Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-24
0UIMET TELLS
WHAT MAKESA
GOLF PLAYER
Former Champ Explains What
Put the Stars in the
Positions They
Occupied.
BY FRANCIS OUIMET.


What makes a golfers Who ex-
cells at the game? Why is it that
Hagen. Barnes, Vardon, Evans and
a long list of present day cham
pions and near champions stand
where they do? These and dozen
other questions are frequently
asked me and every one else, sup
pose, who ever had much good luck
at this game.
AS a matter of fact the answers
to these and like questions are not
difficult to supply. They are good
golfers--Hagen, Evans, Barnes,
Vardon and others excel at the
game-because they know golf
thoroughly, know how to play shots
and seldom make mistakes. I think
the latter is the outstanding reason.
There are thousands Of players
who hit their shots as we'll as any
of the champions, past or present,
but these same men will make a
dozen errors in a game where the
stars make about three. Vardon is
a splendid example Of the perfect
golfer. He will play round after
round of golf, always keep out OF
trouble and this when he never fails
to hit the ball squarely and with a
sting. That is what counts in golf
that is what brings players to the
top and puts them in a small but
limited class.
Misses Occasionally.
True Vardon does go off, but il
is not because of topped shot or
any of those common errors of the
game. Usually it is because of ar
iron that happens to leave him a
difficult approach to make.
A friend of mine watched Evans
play in the open at Brae Burn
He told me afterward that "Chick'
was the acme of perfection from
tee to green. Another friend Of
mine saw Walter Travis play his
last match in Florida in 1917. Travis
had been sick and was a bit wob-
bly,. My friend said that the thing
he will never forget about tina,
match was an incident on the fifth
fairway. Travis dubbed a brassie
Whereupon an old friend of this
former champion remarked. with
much sadness, II never saw Walter
do that before"
Occasionally the star golfer has ar
off day, but even then you will fine
he is hitting the ball clearly. TIC
MY way of thinking Jock Hutchin.
son,is one of the greatest golfers o.
all time. l say this because I be.
lieve he can play the most brilliant
iron shots of any man living. YET
Jock has not won one of the big
events of the year. But he is always
right up with the leaders. Why So
Simply because of his sureness with
the wood and iron. With the
mashie he is deadly, positively so
Given the latter shot to play he viii
pitch his bali close enough to thu
hole to be sure to go down in two
puts. Very often it is one.
Hagen Different Type.
Walter Hagen is somewhat a diff
ferent type of golfer. A grand sho
producer he possesses, in addition
the finest golf temperament I hav'
ever seen. Frequently he strays of
the line but a remarkable confidence
in his own ability permits him t.
meet all conditions with equal sue
cess. No matter how difficult tn
shot he may have Hagen Away
feels that he can escape unharned
Usually he RECEIVERS brilliantly. H
is probably today-and he has Ger
tainly proven 1.-THE most brillian
golfer in America and easily tn
greatest home bred we have eve
had.
Watching golf stars one will al
ways notice that they do not tol
their shots. They appreciate to-
keenly that the first essential is Il
get the ball off the ground. The,
know that the best way to do this i
to keep their heads down until afte
the ball has been hit. John McDer
mott, who was the peer of American
golfers in his day, played this par
of his game most carefully. It was
common sight to see him practicin,
with two dozen or more balls at
time.