The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-05-23
PHYSICAL Condition In -aor

lie, me say right now that physical
condition is far more important lac
tor in golf, especially In championship
events than most people imagine III
not saying golf is 4 strenuous Ganfo-
Get me right in this. But I'm saying
IT'S 4 wearyTnS one. sport that IaNeS
ones nervous energy 20 the utmost:
though there i no doubt that soUcrS
get tired. physically. as well. There IS
havond question a tremendous strain in
going through 4 National Cham pionshlp.
And this goes double when the tourna-
ment happens 70 tax on an INTERNAL fon-
al flavor such as does this Brll'Sa
Amateur we now face.
What a golfer eats, how he drinks
and the matter OF his sleep all erecs
his game. There is no better example
Of this than occurred IN me l. D
Amateur Championship OF lSOs. 4hot
was the year when Bob Gardner "ho
went so FAR in this British event year
ago that we now. face defeated II.
Chandler Eg-ln. tormer tttleholder, In
the nnal round. Gardner was than a
Young student at Yale and his opponent
n proven veteran and former champion
was a marked favor!te when they teeo
I'D the morning Of the final round This
was so especially because Of the very
fine golf FGSaa had been playing IN the
earlier rounds. He seemed sure TO WIN
again.
But on tho previous day. as I recall
n now Egan had eaten n piece OF pie
and il had made him quite III and ne
had not fully recovered by the time he
and Gardner set OF for their battle to
determine the amateur championship.
Gardner did play fine game that day.
emerging The winner by score OF and
3, but without In anyway deTacting
from his performance. for he was ever
a splendid fighter in match play, Egan
WAS not himself during that last round.
water Not Always Good To- Drink
Drinking water at the wrong time IS
one Of tn. upSetting points or golf l
recall once whnu playing against our
former National champion, Jerry Tray
ers, in q match at Garden City during
the Amateur even in 1913. Just before
driving from IN" sixth tee | Sfr"'I"n
over to water faucet nearby and took
a retreshinS drink. Immediately after
ward my drive was topped badly. a
more experienced player who was &C
cnmpanyIag US informed me in most
snort smanlike spirit that It was not
wise 70 drink before playing shot as
Il had a temporary effect urrn the
nerves that was often OF influence in
disturbing the sight. 1t was then that
I recalled similar experiences in earl!er
rounds during school days
Sleep a Necessity
Sleep is a problem with many golfers
especially during Ehe nights previous to
important ,narnhnR One very good golf
or from I'itSlrrEh : rarely participant
cd in tourna IN sat although he averaC es
well i..,0,v an 81 during has play. one
day asked ham his reason for not IN
trrirE an even, thtt WAS hcluS held at
the resort "" w." staying. II" told me
thai once. before. some yc1rs previous.
h, had qua t.i"d In IL but that for the r.
number ~ that par % the week dur
!rr whIrh he played before being elm
in.tt,~l H.. c'olld rot Sleep at nI"ht and
that his apn-'tjt" was greatly upset. He
ADMITTED az tins wIS foolish bu was
t-,ad:d N stating that such was mis- ma
tur. ~ :. result al that one expert
rnSr he decided 10 Ahs,ndon t"urname n I
p,ty No doubt a lot uf IL would soon
n,.,.uStom him 20 viewing i in tn" same
WAY ne id q friendly Urttrh. but we
were never able to Convince him of that
fact.
Sleep Is undoubtedly the greatest trial
Of golfers h"r" always found that
an early re;irrtu"nt n',~d me splcnhldly
for q match ON the morrow Were to
stay M iut.. although | might feel in
fne feel ne following day Their" was
always a good "h:,uC,' that my sight
would not he rrr.ert Md u is 80 noes
ary to har" The eyes ''In"L To- perf"c-
ZION N -"i' purr. when Il l"unES"r
80, u'.,....d . '":,r match he day follow