The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-07-18
70 RANIC QUINTET

III Is gen Wy understood among good
golfers that Gle surest way TO improve
your standard golf Is TO play over links
the require accuracy and skill And he
cause the British claimed their courses
were more generally OF championship
Caliber than our own they held Il In the
back OF their heads that their game
was a bit better than tho American
brand. Whether that belief st!ll pre-
walls. after tho play OF Hagen. Barnes
and Hutchinson at Sandwich this year.
! do not know Blu, II was undoubtedly
a part OF their golf heredity until this
season.
remember a year ago that George
Duncan. former British open Champion.
remarked TO me that such an American
course was 10y course" Now Dun
can meant by this that II was quite
easy for one 10 play good round upon
II, that II could not be ClaSscd as OF
championship caliber.
I presume Duncan will be somewhat
surprised this season. during his tour
OF our cities. to find Kolnng conditions
almost everywhere improving. Take
the situation here IN Boston, which |
Imagine Is but a sample OF conditions
everywhere. within an hours ride from
the center of the Hub five new courses
being laid out by experts who are doing
all IN their power 10 make them fine
tests OF tho game.
Now such courses can never Nc called
10y courses" even though they will
provo extremely difficult for the aver
nge golfer. Yet they VIII scrV" Il hnc
purpose in improving the standard of
play throughout the country. And they
will unquestionably bring cur average
course 10 a point that Will mako them
out rank those OF the British Isles. In
deed can say without fear OF contra
diction that we have in this country to-
day courses that arc far ahead Of such
famous ones as tho British champion
shin tests Mt st. Andrews. PrCstwiCk
and Sandwich.
For several years the National links
Mt Southampton. Long Island. have
been considered the best in America. al
though am ashamed TO say l have
never played there. But ! have tried
tho best across the ocean and. ASSUMING
that the National ls all that is claimed
for Il, there arc two other American
courses that have played which stand
on, In my mind as being tho very la9t
word in golf
Lido ana Pine valley
These are Lido. at Long Branch, y. j.
and Pine Valley. ut edmonton, y. j.
There Is worry little 10 choose between
them at least from that standpoint OF
trying 10 select tho better. For the
person who prefers a seaside test Lido
will satisfy tho most critical. aud for
The individual who likes one inland. pin"
Valley. know. Will fully satisfy his
wants. Both are unique courses. Lido
- supposed TO represent n copy Of the
worlds most perfect Eolting holes. Zine
Valley was tho site selected by the lat"
George Crump as the ideal one for a
rolf course II was actually hCwrd out
" forests and rocks. I'll" result Is Il
most beautiful lay out through the Jcr-
sev sandhtlls.
II was my good fortune 70 have had
the opportunity or playing each or these
classic courses this spring. l never 81"
better links or moro perfectly kept "n"$.
Each requires every sort 81 H'r"N"
known to golf and each also always
penalizcs ,he missed shot. noted cN-
cnntIon to the usual testing grounds OF
gof.
NV FIRST trip over Pine Valley IS an
event shall long remember. For four
teen holes my score showed that ! was
one above an average FOR fnurs. so tho
thoughts OF n fine round kept staring me
in the face. If Couid keep M my
pace and play tho Last four holes in
seventeen strokes l actually took TWEEN
tv-four. which gave me cigh'N-onr Tor
the round.
At Lido 4 was much III" same with
me. For n few holes | WAS going IN Nm"
shane and visions of a low round began
70 appear. But il was not long until
n wrcrkinC seven crcpt into my score.
and though I did manage To break
eighty each time. | was convinced that
there was no such thing rs an easy ho!c
on either Of these links.
Usually, our testing courses hav"
breathing spells. on" may relax now
and then and vet gain Il par without
trouble A golfer. playing we'll always
likes 10 come to such a hole. az 4 gives
him an opportunity TO let down m"m"n-
tarilv before getting strictly down -
business again. Rut relaxing - not pos
sihle at Lido or Pine Valley N"u stand
on q toe and see fairway and green with
rough and traps all along the line