New-York tribune., 1899-12-18
GOLF.
Do1rer As TO TIE APPLICATION OF
THE <Tw sr ANDREWS RULES
M AFFECT TILE Ca 1LiiF~-h''Ai fi'"'
r1s p1scrsgNo ThG PROBABILITY o.
A cHANGE-cBMsTMAs CONTESTS

! Are the new ST. Andrews rules 70 govern SUI - =,
this country? The question is being asKeo Oh oi'
sides and no one yet has given q sa'isls0 ,, ,
| answer The Executive Committee ot the ''i'eu
States Gclf Association has expressed no o','','
| and probably Will not until the Anhual "oS'''e -
| FEBRUARY Meantime golfers are let 10 CUM
| what the result of the new code VIII De- - 80
| many seem TO think that the new rules VIII not 0"
considered here at all They point to the recent o
vision OF the old St. Andrews rules by I. d. MA.
\ donald and Laurence Curtis. which are no" ia
force and hold that when this revision was iu ne,
I II was intended to break away from the hhs"N'
rules entirely
! II will be remembered that these two men COM
pleted their work in June, 1897, since which 'ii'
American golfers have followed the Suggestions %
/ their report 1t is pointed out, however that the
idea was merely to adapt the Engllsh ruies ~ 49,.
game on this side OF the water and not 10 es'aosn
a new code A prominent golfer In speahIhs vi ~
subject a day or two ago voiced the opinion oi a
large number Of players when he salo' uo NV
see how the United States Association can escape
the effect OF the new rulings Section Is oi INC
bylaws Of the association expressly states !" ~,
ence to the open and amateur championships NV
competition shall be played In ACCORDANCE WIN NV
rules of golf as adopted by the Royal ana ancient
Golf Club of St. Andrews. Scotland WIN SUI"
snecaI rules as are In force and published on the
green over which the competition taxes place. on"
with such notifications as the Executive Coii''i'
tee shall from time TO time adopt IT seems 10 iiie
that the rules of the Royal and Ancient Goli Clup
of ST. Andrews are the revised rules. ana that "e
must accept them 3 readily as golfers ABROAD
Whether players generally will accept TINS view
or not remains to be seen but mean While there 10
considerable curiosity as TO just what the chaHses
adopted abroad Very little iniorha'ioh na'
been given by the American golhng periodicals as
to the exact nature OF the work, so that II may DE
well To explain that the duty OF revision was IN
trusted to a special committee Of the ST. Andrews
club In the spring OF last year. win lhe spioNu
Of the game in England and the multiplication oi
inland courses both there and In Scotlaho' IL was
felt in practice among players to be extremely
difficult 10 adopt the st. Andrews rules without
amendments In addition to this II was source
Of ever-reourrng difficulty TO the English player
with none Of the Scottish traditions behind him. 10
interpret the old code of rules, which was loosely
constructed and ambiguous In lis phraseoiosy'
4nSreWs Club was frequently called upon to
render a decision as to the meaning OF certain
A clamor for new code finally obliged that or,
ganization TO undertake the WORK OF revision @ ano
Ihe new rules went into effect last month Some
Of those forming the committee were men well
known in golf throughout both countries, Horace
Hutchinson and F. 6. TAFT being among the most
II is impossible to give the rules they adopted in
this Brief space but a brief summary of the most
important wIl be OF interest; The new code be be-
gins with series Of dehno9s as mo ete One
Of the new rules Is that which deals with moved
So sS1E Of s club the bali BY
chance moved from hanging lie had stroke pl;,
@oves GUS%ssG w6e Being addressed The committee now
it Gs3r that nq sqch e
ing with the option OF replacing ball dlspiactsu
pytns ne green If the incident happens through
the green the player may drop 9aLI W.hNu. @ pem pbit
both through the green and on the putting green
this must be done before another stroke Is PayeG;
what a player shall do with mole hills or worm n1f
II
while dropping ball touch his BODY mere eun2 is no
into hazard il may be redropped without penalty.
Another important ruling has to do with what are
a0tlaTd euphonous term which multitude OF
golhng sins The co9Hee OF 81, AaSee%si nor Soie noS oS
the ns Of player rs Rsi Rnd maX oSv De removed o'
The ,iosI bali lost hole" rule has been changed
| IN the extent that II both PLAYERS lose the balls
| "the hole shall be considered halved." A good
mary matches have turned on this Vne point for
| ~ the player who requirei TO play first could
not ana his ball the other could claim the hole
even IL he were In a similar predicament. As TO
the result OF driving a ball out Of bounds the new
| rules say:
II a ball be driven out of bounds ball shall be
| dropped at the spot az whlch the stroKe was
! The rule dealing with a damaged ball unfit for
play has been ,aodihed by declaring. probably
! much to the disgust OF golfers here. that mud
adhering 10 q ball shall not be considered as
! making II unfit for play.
These are a brief summary OF the more impor-
tant changes In the rules governing match play.
! In medal play there have also been some modica-
tions. The penalty Of disqualification is imposed
on the player who plays his ball from outside the
| 10 playing the wrong bali is much more clear and
specific The loss of hole In match play play no longer
the latter form OF the game the penalty Of two
| strokes is imposed for the breach OF any rule
which in match play carries with 1t the loss Of the
There are several additions to the socalled "Eti:
SLOW sIow or bad players block the course and cause
than one clear hole on those in front. they may be
passed on request being made This h0%syer eS Is
Enactment into rules on the whole. the work Of
! the committee has been well done. and will doubt
sf sY cnb Sas copyTlgsed the rules with view
to keeping their use within control but the priT ph
out royalty in their club books upon making proper
application.
with the approach OF Christmas many clubs here
ebouts are preparing to hold special competitions
The Nassau Country Club. of Glen Cove, will have
a members handicap on that day for Glasses A.
| and c: Lakewood expects throng Of holiday play
ers while there WI RT9o1s5y 6S iRroSi Rcb@on6 Go
County. Apawamis and Ardsley
Golfers everywhere will regret to learn OF the
fate Of F. G. TAFT, one OF the most prominent
golfers In England, who wounded in the recent
disasterous battle in South Africa Mr.. TAFT is a
| lieutenant In the famous BLACK Watch" which
was OF the first 10 be sent 20 the scene OF
| action. Last year he lost the title OF amateur
champion OF Great Britain TO John Ball. tr. The
dispatches do not state how seriously he
| wounded and his friends are hoping for the best.
The Birmingham Post" OF England says
| II is not generally known that the Queen has
shown somo sympathy with the game OF golf Her
| Majesty has provided both at BalmOral
and Osborne for the members OF the royal house
| hold and she contempates holding small annual
/ tournament her Scottish links
| The golf season In and around Boston is about
| at an end. Last week the Brookline Country Club
| closed its links for the winter after a most sue
| cessful year. At the annual meeting held at the
Parker House, Francis w. Lee reelected treas
urer. and the Executive Committee for the new
! year chosen follows: Arthur w. Stedman George
| E. Cabot. sewall II. Fessenden and b. S. Blanch-
| ard.