Evening star., 1942-06-13
Major Golf Pressure
Now Too Much for
Once Great Star
Good Scores Are Eusier
In Cosuu! PIoy Than
In Meet, Bob Finds
BY GRANTLAND RICE.
sr.e;s1 rovvasnandspt AZ Tha Gta,

NEW YORK, June Is tNANAb.-
Twenty-six years ago followed a
chubby. pink checked kid from At
lanta around the Merton golf course
in Philadelphia. At the age of IA he
was playing in his first national
amateur championship. In his first
match he eliminated Eb Byers,
former national champion. In his
second match he was S down to
Frank Dyer. State champion, at the
teventh hole and then came back
with q 80 to win.
That was far away and long ago.
Next week, in his first champion
ship test in II years. apart from the
masters. the same golfer will appear
in Chicagos Hale America show for
war relief.
A day after the Hale America
party ends. he will report for war
service In the Army Air Force at
Mitchell Field. Long Island. The
name, as you have probably guessed
by now. is Bobby Jones.
Finds Friendly Golf Easier.
Twenty-six years after the kid
Jones made golf history at Merton,
he turns in a 205 for three prelim-
mary rounds at East Lake, in At
lanta. This mark led the Nations
qualifying field.
It only hope" Bobby tells me,
that no one will believe I can set
or hold any such pace at Chicago.
I've always told you that friendly
golf and tournament golf were two
entirely different games. Shot max
ing, at least in the better brackets,
Is only 80 per cent, or less. The con-
trolling factors are concentration.
psychology-the mental or emotional
side.
"One of the main reasons / quit
tournament golf was the mental and
nerve beatings 1 had to take. Tourn-
ament golf is a game for the tourn-
ament tough, for those who nave
made concentration habit. In my
own case just can't force myself TO
concentrate through l8 holes as l
should. much less 72 holes.
Misses Short Puts Now.
I'm the last wear or So" Bob con-
tinued, i've had rounds from 63
TO ss. I've had 2s for nine holes.
the first time in my life. But those
we're only in friendly contests.
"I suppose I can play every shot
today that I could play back IN
1880 when I was lucky enough TO
win the four major titles In one
year. But under tournament pres
sure I no longer can hook or INK
these shots together.
TT never occurred to me II years
ago how I could miss a 4-foot putt.
Now I haven't any faith IN hoilng
the 2-footers. I've missed them at
Augusta in the Masters under 18
inches. I've taken four puts from
less than 20 feet. I've missed shots
that would make a 15-handlcap
player pull out his hair.
For example, I've played the
Augusta National in 66 before the
Masters opened and in 66 after the
Masters closed. But during the
tournament I've spent most of my
time trying to break II. That's the
difference between friendly golf and
tournament golf"
Largely Matter Of Nerves.
7 asked Bob just what happened
TO bring about this big change.
Many things" he said. But
It largely is matter of tension and
nerYes-a matter of concentrating
on every shot played to the exclu-
sion of everything else.
Concentration largely is a matter
OF habit. You can't force it during
a round. I used to think OF at least
three things on a single stroke, SUCH
as a smooth pace on the backswing,
the right body turn, not hurrylng
the downSwing or maybe cooking
the wrists correctly. I couldn't al
ford to take any of these funda-
mentas for granted.
There always is tendency to
hurry the backswing, or to start the
too quickly. These are
things you must think about before
and during the swing.
Stars Are Under Strain.
For some reason in a friendly
match they seem TO take care OF
But it's another story
under pressure when you know you
have to do it before big crowds, with
ell the things that happen to dis
tract your attention.
II don't believe today that many
people appreciate the killing strain
such golfers as Nelson. Snead and
Hogan are under. They are expected
TO shoot 10 or better-par is taken
for granted and brides are supposed
10 be made on every other hole
Il can tell you now there never
was a game that carried so much
tension or that put such burden
on the nerves. Golf is full of great
shotmakers-golfers who can play
every shot in the bag. But I'm still
telling you it is another game when