watch what
the other fellow is doing: just let him
play on in his own sweet way. All
you have to do Is to produce the figures.
Concentrate on that and nothing else
and you will probably hnd that your
nerves have disappeared"
In this very connection some pertinent
remarks have been made by IL II.
Hilton, who holds to the fact that even
the most mercurial and emotional OF tenn
ornaments should be able to command a
certain degree OF philosophical stability
and that II is in this aspect that the
present day professional Is SO much su-
perior to his brother amateur. The lat
ter plays for safety; tine former never,
even though with him II Is a source of
| livelihood.
To stem the rising tide Of disaster re-
quires, says Hilton. the cool. calm de-
| liberation of philosophical thought and
such gift is accorded to very few.
l: generally is an acquired gift which
the leading professionals have gained
through experience. The amateur who
can play well when leading loses his
form invariably when he is being col
Jared, and the amateur who can play
we'll when his opponent ia on top Is a
somewhat haphazard golfer when he has
assumed 4 comfor Bile lead.
! A Personal Instance.
! Nothing truer has been said in this
connection with nerves. and the many
! uphill amateur fights and contests
! pulled out Of the fire attest the fact
] well remember the final round OF
| Massachusetts State championship ir
/ 1911, when 7 played against George
| Rotan and led him by up at the
d Mi. L..
/ seemed no great need of trying hard OF
the last hole OF the morning play and
rplayed ostensibly for half. and OF
course lost the hole
In the afternoon the thought OF the
carelessness stayed with me and
barely managed to halve four holes or
! tho outward journey. leaving the match
/ for the title all square with nine to 60
AT that moment my caddy said to me
well. he has had his run of holes
won and now it will be your turn. Mr.
| RCtan Is too confident"
! That simple statement removed al
, one every hit Of nervousness and pro-
cccded to win i've OF the next nine holes
and the State championship.
| II was an instant realization OF the
full penalty having been paid and thu
need for renewed vigor and action.
Mr.. Hilton was present at the mornlnt
round. leaving when l had n lead OF six
saw him the next day at Apawami
and he said: You did we'll TO win ate
losing that long lead. It's so easy t,
keep on the toboggan."
Braid vs.. Ray.
TED Ray VIII hardly forget that grea
round at Walton Heath, where he le,
tho redoubtable James Braid by five u,
with five holes to play. AS bettinI
proposition II was 100 to l shot that h
would WITH before tho end OF the round
but Braid with his noted dogE ednes
won hole after hole. while the ponderou
Ray smoked fercely at his black pip
and strove in vain for a half.
| The match was squared. RIA.
eventually won. but only after clever
extra holes were played. Each goife
was great in victory and defeat.
Francis Ouimet was three down wit
three to play in the International mattel
OF the East w. the West at Detroit, an,
his opponent was none other than tn
present champion. Chick Evans Ouime
squared and then won on the first eNtr
hole. 1t was plainly case OF nerve
with Evans on th- last green, for he ha
II three foot putt 10 win and never cam
near the hole. SO on the first extra hi
putt stopped quite short. Those day
happily seem over for Evans. who's
putting nowadays is above the ordinary
| Golfers question tho greatness to be O
Bobby Jones. for they say that when h
is a few years older and thinks NOR
about his game his temperament wi
succumb to nerve attacks and his stead
ness will vanish at critical moment:
Time only will tell.
As We remarked before, there Is n
stigma attaching 10 such display, 70
even the hest OF them have them bat
Nerve, fghtirg heart, ratura! courag
and the determination to play for til
par OF the hole regardless OF the play q
the opponent. are the requisites TO
cure.