Show SPORT LIGHT LIGHT- Great Golfers Dread Short Putts By GRANTLAND RICE TirE WE DRIVE for tor pleasure Johnny Farrell once said But we putt for money I wonder wonder wonder won won- der how many many dollars have been lost by putts short putts that just slipped by the edge of the tin cup possibly a half halt inch out of line Or Orthe Orthe Orthe the putts t that hat h a t r stopped an incha inch a short Or the putts that rimmed the cup A venerable golfer golfi golf golf- i er at the age of 70 W would 0 u I d consider himself a poor fish ish if it he missed a two- two footer tooter or even a Grantland Rice three But consider what has happened to Ben Hogan and to Sammy Snead to Snead-to to Cary Gary and to many many others high up I recall a masters tournament tournament tournament ment just a a- afew few years back Ben Hogan Bogan was playing the final hole lie He needed a 4 to tie the leading score Ben hit a great drive drive some some yards up the course Taking out a 5 iron he be almost hit the pin the ball bail trickling some 12 to 15 feet past the cup This left him a tricky downhill putt but easy enough for his 4 He lie tapped the ball lightly He seemed to be heading heading head bead ing lug for a 3 But the ball ran over the rim of the cup and stopped some 24 inches below This looked to be simple enough But as the return putt came to the cup it veered off orf a ahalt half halt an inch and Hogan had a 5 He lie has yet to win the masters Two months later in June Hogan ain needed a 4 to tie in the play- play f in the US U.S. open at Canterbury leveland Again he hit a nt mt drive His iron to the green st slipped by the pin again and 15 feet beyond Again Ben Benant Benent ant ent for his birdie 3 and again he peed 24 inches past And again missed the short one two one two short itts under three feet that cost him himo o to major championships in less lessan lessan lessan an two months You can understand why great dread short putts putts any any putt any length Sammy Snead has blown more short putts that cost him heavily than any star I know Only Sam doesn't wait walt for the thelast thelast thelast last green It might happen anywhere anywhere any any- where along the line With one of the greatest around all-around games golf has ever known Snead can look back on many a agreen agreen agreen green with a sad shake of his head The short one he missed mused at St. St Louis in the Open on the final green the green the short one he missed again for the Open in Is i Chicago three Chicago three putts from 10 or 12 feet at Tam Tarn OShanter in the I big Mays May's money tournament I In the St. St Pete Open I saw Snead almost hit the pin pm with his second on a yard hole He had a 10 footer for a 3 3 He putted two feet over He missed that one We have often wondered how a astar astar astar star golfer felt who had hit two great shots requiring power and skill control and timing only to push or stab a two two foot foot putt and undo all the fine play he had used making shots far more difficult But putting isn't so much a matter matter mat mat- ter of skill skill skill-at at least not always It is also a matter of nerve control Strength has nothing to do with it A veteran of 70 has skill enough to be a fine putter putter putter-as as good as many of ot the better pros Ive I've seen seena a few of those old codgers from 60 and up at work Some of ot them cant can't understand how any anyone one can miss a foot five putt The List The hitter in spite of the lively ball and a slump in pitching has regained his old place A I hitter today is on the scarcer side How many would you figure there are now at work in the two leagues In the two big leagues there are at least 75 players on each side not counting pitchers who have been at bat more than times From this list we discovered discovered discovered dis dis- dis- dis covered exactly 11 ball players in each circuit who had reached the mark or better with five or six others who had a good chance to make the grade It might also be noted that five or six are so near the mark they may fall out before the season ends Jackie Robinson is almost certain certain certain tain to lead the National He has been between and the greater part of the year Country Slaughter a and n d Red of the Cardinals are the next two authentic hitters in the older circuit where they have been nesting between and Marshall Thompson Lockman Hodges Kiner Kmer and Gordon are over but they cant can't afford to do any slipping sUpping through Septem Septem- ber has been putting on a desperate scramble to reach a much higher mark but Stan has found the traveling much rougher than it was last year He has been over 40 points away from his 1948 mark Why Who can say |