New Britain herald., 1928-05-17
TEMPERAMENT PLAYS BIG
 PART IN GOLF JOURNEYS
Hagen Is Possessed of Wonderful Mental Poise-Forces Self Into Proper Frame of Mind for Important Matches-0rdnary Players Easily Upset By One Bad Shot - ANbis Form Big Part of Failure to Make Scores-Terribe Tempers Banned.
LEY JIGGEPA

tBy JIGGEPh
 Eemp pecGM5nt is iesyu-. e hty so!t tournaments much discussed n connection with cham ptonshlp play Hagen recently provided en ou-- standing example ot Y when he re covered from as had beating g. he ever took and proceeded to wln the British open That trimming Compston handed Walter. before the blg event started would have shaken the confidence ot most champions But Hagen vas not d,smayed He wagered on himself to win against the field and he made the rounds ln fewer strokes than it took him 10 win the same event four years ago.
 He has developed a golf tempera- ment that is fully as valua ble 10 him as is his skill at driving. ap- preaching or putting. Probably it. Is not altogether a natural cndow- nent He IS not the longest driver in the game. There are other play CTS who have better control Of their irons than he and. though spleu- did putter, he is not the best
 But among the professionals there ls no one who surpasses Hagen in golf tourney temperament. After that disastrous match with Comp ston the American took himself in hand and thought himself into the proper frame of mind 10 win again the British Open According to his own testimony Hagen determined to play well within his own ability. Then he went out and demonstrated 10 the world that his golf philosophy was as good as his skill with iron and wood
 As a whole golfers ot all ranks are quite q temp ornamental lot They find q poor drive upsettns, shot into q sand trap dlscoucerting and a missed putt at a critical point in the game, trying on their nerves. A soqucnCe Of bad holes will ruin their game for week.
 suitable Temperament
 They have not paid the same at tention to developing suitable temperament as they have to other features Of their game. But until they are able to control their mental attitude they will continue 10 hay" faulty control of their clubs
 In this aspect Of the game each player has 10 act as his own ,n- structor. Only he himself knows what passes through his mind when his shots go dstray. That is unless he so far forgots himself as to dis play by word or deed his disgust at duhhing. The golfer who cussos or throws his clubs after he has missed q stroke needs drastic treat mont. Golf is not the game for | him until he makes som, mental rearrangemcutS
 Plenty Of Aiihie
 If player openly or secretly planes his club or the lie for his own failures, he is off the path that leads to good golf. If he took the time to consider the matter h' would recall that he had play ed many good shots before with the same club and he often had com batted successfully fully as bad a lie. He might better laugh it of and thereby gain respect from his partner or opponent for sense of humor.
 When player starts out on q round, which he is reasonably ccr- tain of making in about ninety, h, can figure out beforehand what tc | expect. On the IS holes he vii | average four poor drives. two i'm. perfect iron shots from short hole l tees. He will dub about three Wooc | shots on the falrWays, five aD, breaches will go wrong and Nvs | putts will miss the cup,
 Good Prospects
 That is the prospect he can loOl | forward 10 as he tees off for th. | first hole II constitutes the hazard, ! 10 be expected by the player in the | ninety class Confronting it cheer | fully will remove the curse Of th' | inevitable and the player can smile ! his way around the course, getting enjoyment out Of his good shots ane letting his philosophy absorb thu poor ones.
 The cultivation Of proper gol temperament would add immensel
 to the pleasure ot many 9 player
 game 4 reasonable advance Il this direction would fl Q golfer t' | profit by some lessons from hi
 pro But the average player need
 10 rid himself Of mperamenta
 faults quite as much as he needs f
 correct his stance and swing. Tn | professional instructor can take car
 Of the former but the player, b
 himself, must conquer mental habits
 And that is fully as difficult 2
 learning how 10 drive 300 wards
 nTI J4ETG A b ( bJNV