The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-19
ASA Ern nt long swnttInr ABOUT Due

Should George Duncan and Abe Mitch
ell decide TO make their second tour or
the United States this next season, we
may look for another season Of golf
that will oven be more interesting than
tho one now coming 10 a close. Their
visit this year did a lot'towsrd improV-
ing the standard OF play over the land
because their many matches were
played before large galleries and the
golfers in these communities therefore
had an excellent opportunity to see
group Of the best players in the world
in action. Nothing helps ones game
better than to occasionally follow
match played between stars. You can
lick UP some fine pointers about golf
by dolnK this, which are bound TO aid
you.
No doubt We will go in for an orgie
Of long driving next season. The pres
ence OF Mitchell in our land this sum-
mer has done much to Impress upon all
golfers the value OF long tee shots, and
when Jesse Guilford and Bob Gardner
came together in the finals OF the ANA
tour this point was clincked for all or
US, as Guilford Is unQuestionably the
longest driver among our amateurs.
while Gardher Is not far behind. In fact
the impressive victory over Gardner
was due In no small measure 20 his
long hitting.
But 1 am not sure this desire for
great distances is going to improve our
golf Except in the hands OF few
stars, the effort Of most players to
reach unusual lengths from the toll Is
most detrimental to their games. More
shots arc wasted by pressing than by
any other raw In ono's game unless II
be looking up to quickly. and this must
be guarded against II one IL to Keep
pace with the modern topnotcher.
We overlook the fact that two very
fne golfers-Evans and Hunter-feIl
by tho wayside at ,St. Louis on wet
, course. Under such conditions the
, strong driver has tremendous advan-
tage. In fact. when Hunter went forth
to play his match which meant his
elimination he remarked that 1t was
hard day for the small players. or
course l dc not mean their opponents
would have lost TO them had this day
been like the preceding one. But am
quite sure men like Evans and Hunter
DO not show as we'll under adverse
weather conditions as do some OF our
mighty players.
II tho Result TO BE GoodP
Tho era OF long swatting which be-
gan In 1919 when Dave Hehhon bested
the amateurs at Pittsburgh. marks
nothing new In golf history. Every
decade or 30 the game Of golf goes
through the same sort OF thing. In
1894 Walter J. Travis remarked, follow
ing the winning Of the British amateur
that British golfers were suffering
from a disease known as long driving.
They were sacrificing distance for accu-
racy. II did not take them long to give
moro attention to the matter OF accu-
racy. with the result that they turned
back many American invasions.
am wondering II we arc not now in
something like a similar situat'oD or
on the verge OF entering into one In
! the past few months wherever have
played have never witnessed more tire
mendous driving on the part Of. practi-
cally all Aolfers. We are all hitting
hard no doubt OF that. This period OF
hard hitting began after the 1919 ANA
teur, but II was partially curbed year
ago when Evans. not a long driver, took
the title at the Engineer Club. OF
course, some held that the Engineers
course was not adapted to length, prov
Ing their contention by the~ failure OF
Guilford to qualify and the early eItmi-
nation OF the then holder OF the title.
Dave Heron. But there were holes
there where length was a most import
ant Item. and II is hard to see where the
course was to be called into account for
the elimination OF the long hItters.
At ST. Louis long driving was Vita
factor because OF the lay out Rut
I feel sure some would have Jared bet
ter had they restrained themselves
somewhat from certain tees. At Oak
mont length did give Heron great
advantage. but It was due TO the feet
that ne also was able 10 place his tee
shots nicely and back them up with
magnificent approaches and sterling
on the green's Those points were like
wise tho telling factors In Gui!ford's
victory at St Louis.
Those who follow the plan Of hitting
hard because Il made champions out OF
Heron and GrIlford are too frequently
overlooking tho fact that golfers OF
their type have perfect control over
their lonR drives. whereas those Of
smaller statue and less strength have
| 20 slug to keep within range OF them
from tho tees. That was what occurred
IN British golf twenty years ago, and
II 10 /liSely 70 prove one OF the chief
faults Of our game, broadly speaking.
in 1879.
L
tendency, as II Is q perfectly natural
development as tho game goes. And II
may not prove fatal to us In internR
t1onnl battleB next year because we have
men like Quilford and Gardner. extreme
ly from tho tees, yet sound in every re-
spoct, especially in the all important
matter Of accuracy. The trouble lies in
the few years following In that those
youngsters now developing may fall
into the perincious habit OF pressing.
Your Hardest Opponent IN Golf.
Did you ever measure strokes with
the hardest man TO beat in golf? He
! isn't always the champion or the OK
| champion. either. But he Is the golfer
who Is bound to come through time
{ after time, no matter whom he meets. I
! think every man who has played
! year or two OF golf will admit that the
| most difficult opponent to down Is the
| player who let's you beat yourself.
/ There Is such a player, probably a pair
Of them. in about every tournament that
! Is played In this country. He's the Eel
low who saws wood. sticks to his own
! game and isn't bit rufTled II you hap
! pen to roll 4 birdie or two in the first
nine. He simply figures on tho law OF
! average and isn't a bit upset over your
/ finest shot. He simply won't crack. and
! Il isn't long before you begin to feel the
weight Of his scheme bearing down upon
you.
/ The hardest man to beat In golf is
/ tho consistently par medal player. You
I can count on him being in at the finish