Evening star., 1924-03-24

CHAPTER 15-Upside Down and
Bulls Eye.

BEFORE | relate my adventures
- i'll the British open OF 1922,
want to take the opportunity OF
answering question which has
often been put to me: What was
the best shot you ever played:"
II | had received this query prior
to the spring OF 1921 l would have
been forced to deliberate at some
length on the matter. In the north
and south championship OF that
year, however. | made a shot on
the last hole of the first round
which | think was one OF my best
by long odds.
| had hooked my drive badly and
the bail found IL terrible spot in
wretched little pill, sandwiched in be-
tween the underbrush of a thicket of
pines and Il couple OF half grown
trees, L was half sorry the ball was
found ut all. How, to get out without
tossing more than shot was the
question that worried me. Surely ii
could not he done with a right han nd
ed club. Only golfers who have visit
ed the rought at Pinehurst can ever
appreciate what good or bad luck
can hefall 4 golfer who strays from
the straight and narrow path.
[ must thank Joe Kirkwood, the
Australian wizard and trick shot ex-
pert, for Il brilliant idea that flashed
into my head. l had seen Joe turn
his mashie- niblick upside down and
play the club left-handed. ! could
hit the bali from the left hand side
en- n to from
the Sand and pine cones was differ
eut proposition. Anyway I was de-
termincd TO have Il try at il at any
cost.
Daring Saves Score.
! took careful aim, let fly at the
ball. and much to my amaZement saw
it lily out as swcetly and as neatly
best mashie shots from a grassy lie
through the fairway. Straight as an
arrow it Travelled. a hundred and
fifty yards, heading for the sand
green. There was a trifie too much
cut on the ball evidently and ii drop
ped thirty yards short of the pin, but
ii was most satisfactory, indeed. as
from this position | was enabled TO
chip to the hole and gather in my
much par four. Instead of a
six or seven I had made par on the
hole and saved a rather poor score
from rack and ruin.
\ few days later at Columbia, in
the American open, luck was with me
again on a shot that I consider even
more remarkable, although this time
vas able to execute it with my
regular right -hand stance and with
out having to resort to turning my
club topSy-turvy.
While playing the fifteenth hole in
the fourth round of this even 1 hook
cd the ball badly and landed close to
the sixteenth green. Four big trees
completely blocked my path to the
pin al the fifteenth. There is a small
brook running in front of both greens
and almost any shot that 1 might play
had more than a good chance of
finishing in the water, which meant
an additional penalty stroke.
There was chance of clearing
most OF this young forest. but the
first tree was so tall | could not lift
the ball over it and get the desired
distance. | apparently had but one
way out and this was to play the
ball back on TO the fairway from
which I had strayed, thereby losing
only one shot.
Through six-foot Hole.
Now ] was fighting hard to over
take Long Jim Barnes. and get a big
ger slice of the prize money and, if
possible. didn't want to lost any more
shots than necessary. There was one
thing that ! could do. providing
could play my uashie niblich ac-
curately enough. and this was to put
the ball through little opening in
the first tree.
This opening was hardly more than
six feet square, yet il looked tempt
ing. | decided to accept the risk.
knowing full we'll that if the ball
went aStray / was done for and my
score on the hole would be at least
| not only hit the buifs-cye dead
center. but played with enough force
TO clear the other trees and reach
the green The ball came to rest close
to the pin and I registered a birdie
three, receiving a round of applause
from the gallery. who had gathered
at this point to watch the players
as they came past.
I might do it gain once in a hun
dred times. but the fact remains that
il came off as ] had planed on this
occasion and the saving of three
strokes earned fifty dollars for me in
the position gained at the finish. 1t
does not always pay to take such
desperate chances. but there are
times when the playing of IL freak
shot will save the day. And, S l said
in Il previous chapter, the golfer who
has tested his game by stunt play
ing generally has Il fair idea of his
chances when such an opportunity Y
occurs.
As these incidents may indicate, i
A~@@