Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29

middle OF April, when the grass
begins to sprout on MinneSota's
fairways, and continues until the
middle of September, when the
duck season gets under way. Dur
ing the Winter he practices only
occasionally at the indoor schools.
After the hunting season Jimmy
shifts his sports activities to squash
racquets, trapshooting, tobogganning
and skating. He is an ardent follower
Of all forms of Winter sports.
During the short Minnesota golf sea-
son Johnston plays an average OF three
times a week and practices little two
or three of the other days. Virtually
all his weekday golf is played in the
afternoon, after the stock market closes
at 1880 pm, st. Paul time.
Jimmy Gives Some Tips.
Here is Jimmy's advice to golfers who
aspire to better things:
Learn the short game first The
mashie (Jimmy's favorite implement) is
the club would recommend for learn
ing the fundamentals of golf. Develop
a smooth, orthodox swing, compact and
yet as relaxed as possible. Copy the
style of some leading professional or
amateur. The rest will come with per-
sistence and practice-lots of practice"
Johnston believes the average golfer
passes up much of the pleasure to be
had from the game because he spends
too much time playing and too little
on the practice grounds.
1.-THE golfer who aSpires to a first
class game should be willing to Sacri-
fee share of his golfing leisure and
some immediate pleasure for practice,
the new champion said.
IT always have gotten almost as much
pleasure out Of practicing as in playing.
Surely, the player who Is unhappy about
his game would bring back much of
the Joy by correcting some of his faults
with practice"
Jimmy also mentioned the Importance
OF taking advantage of professional in
struction, especially for the beginner.
In enumerating the factors that en-
ter into the winning of a champion
ship, Johnston emphasized the element
OF confidence and the part played by
luck.
Confidence, based on the knowledge
that you have mastered your clubs, is
essential In successful tournament golf, "
the OF. Paul Star said. "Of course, that
confidence increases as you gain ex-
perience in coping with new situations
as they present themselves in matches.
Courage is Important.
"Then, too, courage or the will to
win is all essential when you are up
against it in a match. With the odds
seemingly overwhelming sometimes a
courageous shot will put you back in
the game. perhaps Jimmy was think
ing of that eighteenth hole at Pebble
Beach in his finals match with Willing,
when he stood ankle deep in the Pacific
Ocean and made one of the most amaZ-
ing recovery shots in the annals Of
competitive golf).
"Of course, you have to be lucky to
win a championship" he went on. "In
any tournament nowadays, particularly
in the national amateur, there are so
many fine golfers that luck plays an
important part. For you to win, every
department of your game must be 60
ing well every day Of week OF tough
matches.
"You have to be driving well, playing
your irons well and putting well, or
you surely will be eliminated along the
way. Then, too, you have to be feeling
absolutely fit. It is lucky situation
for any golfer, expert as he may be, to
combine all of these things for one
weeks play. Even If you win one or
two matches when you are not playing
your best, luck is factor, for your
opponent must be playing badly to
allow you to win"
Master Of Push Shot.
Johnston is one of the greatest iron
players in the game" He Is master
of the push shots" approach, the most
difficult shot to control. Jimmy usually
lays them dead from within $50 yards
of the pin.
Johnston not only is a master golfer,
in golf, as attested by the shower of
tributes he drew from other stars and
golf writer's when he won the title.
Jimmy's personal charm is such that
he captivates the galleries. He is near
ly 6 feet tall and weighs about ITO. He
has light hair, blue eyes and q smile
that charms. He Is soft spoken, mod
est and has a delightful sense of
humor. He dresses conservatively, but
smartly, and is partial to grays and
greens.
It Is to Johnston's enthusiastic par
ticipation in nearly every. branch of
athletics that one must attribute part
of his success in golf. He is a natural
athlete and he takes to other forms
Of athletics as naturally as he picked
up smooth golf swing while still
Jimmy played foot ball, starred as a
base ball pitcher, swan 80 yards in
26A seconds as a member of prep
at st. Paurs Academy and played later
at Hotchkiss School. He was clever
amateur boxer and went In for skiing,
trapshooting, tobogganning and sailing
during his school days. He and two
brothers sailed a class B boat for Is
years in the annual regattaS of the
Inland Lakes Yachting Association.
Johnston's golf career started when
he was IL. He caddied for his father
he 7 of
mated by the game. Otis George, then
professional at the club, recognized the
lads natural aptitude for the game,
taught him the fundamentals and
played with him often.
Jimmys father opposed his playing
golf to the exclusion of other sports,
but the boy developed sound game,
and in 1915, at 20 years Of age, the
future national champion was a. fin
ished golfer. That year he won the
qualifying medal in the State amateur
tournament and went to the semi
finals.
Then the war came along and Jimmy
Joined up. He was assigned to an Off
GERS training camp, later serving with
distinction overseas and, Of course, hav-
ing little chance for golf. After the
armistice he was taken i'll with infiu-
enza. During his convalescence at Nice
he got back on the golf links again.
He entered the A. E. F. tournament and
carried of qualifying honors. Later he
won the interallied officers champion
ship in tournament at Monte Carlo.
Johnston's first major championship
was won in 1924, when he accomplished
one of the most amazing finishes in
the history of golf to defeat Albert
Seckel in the finals of the Western
amateur at Hinsdale, Ill. On the last
round the st. Paul star found himself
4 down with five holes to play, a SEEM
ingly hopeless situation. But when the
match was over Jimmy had won the title