The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-09
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS


 If you do, you might just as we'll skip this story, as it may grate on your re- fined sensibilities as a golfist; but If you are unacquainted with the game it may shed light upon the way to dress for it.
 It was some twenty years ago that golf became an actuality to me. had read English and Scottish novels in which it was incidentally referred to as the pastime of a gentleman, but so far as to how 1t was played or with what instruments the ball was batted was wholly innocent.
 It was while living at Washington, Ga, that a young man from Atlanta came down on a house party and began to talk about the virtues of golf. He was so persuasive in his line of argu- ment, for every true golfist is a propa- gandist, it was not long before club had been organized, and having been all my life what is known as "jiner, was soon enrolled as a member. 
 His enthusiasm caused him to unwit- tfngly lead us into trouble, for he stated that local club could be easily main tained in town the size or BOD Toombs' home--I suppose as the great Toombs had managed to spend his life in it that it was big enough for any thing. Any way, he got Washingtons -four hundred" on tip toe to be ini- tiated into the mysteries of the Scottlsn game which invaded America and was literally taking the country. It was to be sure enough, up-t date organization and, of course, there were meetings among the lady members to decide upon the proper way to dress for it, and the men were not a whit be- hind them in trying to fit themselves out in the proper mode. The club was very much more punctilious on the sub ject than the big city clubs, where it is l left to ones individual taste to fit themselves out in any rig which unto them seems the best
 Take for instance, the match Wnlcn was staged here in Birmingham on Tuesday at the Country Club and at Roebuck, in which the two great Eng | fish players met two of Americas best 1 was anxious to see how they made | up" for the game, for both teams knew 1 that they would be followed by great gallery (this is what the crowds who go around the course to witness the play are called). I just wanted to reg | ister the right word at once and define golfing expression.
 | Now, I just wish you could have seen l Harry Vardon, the worlds most famous golfist, and his playing partner Ted | Ray, who has put up such remark able game in the recent matches in this country, for, judging from their outfits there is no cJstmue de rigueur for pro fessionals Q'll admit there may be such rigs for amateurs who dress the part
 but who do not play iD, as from time to time see some of them on the links who are things of beauty so far as |
 their clothes go, but drive and punt vilely.
 But back to the pair of Englishmen and the manner of their get-up. l said there was no set dress for the profes- sionals from the other side of the At
 lantic, but I failed to qualify 1t to the extent of relating that it is pad form
 for one to appear on the course with
 out a coat upon his back, for Scotch
 man or Englishman who had left off such an important artioAo of clothing would have felt much more immodest | than the average American girl at the
 seashore in a one-piece bathing suit. |
 | And so during the whole days play under the broiling September sun Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. with true British pluck and endurance, played S6 holes without shedding their coats. There
 were some coatless ones who thought that such endurance upon their part
 gave stronger evidence of their grit
 and pluck than any shots they made. I started to be polite and say that they perspired profusely, but tie term is too mild, and as preacher can positively
 affirm that they got into wha. is known in ministerial circles as a pulpit sweat" I soon lost interest in the game and followed them in the hope of sec ling them weaken and get out of their coats, but into the game they went with coats and out of it they came with
 coats. Long after forget the brilliant driving I'll remember the two sports
 who, in spite of the best old Sol could do, defied him to the last.
 Now, Charlie Hall. our own incompar'
 able diver. and his side partner, J Douglas Edgar of Atlanta, were either
 made of less stern stuff or used 1T
 my opinion better judgment. for the,
 went in coatless and cane out the same ' way, both of them looking very fresf
 and pleasing to the eye in thei, lighter
 garb Now. so far as tho game wal concerned on Tuesday, the matter O
 coats did not enter into the score, fol when the sun set the score for th' , days play had been tied, and it Wal impossible to deduct from the resuit
 as to whether playing with or withou
 coats had anything to do win 1t o iiiot. It is still an open question in ni. n.nd
 But back to the brace of Englishmcl
 l. and their clothes. For be 1t kn ,wn tha ,>1i