Show icE icEr r I HE steamy late sumA sum sum- A me air is s st ll rite rife with the buzz of many marly voices trying to name the worlds world's best golfer Byron Nelson Ben Hogan Sammy Sammy Sam Sam- my Snead Craig Wood At least these are the tour four well In the lead although in the last year Craig Wood has gone In more upon the instruct instructive tive side than tournament play The phrase best golfer covers more than a few details or angles Winning golf means something more than shot It must also mean determination determination nation and the abilIty ability abil abil- ity to keep concen concentrating listing under fire I haven't seen a finer stylist than r Sammy Snead now In the navy and far from the fairways t By stylist I mean the ability to get et results re re- suits with less effort ef ef- effort fort with greater t smoothness and Sam Snead ease But the lean Virginian or West Virginian a product of both states has too many concentrative lapses at critical moments Navy Sam at times finds it difficult difficult cult to keep his mind on the next shot or to keep his grip on the situation situation situa situa- tion through 72 holes But before going into the navy he was still the theone theone one that always carried more than his share of the gallery who liked to watch an easy looking swing that sent the ball so Tar far and so straight Nelson Velson and Hogan Nelson and Hogan two Texans who came along together from Ft Worth take up most of the arguments ments This is natural enough In Inthe Inthe Inthe the first place they are the two big money winners of the year ear the two leading stars of the last two years over a stretch of tournament play Hogan won the open at Los Angeles Nelson won the Masters' Masters at Augusta in a play playoff off against Hogan Hogan won the Hale Amer ica lea Then Nelson followed by winning winning win win- ning the Tam Tarn O 0 scramble The two have had one important meeting so far In the Augusta National test Nelson Nel son led Hogan Hoghn by a single stroke in fn 90 holes of play This margin of 01 course is thinner than the rubber of a toy balloon ans an's tournament record in the way of avera average e strokes per round and his money record for two years cars has bas been slightly better than Nelsons Nelsons Nelsons Nel Nel- sons They are a tough pair to separate separate sep sep- arate if It you take in all the elements clements ele dc ments meats that go o into winning golf Nelson has been the big stake winner win win- ner Hogan has yet to win a national nation nation- al title U. title U. U S S. Open or Styles o of Play Byron Nelson without an any question question question ques ques- tion is the best all around shot shot- maker in the game He has a greater variety than Hogan Hogan Ho Ho- Hogan gan can call upon For example Hogan must depend upon a controlled controlled con can trolled hook off the tee tec Nelson II iJ the occasion demands can use a fade or a hook Ho Hogan an believes in banking upon control of a more limited assortment assortment assortment assort assort- ment which makes concentration an easier matter They are both long Both are fine long iron players But neither over any extended period pe nod of play could be classed as a fine fineZ e Z putter At least neither belongs with such y e i green experts as f Jerry Travers Walter Wal Wal- v ter Travis Bobby Jones Walter Hagen Ha Ha- gen Freddie Mc Me- Leod Tommy McNamara Me- Me Namara Horton Ben Hogan Dogan Smith or Paul Runyan Runyan Run Run- yan to mention only a a. a limited list But Bud toll tolf olf has its peculiar ways It II gave ave lI lion Harry rry Vardon ardon control of ev ev- ery 1 in I the game up game up to the putt If 11 t Vs 0 Shad had been a first class putter putt er b his uld ha have e finished with more U. U S. S and British Opens Opens' than any two men In golf Both Nelson and Hogan can putt In spells But there is nothing consistent consistent con can on either cither side Neither looks look like a good putter to start with Nelson can gear himself up higher in a big stake than Hogan can This may be due to the fact that Hogan is willing to work harder through a longer stretch Hogan gives himself no rest He fie takes no DO vacations Nelson docs does giving much less thought to tournaments tournaments ments meals that he considers not quite so Important The wonder Is that pound Hogan Hogan Ho Ho- gan can caD take such physical and nerve and mental beating not beating not only week after alter week and month after month month but but also year after year Hogan practices endlessly steeling himself for every tournament His ability to stand up under the strain Is little short of miraculous If you are looking for the best shot maker the maker the nod goes to Nelson If you are looking to the hardest worker worker the the same goes to Hogan And it might be mentioned that both car can play their full share of at winning golf I |