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Show H j I nl Looking over the scores in the qualifying m m iff round of the second contest for the handicap cup m j i flf last week, and the first round at match play, one H $ S cannot help being impressed with the vast im- B . i fl provemont in the general play of the club mem- M m H hers that has taken place since a year ago. Any- B j m thing more than a net score of 44 was too high to m I A .iff ' qualify; in fact three men tied for last place in the i H eighth to qualify, with that score. As a matter (I ! of fact, there were but two to qualify with medal I I ; scores 6f over 40. Gross scores of 45 by Neill and III 60 by Park and Hampton, are not bad at all, con I' I ! sidering the fact that the greens were about as f I j bad as they could possibly be. h ) j) J In the first round at match play Grant Hamp-B Hamp-B j J It i ton made a medal score of 43 in the second round. H ' 1 1 J Of course, he won his game, and rather easily. H i I f f I ; Sam Park, the other "south paw," also won his B II III game. It is a pity that Park does not play more. H I j I He uses his big powerful wrists splendidly in his Hi I drives and long iron shots, and with a little prac- '' I tice to give him steadiness, this left-handed player H I would bother us more than a little. B I L j The semi-finals this afternoon will be between H f ' i Park and Walcott Thompson, Reid and Hampton. H I l'l Thompson has already won the cup once. Should B , ' , I he win this handicap trophy again well, there H ' t i are mutterings of dire threats among the faith- ' , Wicks and Steiner, two of the best of the B V class players, did not qualify. Which illustrates , f ! the uncertainties of the game, for four times out h, ' of five they would qualify easily with the handl- l'1 1 j caps given. K f titjm "Are any of the Country club players good B ' f i' if enough to compete in eastern tournaments?" is H. , j I ' m often asked. Yes, I thirfk they are. Onemust H ( I M remember in this connection that whether or not BH ' ! f I a bal1 1Ies wel1 makes a11 the dIfference in tlie H 'If . world in the total score. There are a half dozen H li local players at least, that given good lies through B b II the fair green, and turf to putt on would seldom H II make a really bad shot. One of the most diffl- H I ft cult shots in golf is picking up a ball cleanly H j jj f from a close lie. The difference of a mere frac- H J li tion of an inch in the depression of the club head H If makes a good or bad shot even where the course H I ' P' If is turfyJ when it is bumpy and hard, as on the mM j p' J local course, the deflection of the club head from H I striking the ground is of course much more pro- H p h If nounced arid the average number of bad shots H I fi increased in proportion. H i 1 ' li No local player is steady enough to last B II through the finals with the crack eastern play-H play-H 1 1 If ers. But some of them do play well enough to H I j iff qualify, even in the national amateur event, and H II perhaps win one or two games in the following H jl match play. Itls too bad that we do not have H ijff more outside competition. We are becoming too H I ' 1 1 sot" in our, playing form, and too accustomed H ' ft j I to the games of our club members. H , Jl There must have been' some surprised golfers" B !' ' i in Chicago this week when Chandler Egan was H J defeated in the first round of match play for the Ravinoaks cup, the big western trophy, by Macon B. Phillips. Egan has been coming so fast the past two years, and plays such a bull dog game anyway, that many are picking him for the national na-tional championship, if not this year, then the next. A. FOOZLER. |