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GOLF.

MAKING THE GOLF BALL HEAVIER. WHAT WILL BE THE RESULT ? (special to "the press.")

(By Harry Vardon.)

It will be very interesting to see what the powerful hitters can do with the golf balls of unrestricted weignt which ase shortly to be available for the purpose of experiment. The trials are to be held under the putronage of the St. Andrews Rules Committee, who want as many clubs as possible to promote competitions in which the players will use balls of the largest size obtainable —this is governed by the makers' moulds, and means a diameter of from 1.690 inches to 1.700 inches according to tiie brand —and of any weight they like. it is easily conceivable that—the object of tne'Committee boing to limit tne power of (lie bail in arivmg so as to preserve the importance ot tiie other snots in tiie game—a means to the desired end »s contained in the proposal to increase the present minimum diameter. Ims is i.Oii inches. bail with which, experiments are to be carried out will oe only one-sixteenth of an uicii bigger, but Uiat fraction means a lot. It means,, in fact, It.e eiice between tne largest golf ball now on tho market and tiio smallest. And we know that dittereuce, how the small ball bores through tho air, and how the large one soars and loses length down wind and —suffering greater resistance because of its larger surface —also loses distance against tne wind.

Encouraging the Smiters. But n.y own impression is that, in proposing to do away with the weight limitation of 1.62 ounces (29£ pennyweights), the committee are giving with ' one hand what they are taking with the other. Given a ball of 33 pennyweights—and that kind is now being made for the purpose _ of experiment—the strong men are going to hit lihrder than ever and probably drive farther than ever. . . In fact, if the unrestricted weight principle were to become Jaw, I believe that golf would be more in the nature of a slogging game than it has been at any time in the past. Its finer points—its scientific shots—would pass into something like obscurity and oblivion because of the desire, even the necessity to give the ball a tremendous hit from tlio lee. For years, we have been told that the pastime is suffering from a debauchery of long driving. This idea of introducing a ball of unlimited weight seems to me to bo the equivalent of offering the debauchees a new stimulant to goad them into mightier smiting than ever. I do not know that the change would be noticed ail at once, it takes a little time to become accustomed to a new weight of bail, especially a weight heavier than one has struck in the past. There is a little knaok to be mastered in the hitting of it so as to secure the best results. But once the llays and the Mitchells had attuned their system to a 35-pennyweight ball, 1 rather fancy that, fveu though it were a large tne, they wouid hit it nearly out of sight. There is the chance that, owing to its size, a ball of this weight would feel lighter on the club than anyone would expect it to be. If so, why not increase the weight by yet another pennyweight or two? We cannot tell those things until we haye had the ball to try, but my own belief is that the limitation of the weight is essential to the preservation of some of the best features of the game. When we have anything very heavy to hit, we are bound to try and hit very hard. That is natural. The majority of young and rising players, being young and full of vigour, would use the heavy ball and concentrate all their attention oi mighty sr.iping. And, if you do that, you seldom nave the same accuracy in playing iron shots and mashie pitches up to the hole as the man of quieter driving methods. Your golf may be very powerful stuff, but often it is very rough stuff. Why I Use a Light BalL I may be prejudiced in this matte}-, because I have never used a ball of

(Continued at foot of next column.)

more than 29 pennyweights. It was good enough to help me to victory in the open championships of 1911 and 1914, when the 31-pennyweight ball wa3 legal and in vogue, and the majority of players liked it because they thought tnat it gave them an advantage in the long game. Very likely it aid, but I think that the 29 pennyweight ball keeps a golfer in touch with the finer shots in the game —those which he has to pitch and make stop in a certain place—better than a heavier one, the run of which is very hard to contiul. So that at present I do not feel that the interests of golf are likely to be served by a removal of the restriction concerning the weight of the ball. As to the sis.e, I doubt whether there would be any serious objection ito the proposed increase in tho diameter. The suggested size, i.700 inches, is that of the biggest ball now obtainable, and a very popular ball it is ( especially in the winter, when its birr countenance makes it look nobly inviting to hit by comparison with the small Dall, which has a sinister way of seeming- to try and dig itself into the muddy ground. It might be possible to effect a compromise ; say to accept the full size and fix 30 pennyweights (a trifle more than at present) as the maximum weight. I have no doubt that, if the authorities are determined to reduce the length of driving, the large ball is the solution to the problem. Whether it is absolutely necessary to lessen the length of driving under normal conditions is another matter, and it is impossible to legislate for abnormal conditions, such as exceptionally hard ground that makes the ball run a long way, or a strong following wind that carries it a long way Personally, I have never seen anybody drive so far as to render the game easy for hiui6elf. Of the reputedly big hitters in the professional ranks, Edward Ray has secured the British Open Championship only once, and Abe Mitchell has yet to win it. IN or have long drivers been conspicuously successful in the amateur championship. True. Mr C. J. H. Tolley won in 1920, but it happened on that occasion that lie sacrificed length from the tee by driving with his spoon —which, perhaps, was precisely why lie triumphed.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19220401.2.33

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17419, 1 April 1922, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,112

GOLF. Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17419, 1 April 1922, Page 9

GOLF. Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17419, 1 April 1922, Page 9

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