GOLF.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16985, 6 November 1920, Page 9

GOLF.

DEAL COURSE IN 66. (srECIAt. TO "the press.") (Ry Ark Mitchell. > I have had my revenge, at Deal. 1 went there the other day with rather mixed feelings, and as 1 stood on t:ho first, too all tho incidents in the melancholy third round in the Championship came rushing back —that ruined putt at j the fn\<t hole, tho inglorious blindness at t'he fifth, and the other mistakes which combined to ruin my chances. You do not forget an experience of that sort- very readily. DEAL IX 6G. One would scarcely think it possible, yet that was my score for the ro-au'i. i It is scarcely nccossary to say that most things camo off for me, and that | ihe conditions were a great deal easier I than during the Championship. Usually j at I>eal tho wind favours yoti at tho j long holes going home. At tho end of! June it camo from the opposite direction, blowing over your right shoulder going out and almost dead in front on tho homeward journey. It is almost impossible to appreciate tho difference when the wind is front the opposite quarter. So on my recent round, wihen T reached the turn in 34, I did not think I had done anything exceptional, j The short eighth, by tho way, oughts tit bo a favourito hole of mine. You j may remember that I got a one there in j tho Championship, and now I was down j in two. i WHAT THE WIXD MEAX?. j As soon as we turned for homo with tho wind behind, I realised how* much easier the golf was. In the Championship we were playing full second shots, sometimes with iron clubs it is three, at most of the holes, and yet missing tho green. Tho sixteenth, for instance, was all too leng for tho most fearsome j hitters. I do not think even Ray, in his four rounds, once got homo in two. X.ow I was pin-flu gh with a drive and J a mashie! The holo was completely transformed by tho changed direction of tho wind. In front of tho green thero is a particularly high hummock with tiiio ground dipping down towards it. It was this hummock which pulled up tho second during the Championship and left you with a blind 6hot on to tho groon. ... I Deal links during tlie_ Championship were rather harshly criticised, and despite this G6 I still think tho golf thoro a little fluky, though not, perhaps, to tho extent one imagines. You are fearful of the unkind "kick" you may get oil tho hummocks, but if you ohoose correctly the place on which to pitch, you will usually get a good result, this round," though not in a competition, is as good, if not better than any I have ever played. Previously i placed my 71 at Gloneagles first, but— well, one" cannot expect to do anything better than (50 on a championship course lilro Deal. PRINCE'S REVISITED. Beforo going away to Scotland on a sort of "business holiday" I visited Prince's, Sandwich, the course which adjoins Royal St. George's, and which, in tho opinion of many, provides tho first test in the world. Truly they aro splendid links. Situated close to the sea, one sees tho world's ships passing} while in the distance is tho wonder place, lliehborough, which did so much in tho way of transport during tihe war. Prince's is a man's course and a hard one at that. It certainly demands your very best driving. I was fortunate in the weather, but even with the wind light, tho driving keeps one always at full stretch, not because tho carries are too long, but because there is a feeling that you can gain something useful by taking somo risk and cutting off a piece of tho corner as it were. Almost all the holes gives this impression, though they are not by any means dog-legged. Indeed there aro many fine straight shots to be played from tho tee. At tho first hole, which is slightly dog-legged, the lino is to keep a shade to the left, but if you caro you may cut off a bit by playing straight on the flag. If you slice at all, tho bents will effectually prevent you from getting anywhere near a four, but, if you keep to the left, not an easy tiling to do with the wind blowing across from right. Then tho second shot, though may bo a longish.one, is still on. The second shots at Prince's are, I think, quite as testing as tho tee snots, as the greens are well bunkered. But of course on a sandy soil ono knows that the ball will do tho correct thing if it has been hit in the centre of the club, so a good kick is as often looked for as a bad one.

There is one hole which is not unlike tho famous Alps at Prestwick, with the distinction that tho green is not in such a, deep hollow, and in consequence, the second shot is really much harder, as there is a fall away to tho right where almost every stranger will finish at his first visit.

Then there is that hole which crosse3 near to the Coastguards' Station. Stand on tho tee and look at the carry, and nine out of ten inland golfers will probably think that it is impossible to get over. It certainly does look a long way over that belt of sandhills, which are very much higher than the tee from which you drive. But all such holes where tho tee is low appear further away than they really arc. One groat point. in'theWay out of the course is the fact that thcro is a way into all the holes. Thus a well placed drive will, in most cases, give a fairly 'easy shot to the hole, or a well placed 6econd will make tho approach a shade easier. Some golf architects of the present day appear to think that a well placed drive should not simplify the second shot. Tjut that does not mako for pleasant .golf. Only tho other day I heard an amusing story concerning a well known green architect who tried to earn' a bunker which was just over one hundred and ninety yards from the tee. I That bunker was soon filled