PRAISE FOR AMERICA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 5 January 1927, Page 2

PRAISE FOR AMERICA

FORMER ,NEW . ZEALAND

RESIDENT

A great "country, the finest golfers in the world, and the kindest, meat democratic, most efficient people in the world. Such in brief is the opinion of America and matters American held by Willie McEwan, a former New Zealand golf professional, who, is. now with the Pres Did Glib, hear San Francisco. McEwan, who' is Scottish born, left the Old Countryjn 1910, and was at Masterton, Middlembre, and Heretauhga (Wellington) before he sailed for the United States.

Looking bronzed arid fit, he arrived in Auckland this week oh the first stage of a four months' holiday, most of which will be spent in Australia, the birthplace of his wife, who hails from New South Wales. McEwan has done well in competitive golf in the States, as witness his brilliant display in a« foursome', against Jim Barnes and Jock Huichinson (American and British open champions in 1922), and the .breaking of his own course record of a few years ago, but his greatest success has been in teaching the game and in laying out of courges. "Golf is the national game in America," he told a reporter, ''and the same thing applies to England and Scotland, but 1 am afraid New Zealand is a long way behind in this respect. Until now golf in the North Island has'been the pastime of one class, but there must be thousands of players who would support a municipal scheme, and the young men 6f New Zealand, with their natural aptitude for outdoor sport would do well at the game." For the present, however, and for some years to come, he was confident that the United States would produce the greatest golfers in the world—rather a safl commentary on his native land, where the pursuit of the "wee white ba" originated. McEwan gave, it as his unhesitating opinion that Bobby Jones is the greatest golfer in the world. He said that Jones was a bona fide amateur, and even in America there was not the least suspicion of professionalism or commercial gain attaching to him. George Von Elm ranked second amongst the amateurs. Walter Hagen was the finest match player in the world, and the best medal player was MacDonald Smith. The British professionals had an "inferiority complex" hot of their own making, but because of the snobbery which still existed, but in the States, provided always that a man behaved himself as a gentleman should, a professional was on equal terms socially with every member of the club. It was this which had developed the personality of the American golf professional, and which had enabled- him to beat (he greatest British players.