APPEAL OF GOLF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 4

APPEAL OF GOLF

1 PLAYERS DRIFTING OVER VINES MAY LEAVE TENNIS RUGBY LEAGUE CAPTAIN’S VIEW Golf Is calling to the sports-lov-ing public of the world with ' stronger voice than any other form I of recreation. Almost daily one i reads of converts from various j forms of outdoor recreation —tenj nis, soccer, running, even boxing—- ; to golf. Once upon a time New i Zealand claimed Rugby as its naj tionai game. To-day golf seems to be usurping Rugby’s place. Among the more recent converts to this refreshing game is El'.swuith Vines (a leading world tennis player) He insists that his main sporting ambition is to take the long pilgrimage w r it.h the golfing pros, from California t<- Florida, writes Grant land Rice. V oes has already worked his golf gamo down into the low or the middle 70’s Hs is long off the tee, will) a big improvement in his iron play over last year I asked Vines if he found that golf interfered with tennis, or tennis with golf. ‘‘Tennis doesn’t bother my golf swing.” hp said, “but I find the two games are different in this respect—you forget about a tennis nrMuke right after it is made. But even : n the midst of a tennis match T often find myself wondering how I missed that 2ft. putt or why I hooked that drive out of bounds.' } Maurice McLoughlin, the comet of other 'lays, the flaming red-head who gave tennis its first big c/ilour, is also down in the low 70’s, much letter at golf to-day than he is at Guuiis The comet of 20 years ago has a fine smooth swing, and with more time foi play or practice would be listed ai- ong the better amateurs. Frank Shields at Gnlf The golfing career of Frank Shields, rated number one at tennis in the East, only a step back of Wilmer Allison, national champion, is the n»o=t remark- | able of them all. Shields took up gulf less than four months ago. At tnat. point he knew | nothing at all about the game, but the i big tall tennis star happened to have a • remarkable pair of han Is, a loose-I jointed body and a line seu-e o! timing. I As a result of this he had worked his game down to 90 in the course of the ' first month. At the end of the se join] month Shields was playing in tne low 80’s. Over a recent week-end 1 played a round with Shields over ‘he course at Palm Springs. This course isn’t ov’er long, but it is narrow in spots, with several out of bounds. lr. one round the tall tennis >tar turned in a 72. onlyfour over par. Shields is not only extremely long off the tec, but amazingly s' r a ght—even tor one who has been placing golf several years. His iron play is good, and he has also picked up the knack of pitching and chipping in record time. His length from the tee. where his powerful hands whip the «-'ub head through, is one of the features of his play. Shields has alwavs been a fine tennis competitor, and he ha« th? same useful temperament for golf under pressu re. Golf Means a Sporting Medley It takes a big golf tournament around Los Angeles to bring out one of the main sporting medleys of tie year. In addition to such campaigners a? Walter Hagen, Mac and Horton Smith Jimmy Hines, Henry Pickard and many others, you’ll see Vines and Shieidc from tennis; De Paolo, a, racing driver, who shoots in the low 70’s; Joivny Weismuller, the swimming champion, also in the, 70 something class; Bing Crosby, i and Dick Arlen, from the motion pie-I lure colony, who can step around 75 and rarely miss a winter tournament. ' You will also find Lynn Lary. the crack infielder from the Browns, who is playing good golf. Eric Pcdlnv. the polo player, is another who can spin you a 72 or a 74. League Player Docs a 73 Including three penalty strokes, Jim Brough’s la>t round of golf ; u England before leaving for Austraba as Rugby League ’captain, was a 73 un a par 72 course. “I think 1 would just as soon talk about golf as football,” .-aid Brough, who is on the scratch mark at home. An idea of his golfing prowess can be gained from the fact <hat he has won the golfing champion.-bip of his county and. as an amateui, participates in many of the prominent competitions in England. Brough is disinclined to discuss his Rugby prowess, but with that gtibness of tongue that different.ates golfers from all other sportsmen, and which golfers accept as their due perogative. the English skipper will talk at length about feats and styles. He must be a powerful hi*ter. for. on a new 280 yards green at his own club, he was the first to drive it, and it is all “varrv” to the green. Some day the name of Brough might appear prominently in Engip.-h golfing circles.