On the Links

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 61, 15 March 1924, Page 19

On the Links

YEAR'S REVIEW

WEIGHT OF THE BALL

OBJECTIONS WILL BE EAISED,

COMING EVEXTS.

March 15—Ranui Opening. March 15—Mornington Opening (Mixed Foursomes). March 22—Opening Day (Mixed Foursomes) at Miramar. Maruli 27-21).—Professional Tournament, at Nelson. March-April.— Professional One-day Tournament, Mirainar. April—Easter Tournament at Hcretaunga. May 20—British Amateur Championship, St. ■ Andrew's. June 23—British Open Championship, Hoy(By " Baity.") Golf continued its onward march in 1923, adding thousands to its legions. Hundreds,of new clubs were organised or projected during the year.

From a competitive viewpoint the year was a notable one. It was a year of surprises. The first surprise of note came in the British open championship, which Havers won, thus rescuing the British Cup from the hands of Americans, who had twice in succession brought the trophy across the water, and marking the arrival of Britain's crop of post-war golfers.

Thon followed a sequence of events that were in the nature of rewards to those who had been knocking at Fame's doors for the last few years. There was Cummings's victory in the women's national, Bobby Jones's victory in the national open, and Max B. Marston's victory in the national amateur.

The early part of the year found Hagen and Kirkwood sweeping everything bofore them in their qyclonic whirl through the South, capped by Hagen's wonderful achievement in scoring a 62 in the opening round of tho Florida West Const open championship, which lie eventually won. Going still further north, he annexed the North and South open title, his victory furnishing the climax of one of the most successful I tours ever made by any golf team. In the spring a team of American amateurs, including all of the great ones, excepting Jones and Evans, went abroad for the purpose of defending the Walker Cup. One of them, Francis Ouimet, went as far as the semi-final round in the British amateur championships. The task of defeating both Wethered and Tolley in a single day proved too much for the Bostonian. He eliminated Tolley, but lost to Wethered, who went on to gain the coveted title. In the international event the Americans, although apparently hopelessly beaten, rallied in the singles aiid saved the trophy. Miss Cummiugs was the only woman player of note to take part in the British women's events, but she was beaten in the early rounds, the title eventually going to Miss Doris Chambers. The elimination of Miss Wethered, regarded as the foremost woman player in the world, was 'the first big upset of the year—the forerunner of many that were to follow. The second Was the failure of such notable players as Gene Sarnzon, American open and P.G.A. champion, to qualify in the Britsh open event, and a similar failure on the part of Jim Barnes. Even with these two stalwarts out, the Americans wero well fortified with talent for a three-time victory, and it was only the sterling playing of Havers that prevented this. The youngster who, since the decline of Britain's Big Three—Vardon, Ray, and Braid— and the downfall of Duncan and Mitchell, shouldered the task of "carrying on" for Britain, did his work nobly and won by the narrow margin of a single shot from Hagen, Mac Donald Smith, and Kirkwood. Then tho scene shifted to America, where the surprise element continued unabated. First of all came Jones's victory in the national open after a play-off with Cruickshank, former Scottish internationalist. A super-shot at the home hole by the latter gained him his opportunity to meet Jones on the following day for the honour. In this meeting they traded shot for shot until, going to the last green, Jones even outdid the master stroke of his rival on the day before. It was this stroke that gave the Southerner his first big title and that brought success after years of disappointment. Although the open event lacked the international aspects of its immediate predecessors in which Duncan and Mitchell, and, before them, Vardon and Ray, took part, it was otherwise complete, and perhaps the most representative ever held. Jones's victory over such masters as Sarazen, Barnes, Hagen, Hutchison, and others was a fine tribute to the calibre of amateur golf in America. In another major event—the women's championship—the defeat of Miss Collett, -who since her ascendency appeared almost invincible, was the notable feature. The title-holder was eliminated byMrs. C. H. Vanderbeck, of Philadelphia. The final brought together JVliss Cummings and Miss Stirling, a severaltime winner, who, with Miss Collett out of the way, was figured to win. But she was unable to match the almost perfect brand of golf played by Miss Cummings at the beginning of the afternoon round, and. the Chicago girl won the title for which she has been a leading contender for the last few years. The national amateur title was won by Max Marston, of Philadelphia. Before the event started Marston was not even given consideration as a possible winner, but he numbered among his victims Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet, and Jess Sweetser, thus accomplishing a record as good as Sweetser's at Brookline the year before. The final in the Professional Golfers' Association championship brought about a rare treat when Sarazen and Hagen turned out to vie with one another for the title. The -result was one of the most thrilling matches ever played, Sarazen winning at the thirty-eighth hole and keeping his record of victories won over Hagen in this country unmarred. THE LIGHTER BALL! There is some confusion in the minds of golfers as to the proposed legislation in regard to the golf ball. The governing bodies .in both the United States and Great Britain are evidently in favour of reducing the weight and increasing the size of the golf ball. The ball which appears to be most favoured is the old "floater," with a weight of .1.52 ounces against the present standard ball of 1.62. The reason for this proposed reduction of the driving and carrying power of the ball is that the hard hitters get prodigious distances with the present ball. I and are desjjoiling the best courses of j their greatest virtues. The holes laid ! out for the two full shots are reduced by these hard hitters to a drive and a ■pitch. It has been said by one of the greatest of golf architects' that a true test of championship golf with the present ball would involve a course of 7000 yards, a distance that neither the stars of the game nor any gallery would desire to travel twice a day. There is a revolt in other countries against any more reennstmetinn of courses that have been built aluiig the most modern designs at ti'uiiiouiiniin «x.|Hnisy. In many cuuap it ia iuipuesible tv (secure move au'eujje

