BRITAIN’S GOLFERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 April 1927, Page 8

BRITAIN’S GOLFERS

SEEN ON DECLINE.

Speaking of the decline of first-class golfers in Great Britain and particularly in Scotland, aS ’nearly every British writer seems to be doing these days, William Park, writing in Golf Illustrated, of London, points out the singularity of the fact that not since the 70’s of the last century has there been produced a first-class player of the supreme consistency of the Vardon-Taylor-Herd - Braid school, with Harold Hilton, as an amateur, superadded. “It is odd,” he points out, “that this quintet should have arisen within a year or so of each other; odder still, perhaps, that the mold seems to have been broken immediately afterwards. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the past year was the reassertion of ‘Sandy’ Herd. J. H. Taylor, too, in recent championships has just been about the most consistent of the British players, as far as position on the prize-list is. concerned at any rate. This group used to be described as the ‘old gang’ ; perhaps they should now be re-christened as the ‘die hards.’

“Looking over all broad Scotland one does not see very much of great promise coming on. Our best of recent years, ‘Bobby’ Gruickshank and Tommy Armour, together with multitudes of lesser ability, have gone to America; and the rate of exodus today is higher than ever. To gather in the almighty dollar seems to be the settled ambition of our young fellows nowadays. Go where one will and ask wh.-il has become of any prominent youth, and one gets the answer, “Off to America.’

.“Somebody out there is reported to have taken a census of the colony of Scots professionals, and ascertained that Cornoustie headed the list with some 200 professionals resident in the States who hailed from that nursery. But even Carnoustie seems to have lost its happy knack of producing the real big stars. Where are the equals of the six brothers Simpson, all fine players, of the Smiths—VVillie, Alec, and ‘Mac’—just about the best trio of Steots professionals America ever took to its playing courses? It is the stars like the Simpsons and Smiths we are after to-day. Perhaps someone with enthusiasm and enterprise will go after the new ‘Scottish hope.’ It is up to the tournament promoters to have a mind to help in the search for him. So far as the rising Scottish amateurs are concerned, I believe we have quite a good bunch coming along.’’ . _ Regardless of the apparent hopelessness of the situation, the British are going along with their arrangements to semi a. formidable team of professionals over to America this spring in the hopes of making reprisals for what Hagen and Jones have done in the way of winning three out of the last six British open championships. The fund to defray the expenses of a. team of eight men, a “spare,” and® manager, is getting larger and larger every day, and it is noteworthy that the Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrews has contributed 250 dollars. Just what terms the match, which is for the Ryder Cup, will be played under is not known. Nor is. the ultimate whereabouts of the match known. At the time of the Oakmont meeting there was a general discussion, and W. C. Fownes, jun., president of the U.S.G.A., told the representatives of the P.G.A. that they could have Oakmont for the "match if they desired, but the feeling then was tliat it .would be better to hold the affair either in the Chicago or New York district. To hold it at Oakmont on the week before the open championship would no doubt detract from one or the other of the two events and cut down the profits to a considerable extent. The dates have been set for June 10 and 11, which is just prior to the open championship, now scheduled to start on June 14.

While there appears to be nothing to prevent them from doing so it would seem, from the sporting point of view at least, best if the American team was an all-American one; that is, one composed of men who have been born here. To pit ex-British such as Barnes, Macfarlane, Armour, Cruickshank, Walker, and Smith against their own kind •would not, in the writer’s opinion, prove anything. To put a team composed of Hagen, .Sarazen, Farrell, Turnesa, Diegel. Brady, Watrous, and Cooper against a purely British team would add to the international aspect of the match and prove whether our golfers were superior or theirs. ' ..