HOT-WEATHER GOLF

Evening Star, Issue 18393, 29 September 1923, Page 12

HOT-WEATHER GOLF

SOME OF ITS PROBLEMS.

[Written by Harrt Vardost for the Evening Star. 1 ]

In Britain wo are at the height of tho season of summer holiday golf. To make it as enjoyable as possible is a matter _of no small importance, and in this connection ono of the problems to be settled is that of dressing comfortably for the part. Lost month wo had a heat wave which, to anybody who has golf in an American summer, was reminiscent of nothing so much as sweltering rounds of Chicago courses at tins time of the year; and yet for tho greater part w* went on wearing our jackets, or at any rate mailing little serious effort to adapt ourselves to the conditions—an enterprise which, 3 suppose, would demand nothing less than a revolution in our dress for tho links. But we should bo quit© easily capable of it if wo were living and playing in the same heat in America. For all I know another spell of torrid sunshine may have settled upon tho holiday-making community of the links by the time these linos appear in print. At any rate, it is not without interest to discuss tho question of hot-weather habiliment for golf. I do really think itbat, when comfort calls for it, it is high time we abandoned our prejudice against discording the jacket. I say this as one who, even when playing In America { has had a weakness for maintaining British tradition, and generally worn some sort of coat—naturally one made of tho lighest possible material Still, I ora all for rational drora in heat waves, and if I have not adopted it wholeheartedly when in America or oven in BUnilar circumstances hero it is only because when a man is round about the ago of fifty ho finda it difficult to embark upon new habito. In the professional tournament at Broxbourne, in Hertfordshire, about a month ago most of tho competitors were moved to discard their jackets and appear upon tho course dressed very ranch in tho American manner for golf. And they were wise. MODESTY AND BRACES.

In tho breast of the average British golfer there is apt to lurk a deep feeling that if he appears on the landscape without a jacket and displaying a large expense of shirt, everybody will look at him and remark upon his disregard of convention. In point of fact I am certain that the days of such rigid and narrow outlooks arc past, and that the person who malf.es up his mind to dress comfortably for hot weather golf is no more conspicuous than the individual who remains faithful to a tweed jacket. I did hear a eecretary say recently of two players who took off their coats on the first teeing ground, and sent them back to tho clnb-hou&o: “I wish to goodness people would not. do that j it docs look so frightfully bad.” But he must have been one of the very old school, and an abstainer from golf in the sultry season. During a warm day on an American course—although no warmer than it has been in Britain Lately—you hardly ever see anybody wearing a jacket. And everybody looks fresh and comfortable. Most British golfers when they go there adopt the native custom of appearing in a silk shirt and knickerbockers of light fabrics; and very smart tho custom looks.

It entails tho wearing of a bell; and in this respect it is that we find perhaps a little difficulty in following America. For we ato by breed and instinct a nation that wears Lri'.oos, and it is one of the little weakneses of modest men that ho does not like to be seen in his braces.

For my own part I confess that 3 much prefer braces to a bolt when playing golf. They keep tho shoulders together; they adapt themselves to one's swing and help the swing. I have tried several times placing in a belt, and have not liked it. Still, that has been due, no doubt, to an effort left till rather Into in life to make the system successful. Tho Americans bar© proved conclusively that golf can be pursued triumphantly wh.cn belts take the place of braces. SLIPPERY GRIPS. On© use to which they put tho belt is to tuck, into it a towel—a very useful accessory when tho hands perspire freely, and the* dub is apt to slip in tho grip. To bo sure, it ought to be the caddie’s duty to carry this trifle; but ho is not always near just when yon want him, and in America more than in any other country I know ho is as likely as not to bo a considerable distance away. The United .States caddie has established for bis calling an atmosphere of monumental independence. He does not regard it as part of his work to make tip tee. If you ask him to clean a club or' a ball, lie generally says in response to your subsequent question as to whether he has done it: “Haven’t had time yet.” One caddie who carried for mo —I think it was in ’Texas—was much more inferos ted in tho prospect of catching makes than in anything that might happen on tho golf course. lie kept on saying to me : “ If you lilcc to hold these clubs I’ll go into tho woods and got you a snake.” So that, perhaps, is why the American golfer carries lii.s own towel .attached to his belt. Many British golfers may consider it. an elaboration of detail, and personally I never adopted it; but there is a peat deal to be said for it.

Jn the stubborn British way I went on risking tho chance of the club slipping in the hands until I hit upon the idea of loosening the edges of the leather grip, and then slashing them with a, penknife, so ns to produce a rough surface on which to obtain a secure bold. Wherever I went people used to ear: “You ought to get your grips repaired.” And possibly my expedient was a very poor substitute for the cample act of carrying a towel. One point npon which I am convinced is that in hot weather particularly It is unwise to wear boots or shoes studded with nails. They are old-fashioned, heavy burdens. The perfect footgear are the shoos with ribbed rubber soles, tho ribbing running diagonally across either solo. They nro known as iho Royal and, Ancient shoe, and a good title, too.