for lengthened courses, even if the additional yardage was actually desired. In their wisdom the governing bodies of the game may decree that a ball of reduced power must be used in championships, but that should be the limit of the proposed legislation. What has-ffiade the game so popular amongst the millions who now play it in every country in the world? It is undoubtedly the carrying capacity of the modern ball. The floater would cut down the drive of the average golfer an average of twentyfive yards, and such a reduction would very gravely interfere with his enjoyment of the game. The man who normally can get a distance of 200 yards from the tee, and has been doing so for a period of years will rebel at finding that his distance. is cut down by oneeighth. The majority of holes on his home course are two' shot holes, and he has been in the habit of getting- there when he has hit two good shots. He will never consent, until old age has imposed its inevitable handicap, to having his standard of play reduced. His natural ambition is to hit the ball still farther—to go forward and not 'backward. It is certain that, whatever the pending legislation amounts to, there will be hundreds of thousands of protests against the prohibition of the present ball. Tho average player will continue to play with.the ball with which hs has got such satisfying and delightful results. The demand for the same old ball will be so incessant and insistent that manufacturers will continue to turn it out in the millions they do now. ' THE MASHIE. "In employing the mashi.e a firm grip lis essential, for, as in the case of other iron clubs, it will strike the ground with a force that may well cause it to twist in the hands," states Edward Ray. "As for the feet, they may be a little more apart than is usual, while the left foot should be about fifteen inches in advance if the right, and the weight of the body on the right foot more than on the left. There should be a slight bending of the knees, and the blade of the club should b e turned out' a little, so that when it comes in contact with the ball it cuts across it. All the time the right elbow should be kept fairly well into tho side so as to avoid pushing the club out. "Neglect to ease tho .left knee in taking the club back may bring about a terrible error in direction, as tho club cannot be brought across the front of the body, the left elbow flying out. As a matter of fact, one of the most important .things in the playing of the mashie js this bending of the left- knee, "In the event of an exceptionally short stroke being requisite, the necessity to move the knee or to raise the left heel is not incumbent, and one item of advice which I would proffer is to observe the stationary element as far as both heels are concerned. I know well that the idea of both feet well-implant-ed on the ground may raise a laugh here and there, but the problem of immovable feet is an essential one, and. j. might remark, so is the stillness of the head. .1 am quite a-ware of the number of players who will insist on a shuffle of the feet, and who find the temptation to let the head fallow the club, but to all the myriads who will indulge in this weakness I can recommend no more golden rule than t(*.watch an expert execute this stroke. As a matter of fact, when Ji, comes' to approach play, there- is no weakness which can be indulged in with such disastrous results. " A movement of the head is a hu°-e temptation, and one which apparently cannot b e denied beginners. One item in wmch I am in entire agreement with J. H layhr is the theory of stillness of the head, a nd, what is more important, stillness of the gaze. Let the ball go but at the same time let your gaze be riveted on the spot which the ball occupied, for as much time as you may consider necessary—and do not-fear of compelling your gaze to remain rooted for too long. It is. obvious that once you have propelled the ball no amount of following the sphere with your optics will guide it towards the destination which you desired, and the more concentration you can place upon the ball before you strike it the mor 6 likely you are to get to the point at which you aim . . _l n IQ2I I had the tumty of watching a number of golfing feats by J. H. Kirkwood, and I had to confess a certain amount of astonishment at one trick which he performed. It consisted of laying seven balls in a direct hue I adm it the' Antipodean jugghng-golfer rather brought th 6 face of his club across each ball as he struck it, but he never removed his «ize from the teeing ground of each ball. He kept Ins eye firmly fixed on the ground, and cud not lift his head once. Yet with a polo post as his avowed object from a distance of about 150 yards, he got tolerably near to his target on many occasions, and once actually hit the top of the post, which he had voluntarily said was his object. He focused the resting place of each oah",-and never once did iie raise his gaze from the ground I hold no brief for Kirkwood or for Taylor, but in either case on 6 does find a startling example of the truth of head still and gaze still." Hutt Club has appointed a new professional named M'lntosh, a man who has just arrived from Scotland. He is quite young, but has excellent recommenda^ lions, and has, according to report, played in important exhibition matches :n England, one of them with Sarazen. He will be a competitor at the New Zealand Professional Tournament at Nelson, and is, I understand, already jon the links getting ready to make a good impression in his first appearance in the Dominion.