Show Or of 11 ee 7 jY 13 7 GRANTLAND R RICE By Br ND RICE Copyright 1923 N Y Tribune Inc Golf as you may happen to know frequently has Its depressing side or l l thIs reason e w e are ore al ah a ai s upon the lookout for tor a chance to sound some note of cheer or lure the sunshine through the shadows shado It is this Idea In mind that we tackle the matter of nen nerves neres es In golf g J IC ou are nen nervous nerous ous or are subject now and then to tits Its of nerves neres nen es to jumping pulses and fluttering duck lIts itts there Is no particular reason to be bo discouraged discouraged discouraged aged For sample example ami le we wo had alwa alwais s had the Idea that Walter Valter J Travis was as as one ono ot of the few tew goiters golfers In the game who had no nerves to bother with one who was alwa always s as cool and as serene as asa asa asa a statue a golfer goiter ne never er harassed by 0 esen en the he slightest In Inward Inard ard quiver quler er He had alwais aiwas given this Impression Impression sion ston even eon In the most nerve nene nerve places Yet recently Mr Ir Travis without any shame or hesitation confessed that he ho heas was as as no different from the rest of mortal mold W v J TR Tn WIS VIS AND NERVES When I was playing tournament golf he remarked one afternoon lon at Belleair I never came caino to an nIl Important Important tant match without being quite ner ner- nerous ner- ner nervous sous ous I won wont t een even e en deny that on oc- oc occasions oc occasions cold chills ran up and down my spine I 1 have havo often been as ncr ncr- ncr vouA voul vou- vou as anyone any one could be and I dont don't believe the g golfer e ever eer er lived who nho ho at times has not been afflicted in the same way There are times time when this high ner nervous ous ous tension helps to tomAke tomake tomake mAke one keener to keep one at a 0 abettor better fighting pitch pitch- And there are times of ot cour course e when hen it Is a handi handl- handicap handicap cap But If it this nervous state can cnn be beheld beheld beheld held under fair control it will act as asan asan asan an advantage on many occasions There Is a big difference between be- be beIng being be being ing e extremely nen nerous and giving com corn completely away t to l an attack of ot ner nen es cs i Jerry Travels Travers supposed to be an- an an another other of ot the phlegmatic clan was much much like his veteran rival 1 ravers who ho ho always looked as un- un unperturbed Unperturbed un unperturbed perturbed as a rock roele upon a windless da day was nas frequently as 09 nervous as IlS a hooked trout When Wh n I won my first champion champion- championship championship championship ship he said I I had a foot 3 putt to beat Archie In the final bY Ii 5 and md 4 I knew at lit this stage there was hardly a chance for Cor me Ine to lose loso The match was in my hand I had hd-d been putting well all day and et ct facing thu this last foot 3 putt I could hardly hold the club In la my hand I Iwas as shaking like a leaf lent In a gale galo and andI I must have waited o ov 0 er or the ball bait a 1 full minute before I finally managed t to l hit it I ha have e been so nervous In inmany many hes that I could hardly hel hold holda 1 a club This was ace as especially truo true after aCter I had be become ome 0 or near the tho I clo closing days doys of a championship On my last trip to I J was so ner- ner nervous ner nervous voile that I hated to reach those keen battling baffling greens preens ALL IKE AI They are all alt alike In this respect After his 69 at ot summer Wlter Hagen Hagon Ill always an nn indomitable fighter was wag extremely nervous after the first hole or two when hen he ho saw that his hlA hl touch was nas missing r and that hIs timing was nas IlS a trifle offIt oft off It Is this feeling that will tear apart the tho th nerves of ot any golfer to golfer know n know In a big I m match that a the e win win- win ning touch Is absent and that every every- everythIng everything everything thing is to be a struggle Even the finest putters of o long ex- ex experience ex experience fall quick victims to putting ner nen es when they miss one or lr two I fairly short putts And unless they remember to blacken slacken the grip a trifle and swing the putter puller blade a bit more slowly they are upon the verge of a series of quick nervous jabs at the ball such as Vardon frequently made mado after missing his is lust st short putt A golfer absolutely without nerves would be bo at a handicap for tor h he could then never neer ne er quite become keyed up to any lofty championship pitch lIe lIeI I would find it harder to force a rally lor or to leap forward to a desperate sit sit- situation sit situation such as Bob Gardner for tor one example has so often done And always a greet great competitor In any sport I who Is 11 extreme e extremely h ly nervous re m a hard hord match When a golfer however reaches the state where whore the slightest noise or orthe orthe orthe the least movement mo ement upset shim he 1 should begin besin to take his case in hand It Is about time then to gl give gle e ones one's non S stem a battle and conquer at at least I part art of the weakness When hen I the nen nerves nerses IS are aro permitted to take corn corn- com complete control there is little hope Wo Vo have seen golfers goiters who couldn t putt I when hen birds were singing In nearby trees or when hen there were ere tree shad shad- shad shadows 0 ons S on the green greens We Ye have seen them I helpless to make mahe a shot when hen anyone was as as anywhere in itt sight delay delay- ing delaying their play until caddies caddie opponents and team mate were ere all arranged completely out cut of vision Habits of this sort can be given leeway until they become all destro destroying all Ing These should be met at once and put under I sort of control some The best SS- SS tern tem system Is to concentrate upon hitting bitting the bolt ball ana one make a habit of ot this to the I exclusion ot of all outside elements This cant can't be done always ays to a perfect I degree but It can to a certain extent There is h a big difference between be- be be ing being nervous over a hard match and having nervous over every ever that Isn't played In utter uttel sil sll sit sit- silence ence with Ith the universe Immo immovable able I George Duncan Duncin and Jock are t two tao 0 ot of o the most roost nervous hh high high- strung h- h strung golfers golfer we wo have o P over eer PI seen Yet both hoth have havo won on the British open Their themo nervous nen ous te tension leads to the mot moot it brilliant play but Is also reo re- re responsible for many erratic rounds Without any nerves the they might be ho a trine trifle brilliant steadier hut but never quite as bril- bril bril as they are at their best I 00 00 |