Life, 1925-06-18 · page 10 of 43
Life — June 18, 1925 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces about golf, a leisure activity associated with the American upper class. **"The Diary of a Duffer"** mocks an incompetent golfer through dated diary entries (May 25-30). The protagonist is a poor player who complains about his boss and makes excuses, ultimately being humiliated while golfing with his employer "Beardsley." The humor targets amateur golfers' self-deception and social anxiety around the sport. **"The Go-Go Tree"** is a short poem satirizing traffic policemen ("the Traffic Policeman stands") and their authority over motorists. The reference to a "Super-Cop" suggests criticism of overzealous law enforcement. Both pieces use gentle satire to critique leisure activities and social hierarchies of early 20th-century America.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Diary of a Duffer AY 25—Didn’t do a stitch of work to- The boss stuck me with an old bore. He's one of our best cus- tomers and I've got to entertain him He sure doesn't entertain ae, All he does is talk about golf, and if there's a subject on carth that’s less interesting than golf I haven't heard of it. May 26—I'm in for it now. I've got to take Old Beardsley out to the Country Club Saturday and play golf with him. And I've never touched a stick in my life! But I didn’t dare tell the boss that. May 27—Wasted two hours to-day taking lessons ata golf store. I always thought golf was idiotic; now I know it. I felt like an ass trying to hit a de- fenseless little ball with a long: stick. And that dinged instructor wasn’t any too courteous, cither, May 28—Took another lesson to-day. Managed to hit the ball a couple of times. There's quite a trick to it, I've discovered. Perhaps there is thing to the game, after all. May 29—I didn’t do so bad to-day. Boy, there's a real thrill to knocking that little pellet about. Decided to buy a complete outfit instead of renting one. TI take Mr. Beardsley out to the course to-morrow, and I've got to confess that I'm all excited about it. May 30—Well, I played my first game of golf to-day, and right now I feel like challenging Walter Hagen. But I guess I'm in dutch with the boss, all right. I was nervous when we started out, with Beardsley and_ the some- a ORVILLE PLITZ, SURVEYOR, TAKES UP GOLF SERIOU: “JUST POINT HIM OUT, POLLY! watching me, but I got off without trouble, Beardsley wasn't so good, From the way he talked I thought he was a wiz at the game, but he’s only a duffer, At the fourth hole [ got through a beautiful drive. It made me feel good. Beardsley. sliced his and when I laughed he got. sore: Called me an insufferable idiot and said it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't chuckled. I told him he ought to learn the gam taking on a good player like myself. Then he did get mad. After he had used up all the pro- caddies hefore fanity in his system he dressed and went back to Wonder what the boss will say, town alone. June 1—The boss called me in this afternoon and informed me that Beardsley had told him of the affair, At first I thought I was going to get the can, but the boss suddenly smiled and told me that Beardsley is coming hack next Saturday for the sole pur- pose of beating me at the game. The boss asked me as a favor to let Beards- Icey trim me, in order not to lose him as a customer. I had to agree to that, but T don’t like the idea. June 2—Phoned to the office that I was sick and then spent the whole da on the links, all week. golf, I'm going to be “sick Tl let nobody beat me at Robert Hage. The Go-Go Tree NDER the spreading Go-Go Tree The Traffic Policeman stands, Where cars of low and high degrce Obey his stern commands. The Go-Go Tree remarks, “Go-Go,” The Tree observes, “Stop-Stop,” As the green lights gleam or the red lights glow At the will of a Super-Cop. Irthur Guiterman, What Price Fair Dealing ? “VYJHY did Simpson change his ho- tel?” “The rates where he was were so reasonable he was afraid there was something wrong with the place.” comicbooks.com