New-York tribune., 1922-09-13
On DuNerdom

TT IS broad and goodly land, this
a. land of dufFerdom, its limits marked
only by those of the golf courses of
the earth. Does not its representa-
tive figure deserve some considera-
tion? Voltaire would appear to have
answered that question as far back as
the eighteenth century. To the duffer
who reminded him that even buffers
must exist he sweetly replied. "T
don't see the necessity" There are
commentators who stand by that as
sertion to this day. They are little
too austere. After ALL the ,duffer is
friendly human brother. Suppose he
does top his ball Nevertheless, hath
not duffer "hands. organs, dimen-
sions, senses, affections, passions 2"
He abounds in error, of course. May
hap he is fairly stepped in it. But
Errors like straws. upon the surface flow:
He who would search for pearls must
dive below.
Let us then dive into dufferdom, an
adventure which especially appeals to
me at the moment, for as l write
the welkin is ringing with the ex-
ploits of Mr.. Jesse Sweetser, winner Of
tho national amateur championship at
Brookline. His scores read like the
"Eroica." The talk is all of brides
and eagles If one listens to it long
enough one develops the suspicion that
golf has been lifted to a Homeric
plane and that only Homeric men are
fit to play it. But the duffer remains
immovable, monumental. We may
turn to him, if only in the spirit of
Calverley and his invocation to that.
grinder who serenely grindest:"
'Tis not that thy mien is stately,
Tis not that thy tones are soft;
Ills not that / care 30 greatly
For the same thing played so oft:
But I've heard mankind abuse thee;
And perhaps it's rather strange.
But thought that l would choose thee
For encomium change.
/ thought sympathetically of the
duffer not long since, in the midst of
conversation which seemed to leave
him no excuse for being at all. The
merits of o certain hole had come UP
for discussion. 1t was hard hole,
so hard as to be denounced by some
as merely tricky and demoralixing.
When had the chance I submitted the
problem to the one august authority in
these matters, the wizard and wonder
worker. Mr.. Charles Macdonald. He set
tied it in d saying which suppose
might we'll be inscribed in letters OF
gold over the portal of every golf
club. WELL" quoth he, "a golf
course is designed Tor men who can
play golf" How everlastingly true
and inspiring that Is! 1t sums up the
rigor and the glory Of the game. 1t
erects the only authentic standard To
question it would be to speak disre-
spectfully Of the equator. Your golf
course is unquestionably made for the
men who can play golf. But, on the
other hand, If one may with diff
fidence hazard a small Interrogation.
Who on earth keeps il going?
Establish yourself comfortably on
the bench at the first tee and watch
one foursome after another drive of.
Keep careful tally for an hour or So
Then tot up the numbers Of those who
played golf and the numbers Of those
who launched themselves biithely into
dufferdonl. The latter region has, II
verify believe. density Of population
riyaling that of Chinese slum. Only,
you see, there is nothing in the least
SUNNY about it. On the contrary, its
sunny slopes are rich in elbow room,
which 10 used In ecstasy by happy