Evening star., 1939-01-13
Cites Harry vardon
And Mac Smith as
Star Examples
Bob Jones Would Card
70s When 70 Years
Old, He Figures
BY WALTER McCALLUM.

Never one to seek the spotlight
even In the days when the fierce
glare Of publicity beat around him
as the world king of golf, the gent
who used to be known as Bobby
Jones slipped into town couple
Of days ago and with a set of bor-
around the Columbia Country Club
course in 81 strokes.
Members of the club who saw the
exhibition put on by the only man
who ever has won the four majo
links championships in single year
still are marveling at the relentless
accuracy and the flawlessness of
that smooth swing. And Bob, now
81 busy business man. said he hadn't
played golf since September.
He borrowed a set of wooden clubs
from Red" Banagan, set of irons
from Bob McChesney, and pro-
ceeded to play Columbia, from the
short tees, in three under par, bag
ging five brides along the route,
and winding up by holing niblick
shot for a bird 3 from a bunker
at the 18TH
Calls Vardon Best Stylist.
"Who, In your opinion, is the finest
stylist you ever saw in golf?" I
asked Fred Mcleod, wondering
whether the aging master and P.
&C. A. senior champion might not
admit that Bob Jones has the edge
on all the clubsWingers Freddie has
seen. But the little Scotsman didn't
think So
Its still Harry Vardon, in my
book" said Freddie. With Mac
Donald Smith second and Bobby
Jones third. Bobby is very, very
good, but can't get out of my mind
the golf machine that Harry Vardon
was, and the smooth arc of Mac
Smiths sWing-smooth under all
conditions. And the fact that these
men kept their golf game right up
to the point where the usual game
starts crumbling tells the story of
how good they were and are as
swingers.
"Vardon was a good golfer to the
day of his death. Mac Smith,
around the age of so, can win tour
naments. and Bob Jones always will
be a great player. Once you master
the swing. and can keep it under all
conditions you have something that
neither age nor tautening muscles
can take away from you"
Freddie himself is an example of
what he means. At the age of So he
played Columbia in 70 strokes few
days back. His swing hasn't varied
an iota in the 80 years have known
him. He still thumps that ball
straight as string down the middle
with the same swing he had at %.
Sees Jones Keen at 70.
"A fellow naturally tightens up as
age slows down his muscular reac-
tions.' said Freddie But if you can
concentrate on swinging that club
IN a smooth arc you have something
you'll never lose. You may lose a
few yards Of distance but you never
will lose that habit of swinging right. |
Bob Jones probably will be able
to bust 70 when he reaches 10 years
OF age. He'll never lose that swing
It's too good.
I've seen lot of kids come along,
and despite some flaw in their
swing, win championships. They
can compensate for the bad spots by
their youth and their quick reac-
tions. But when age begins to slow
their reactions and ref1exes, they
lose their game and wonder why.
There's one thing you can't beat in
this game--a sound swing which
stays sound"
Paralleling the performance of
Bob Jones was the busting
streak of big Lou Laudick, the Co.
; lumbia man who hits the tee shots
so far. Lou birdied the 7th, 9th
and 9th holes in row, going 3, 2, 3,
and winding up with "a, despite a
on the fifth hole. He also birdied
the Sd, 18th and 18th holes. When
Lou hits those tee shots they stay
hit.
Break for Public Linksmen.
Over in Baltimore the solons of
the Maryland State Golf Associa-
ton, with the national public links
championship coming up at the
Mount Pleasant course this year,
will consider at their annual meet
Ing next week establishment of
public links section composed of
public links clubs in the State.
Membership of municipal clubs
must be renewed from year to year,
under the setup of the association.
ana the public links section would
be administered by committee of
three.
This means that public links
; clubs such as the Mount Pleasant
club and the Public Parks Golf As
sociation of Baltimore may apply for
membership in the State associa-
ton, and that, if elected to mem
pership, their members can play in
al the tournaments of the State
organization. 1t looks to be a long
FORWARD step for the public links
golfers. who need and should have
association sponsorship in their
Journeys.
1hefe Is an organization in Wash
1ngton called the East Potomac
Con Club, but 1t has no affiliation
win the District of Columbia Golf
Association, or with any other sec
aonal links body in this neighbor-
hood.