The sun., 1919-10-05
GOLF HAS CEASED
TO Be SPORTING FAD
Has Come Into It's Own as a
Scientific Sport, Says John
G. Anderson.
NOW COMMANDS RESPECT
Skill and Strength Are Neces-
sary for Success-A Diff
ficult Game.
NOW COMMANDS RESPECT
ny JOHN @. ANDERSON.


The finals of the women's champion
ship play at Shawnee and the Lesley
Cup contests at the National Links
brought to a conclusion the chief compe-
titions In golf so far as national interest
is concerned. Spring prophecies were
amply fulfilled. The calibre OF the golf
shown by high class golfers indicated
increasing skill and science the gallery
enthusiasm was pitched In almost too
cordial n key the construction of now
links after period OF war restraint
betokened n great number of new re-
cruits, and our International relations
rounded out a wholesome year of golflng
promise.
We feel sure that the sporting public
will grant readily that golf to-day COM
mands the respect of the disciples OF
hsrdler games because of its call for
science plus at least n modicum of
strength rightly applied, and the ever
increasing momentum Of interest which
is encompasslng the followers Of all
manner of sport whenever high class
golf or golfers are mentioned.
In other words to be a golfer means to
be a contender in a real game. a condi-
ton which IL prophesed fifteen years
ago would have brought derisive smile
from the multitude and from the sport
critic in general.
1t is not altogether easy to account
for the change of opinion of the general
public. There are still few who refer
to golf clubs as mallets or bats. but they
are almost a silent minority. Probably
the attention paid to the vast sums OF
money spent to secure links. such as a
81, 900, 900 for a Lido or an Olympia
Fields, with a grand cost per year for
all golfers Of we'll over $50.000,000 tend
| to command respect.
The class of men so well known In
| financial and professional circles adds
honor to the game and serious consid-
GRAFTON before derogatory remarks are
cast its way. Golf long since ceased to
be a fad, but II is Just now coming into
its own as game. The generous pub
| licity given in late years by the press
| has aided immensely. The baseball fan
contents himself with his favorite
morning or evening newspaper. but your
golfer friend buys them all; there is no
sportsman In the world so hungry for
news of his favorite game and he seldom
misses anything pertaining to golf. The
past Yea son has found no lessening In
this form Of golf bugdom.
| There have been a score Of outstand-
ing events in 1919. but we shall attempt
to outline but a few OF that number In
this article. Briefly they are as fol-
| lows:
1. The international contests between
| the United States and Canada.
g. The rise of a new champion, David
| son Heron.
8. The retention of the stymie by the
rules OF golf committed
4. The possibility and the practicable
| ity of standardiZing the golf ball.
s. The lengthening OF courses.
g. The slump in play of the great
| triunnVirate abroad
7. The growth In the size Of prize
| moneys given to professionals.
7 New Stars Developed.
lations between the Canadian golfers
and those OF this country which were
greatly enhanced by the visit to Ham
| ilton Of the United States team and the
| visit to the States of the Canadian
seniors team. The visions of contests
patterned after the Davis Cup tennis
matches are coming all the nearer and
brighter for the very fine start made
| in this direction this last season. That
| future success ought to be with Amer
! Tea would seem to be guaranteed by the
! play OF such stars as the new champion
Davidson Heron, and so many young
! chaps whose regulations hitherto had
| been only OF a very local character until
the Pittsburg tourney.
| Surprise was written over the faces
| of most Of the United States golfers
when they read last week that the rules
of golf committee had decided to retain
| the styrnie. They admitted Il was a
! bit of luck which added a touch of I'M
! certainty to the game.
Much will undoubtedly be written from
| this time on about the standardizing Of
| golf balls, since II seems as IL that will be
a bit of real work performed by the COM
/ mittee in charge. There could be a
| "hoater' designated which would cause
almost as much expense TO some club
| courses as II livelier ball were discov-
| red, or there could be chosen a ball with
a certain diameter. say about one and
| two-thirds inches, which would mean
| that the ball would be larger than the
regular "31s" of the day.
Made in the same way and to the re-
| Quired diameter, dimensions would bring
such balls up to SO and 81 pennyweights,
| which is utterly out of the question for
| golf George Duncan's suggestion that
! the limit be placed at 20 pennyweights
may be accepted II any change is made,
but In view OF the difficulties of manu-
facture and the added burden upon man
ufacturers In the way of securing new
molds 1t seems unlikely that any change
ordered would go into effect before an
other year has elapsed.
Apropos of the question It is inter
esting to note the results Of an expert
ment conducted by one of the best golf
ers in Great Britain. He took ten heavy
golf balls and ten foaters, all made by
the same concern, and drove them for
comparison purposes. seeing to 1t that no
ball counted unless II was well struck
The longest of the foaters was side by
side with the shortest OF the heavy balls
with the difference between the longest
and shortest of Ss yards. and the aver
age difference of 20 yards, most of which
was due to the run after landing. The
results have been sent to the members OF
the committee, we hear, and may aid
them in a solution of the problem. II
such 1t is.
May standardize Links.
AS a corollary. perhaps. to standard
izing, the lengthening OF courses may be
spoken of with the championship venue
at Oakmont as a sample. There we saw
$500 yard course with premium
upon driving and long hitting. Other
clubs, Olympia Fields with their five
courses approximating $500 TO 1000
yards. as examples, give us a 1919
indication OF what the future may hold
in store for the footsore golfer.
The lapse in play or J. II. Taylor.
James Braid and Harry Vardon, ac-
cording to the former, always the
spokesman of the three, is but tempo
rary their failure in the Netos of the
World qualifying points to retrogres-
sion, but we will have to wait until
next year, when they will visit America