CHANGES IN GOLF CUSTOMS

Evening Star, Issue 19044, 12 September 1925, Page 18

CHANGES IN GOLF CUSTOMS

QUESTION OF STEEL SHAFTS [Written by Hauuv Vaudo.v, for the ‘Evening Star.’] It is interesting to learn, ns evidence of the way in which some of the longestablished customs of golf are changing, that practically tho whale of the competitors in this year’s United States open championship used -wooden-peg tees — “ for hours at a time not a grain of sand was taken from tiie boxes for tees,” says an observer—-and that 25 per cent, of the players used steel-shafted clubs. This latter circumstance is something of a revelation. 80 far as I am await, none of the more famous golfers placed their faith in steel shafts, but _ flinty so large a proportion of the entire Held should have given their support to_ the innovation was remarkable, especially when we remember that, in tho previous season’s championship, only one set of steej-shafted clubs was, seen. It makes one wonder whether they are destined to attain such a vogue in .America as to create another barrier to the development of international rivalry on the links, for their use in Britain is illegal. It is perhaps not altogether surprising that this difference of policy has arisen. The British people have been the founders of most popular games, and they naturally like to see tho basic qualities and characteristics of those games maintained through the generations. Imagine the outcry that would be raised if a county cricket team wore to introduce bats made—like these shafts—of hollow steel 1 The heavens would very nearly fall. So it is in golf. The Royal and Ancient Club decided a good many years ngo that steel-shafted clubs must be barred, and it has adhered to that finding in tho face of explicit statements during tho past season or two by the golf associations of tire United States and Canada that the use of these implements is permissible. It may be only sentiment that causes us to differ from other countries, but sentiment in games moans a great deal to the nation which gave birth to those games. IS THERE ENOUGH HICKORY? After trying most of tho devices that have been introduced from time to time for the presumed benefit of golfers—such devices as steel shafts, split, cane shafts, centre-shafted putters, and iron clubs with jagged holes punched in the faces— I have arrived at the definite conclusion that they possess no advantages over clubs of tho ordinary form and make. It is the way in which tho dub is wielded that creates the effect, and there is no manner of constructing a club which will convert a bud swing into a good one. I believe that when the United State:, Golf Association first conducted experiments with steel-shafted clubs, it expressed the opinion that these implements gained a little extra distance for inferior players in the long game. Apparently, however, Use gain—if any—was not considered important enough to affect the merits of steel shafts, which would obviously be unfair if they benefited one section of the golfing community and not another. The next announcement by the special committee investigating the subject was that it cotdd not agree, the main reason for the variation in opinion being the conflicting reports in regard to the hickory situation. By this time, the committee had evidently decided that the main factor was the question as to whether a sufficient supply of hickory—the only satisfactory wood for golf club slra-fts—could bo ensured. It said that it had obtained data in regard to this matter, and was collecting further information.

Ultimately came the resolve by the United States Golf Association to accept steel shafts as legal—a decision which was supported by the Canadian Golf Association. The deduction is, that America —which is the hickory-producing country —feels that the supplies of first-class hickory are not sufficient to meet tho requirements of golf, aud has given its approval to steel shafts for that reason. Undoubtedly the position is difficult. We realise that fact when wo pay the prices that are now demanded for good hickory. It is still obtainable, but the careful club-maker has to reject a great many shafts that come to this country. If as America seems to fear, a native famine in tho right kind of material asserts itself, wo may be compelled in the end to adopt hollow steeel as a substitute, but I fancy that Britain will stand by tradition as long as it can in this matter. ORIGIN OF SAND TEES. The increasing popularity of woodenpeg tecs is not surprising. Old-time golfers tell us that the use of sand for tees arose from the fact that in those unsophisticated days when tho game was pursued almost entirely among the dunes by the sea, and when there wore no tins ju the holes it was the custom among players when they had finished putting on a green to insert the toes of their putters into the hole and extract enough of sand for the next tee shots. In that way, sand tecs became accepted ns correct, and, on inland courses, boxes full of sand were installed beside the teeing grounds. Unfortunately it has been a weakness of the majority of caddies from time immemorial not to learn to make sand tees properly. Their tendency has been to grab a handful of the substance and put the ball in it on the teeing ground rather than perch the ball on top of a much smaller pile. Personally, I nearly always make my own tees, using lor the purpose a. pinch of sand no bigger than that which can. be picked out of the box with tho thumo aud first two fingers. The wooden peg is undoubtedly a very excellent substitute. Jt is of uniform height and the ball always looks the same for a drive—poised just of the ground, with its support invisible as the player addresses it. It is not surprising that .many golfers declare that they have more confidence when they are driving from a. peg than when the ball is shored up from the turf by means of an array of sand which often—though this Should not be tho case—protrudes in every direction.