The sun., 1919-11-02

Averages-Braid, 237 yards; Duncan, rs
yards; Herd, 23oh yards; Watt. 2Nh yards
There was no guesswork about these
tee shots. since pegs had been placed
at each Of the holes at various distances
and officials were on hand to catch the
spot where the drive stopped. The play
was both with and against the wind,
making the general averages as near
perfect as possible. NO doubt II ABE
Mitchell, the reigning sensation for the
moment, and Ted Ray had been in the
contest the average might have been a
few yards more. But 1t would have
been far from the elaborate and en-
bellished statements concerning the
prodiglous length supposed to be made
by the players Of to-day.
Away back In 1892 Douglas ROLAND,
playing against John Ball, with the old
gutta ball. of course, averaged 200 yards
for the thirty-six holes. that is for the
drive holes, a record which stands we'll
with any made since the rubber cored
article. In the spring of 1914 Braid,
Vardon. Taylor and Duncan. who by
the way, has flne drive of 38S yards to
his credit were asked to make test
of the two kinds OF balls. the rubber
core and the gutta, and they found that
the lively elastic article went on the
average about thirty yards further than
the solid one. This would make the
general average of the rubber core with
the average Of the best golfers in 1890
1898 somewhere about 225 yards, figures
which seem hardly in keeping with our
estimates Of to-day.
How About Driving Heref
What about the long htters of this
country as compared with those across
the water, and what are the average
drives of our crack players? Little in
the nature of comparison can be men
toned except to say that Ray was not
outdriven in 1913 by any Of the profess
SIGNALS with whom he played. although
four or five held their own on the aver
age. 1t is our opinion that golf balls
fly further in our lighter atmosphere
than they do In the British Isles. and
the ground here is much harder a longer
period of the year. Heavier balls are
used here with good results. We incline
,, to the belief that the average drives of
the leading American professionals
hover near the 245 yard mark, A few
rounds, average 255 yards.
Hagen's play at North Shore, where
he won the Metropolitan championship,
was indicative of this. We stood each
time at a distance fifty yards from the
tee and on almost every occasion, except
two, in fact, not counting the short
holes. Hagen was beyond a few yards,
confidence which brought him the title.
Mcdonald In his semi-final round with
Barnes at the Engineers course in the
p. G. A. championship was averaging
over $50 yards, but we think that the
climate makes the difference between the
two countries But there are not many
golfers in the land who can drive within
twenty-five yards of Bob Mcdonald on
the average. which would put them back
to the general average OF around 220
yards, about where the best amateurs
and professionals are, the latter few
yards better.
Conditions Favor Distance.
Courses nowadays have better fair
ways, the grass is clipped shorter, max
ing the ground harder in the summer
time. Golf clubs are equipped with all
kinds of faces, ivory. Steel pegs of all
descriptions, and so on, which, together
with lively rubber core, must make for
great length. But the tests abroad and
the real averages here do not prove the
prevalence of long hitting, which is too
! frequently mentioned. Not until We
nave test here along the same lines as
given abroad will we know with surety
just what is being done,
Little would be gained by having q
group of professionals hit number of
pdIls OH INC Tee NJ u ~
get the average the drives within the
limits of stakes should be taken at a
dozen holes In the eighteen. 30 that there
would be no decisive advantage of wind
help or hindrance, and the play being
along the lines OF a real competition
would put the players In their usual
rather than an unusual frame of mind.
all tending to produce a true average.
AS for the amateurs. there are many
gl-N.1-
ron, Gardner. Tewksbury, Dean, White
Marston, Davis. Evans, Jones and others
who would hold general average of
excellence not far, II at all. from the
average OF the professionals. Such
tests would be interesting. Perhaps
some club will go to the trouble next
season, now that a start has been made.