Evening star., 1939-04-26
Declares He and Bob,
With Years
Could Rule Crop
Loys Modern Low Scores
To Rabbit Sphere and
New Bunker Iron
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press 9ports Writer


NEW YORK, April 26.-Though
he's celebrating this summer the
25th anniversary Of his first national
open golf triumph, Walter Hagen
still gets the light of battle in his
eyes at the suggestion there Is a
new breed of super golfers" trod-
ding the fairways these days.
Specifically, the Haig thinks he
and the Bobby Jones Of a decade ago
could have trimmed the pants of the
current crop Of hotshots, with their
stroke-saving sand wedges, their 40
mile" golf balls and their neatly
manicured courses that never give a
bad lie.
do I think Bobby and I could
have held our own in a series of
matches with Ralph Guldahl and
Sammy Snead?" gasped Walter
why, I'll tell you what. II Bobby
would be willing to take off a year
from business right now and get
himself in shape for a match with
those fellows, would do it, too-no
fooling. And then If they wanted to
bet us a little on the outcome, that
could be arranged"
Bunker Fear Eliminated.
Walter sounded exactly as If he
meant it, and he probably did. He's
still shooting sound golf, despite
the handicap of weakened eyesight,
and never golfer lived had the gall
and confidence of the old master.
Sure, they're shooting a little
better average scores than Bobby
and I did in our prime" he con-
ceded. But that doesn't mean any,
thing. This sand wedge they're
using now is enough to account
for the difference by itself, not to
mention that the modern ball rolls
80 or 40 yards further.
why, when I think of the ability
Jones had in those days and the
confidence I had, I don't see how
any of these kids could have beaten
us. We had to have more courage
than they need nowadays to win,
and I'll tell you why.
with this sand wedge in their
bags the kids don't have to be
scared of traps. After knocking
their drives a country mile they
can shoot right at the pin with
their seconds every time. So they
get lots of short puts and lots of
brides. They know if they do hit
a trap they still can scrape the
ball out with their wedge and prob
ably get a par. anyhow. Anybody
can bang the ball with confidence
now.
Had to Putt Well.
1T took nerve when Bobby and
I shot at the pin when there were
traps only a few yards in front of
it. We knew if we fell short we
had lost two or three strokes, may
be tournament. When we played
safe and shot at the back of the
green we usually had much longer
puts. We had to be good putters.
I'm positive Bobby and I could
have outputted any two you name
OF the present top crowd.
II don't know whether Bobby and
I drove quite as well as Guldahl
and Snead do these days. Certain
ly not so far, but most of that Is
due to the new ball. I can get out
there now and drive this rabbit pill
as far as was hitting them Is years
ago. That can't be me, so it must
be the ball"
In passing, and not necessarily to
clinch his argument. Walter men,
toned that he had won the British
Open four times, the United States
Open twice and the P. G. A. match
play title five times He wouldn't
even guess at how many champion
ships Bobby, his potential partner
against the upstarts. had salted away
in his time. thousands, anyhow"
he said.
Lets give these boys little more
time to see what they can do about
winning championships, he sug-
gested. Bob and I want real
run for our money when we chal-
lenge 'em to that match"