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Show GLIB TONGUE IS NEWEST WEAPON Some Men Consider Verbal Strategy Legitimate Golf. Modern psychology has Invaded golf. And with It rises a new menace I to the susceptible amateur the hazard haz-ard of the glib tongue. Iti'turdles of respective abilities the exponei.t 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 be 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 has given to It a subtle and perilous reinforcement "One of my earliest experiences In championship golf," Mr. Hilton said,' "was when I bad to meet a very experienced, ex-perienced, middle-aged player. On form I should have defeated hint and I really did think I would. He bent me or perhaps It would be better to say I beat myself. "When I came In, a very sick and sorry golfer, an old-time player remarked, re-marked, 'Well, I nm surprised that he beat you, Harold. Did he talk you out of It?' Then It suddenly dawned on me that he had. That was my first lesson In the art of propaganda, but I have had many lessons since.' Now Mr. Hilton's motto Is "forewarned "fore-warned foiviinued," and he simply doesn't listen lo anything that Is said lo him. The former champion tells of a peculiarly sinister golf psychologist who wins his matches from abler men by discussion of their grips on the club. This .Muchluvelli, when the match Is Hearing home, suddenly asks his adversary If he 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 his lingers Into various experimental positions. His next tee shot Is topped. So Is the next. And the third shot almost Inevitably will be sliced. Many men, pays the American Golfer Golf-er article, consider verbal strategy a legitimate part of their game. Forty and fifty years ago, he admits, a certain cer-tain degree of license was more or less recognized. While there Is at present no rule forbidding tills practice prac-tice the Britisher sets his mind firmly against It. |