The Washington times., 1923-01-21

sell Tor 8 tournament. Some sax
yoti shouldn't play much golf o.
more than IL necessary Others be
heve that the more one plays thu
better prepared one is for the con
believe that you cannot play too
much golf; that it ia q game which
requires constant practice in order
TO retain the touch.
However. there Is such Q thing
90 overriding practice just preced
1ng q tournament. That is what
had happened TO me at San Anto
Mo. wasn't keen for the game
when the first round started.
lt ie well enough to put In q loi
OF practices, say q month or even
two weeks In advance Of q tourna
ment. But the week preceding 8
BIG tournament one should take
things easy.
After the san Antonio competi
ton which Bob Macdonald won, ]
! tock short rest. The result was
noticeable at Shreveport, where
finished second to Leo Diegel who
won with the exceptionally fine
score of 27s.
SARAZEN TAKES REST.
The next tournament entered
was at Houston. Francis Ouimet
was in Houston at the time and ]
had a nice visit with him. i saw
him every day and played : littls
Helf with him. After that compe.
tftion he said to me:
I'd advise you to take rest,
Gene. You look tired and are prob.
ably over-golfed. Do not play any
golf between new and the New Or.
leans meeting and yOu,H do
better.
/ did exactly as Francis advised
me- to DO, with the result that when
the time came Tor the New Or
leanA I was feeling better than
had ever felt all winter. was all
keyed up and anxious to get start
ed. Moreover, was bubbling over
with enthusiasm and confidence, for
the day the february
z1started was my birthday. was
Just twenty-o1le.
Barnes and Hutchinson, who were
On tour were present, - wen ~
most 0f the other stars.
At the end of the first round j
could not but help feeling ! was
going to win. was hitting the
bali better than ever before. Ny
confidence encouraged me and
Day ~ uAEAHBAIa t0hA5A& AL kA9AtN-
of chances. pitched boldly for the
pIa oTi every green and had the
pleaoufe o. seeing my back-spin
shot working effectively. When YOU
are playing well the game is real
In the last round / had only to
heat Leo Diegel This plucky little
fellow stuck like a leech through
that final round, but I was hitting
the bali 50 well gave him few
chances TO break through. Several
l6lg quits at the right time also
helped materially.
A. we turned Tor some on this
final round the realization sud
denly caRfe TO me that was about
60 win my first tournament.
TOO MUCH PLAY HURTS.
when it was eventually an
m0unced that / had won was
0laowered with congratulations. /
was proud fellow that night.
That victory did more for me
than merely enrich my financial
status. It made me realize that
! had the game and the shots, and
that if I could win at New Orleans
] c6uld win elsewhere. For the
first time began to think seriously
about winning the national open
knew the field at chicago
would not be much better than it
was &C New Orleans. If I can win
from this field, thought, I can
win IN the national. The more 1
thought about the matter the more
my confidence grew. And let me
say right here that confidence is
: half the battle.
Mobile where finished second.
Here again ] made fatal mis-
take. Having won at New Orleans,
when everything was going nicely
for me and was feeling well. I
began 20 think I should win all the
time,
I I1aade q few slips at Mobile.
but instead Of forgetting them and
concentrating on the shots ahead
set peevish and irritable. While
in that mood / wasted several more
shots and wound up by finishing
two strokes hack of the winner,
whereas. had not got careless, I
might have won.
Jacksonville was the next stop
and In the first round 1 oIxated with
walter Hagen. That was the first
time had ever played with this
noted star. We were both having
our troubles. This steady COM
petitive play coming in such rapid
order left me tired and I played
istlessly in the meeting.
PREFERS PITCH TO RUN.uP
Especially was I putting poorlv,
one generally puts badly wben
one 10 tired out. / didn't have that
delicate touch ana / was httttr1
the ball firmly. Putting denenSs
largely on ones physical conditio,,
IL you are feeling well Won viii
generally putt well. And the MAJ
who il putting il generally tha
winner.
| remember distinctly that in thi.
Jacksonville tournament I missed
three puts that weren't more thar
ten inches away from the etlp.
George kerrigan, q young home,
1bred, was the winner at jackson.
Vile. He played remarkable golf
kerrigan is bound to be heard from
later on. He's got power and thc
game. With more practice he'll b
up there yet.
From Jacksonville. in company
with several OF the other prokes
sionals. / went TO Pinehurst. I did
not do very wei in the North and