THE GREATNESS OF WALTER HAGEN

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1935, Page 12

THE GREATNESS OF WALTER HAGEN

HE HAD ALWAYS SOMETHING IN RESERVE CRITICAL SHOTS PRODUCED WHEN MOST NEEDED «? (By “Stance.”) JT was once said of Walter Hagen, the evergreen American professional, that he was the best shotmaker in the world when a shot had to be made. That was to say that when a difficult shot was required at a critical stage of a round Hagen could rise to the occasion. In open championships many players with great winning chances have broken down when informed what they had to do over the last few holes. With Hagen it was different. He was made of sterner stuff and the knowledge of the difficulties confronting him appeared only to bring out his very best. As he himself says, “In a tight corner one ounce of spunk is worth a ton of skill.”

Hagen always appeared to possess the happy knack of annoying the British crowds. He seemed to take a sheer delight in doing so and it is to the eternal shame of British golf that during his gallant bid over the last nine holes in the open of 1923 the crowd cheered when he was bunkered. This incident is often quoted by Australian cricket writers when the Englishmen complain regarding the barracking from the famous “Hill” at the Sydney cricket ground. Hagen, however, never bore the British crowd any malice. On that famous occasion he just smiled and proceeded along in his own swaggering style, and a year later Britain realised that, despite his disparaging remarks concerning their play and his obvious showmanship, Walter Hagen was not only a great golfer but a sport. The, following year, with a knowledge of what was required of them, Hagen carded a 36 for the final nine holes and won by a single -stroke. He was faced with a putt of eight feet on the last green and after a long and careful survey he coolly stepped up and banged the ball into the can. This time the British crowd atoned for its previous behaviour by cheering the American to the echo. On one occasion in the American professional championship when he wasfour down with four to play Hagen staged one of his greatest finishing efforts. At the thirty-third hole he had to putt 12 feet to save the game, but he was equal to the occasion. A putt of eight feet was necessary at the next and one of 10 feet at the thirty-fifth, but on neither occasion did his courage fail him. He won the thirty-sixth, and the game at the thirty-eighth. In spite of his swaggering showmanship, there was always a colourful air of easy gallantry about Hagen that captured the imagination of the crowd. Even to-day, although one of the veterans of the game, he can draw the gallery. A year ago in the American Open at Merion he was hopelessly out of it, finishing about sixtieth, but on the final day Hagefl, with his well known bright

blue shirt, commanded a following of more than 3000 and even though his scores were well in the eighties, he kept the gallery entertained all the time. This year at Oakmont he completely stole the show. Even Jimmy Thomson’s mighty drives failed to draw a bigger gallery than did Hagen with his gallant bid for a title he had first won in June, 1914, before even the rumblings that preceded the Great War.

Hagen’s mental attitude to the game has always been one that should serve as a shining example to the average player. Golf to Hagen was naturally a business, but he never allowed that aspect to attain the upper hand. His usual game was of the careful type, but when the acid test came he was equal to it. When his opponent had planted a great second on to a difficult green it was never a case of “Can I do likewise? ; it was always “I shall do likewise.” The shot drew out all powers of concentration and he made the shot.

He was playing at Manly, Sydney, with Kirkwood against Jim Ferrier and another player during his visit to Australia. Almost all the way Ferrier consistently outdrove him, and after the round was over it was remarked that at any rate Ferrier could hit further than Hagen. Walter coolly asked Ferrier whether this was so and, receiving an affirmative answer, invited him to hit a ball off the first tee. Ferrier hit a screamer. Hagen lined up and belted one past him. What was more, he repeated the dose three times. Then he turned and told the onlookers that previously he was playing, a round of golf and was not indulging in a driving competition. This was typical of him. He never strained effort, nerve and muscle all the time. He took things ■ quietly so that when tho critical stage arrived he had always a reserve to call upon. Never did he become bustled and never did he regard a game as lost until the last putt was down. If the average player could only develop this Hagen attitude how much more pleasure he would get out of golf!