The New York herald., 1921-11-27
Famous Scottish Courses
Still in Perfect Shape
John G. Anderson Marvels at November Condition of
Carnoustie and ST. Andrevs-Hears Andra
Kirkcaldys Opinion of American
Professional Stars.
BY JOHN G. ANDERSON.

ANDERSON.
Jock Hutchison won the open title.
Strangely enough, unaware that he
was the professional at my home club.
Kirkcaldy started in on Tom Kerrigan.
There's the lad who should have won.
Ahead of the field by three strokes. with
only to play. Then the blatherin' gal
lery following Mitchell and Ray getting
Tam of his stroke. Think OF mis- finish,
22 or 23 for the last four holes. and par
but II. IT'S pity"
About Jock Andra had little to say
other than that he played the most won
derful golf when he was forced. But a
champion gaining title through the
holing of scarcely appealed, we could
judge.
Andra Criticises Jock.
HE waved the American flag wee
bit too much" said Andra. You know
you wouldn't fancy an American who
had become a British subject Haunting
that fact continually at an American
tourney"
OF Walter Hagen. Andra had many
good things to say Hes MIGHTY near
Ee brocht me up tae his rooms and I
saw mis- trunks full O. wonderful clothes.
TAX any ye like says Walter to me.
Or all Of them. He was sincere" said
Andra. There must have been $500
worth o. clo'es / tried them all. It
shair was pity. None of the lot fitted.
Barnes" said Klrkcaldy, jumping at
once back to the championship, "is about
the best player you've got. We're more
afraid of him than any one"
st. Andrews was in perfect condition,
foo yoH l,sak yat, f1 1><iv, 20
the best turfed links in the world. Every
blade of grass was green from the stalk
to the tip. On our way around Kirk
caldy amused and interested with his
"reminiscences and golfing stories, par
ticularly of his blath<rin' shellback of a
caddy, as he called him. OF these more
anon.
EDINBURGH, Nov. IA furry we
think it Is only that's now being
kicked up in the golfing columns Of
British newspapers with respect to the
impossbilty of securing unity with re-
gard to rules and implements between
the United States and Great Britain.
Major Guy Campbell a golfer of no
mean ability. whose opportunities for in
side information are excellent, has come
out boldly for certain British rules for
British players, the same to be played
whether or no America follows in line.
He would do away with any ball except
the fioater, abolish every make of stop
short clubs. and so far as possible, re-
turn to the rules of golf as played under
score of years ago. Let America make
their own rules IL they choose Is his
argument for there is little uniformity
even to-day.
The questions which Major Campbell
has put to the golfers of Britain are
summed up as follows:
Is the game to consist of shot with
q wooden club off the tee to be followed
by high stopping shot onto the green
with some form of iron club? Is 1t to
become Just game of driving and
pitching? Is the air route to be the best
way to the hole? Arc the natural fea-
lures of link or a course between the
tee and a distance Of $50 yards and
from where a good drive finishes and
the green itself to have no influence
upon the ball? Golf did not become
great game by the "air route" 1t Is not
the game Of the driver and the long
brassie up to tlo hole Of the spoon shot
held into the wind, of the low running
cleek shot against the wind, of the cum
ming variations OF pitch and run. and
lofty iron shot over green guarding
bunker. This is the game sensible ball
will give
But let us take issue WIFI MdJOf
Campbell on one particular point. Our
experience leads to the belief that Amer
ican courses more than any others in the
world call for just the kind OF shots
which he on behalf Of the old school so
strenuously advocates. Take the Garden
City links. The first hole gives you a
high pitch over a green guarding bunker,
the second a splendid mashie pitch. the
third run up shot II your drive is cor
rectly placed and the fourth opportunity
for a spanking brassie. The runup Is
essentially the second shot on the fifth
IL the drive has been rightly placed.
while spoon shot generally into the
wind Is the second shot for the sixth.
followed by the need for two cracking
wooden shots at the seventh. So 1t goes
all the way round A dozen other
courses near New York city can be put
in the same class.
It is the inability through practice or
dsinclination to master the runup shot
which accounts for the theory that our
courses are constructed solely for the
pitch method. 1t Is a truism that British
seaside links call almost without excep-
ton for q run-up shot. But what OF st.
Andrews, most exacting in this respect,
where Jock Hutchison and Tom Kerri-
gan corral high honors with high pitch
shots? Cannot we say In rebuttal hat 1t
is choice of method and diligent practise
thereat which has made for excellence
and superiority fully as much as the
manner In which our golf links have
been constructed?
And in order to go back to the style
Of play which Major Campbell would
have us. we would be forced to spend
millions upon millions OF dollars re-
constructing the golf links dotted over
at. - Col nfn
wo have had and still do have period
ical visits from leading British Goif
architects. and they have not stood out
for a so-called run-up links.
Chance for Archftecta.