Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1948-09-03

81 think I can see just what you
are leading up to-" I said. II think
1t is a game called golf"
"For change you are correct"
was the silver-haired Scots answer.
ut is golf. Ask Bobby Cruickshank,
who before he came over here, was
the best lightweight fighter in the
British Isles, the best soccer play
er and one of the best golfers. Not
overlooking four years in the Black
Watch from 1914 to 1913"
Bobby Has a Reputation
No one can pay tribute to
Cruickshank, now pro at the Rich
mond Country club, that we don't
double and redouble, no matter
what the game.
"a knockout punch doesn't hurt"
Armour said. You can take a ham,
mering now and then that won't
help you, but it is only physical.
Soon over. Football is the same.
Few football players even feel pain
when in play. They don't know they
are hurt until later. I'll bet most
OF them suffer more from nerves
1
getting hurt physically.
"But football isn't as tough as
golf and think Joe Louis will tell
you TIE same about the fight game.
I'll bet Louis has suffered more in
a number of golf matches than he
ever suffered in the ring. Why?
Nerves.
Il don't think Louis ever suf-
fered anything from nerves in a
fight in his life. But l can promise
plenty that he's taken quite beat
ing in nerves at golf. Louis doesn't
mind a pretty fair bet. And he's
quite a good golfer. But some of
these boys in golf are hard to take"
"The punishment you take in
golf on an off day or through
a tournament is the worst you
get in any game. Did you ever
get the yips?' The 'yips' are
nerves that blow up in your
wrists when you are playing
chip shots or putting. The nerves
simply explode and you can do
nothing about it. You can ask
Walter Hagen or Bobby Jones,
two great putters.
Il recall $4,000 tournament I
played in. had good lead through
the first three rounds Then l got
the 'yips.' l three-putted eig ht
greens. l missed seven puts from
two to three feet out. l figured each
one of these puts cost me $500.
Il would rather have been
knocked down six times by Demp-
Sey or Louis. l would rather have
been run over by Bronko Nagurski.
I took more punishment in the last
round than any fighter ever took in
a ring.
Nerves Prevent Sleep
Bobby Jones won 10 national
titles. But I'd like to bet no one
ever took more nerve punishment.
1t took him seven years to win his
first championship. He couldn't
sleep at night or keep food on his
stomach on numerous occasions.
Jock Hutchinson couldn't eat or sleep
through an open. Neither could I.
don't think Hagen ever bothered
too much about anything"
recall one occasion in an anna
leuI Bou championship, one OF lne
entries was an all-Star college
tackle-around 220 pounds. He was
a good golfer and he lasted through
Wednesday. But he collapsed on
Thursday and just missed the hos
pital. His nervous system blew up.
He was in bad way. He never
played in another tournament
The toughest part of golf is
that every mistake you make
is your own. No opponent has
anything directly to do with it.
He can't hit one by you, block
you, tackle you or knock you
out. He can't do anything to
you. You inflict your own pun
ishment.
Golf was first called IAN 'umblin'
game" by George Low over 30 years
ago. It is also an infuriating game
at times. When Jerry Travers, a
great competitor, won his US. Open
at Baltusrol in 1915, he was a nerv-
GUS wreck for over two weeks after
wards. And Travers had just about
as fine set of nerves as I've ever
seen.