1938 BIG GOLF YEAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21052, 2 June 1938, Page 5

1938 BIG GOLF YEAR

I Young Players Should Shine Cotton On Prospects For Season It is 1938 and the start of another big golfing season. “Big” is definitely the correct word, for this year there is a wonderful calendar, writes Henry Cotton in ‘‘The News of the World.” Event with most rivalry attached is the Walker Cup match at St. Andrews in June, and in this I do hope that British amateurs will make a winning show. We badly require a victory to put amateur golf on top. where it always ought to be; and in this respect there has never been such an opening as there is now for young golfers to break through. British golJ needs more young men of ability, although there are many experienced players capable of going on for some years yet. But I would like to see the younger ones reaching championship class and gaining sound experience. There must be many with aptitude who need only more application and determination to succeed. Well, they will have a grand variety of tournaments at which to shoot this year. Each playe r I suppose, singles out in advance the events in which he aims at

doing well—from local handicap meetings to open tournaments, and it is this ambition hat keeps us all going. We who play golf are an intersting crowd, because although our game does “get under the skin’’ and often hurts us badly, yet few give in. Ambition dies hard. Each week-end brings further hope, and summer holidays give long days uf play; and all the-tim we say, “our game will improve.’’ So it goes on, now into 1938, a year in which there should be ample r hr nee for all to show that improvement. I would like to see more municipal courses. Most towns that have them make them pay—and often handsomely —so that the financial side should not be a deterrent. , I wish London had more. It is true that one or two are added every year to the rather small list. Golf can 1 elp even towards the “Fitter Britain” movement. Although indoor physical training is beneficial to all. there is much to be said for two or three hours’ walk in the open air—with such “distraction” as chasing a golf ball. And so I would liki to see more young players coming to the front and more courses available. I also hope that the 14-club rule, which the Americans have adopted, will not become the law in this country. The recent Miami-Baltimore tournament was conducted under the new rule, and the scoring average was unchanged. In fact, I do not think that any difference will be noticed anywhere. But I feel that it is an unnecessaiy rule, interfering with the liberty of the golfer who likes to have a big bag of clubs. It might even spoil trade and employment. A large number of clubs carried by a player never won a championship alone 1 and never will; so why put on a ban? I trust that Britain’s governing body will , not follow America in every move.