The New York herald., 1920-01-25
Gave Miss Cecil Leitch "a
Half" and Won, 9
and 7.
MANY STARS HAD FAILED
Hilton, Taylor and Ball Among Those
Defeated by Woman
Champion
ny KERR \. PETRIE.

ny KERR \. PETRIE.
How many strokes handicap can the
good male golfer give the good female
player? The victories OF Miss Ceci
Leitch. the British woman champion
over some of the foremost stars of the
English and Scottish links. not to men
tion the decisive manner in which q
year or two ago Mrs. w. A. Gavin over
came Jerome d. Travers while enjoy
ing nine stroke handicap in a similar
series in this country, had convinced
most persons that there is not the differ
ence between the two sexes of a half.
However the whole question has beer
reopened by the recent feat of Abe
Mitchell, the outstanding British pro-
fessional of 1919 in decisively defeating
Miss Leitch in a match played on the
Sonning links in England.
Mitchell was the winner of the News
of the World tournament. but it is
doubtful if even that success brought
him anywhere near the measure Of
notoriety that he has enjoyed since his
match with the greatest linkswoman
that Great Britain probably ever turned
out Most followers Of the game had
come 10 believe that any job that could
. q
such StalwartS of the game as J. II.
Taylor. many times British open cham
pion: the late Tom Ball and Harold Fl.
Hilton, the amateur who in his time has
held both the British open and amateur
championships more than once and is
the only Englshman ever to win the
American amateur crown. need not be
attempted by any one else. And yet
where these three great players failed
that
the overwhelming and almost unbe-
licvably one sided margin of up and
7 to play over thirty-siX holes.
That Miss Letch would have been able
to catch up with Mitchell had the match
been continued thirty-six holes more. as
was the case when she engaged Hilton,
Taylor and Ball. does not seem probable.
Hilton and Taylor each lost by and 3
while in the match against Ball, played at
Blundellsands in 1910, the margin was only
! up. but never at any time was there such
a lead as that which Mitchell opened up
in the other contests Miss I.eitch al
ways seems to have held her opponents in
a firm grip and the fact that all three
games were won either on the home green
or reasonably close to it furnished what
many regarded as conclusive evidence that
with half a stroke handicap the British
woman star could hold in check any golfer
in the world.
Long Hitting Won for Mitchell.
II is interesting TO note that the chief
reason given for Mtchells Overwhelming
win is that he so far outhit Miss Leitch
from the tee as to gain a stroke on most
holes before the necessity arose for using
the putter. Coupled with this he putted
with the most uncanny accuracy. or. as
one who saw it puts il. like a man pos
sessed. Everything. we are told. within
a range of seven or eight yards went down.
not half-heartedly or with a miserable
scramble. but with a bold determine ton
that spelled boldness and courage on the
part of the player.
There was time when Jack White was
known as the king OF British professional
putters. This title appears to have passed
into the keeping of Mitchell.
In this connection IL is interesting to
recall that in the most outstanding series
OF matches held in this country. in which
the object was Identical with what it has
always been when Miss Leitch has en-
gagged in handicap contests-namely, to
find the true measure Of golf superiority
enjoyed by the sterner sex over the
weaker-a certain advantage was supposed
TO have been neld in the putting depart
ment by the giver of the allowance. Ir
driving and through the green play Mr.
Travers. of course. far outhit Mrs. Gavin
but on course such as Englewood. where
distance was insufficient TO enable the
representative Of the sterner sex TO profit
to any great extent by his longer shots
II was seen that while often Mrs. Gavin
might have to use 2 brassie TO get home
while her opponent was playing half iron
or nlashic. she nevertheless would be
measuring shots up to the green with Mr.
Travers Oh most OF the holes. All this was
admitted in advance. But. in addition 10
the better position which his half irons
and mashes might he expected to give him
for putting. Mr.. Travers was skilled in the
art of finishing out and in this branch OF
the sport stood head and shoulders above
the average player. His uncanny powers
on the green. il was thought. would enable
him 20 discount the stroke handicap that
he had TO allow at half of the holes. yet
this ~ exactly whore the scheme OF things
went wrong Mrs. Gavin putted as well
as Mr.. Travers. and. Keeping up with him
in her strokes 10 the green. won as she
pleased.
WIss Lcitcb Also Was Outputted.
Miss Leitch it seems. had to endure the
double handicap of being both outdriven
and outputted. whereas weakness on the
part of Mitchell in any one direction
would have evened the score as TO actual
playing and have left the "half'' TO balance
the physical discrepancy Taylor. Hilton.
Ball and host OF others have outdriven
Miss Leitch. but they could not output
her. Having arrived at the green on a
long hole one stroke TO the good. they still
were held to half by virtue of taking
two to hole out plus the handicap.
Mitchell, il is reported. hit so long a
ball that he appeared to be playing nothing
but mashie pitches for his second shot on
most Of the holes. whereas Miss Leitch
was hitting Justify with brassie for her
second and even then had short mashie
or n chip left on most. And as IL It were
not enough TO be so badly outplayed in
the long game she had that uncanny dis
play of putting TO contend with
Not the least Interesting fact connected
with the match Is that. while Miss Lcitch
and Abe Mitchell are tie two foremost
golfers Of the womon's and professional
ranks ia England at the present moment.
neither. no 20 the time Of driving off at
Sonnine. had eyer seen the other play a
slot. Most followers Of tho game there
fore viii be curious TO know what each
thinks Of tho other. For her part. Miss
Leitch awards tho peln to Mitchell MS
being the longest driver sh, sas ever
played against borrower. sde declares.
1t