The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-10
THE NEW YEAR IN GOLF.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ANNUAL
MEETING OF THE U. .. O.. a.

why o.. Andrews IL the Only Ciub .. the
Metropolitan District That Wants the Anna
tcvr ana Open Observation-Disclosures the
women MAY Plny-John Reid's Amendment
Whatever ripple of excitement was caused in
the golhng world by the statement sent out
from Chicago early last week has been Gained
by the open discussion Of tho facts. The West
ern golfers now know, as the Eastern men have
known nil along, that neither the Chicago Golf
Club nor any Of Its members have ever been
mentioned In regard to any mishaps that Doug
las met with In tho championship tourney. As
It's honor is not concerned, local golfers do not
see clearly what there IL for the Chicago Golf
Club to investigate. Should such a step
be undertaken by tho Wheaton players,
however, the report will probably DO
submitted in due time to the Executive Com
mittoo of the U. S. @. A., in which all power Of
action rests. 1t is not q matter fitted, the metro
politan golfers believe. for discussion at tho an
nual open meeting Of tho association on Feb. IL.
To do 30, In the opinion OF the Now Workers.,
would be an idle "threshing OF old straw and q
fritterIng away Of the time needed for the settle
ment of moro important affairs.
Perhaps the subject Of tho greatest public
interest at the coming meeting of tho U. S. @.
A. will be the settlement Of tho places for this
years championships. It IL thought to BIO
almost certain that tho mems championship
will DO held on the links Of the st. Andrews
Golf Club ut Mount Hope. The reasons nrc. In
the first place, because 1t is tho TURMOIL the met
ropolitan district to have the distinction Of
carrying out tho national event, and secondly,
because the st. Andrews Club will ask for tho
fixture, and Is in q position to conduct 1t in q
thoroughly sportsmanlike and successful way.
The Morris County Golf Club. which gained
tha prataA NJ thu nnlAnD world nv the Able
manner in which 1t conducted the women's
championship OF 1896 and It's important open
tournament last autumn, is not ready Tor the
templated improvements are carried out the
club will have. by the opening Of the season Of
course in the East. The ArdsIcy Club has the
Intercollegiate championship booked for the
spring and does not care for the main event.
ems ekanpionship. fFho Knollwood Country
Club, according to members OF the Green's Com.
ganization has a large and new house, per
feet in every appointment. and the eighteen;
4,se5 yards. h Which Sh SS'q placing is'tb% back 'i The tees.
might easily. be extended to 1000 yards or over.
S G. A.. at the time when 1t was a mooted point
whether the championships should 70 To- the
| the Knollwood Club Tor associate. Membership
for q month, on the alleged ground that 1t was
hardly prominent enough for the honor: Is said ,hd
championships now. 1t is not yet time for the
Sbinnecock Hills Club to again enter the field,
clubs named out Of the hunt the claims Of st.
Andrew need alone be considered: Its course
n us SjHoU di Esrns iSnF; VIII Tn'' Be- aiH snseheRe d s Soms
500 or 900 yards; Length alone, however: does os
G Gpee msk 0om q SHit sG and such Iit a o sn sbbIRe cnptain
as W. H.. Sands. the extensions will doubtless
improve the course. although the links. in spite
Of the roughness OF some OF the new greens, was
up to championship quality at tho opening
tournament last autumn. The new clubhouse
road to the railroad station. The natural ad-
vantRges OF the course afford a variety OF play,
are no fuky" holes.
To give the championships St. Andrews will
put an end to the discussion, for this year at
least, Of the advisability of holding the amateur
and open events at different places. On this
in full accord with the plans and desires OF the
ST. Andrews Club, but there is u further issue
which 10 bound to create a wide discussion.
This Is in regard to limiting the amateur cham
pionship to players of a certain grade Of prof,
at the last annual meeting of the U. s;
g. A.. the majority Of the delegates seemed
pionship was the vested right of every amateur
In good standing in the association. Tho quail
Tying round, II was pointed out. would weed out
two days might DO devoted to the qualifying
play. The fear, however, that there will be
such a rush Of players that tho chances of tho
best men might be hindcred Is already causing
the Greens some uneasiness. John
Reid, as q check to this possible trouble, favors
the adoption by the u. S. G. A. OF the following
amendment to the conditions:
No golfer whose handicap is over four strokes on
his home links shall be eligible to play for the anna.
teur championship. Furthermore, as this rule applies
to the prominent and leading clubs, II may not apply
to the newer and smaller clubs. where the standard
OF play ia Of a lower grade. Consequently. every
entry should be accompanied by the club secretary
verifcation OF handicap, the length of the course. the
boyle score and the players three lowest scores, from
which data the committee VIII determine whether
the applicant is entitled to compete.
The radical change will likely find as many
opponents as friends.
For the women's championship there is no
lack Of available links. Ardsley, Knollwood.
and the Country Club of Westchester could each
carry out the competition in a satisfactory
manner, not to mention other clubs in the met
ropolitan district. The Country Club OF Phila-
celphia and the Country Club Of Cincinnati
the last two women's championships, and either
organization might well claim the right to con.
duct tho fixture this year. Members of the
Newport Golf Club have also played each year.
: and its links are well situated to attract a large
entry. II held there during the summer the
event would BIO q new and interesting feature of
the season at that fashionable resort.
steere Mansion on Narragahsett Hay Burned.
PROVIDENCE, r. l., Jan. 9.-The Stecre man.
sion. one Of the best-known residences along the
| shore of Narrnpansett Raw. wasiotally destroved