CONFIDENCE IN GOLF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19413, 23 August 1926, Page 7

CONFIDENCE IN GOLF.

VISUALISING THE SHOT, EXAMPLE -OF SWEETSER.

AN INTERNATIONAL BOARD*

BS NIBLICK.. In commenting upon Walter Hagcn and 1 his golf in last week's notes I was led intt>' • an; : aside : •in V which,,«L, somewhat briefly, mentioned that the idea at the any shot was of great. importance, ,V I|..there is no idea .in your conception of the wonders how common such. a slap-dash attitude toward, a shot is?—there is far less chance of the shot beingan.effectiye one." ,V Since writing last ,wqek'.s have read an article about Sweetserj which emphasises the same point, although the writer, Mr. J. G. Anderson,' uses the term " visualises " to indicate what I have called "tlio idea of the shot/' or of the game. Mr. Anderson writes

It. was no great surprise. . . . to learn that Sweotser had won the amateur crown of Great Britain. In those memorable matches when he laughed at par -on every round, he played as if 'in the clouds. visualised .victory, Golf, to his. tuindj. .represented, t merely;, a long straight .drive, an irqn „aud .a , couple of putts. The rough, snw him but seldom, the fairway often. His mind was tuned in. play, his muscles .coordinated in supple, pliant obedience. Confidence in One's Ability, " Before each" race at the last Olympic's at Paris Paavo Nursni went into the ''silences,' visualising his race, planning on bis-spurt, running it mentally but sanely so that :no physical exhaustion would interfere before the pistol cracked. The performance itself was only an outward physical, expression of his confidence in his ability to perform." ■

t : This confidence iu one's ability to perform -gOjBS witho^j,sftx\pg )t { player :cann«fe'vj9fla|i?e his own best;: game, ,-• Tho., would-be; champion must ,b« strong in .all. .departments; must. have ( all,the, shots." in his bag. ** The .confidence which enables him to. visualise par figures enables, such'a player'merely to do himself justice. < The writetv of the article,;goes on to show how Sweetser,.has., all the shots—the long straight "drive, the . powerful iron shot, the accurate ami lengtliy mashie- • niblick" afid "Wfishie "shots,' the oven putting. " Which brings us back,'*, he goes on " to his confidence in his own ability. We have yet to hear him say that he expected to be beaten. . . Ho talks' himself into confidence on many au occasion when things are bw&kjpg bjidly, *1 missed thaft otiej'but I"'will get the next. Whileothers Jiopo, for ( .this; turn, in tho tide,„ 'fights,ipr. it *bair is „ why.We haw' Wa ißte'f|itli; in his ability m'v-tW * past I ' 'his "''Shahc'ds for future •victories!'iT The Scottish Crowd; "Last fall, "in tho Lesley Gup matches at Morris County, nVUIv tho score a tio and New York 1 down and 1 to go, our ball, lay 200 yds. from the hole. "Shall I take a spoon?' asked Jesse. 'No, sir, you can get that with an iron. Put it near the hole.'. , Out- came, the • long iron. I ; saw Jesse ! flush, with .confidence before he hit'.the ball. I had taken out my putter. ' He smashed that ball to within 2ft. of the pin, •'A visualised• stroke, if t* Ati"theV iild&i "'fti" S^fetS&r's'■ final 1 thatch in the championsiipV , 'ifi 'which 'Be overcame the-Sctdsman,;'A'.i Fi "Simpson, >ac.cordipg to,,a newspaper;-—"The ; patriotic, had all through cheered Sweetser" very warmly. ... They now undertook the Hcrculean'task of caifrying him to the clubhouse and went sirough' with it with 'much pleasant clappihg add laughter. 'There could be no doflbt about tho, new champion's popularity." , ;interaatioaal J'riondiihlp'. "I have'said, which I repeat with-all 'earnestness, that golf has aone moro to streY^t^eVth6"Jgoda between, the two?> than^ r ;an^''othfer^apttcy f < devised' by tho wit "df man'; th# pleidifigS '- of popular i publiciiSfe, or the'goo^''intentions' of ParliamrmtaHans Or congressmen. 1 '• "I have always contended that gainoa are' the greatest of 'propitiating agencies. We have only to realise what boxing and football have done to promote fellowship between France and r this country to urderstarid Hhls; and ; now that other European countries are perceiving tho good, that the- playing of manly games does to the moralo ; of their youthful populations, golf is bound to spread rapidly in the future.' 5 With emphasis, the veteran, J. H. Taylor, writes -these two paragraphs in an article on the need for an international board or control for 'the game of golf. One 'qdotbs.-'them iot theif own sake. There >'is no /doiiMf tHat gpll has -done bettfeen- f ßtftantf ,, qnrf'' Arrterfca. £ * • vfceurci ?>a *.r wm.- ,:, m ,f»QMe*5 .Visit, • It only-to consider ; lhe record of- these;postwar^yeii'S'Wfar as' golf * relationsh ips 'btifcweett'• th ' 'two countries are concerned, in'/order to ; realise how much good has been already accomplished. * This last visit, of the Americana has been spatially productive of understanding and mutual appreciation. Clubs and individuals did all they could to thako the. Americans feel at home, to givu'thein a good fiime, and to provido every chanco for i them to do justice to'themselves as golfers. It; js worth while remeinbering thiy in New Zealand, for ws shall almost certainly receive a visit from a . representative group of' iAustralian ' golfers,' especially from New..South Wales.. And the visit of the present year will be a precedent, eo far £s, visits are concerned. •• When- thfi-American Walker. >(sup team reached Southampton in a most friendly way by' 'Robert] Harris, amateur •'champion, Mr. alien.' of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, Mi, Fred Pignon, of the Press Association and two other representative ' rfien. One, golf correspondent, indeed, met them at Cherbourg, and completed the voyage with them,. -

I International Board ol Go&trol. To return, to Taylor's article, .however t I " Golf, its traditions, its rules and the [observance of all that iL-implies is not the sole prerogative of. any one. 1 people. I Time was when thiscf&ira could be made, [•bat it has vibpg passed.; Golf belongs to the whfthrknd ; I Wbmit that 1 the w«sjjr %!&sbb'- every moral tb be"'considered when its .varying -aspects- are being discussed." " on "to - explain that, he has time been advocating the setting' up of 'ftn international board-of control in ;tho"ihter?sfeß"6f the ;gatae of golf. Called fey the xmter '*: of the golf >column' in the .leading- English sporting paper, Taylor gays.he is unrepentant and ' unconvinced. Evidently the cutting ! adrift from'allegiance to St. Andrews' has already -been discussed pretty widely in America. Mr. " Bill " Fownes, president of the United .States Golf Association, referred pointedly to tho dosirabilitj of this ftt an important and representativo function. Instead of allowing mr.ttcrs to drift and clashes and schisms to appear, Taylor advocates a statesmanlike measure in order that the whole situation may be 'dealt with constructively, ' This important issue concerns golfers and golf clubs in New Zealand. We shall await reports of the deliberations which took place at the time of the British championship between representatives t>£ the two' chief countries concerned. i\o doubt' the New Zealand Golf Council is keeping closely in touch with tho same , developments.