GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 39, 6 July 1914, Page 7

GOLF.

Harry Vardon, who has again won the open championship, was born at Grouville in tJie Island of Jersey in May, 1870, and commenced to learn something about golf at the age of seven, j when Uie Royal Jersey Club laid down links on the island. He first entered for the open championship in 1593, and first won the event in IS'JC, after a tie with J. H. Taylor, his most formidable rival in the recent tournament. Since 1896, Vardon has won the championship on no fewer than Ave occasions, viz., in 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, and 1914. While Vardon, Taylor, Braid, and -perhaps Ray ure about as nearly even as possible in the playing of golf, the first - ruvmed is generally considered to be just a shade better t'hian the other three. George Duncan, though a brilliant performer in open tournaments, has yet to develop tile cif.ampionslvip temperament. A quiet ease is the character of Vardon's driving swing. He never seems 'to force the stroke at all, and yet one is fairly astonished at the distance that the ball is driven by theep seemingly easy stroikea And when one takes Vardon's club in hand (says Mr. Horace Hutchitson), the -wonder' is only increased. It is shorter and lighter than the average, and we have to seek the explanation of the length of its- driving in. the perfect exactness witlil -which the player strike .every ball. The motions of the golfing swing make up an effect of great beauty as he displays t'hem. Of himself, Vardon wrote in 90S:—"1 have never received a single lesson in golf from anybody in my life | You see, I began very young, and I can t fairly say for myself that 1 kept my eyes very wide open, for I never saw a L man who couii'.! play Well but I wat'hvO, him closely and studied liisi me'uw-'.-. 1 examined the play of everybody ->i this way, and whenever 1 f-aw am- ' thing that particularly took my fancy, I copied it, practised! it, and did m'y 'best to weld it, or a piece of it, into my own methods But the majority of golfers in these days do not 1 begin as little boys, and they have not ' the same opportunities of copying and practising. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that, if ever they wish to play a good game, they should avail - themselves of the. services of a really i good and capable teacher." J