The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-06
rHn RuLrs on o 2
a care froa . Member ef TIE Cs-n,ttee 9,
differentiation.


To EDrToR OF TEE suN-SYr. In . rec,n,
editorial headed New Trouble in Golf' you
bring up n very old question, and inoidentallv
you ~criticise Mr.. Macdonald and his o~olloaRu.
for having done that which they were appointed
TO do. You say:
"The Interpretation wss, We must a.sume, sdop,,a
from an irresistible desire TO adopt for II seems to u.
In one important respect to have been moro cranky
than wise." Instead Of combining itself 70 interpret
ing tho rules that wcro. the committee monkeysd
with that ancient and well.regulated a. institutioa.
the bunker or hazard, and made what was practt
cally q new rule"
"To say that a club should b aoled In q hazard
under certain conditions was introducing q fresh
ground for dispute altogether unnecessary"
"what ia sod1 How many blades OF Grass 70 The
square inch constitute sod
ait will be better for clubs to agree upon suoh rulss
for themselves AZ will bar ali possibility Of doubt"
You conclude where we began, for In our pref.
ace to the rules and rulings we distinctly
stated among points not governed by the rulos,
and which should DO made tho subject Of
local rules, the strict definition Of hazards ON
tho course"
/ shall not say that II you differ from me
in opinion you arc cranky" nor that you
monkey" with the subject; but I again repeat
that we made no changes In the rules Of golf,
but that wo interpreted them on the authority
Of qualified experts or Of customs which have
obtained In the best clubs of Scotland and
England.
Rutherford and hectyer.. book, page -, .sy,,
mott Tas' eenora ip9I i !. e deemed psrs" ~' AA.'s''
The rule Of hazards fatal rule 1Al.i 4 . swsep.
ing and, II literally enforced, 90 prohihhvo tina,
local rule, "a are f5'e3Ient 70 auniify IL ~ ,,,., ,,,..
from well-known clubs:
Aberdeen (Bdioo,cnts) Ltnts
Bent or PUSHES shall not bo oonnfdoTod ahesard!s
Compare tho above with rule Is.
iii. when q ball lies in . hazard Gee rule l4a, %.
player in iddTsssing - s9 Sn ,oor the GoTnd; ers.s,
, .sdsd he e. II bn NO Il. I, i .nBs :. .s sSS NE Of 9ou the 81, bal; :. SH,
before he strike n the ball"
Bent or PUSHES shall NOT Be eoasidered sh.ssrd.
VI =. is se s1oiudsd r from ne O op. :Rs sa' OF rule IL t. e. ID q
entails no penalty"
81. Georges COT L<~ks:
"The areas Of uncut sras. on tne ltnks md neid. out
Of bound. shall not b Considered part Of the ordinary
Sin q hazard the club shan not be grounded. but the
sfs.s q /. : .gsiaasd t hsna Z. s1 Gp.1aaOS Ht Of 'h ssl s'i Il. "a :;
entails no penalty"
should elucidato your mystery. therefore, By
saStn are % not Sou' able + .G 70 SsS z PilsE,h4s er N 3o1 q r Sai1 T.:
exact number of blades Of grass to the square
inch that constitute turf. got your mmit 70
Follow .hs rule in a fair sgt..s Of sport: With
to evade 1t.
Az you most truly state yourself. turf Il turf,
therefore. II your ball In on turf In a hazard. sole
your club; II not on turf, don't: and II you don't
know. take the safe side and don't sole your
club. unless the COMMITTEES man IN there to post
you. And, finally. please admit that our commit.
tee found at least preoedents for tho vagaries Of
which you accuse them.
/ almost approve Of the action of . club which
has posted on its course: There are no hazards
on this course"
think that the club might well 30 soled every.
where but in sand then how many eraini
would constitute sand n, for I think thatin sand
only can grounding o club be supposed TO i'm
provo the lie of the ball-fhich ia, Of courbe
what the rule seeks to prevent. In other hazards
the player Is generally sufficiently punished b.
getting int them ut all. LAWRENCE CCRTn
BosToN, July s, 1897.
M. Curtis refer. - suthorfty6ur<hs rulings Of III
COMMITTEE on Interpretation. 20 customs prevail
ing In various verlknown iinlA That b all trus. 70
other clubs have become omancipated from the IN
certainty attending such regulhttons. and regar
hazards, OF certain defined portions Of tho ooups
a. hazards within their boupdartsa, turf or N
turf. We are Of the optnioa that It would have bee,
much better II this practice had been followed By tn
Golf Association. and thas hazards had beea pen
allied invariably - features Of the oourss, 70 b
avoided By the skfful golfer.