Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-01

I troit, is not often given to ex-
Il travagance when discussing golf
and golfers. But 1t seems to us
that Tommy has gone out to sea in his
estimate of Horton Smith, the flashing
star Of the Winter golf season. For
Tommy declares fatty that Smith Is
1.-The greatest golfer have ever seen;
greater than Jones or Hagen. Evans or
any Of the other stars Of recent years"
Tommy should know, for he has
watched and played with Smith in many
of the tournaments over the Winter
season. He sat in his room at Congress
of arranging his business affairs prior
to making his departure for Detroit to
drop this observation. "He isn't as long
as Jones from the tee," Armour said,
but he is straighter through the fair
way, Is far better with the long irons
and Is as good around the green. He
couldn't be better putter than Jones,
for better putter does not live than
the amateur champion. But he Is as
good. certainly, as Jones. Six-foot puts
are nothing to this lad. He knocks
them in without even thinking about
them. He won't get In as many traps
as Jones, although, in my Judgment, he
isn't as good at recoveries as the anna
teur."
IS Holes without . S.
Armour said Smith started ut the
third hole at Pinehurst and played IS
consecutive holes without a appearing
on his card. AL the holes were played
in IS and Is, and he only got when
he missed an 8-foot putt, which Armour
said is a short putt for the tall, blonde
lad from Missouri. Smith had never
all L@R -
and didn't know the trick Of playing a
the first day he attempted to play these
shots with q mashie and was short of
the hole. But the second day Of the
championship he began running them
up and went ahead to win.
Smith, 1t seems, Is natural golfer
who has added to his equipment by
growing his swing through constant
practice until it is letter perfect. He
played to the semi-final In the P. G. A.
last Fall at Baltimore and then went
back to Missouri, where he did nothing
else but practice for two months" Ar
mour said.
The lad from Missouri is a golfer of
exemplary habits. He does not smoke
nor drink, and keeps himself in perfect
condition at all times. He Is a partic-
ular pet of Leo Diegel, who has taken
him under his wing and tried to instill
ming golfer must have. One day Diegel
tried him out land this seems like a
good golf story as typical of the Smith
outlook on the game). Diegel intro
duced him to a personable young lady
who was spending the Winter in Florida.
She invited the golf celebrity to her
home for dinner. Her first move was
to offer Smith a cigarette.
"No, lady, don't smoke" Smith
said.
well. may I mix you drink? What
will it be?" she said.
mo. lady, don't indulge" Smith
His host was dumfounded. for golfers
usually do both. Well" she said,
what do you do? Don't you have any
vices?"
He Had One Bad Habit.
Smith deliberated a moment and then
came forth with this: Eyes, do have
. vice. have been short on my puts
for the last three weeks"
Apparently Diegel has trained him
the right way, for Smith, according to
Armour, is tough enough to hold his
own In the high-pressure atmosphere of
championship golf.
John Farrell, the open champion,
came up to Smith on the porch of a
Florida club one day, while Smith was
leading in a championship well,
Horton" Farrell said, "I'll make it hot
for you out there this afternoon"
Yes. john" Smith replied, "but you
can't do it on the clubhouse porch"
Smith undoubtedly has made a great
record in the West and South during
the Winter, but until he has demon
strated his ability to go out in front
in the big championships and on the
courses Of the North and Midwest,
most Of the critics are reserving judg-
nent. We asked Tommy what chance
Smith has Of winning the open this
year.
"Well," Tommy replied, che certainly
has as good . chance as any other
man"
Which to us is the tip-off. If Smith
is the greatest golfer Armour has ever
seen, why does not Armour pick him
to win the championship? Southern
golf is quite bit different from that
played on the Northern courses. The
game, is entirely different from tee to
green, and the putting itself Is quite
q different matter. 1t seems to many
that Tommy may be a bit extravagant
in his estimate Of Smith. and perhaps
1t might be best to reserve judgment