New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-02
GOLF.
CONTESTS TO BE HELD IN SPITE OH
SNOW-BOUND LINKS.

TROUBLE OVER THE HANDICAP sfs-
EM-ENGLEwooD's NEW, COURSE
The snow may possibly deter good many players
from taking part I'm to-iny's golf tournaments hut
Il IL hardly likely that the contests themselves viii
he postponed. The number OF prizes offered ana the
difficulty Of dlsposlng OF them later In the winter
will doubtless influence clubs to make strenuous ef-
forts 20 carry out their play. The putting greens
will be cleared and for the rest Of the ground snow
rules will prevail. which means that every man VIII
interpret tho royal and ancient tenets Of the game
Lakewood clubs will hold their tournaments win
rcd-colored gofballs and most OF the other c'ops
Will follow their example.
The new year brings with It n number OF i'm
portant matters which golf players VIII be caleh
upon to consider in regard to the policy 10 he pur
sued next season. and the annual meetings OF Doth
the United States and the Metropolitan Gof Asso-
Citations arc expected to bring out some lively as
cussion The question OF handicapplng remains Tor
the moment the topic Of paramount interest. Cen
orally speaking. there is more dissatisfaction WIN
this feature OF the game than with all others put
together but there is also a frank acknowledgment
OF the difficulty Of a perman ent remedy, which ~
usually the case In such matters. Handicappihg ]"
club competitions IL well enough done as RUE
for there the contestants on home ground ana
their ability ia known TO the handcappers but IN
open tournaments 1t IS not TO be expected That the
handicap committee IL familiar with the SIKH OF
every one who turns up for play. Golf players are
not pot hunters, n rule. but In the general
scramble for sugar tongs. bowls. medals, ana Joo
lines Of silver-plate somebody is likely TO turn up
with long handicap. ard depart with the most de-
sirable mug offered.
II must be understood that In n NUMBER oil caSeS
the committee relies almost entirely upon the
handicaps sent in by the secretaries OF the cluDs
from which players enter and this rule might work
OF
crease their members allowances so that they may
stand well I'm tournaments away from home. ms
is done by doing away with scratch ana s'a''"
the handcappng AT 4 or O. or any o''ei "s"'
which il deemed best. Thus the best player IN 'he
club is not the scratch man. but -four man or
a 'six man." and the others are rated accordingly.
II is easy to how this works out In open tour-
nameuts and why there is 80 much dissatisfaction
with the ystem. Handicapping at locai ciu"s y
question Of interest not confined to the members oi
those clubs for every committee upon whose INKS
an omen competition takes place Is more or less
Influenced by It. and there IS strong feeling 'ha'
the United States Golf Association should ieslSaVe
In favor OF a uniform system
Another matter analogous to this ! the lhJdSt"e
frequently caused by boyle tournaments class
Of competitions that may be said to be recent
innovation in the game. But this. unlike the other'
IS confined to local interest. and for the most part
to the element which uses links the most ire
ouently II is doubtless true that much OF 'he
lowering Of club hdndicaps is due TO me returns III
boyle play. whereas In reality suSh iesuis tli,v
most trustworthy evidences OF mans aynIys
and for this reason: In boyle competitions PLAYER
Is allowed to hand in ne best score maze TnIis
certain perod-at least, this Is the usuai piaSt've
~opds I, is more than likely that his best will be
highly respectable score. Now comes along the
Handicap Committee and on the evidence present
ed the mans allowance is cut down II man
could repeat a good performance every time he
played this might be fair enough, Dul the nVuu ,
is he can't and 80 he labors under the dlihcui,k
NJ frviu
the result that his form goes from bad 10 worse
not fair evidence OF his ability. for the conditions
which enabled him to turn IN good bo;le se0lg1
NAV seldom be present again. ana III the usud "a
medal round. under trying condition. they gre ~
most never present partial rsmedy wSicb hegIe
cards may be taken. or else separate ""''"V"P
for boyle play.
Further information concerning the plans OF the
Englewood golfers. mention OF which WAS maze ~
The Tribune yesterday indcates that the goil
club there will soon take It's place among lhe
more prominent organizations OF the metropolitan
d,s,r,c, Recoenizing the demand FOR an extern
sion OF the links the goS ,rnors propose 10 lehse
abou; thrty-fve acres OF additional ground oho
10 Law out nine more holes. These. iogeher WIN 'he
present nine will give a playing length oi apou'
six thousand yards. The lease OF the Wcse"'
course from the Phelps estate WIZ he renewed ioi
Eve wears from the end of the present term ~
February. 1902 The clubhouse viii also he ex-
tended so ns TO provide additional locker-room
and other Improvements ana the nhll o. .i,, and
ship MIN r eS nnd ATTY assoae In order meet
the expenses Of the work the sum oil s-'oVV VIII ~ NC
abie bv the application Of initiation fees. the notes
upon which payyment, VIII The club has decided 10
hermit persons elected to membership before APIn
10 qualify by paying initiation Lies Sne for his
year Those who wish to ,a6 S be pcub Thomas
Thatcher. No. 10 WaH-s'. ms Guy
The Laurence Harbor Country Club appears no"
70 no q well established institution and although
modest in It's pretensions. it seems destined 10 pc
come a prominent factor in golnng matters IN 'hlS
rcichborhood The club is certainly fortunate III
numbering so many keen men In IT'S membership
os,ociaIv FYndlay s Douglas. who. n - under
e,ood 70 IN be the clubs captain aexi season Inc
situation of the links will always make Inc cluo
= nonular one and the influx Of rev members
ororoises 10 make the question Of membership unit
a messing one. The course mas been laid OUT WI"
o.o., care and another season will find Il IN OK
-, sbare Tho first hole starts from the cast
srn end NJ the clubhouse. and is ii5 yards long
The green is well guarded by difcn' ana me al
nroach 10 IT calls for nice skill as an oVepoy VII.
carry the ball over bluff on the further slue "lu
down on the beach below. Facing me seoohu "o'o
tho niaver traces his steps over much the same
erc,,,d I'M, this time the blum acts conunu-
ous hazard toward the right. while 20 the lott If
Hind narallel bunker that promises severe pun
ishment 10 the luckless man who pulls. me me
hole Is go yards long ano ~ me 5ra Mole carry
~ 10 yards Is necessary 20 clear he bunker IN
front Of the tee oTi aiif s,srce IS l1a %srds The
fourtb hole crosses a road forty yards from me
tee hut carry Of ll5 yards w,i, - t,h hyooE
attthe bottom, crosses ne ooh ;ne o. p,hA ,hn cen
ance given to ths hole - ~ yras ana .n r eers
pienty Of opportunity for skltIl approach. - ne
nfth hole Is short one only ~ l"Iu., uut !, -
"a Of most