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Show GLIB TONGUE IS NEWEST WEAPON Some Men Consider Verbal Strategy Legitimate Golf. Modern psychology has invaded gulf. And wiili it rises a new menace to the susceptible amateur the hazard haz-ard of the glib tongue. i:cgardle.- of respective abilities the exponent of this Twentieth century cen-tury mesmerism is likely to triumph over an unguarded opponent, says Harold II. Hilton, former British open and amateur champion, writing in January American Golfer. Mr. Hilton is a veteran of many golf campaigns. In his long career he has engaged adversaries of every kidney, kid-ney, and that includes some of the smoothest links-talkers that have ever tortured nervous? men. The "practice of conversational golf is not new, as anyone who has followed fol-lowed the game ruefully knows, but applied psychology lias given to It a subtle and perilous reinforcement. "One of my earliest experiences in championship golf," Mr. Hilton said,' "was when 1 bad to meet a very experienced, ex-perienced, middle-aged player. On form 1 should have defeated him and I really did think 1 would He heat me or perhaps il would he better to say I heat myself. "When 1 came in, a very sick and sorry golfer, an old-time player remarked, re-marked, 'Well, 1 am s-urprised that he heat you, Harold. Did he talk you out of it?' Then it suddenly dawned on me lhat he had. That was my lirst lesson in the art of propaganda, but 1 have had many lessons since. Now Mr. ' Hilt oil's motlo is "forewarned "fore-warned forearmed," and he simply doesn't listen to anything that is said to him. The former champion tells of a peculiarly sinister golf psychologist who wins his mutches from abler men by discussion of their grips on the club. This Machiavelli, when the match is nearing home, suddenly asks bis adversary if lie hasn't changed his grip. "No, I don't think I have," is the dubious reply. "But surely you used to hold the club this way " He demonstrates, and for a minute or two the victim shifts li is fingers into various experimental positions. His next tee shot is topped. So is the 'ext. And the third shot almost inevitably will be sliced. Many men, rays the American Golfer Golf-er article, consider verbal strategy a legitimate part of their game, forty and fifty years ago, lie admits, a certain cer-tain degree of license was more or less recognized. W'hile there is at present no rule forbidding this practice prac-tice the Britisher sets bis mind firmly against it. |
