UNCROWNED KING OF GOLF

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 30 November 1938, Page 3

UNCROWNED KING OF GOLF

DEATH OF TOM VARDON fHy Air Mail—Own Correspondent! LONDON. 10th November. I have just heard that Tom Vardon, one of the uncrowned kings of golf, has died in America, where he went to live about thirty years ago. He was slightly older than his distinguished brother Harry, who died last year, and who always cast a shadow over him. 1 think it was largely on this account that Tom went to America, where he hoped to . play as an ordinary golfer without always being compared with Harry. The father of the two brothers used to say: “Tom plays the golf and Harry wins the prizes.” To some extent this was true. In his long reign Harry won six British championships, a feat which has never been equalled, whereas Tom, althuogh he had the same mastery in stroke play, had the tantalising experience of missing them all. More than once Harry confessed lo me that his brother was a better player, and nothing ' would have pleased him more if the t latter had enjoyed a “break.” When j he wont to America, Tom was convinc- J cd that all his misfortunes were due i to bad luck. But he was little more successful as a prize winner in his new world, and I am afraid that temperamentally he was unfitted to do himself justice on the big occasion. In this respect he was not exceptional. Abe Mitchell, for some years the greatest player of his time, never won a championship. Neither did Macdonald Smith, who has just announced his retirement. “Mac Smith.” as tie was known, is perhaps the most notable great player who did not win a title. Ho once tied for the American event, only to be beaten in the play-off by his brother, and for twenty-five years he was pursued bv 1 ill luck. In the British championship ' I alone ho finished in one of the first four |t placet-- on seven occasions, and though j i he won dozens of other prizes, he did , not regard them as compensation fori, his failures in the major competitions. L His mastery of the game was indicated | by the fact that during a period of IJ eight years he had the astonishing average of 73 for 274 competitive rounds. : 1 I do not think any other golfer has ever 1 played with such brilliant consistency. U LIKE A LIFE SENTENCE \ “1 felt sentenced to stoutness for life writes Mrs RGP, of Spreydon, "and had resigned myself to permanent 4 fatigue and ill-health Bui last month l I began Naturettes Already Ive lost i llibs and gained excellent health Na tnrettes are wonderful” 17 days guar , antecd treatment 7/6 R W. Martin Chemist. f