The New York herald., 1921-10-02

This is the fourth Of series Of ar
tlcles uritten ercgnsirciy for THE NEW
York HERALD by Miss Cecil Lcitch, the
trorld's greatest soomar 0oi}er.
ny CECIL LEITCH.
In order to stand the strain OF con-
slant play during the crowded golfing
season a player must be fit. II 10
maintained by some that 1t Is possible
to feel too strong. There may bo
something in this theory. as many suc-
cesses have been gained by players
when they were far below par In
health, but golf under these conditions
Is twice the strain. and as nerve is
just as important as actual play, ono
must consider ones health.
Personally I do not consider strict
training necessary. and any successes
I have achieved were the result Of
living the simple life. Before and dur
ing championship or other important
meetings plenty OF sleep and regular
hours are essential. 1t is utterly use
less for those who are anxious to do
well to imagine they can keep late
hours and be on their game the fol-
lowing day. Perhaps I am exception
ally fortunate to be a particularly
sound sleeper. I cannot remember
ever having lost q wink os sleep
through worrying over q match, and
am not satisfied with less than ten
hours.
Before playing Miss Titterton (now
Mrs. Jock Gibbs) in the semi final OF
my first championship / had fourteen
hours sleep, and felt almost ashamed
to admit the fact when my opponent
stated that four hours sleep was all
she had snatched. Some tempera-
nlents require more sleep than others,
and 1t is not necessarily a nervous
player who loses rest before an impor-
tant event. During the championship
at Newcastle, County Down, last year
l invariably had an hours sleep be-
tween matches. II only competitors
would do this instead of following
other games am sure there would be
fewer cases of the unexpected defeat
of favorites.
Women Not So Erratic.
Ladies are not nervous players as q
whole. In fact, it is said by many
critics that ladies are more likely to
play to form In Championships and
other big meetings than the stronger
sex. The marvellous recoveries that T
myself have witnessed lead me to
agree with this opinion. and the pa
thetic accounts one hears of first class
amateurs and professionals losing
sleep and appetite are still further
combinations Of this conviction.
Most players on this side" would
probably find the ladies' open cham
| pionship most tiring and trying
meeting. On the Friday and Saturday
preceding the actual championship IN
ternational matches are played Eng.
land. Ireland, Scotland and Wales arr
represented, and those who are fortu.
nate enough to gain their colors are
called upon to play member Of eacl
| others country. This means thres
hard matches for ones country before
ones own personal reputation Is al
stake. Unless a strong contingent O,
overseas competitors Is present til,
! eventual winner is almost certain Il
be an internationalist, who has to play
two rounds each of five days on a test
ing seaside links against opponent.
who are tuned up to concert pitch. 4
will be readily imagined that a player
must be In form and thoroughly n
throughout that time. AS have beer
fortunate enough to scramble through
this ordeal on three successive oc
casions, it may interest my readers tt
learn the methods Of training that
have found satisfactory.
A week before the championship II
sufficiently early to arrive at tn,
venue OF the event. but that time mus
not be spent In continual practice