Healthful Sports for Boys Part 15

It has become a rule to make eighteen holes const.i.tute a full course.

In the United States, however, comparatively few courses have more than nine holes, and good practice can be had upon a course with even a fewer number. The starting-point is called "the teeing-ground," and is marked by two whitewash lines at right angles to the course, forming a parallelogram with the side lines of the course five or six yards in length by two or three in breadth. Within the parallelogram the player places his ball upon a tee or small hill of sand or earth from a half to three-quarters of an inch high.

The holes are about four inches in diameter, and are lined with iron-- condensed milk cans or similar vessels may be used--and the ground for seven or eight feet on all sides is more level than the rest of the course and is known as the "putting green." The holes are placed at distances varying from three hundred to twelve hundred feet apart, and are marked by little red flags, which are removed when the player approaches.

As a match game consists of thirty-six holes, eighteen holes gone twice over give the required number; so will nine holes gone over four times, or six holes six times, or four holes nine times, or three holes twelve times. So you see that if your ground is limited you need have but three, four, six or nine holes, and the fewer the holes the fairer becomes the game for strangers, because in going over them so often they learn the ground, and that puts them on an even footing with the home players.

THE CLUBS

The golf clubs are something like s.h.i.+nny sticks in shape, but modified and better made, as the ball must be driven more accurately and much farther. The heads are made of wood or iron. There are a great variety of them, but the beginner does not need more than four or five.

The driver, a large club with a long shaft; the head is wood. It is used to start and when the ball is on the tee.

Let me add here that when the luxury can be afforded, it is usual to employ a boy, known as a "caddy" to carry the bag or receptacle in which the different clubs are kept.

The bra.s.sie is much like the driver, except that it has a bra.s.s head or plate on the hitting part. It is used for a good send when the ball is in a favorable place.

The cleek and lofter are iron-headed clubs, and are used to drive the ball far and low. A hundred and twenty yard stroke is good, but not unusual.

The golf ball, as I have said, is made of hard rubber, but in learning the game any hard ball of medium size will do, and one club will be enough with which to practice.

Hazards are obstructions in the way of the ball. A bunker is a hazard, such as a fence, wall, hedge, depression, or trees.

The ground between the holes should be cleared as far as possible of all obstructions. Hazards are not objected to by good players, as they add to the sport.

The game called "singles" is where two players, each with his own ball, play against each other.

A "foursomes" is when two players play against another two, each side having a ball and the partners playing alternately.

Often a skilled player will match himself against a number of inferiors; this is called a three or four ball match.

s.h.i.+NNY

Of course every boy who can wield a stick has played at this fine, simple old game. One does not need many tools for this sport. A stout s.h.i.+nny stick, curved at the business end, like the best walking sticks, and a ball, or even a chunk of wood, if not too heavy, and large, will do.

The game is played between chosen sides under the lead of properly selected captains. Two goals, from ten to a hundred yards apart, are marked out, and between these the ball is placed.

This done, the captains display their skill by stationing their men in such a way that they may guard their respective goals if their opponents are driving that way.

The captains start the ball a-rolling; all are free to dash in and strike, taking care to guard their own heads and not to hurt the heads of the enemy, for this is a contest, not a battle.

Each party must keep on its own side, and each goal gained is a game.

HOCKEY

does not differ much from s.h.i.+nny. In this game the ball is called a hockey, and it does not matter what you call the curved sticks.

The goals are selected, and the sides chosen as in s.h.i.+nny, but in this game the captains toss up for first strike. When the ball is struck, the opposite side tries to stop it, and the contest is on.

When the ball is sent over the opponent's goal line, the game is won.

WINTER

CHAPTER XXII

ON THE ICE AND SNOW--THE ROYAL SPORT OF SKATING, WITH SOME HINTS ON SKIING, AND SNOWSHOES

Outdoor sports in winter are necessarily restricted to the thing that can be done in the snow or on the ice. But what glorious, health- giving, strength-making things they are! It is from the land of the stern winter that the world's greatest men have come.

Usually the frost comes before the snow, and with what joy the boys and the girls hear the news, brought by a rosy, eager comrade: "The ice is strong enough to bear."

Of course, our first experience on the ice was when we tried our first slide guided by the hand of a stronger and more expert companion. How soon we learned to do the trick, and what fun there was in "keep the pot a-boiling," while strings of youngsters took the slide. What if some did topple over? No bones were broken, and the incident always caused a lot of good-natured laughter.

Roller skating indoors or on smooth roads is certainly a good preparation for ice skating, but it is not at all necessary to begin that way, any more than it is to practice swimming with a support about the body.

It is said the children in Holland learn to skate as soon as they leave the cradle. Certainly the young South Sea Islanders learn to swim at an equally early age.

My advice is: Begin skating as soon as Santa Claus, or some other good fairy gives you skates of the right size. Some more advice: Never, from first to last, skate with your hands in your pockets. Leaves, sticks, bits of paper, or similar obstructions may check and stop, perhaps throw you, and at such times the hands should be free to ease the fall.

In the old days, with the help of the blacksmith, the harness maker, and the carpenter, boys had to put their own skates together. Those were certainly clumsy affairs, but there was no end of good sport in them.

To-day, the patent, clamp skate, fitting snug and securely and without any tight straps or tiresome screws, can be bought cheaply and fastened on in a jiffy. But can you use them when on? That is the question. If you can't, be a.s.sured you will soon learn, with patience, practice and the advice of a more experienced companion.

WRONG HELP

I note that some books on skating advise the beginner to take a chair to the ice and learn on this till confidence is gained. Now confidence is never gained by leaning on anything or depending on any person.

Start in to win by having confidence in yourself. This applies to your life work as well as to skating.

When you have mastered your legs somewhat, and can move fairly well forward, it will be quite time for you to learn some other way of getting experience and fun from the sport.

Begin the variation by trying to cut a forward circle. To begin, you strike out on the left foot, with the body leaning toward the left, the center of the proposed circle. When the weight of the body is on the outside edge, the line described by the skate runner will be a curve directed outward. As soon as you find that you can continue on that stroke no longer bring the right foot quickly forward and down.

This last must be a short stroke of only sufficient duration to give you time for another outer-edge stroke with your left foot. At first you will make a very large circle, but gradually you will be able to contract the dimensions. When you have mastered the left-foot circle, try it on the right foot, and practice until you are able to go either way with equal speed.

The backward circle, when learned, is easier than the forward ring, for the push stroke is made with the toe. When going backward great force can be given to the toe-push stroke by slightly lifting the heel.

To cut the circle backward, you must simply reverse your forward movement.

To skate backward, work or scull yourself along any way, until you are able to detect the proper movement and proper manner of giving the strokes. This accomplished, you may call yourself a good plain skater.

The spread eagle is one of the first steps in the advance from plain to fancy skating. Even when well done, it lacks the elements of grace, but it is most excellent practice to render the limbs supple, and make other more graceful tricks possible; and it is a favorite performance of boy skaters.