GOLF VETERANS.

Shannon News, 3 May 1927, Page 4

GOLF VETERANS.

is the best age? (By Har/y^y^on^Six. Times Open .*.•* (Champion). • Up to what age..may a golfer hope to i-maintain 1 something -"like his r best form? ' '-•• This question is .prompted by' several fairly 'recent performances, as, .for example, the success of Mr. Ed- •' ward ■ Blackwell in the veterans .scratch ■competition 1 * on -the Royal Mid-Surrey course with a score of 74 (figures Which not many men in the prime of: early vigour would back 'themselves 'to beat); the victory of j Mr. John Ball-in one of the scratch / competitions of the Leasowe Club, . and' the- triumph 'of Alexander Herd in the big tournament which is widely,known as "the professional matchplay, championship." Mr Blackwell, now in his Gist .- year, is rated at plus I, I believe, in two-or three clubs which are noted for the rigorous standard of their handicapping, for instance, the , Royal 'and Ancient, and Runningdale. r Moreover,- ■ his fully justify that rating. It might be un- \ duly exuberant'to say: that he is play T ~ ing-as well as at any time in his life, ~ ■ but those who have known his golf ' for. many, years would be puzzled to describe .any particular in which 'it -, >. has .deteriorated. ', As athletic in- appearance as a sold- ,' 'ier of the Guards, Mr. Blackwell .' opens out his broad shoulders in the /■ old. familiar . way to hit the ball a ;•'' mighty blow fromthe tee. He is one -' of .thev i veterans••=who have "not lost K -length appreciably in driving. And :\ ho "certainly" has not' lost his touch / in the more delicate shots. Ijt, is all very encouraging to those ■ of us>iwho may begin to> wonder /, whether'we are -'growing' too old to -- play well.- ■ 'No doubt Mr. Blackwell Is an -exceptional man. Certainly ) ,he 'has lasted better than any of those. playeTs who were in the front , 'rank of amateur golf twenty-ifive or thirty; years ago-with' the possible '. exception-of Mr John Ball. Mr Ball • - Is now 33. If ho had remained in • his long-time-home'on the fringe of ' " the Hoylake links instead of going to .. live..in a remote part of Wales, probably he would still have been a power ''. In the championships. - ' Improving after 40. The preponderance of evidence goes , to show that a youthful beginner at golf reaches*,his-(best- between the ages of 25 and 30, and that, given keenness and norma! health; he has a considerable prospect of maintaining efficiency until he reaches 50. Mr. Robert- Harris became amateur champion at 43, and is probably a golfer now than at any previous stage in his career. He is more skilful because, until recent times, he had only one way of hitting his shots. He played them all • with an element of "draw" so as to - promote run—a system which gained distance in driving but which, being .ingrained in his constitution, entered into.-ihis shots up to the hole and .- made-their control uncertain. He has improved in the sense that he is now a master of the stroke • which' is practically devoid of run. i . Thus her has; two methods at com- ') mand, and the advantage of being ~ £ * .'able to utilise them in accordance \ with circumstances. (a,. .. '- When a man can make this head- £ '.way after-turning 40, and gain his f*\' first success in the amateur championship as a result of it—for it un- ;</. questionably contributed a lot to the (■' victory of Mr. Harris —there must be '„'■; hope.for many. f- . During the past seven seasons P ■ every winner of the open champion- : ,-, ship-has been under 40, but that may ":/■■ be partly because a new generation of " of American professionals was developed during '.'the late unpleasant- .* "ness" in Europe—as somebody has • described it—and had opportunities of cultivating abilily on the iinks while the golfers of this country were engaged in other affairs. Until then, the over 40's were powers in the land. Personally, I secured my last championship at the age of 44, J. H. Taylor was a winner at 43, and James ;■■ Braid at 40. The open championship, however, is as much a test of -*, vitality as of skill. t\ . The strain of playing six consecuI ■'- tive scoring rounds—two in the *V eliminating stages and four in the Competition proper^—is th e most se- *,' vere in the whole scheme of golf, for .y it does not allow a moment's mental 'relaxation to the individual who feels [; that he has a chance of succeeding. ,'«. „ JLate Beginner's Solace. "; While the early beginner at golf £ may reasonably hope to be at his ?);■ best —whatever the standard of his £j, best —from the time that he is 25 |>; until he reaches 50, it is indisputable fe-v.that'' the late convert, gifted with W som e measure of natural aptitude, wA,;and possessing an experience of »?,,other ball games, often . improves rapidly, than anybody-. ■ |j He may not-attain the same projfC flciency- -as the-champion who has |\' ' the game since early boySf hood, but,the rate of his progress is '•s sometimes remarkable. |f; • A, good 'many Ikte beginners—Mr. j £/j Charles Hutchings, Mr. Sidney Pry, $p and Lieuti Col.'J. Sherwood Kelly, fjy.C, ocpur to.-the mind on -the spur pj'of the momenti—have made thernW=jaeiyeß scratch -players within' two or

three years of taking up the game, and Mr. Hutchings provided the historic instance of a man who began at 32 and became amateur champion.