The Topeka state journal., 1922-11-01

I
British open. He accomplished this
at Sandwich, last June, leading all OF
| the British cracks, as well as JOCK
Hutchison and Jim Barnes, the other
American aces, and Joe Kirkwood. the
Australian, who were all contenders-
Hagen has won any number OF
smaller championships, such as the
North and South, played for annually
at Pinehurst; the West Coast of Flor
ida. the Palm Beach and state and
sectional. events He is considered
the greatest fighter in competitive
golf.
During his tour with Kirkwood, Ha-
, gen has played remarkable golf,
breaking many course records.
All other professional golfers fear
/ Walter Hagen when once he has
reached the putting green This is
I'because Hagen is. considered one of
puts Tuesday, when it was necessary
I to use a masnie on the green, proved
| it.
The secret of Hagen's putting lies in
| his determination to hit the ball in
straight line and hard enough so it
| will reach the cup. The two striking
things about Hagen's puts are that
they are up and that they do not
fade"
The tendency of a ball to fade"
after it has been struck on the put
ting green is one of the commonest
faults of golf This is because so
Z
ting. or hit it with such a HfelessJ
stroke that it does not hold a straight
/ line
Hagen hits the ball firmly and his
putter follows boldly thru holding the
ball in a line. When Hagen misses
the ball is usually going in a direct
line, but just off the edge of the cup.
Kirkwood hits the finest push shots
of any golfer. He can play this stroke
with his woods as well as his irons.
He plays the shot differently from any
other golfer, in that he holds his
wrists extremely low and keeps them
low in pushing his clubheads thru
after the ball. This stroke is one of
the finest in golf.
The bali takes a long, low flight
and goes from the club as If kirkwood
had a string on it,
Hagen and Kirkwood were flatter-
ing in their praise of the Country club
course They were not hesitant at
predicting a development that would
place the links in the front rank in
the west. They made comparisons
with the Wichita Country club course
where they visited Monday-that
rather shocks local modesty-
Incidentally they seemed to like To-
peka. They intended 10 leave shortly
after dinner last evening. Then they
decided to stay for a dance or two at
the Country club Halloween party.
A taxi called for them at O'Clock.
At 10 O'Clock the taxi was still tick
ing merrily away outside the club
house At II o'clock the taxi driver
was sound asleep. At IL o'clock he
was awakened by the two famous
customers CO.
1t was an evening of thrills for the
fair hero worshippers.
Hagen and Kirkwood are using the
old bamboo shaft wooden clubs. They
are using them with great favoritisn
paying no concern to the steel shaft
epidemic. Golfers who think they
care for their clubs should have wit
messed the concern exhibited by the
visitors after the match. They gave
intensive instructions to ANDY" as to
the drying of the sticks, the tempera-
ture under which they should thaw
out and the. general care and comfort
of the tools of their profession.
w D. Updegraff caddied for Hagen
until he was so wet he endangered
Crow of Shawnee substituted Fred
Alderman fondled Kirkwood's clubs.
Warren Bailey caddied for Trout and
George W. Snyder for Hurley. Hagen
was playing from the beginning" Up
degraff stated after the match, HE
selected his clubs with great care and
several times changed them when he
thought he had misjudged the dis
tance- He wanted to give the gallery |
every shot he had.P
1t was unfortunate that Topeka |
couldn't furnish a better brand of /!
weather for the visitors. But Hagen |
and Kirkwood left with another golf |
community firmly affixed to wishes |
for their continued success.
PRENTETS TFNINE RECOVERS