New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
CHEATING AT GOLF
PLAYERS WHOSE SCORING Mrrr,ooa
ARE NOT ABOVE REPRoACu
From st. James's Budget.

| Ill.
| From st. James's Budget
| Golf is the only tirst-class game AT which
! cheating is at all easy-supposing of course that
| the player is unaccompaned by caddy: and
| quite possible to cheat. If a player having ave
strokes says to his caddy. That is four, is it
it's five, sir; but if the player responds, "Oh,
no: I'm sure it's only four" the caddy will
the match he may mention to the other caddy
his opinion OF the circumstances; but this will
| happen to be at his own club. Even then il will
take good long time and many repettions OF
metical powers to throw anything like a serious
doubt upon his honor And yet what club il
there which does not possess one or two mem
bers Of whom it is soto voce said that IL YOU
I.Ia with them you will have to look pretty
Sharply after their scores?
1t is the commonly accepted belief that the
vast majority OF golf players belong to a class
out OF business hours. 1 am sorry tn have tn
express the deliberate conviction that the belief
unsubstantial foundation in fact have colfed
Ior number of years over all kinds of green's
BILE occasions 1 have been driven 70 stronrIv
Suspest my opponent of cheating. and on many
doing, In a match. as every golfer knows the
Two players are often pretty widely separated
t tuiious minor acts OF cheating are compare
..vsiy easy. IT player discovers his ball in 81
nr a,ta oa a. lie ne can. in the act of address
good lie illus ei'e hinSeh
REGARDING STROKES IN THE AIR
Such a thing as missing the ball altogether 4,
nrs. nnG S even with fairly experienced play
srs: ana i have known many instances-when
l n, not been obviously looking. but have only
uetected out of the corner of my eye that my OBJ
pohcnt mas mad mishap Of this knd-that the
SSouP uahs Ialr has not been counted unless I
nave ma urawn attention to it when on the green.
VI course this miscounting of strokes is much
easier when the fortunes of the game carry the
Two players on different sides of a hedge or
other defence from observation. 1 remember on
somewhat high bunker into which my opponent
Numbered. watching his head and shoulders
the only part of him vsible-from the other side
re made several strokes and at last jerked the
pail over. l thought it had taken four 10 get
out. but he declared that the first three strokes
were only practice ones at the sand 1. of course
could not contradict this and being of a placabIe
temperament. refraned from pointing out that
II was scarcely etiquette to practise strokes when
practically out of sight in a bunker.
Apart from instances of this sort nothing IS
easier than to Intentionally forget a stroke when
counting up after holing out the green. AS
a matter of fact. unless one steadily counts as
one goes along it is quite easy to genuinely make
mistake. and it to this fact that the habituaI
cheater trusts should at any time his miscount
be detected. And if. being somewhat doubtful Of
the accuracy of his computation you endeavor
to recall his individual strokes he will very likely
tel you that 1t is not etiquette to do No
doubt he is right in a certain sense for it is the
honorable custom Of good golfers to entirely trust
each other in the matter of counting strokes
THE TRUE SCORING ETIQUETTE.
But If ones suspicious are aroused to tho
of the memory of your OPP
avoid Keeping an eye on him and counting his
strokes: and when your total does tally with
his 1T seems only right to point out the circum-
stance. As a matter of fact. the scoring
etiquette of golf enjoins the frequent mutual
reference by the two players to their several
scores. Most players ought to be approaching
the putting green. and consequently pretty near
together. at their third stroke: and by that time
q pleasant colloquy of you've played the odd"
Or Shall play the lke?" should be easily prac-
ticabla
The reason why players cheat at a game which
Is mainly played for honor is difficult o deter
mine 1t seems 10 be getting more and
customary to wager "a BALI the match, and
though a ball is the nominal prize. Is is really
meant Many players habitualy stake far
higher sums the issue of game, and in
my Judgment the practice is altogether .be
deprecated Cnimportant Is be to
he great majority of golfers it yet to
De sufficient for many minor lapses from the
path or honor. Every golfer will have had the
of utterly fOoZling shot at
nent and bringing it off successfully the next:
and as the foozling can generally be attributed
q some outside circumstance Ia lark uprising in
he air will do il nothing better offers), the
Golfer with tough conscience may think that
he Is really quite justified in not counting the
ooZle stroke. How really ignomnous SO
'etty a Subterfuge is scarcely needs pointing out
IND. considering the enormous growth OF the
olfng spirit nowa days it seems desirable put
an emphatic plea in favor OF the strictly
honorable playing of the game Cheating under
III circumstances is utterly despicable. and no.
where Is 1t more than golf links.