Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-12-03
NEW RULES FOR GOLFERS
Important Step Taken by the Cow
erning Body of the Golfers
OF This Country.

erning Body of the Golfers
OF This Country.
Of interest to every golfer in the Unit
ed States is the new definition of an
amateur. adopted at the last meeting OF
the United States Golf association. That
the officers of this governing body of the
game in America are working in the IN
terest of the elevation of the sport IS
shown by the important amendments
adopted at this meeting, which are or
nature to remove objections which
have been made to golf in this country.
Some of the clubs in the United States
Golf association will be required to make
some changes in the game as played
on their links before their members will
be able to conform to the new definition
of ar amateur, but the step taken is IN
the right direction and will do much, il
rigidy enforced by the local clubs, to
elevate true sport. The old definition
of an amateur was objected to as being
too loosely drawn and not suited to the
conditions of the game in this country, al
though it was adopted from the rules OF
the Royal and Honorable. Colt club OF
was thatsit left an opportunity to golfers
to play for money, and that some play
ers took advantage of this may be IN
ferred from the fact that two members
of clubs, near New York, this summer
played a match of eighteen holes for
500 hole, the winner receiving $500.
The fact that the players We're we'll
known golfers, who could easily afford
the loss, has no bearing upon the ethical
status CT the match. To prevent play
ing for money, SO that golf shall not de-
generate into a mere gambling game"
the bane of many American sports, the
I executive committee of the United States
| Golf association adopted the new rule,
which reads as follows:
Sec. o. An amateur golfer shall be a
onJf for rnO bn no n IL
| sheraton for playing i'll match or for Civ.
| ing lessons in the game. or for example OF
| nor taken charge of golf links for hire who
| has never contended for money prize in an
| open competition. who has never carrled
| clubs for hire, after attaining the age Of .
years, who has never personally made golf
clubs, balls or any other articles connected
With the game for sale. and who on and
/ match game against professional Tor q
| money bet or stake, nor played in Grub
| competition for money prize or sweep
stakes.
The officers Of the association are
thoroughly in earnest in their efforts to
prevent the game from degeneratlng, and
if this rule is not sufficiently ''ironclad'
the committee will try again Regard
ing the competition for the amateur
championships section 10 of the rules was
amended to read as follows:
No person shall be eligible to compete for
the amateur championship or i'll any golfing
ISOLATION. who after January l, 1897 has re-
ceived compensation for services performed
in any athletic organization or In any ca
pacity connected with the game Of Solf.
But persons debarred by any OF the forego-
ing provisions of this section having be-
come ineligible by violation thereof may. by
the executive committee, be duly reinstated
if their position then conforms with the
rules and regulations of this association.
But person, once professional. be
reinstated as an amateur. Only members of
clubs belonging to this association. sub
scrihers for the season there;o, and those
entitled under the rules of any associate or
allied club to the use of the links, in whole
or in part, for period not less than the en-
tire current, season. can compete for the
amateur and women.s championships, and
competitors must enter for the champion
ships through the, secretaries, of their re-
names. shall be held to certify that the
nlayers are bona -ide golfers in accordance
with the terms of the foregoing definition.
The question of competing in team
matches where members belong to, two
or more clubs was brought up and the
rule amended so that in team COMPETE
tons any member belonging to two OF
more clubs shall elect with which club
he Will represent, and he shall not there
after play on the team Of any other club
without the permission of the green's
committee of his home club. Another
good rule adopted was that requiring
professionals in competitions to be prop
crly attired. and the association did a
graceful act in voting. to the Morris
the associations national hampionship.
The litter of revision of the rules of
the game in America, or rather of the
Interpretation of the rules. has proved
10 small task, and report will not be
submitted before the annual meeting in
December. IL the meantime the com
inittee reports that it is in correspond
ence with the best authorities, both in
the United States and Europe, and that
the rules will be ready for the action
of the delegates at the annual meeting.
Each rule will be interpreted both as to
match and medal play. with penalties
incurred for the violation of the same
Boston Transcript.
Never Touched Her.
- was very much amused once said
a drummer. down in Alabama when
an cd moup-aineer and his wife board
cd the train. That they had never been
on a railroad train before was soon evil
dent The old lady took the end OF the
seat next the window. and as the speed
increased a lock of the keenest anxiety
gathered on her face. She grabbed her
husbands arm and said in a voice plain
Joel. we be goin' awful quick. ] know
faint safe A few moments later the
train ran onto long trestle. With
shrek Of terror the old lady sprang to
her feet and seized the back of the seat
in front of her. There she stood trem-
bling from head to foot. staring from the
window. Meanwhile the train sped on
ward and was once more on solid earth.
She was quick to note the change, her
features relaxed. and she sank back into
her seat with the fervent exclamat ton.
Thank goodness! She's hit againv''
a Yorkshire vicar who quarreled
with the squire of the ma IRISH has hann