New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-14

many sample of weather In which he cannot play
with much pleasure, and of that weather the pres
ent spring season has given us samples galore In
the last week the days have been cold. the wind un
comfortably high and the game consequently Poorly h
visited 1t also has basked In the SUNSHINE ana me
more and other Southern golfing spots have been
extremely busy
Probably the person of sound lungs who stays at
home through the winter does realize what
business Is made of golf by the goling New-Yorker
who exes himself to these summer chimes in order
to avoid the here. AS matter OF fact,
winter golf in the North has almost passed away.
At first. when the South provided nothing to at
self with tournaments under "snow rules and
most of the clubs hereabouts kept open courts for
these enthusiasts. who knew change of weather.
Golf In winter is exercise. no doubt, but 1t IS
dubious pleasure. Another season will doubtless
find the game about New-York practically aban-
doned in favor of the genial courses in Flor
ida. Georgia and South Carolina The reason for
this is that the rain, wind and frost, with possibly
a sprinkl!ng of snow, make the sport huky, make
the bunkers things that topped bali may out
Of. put him who is in the bunker equality
with him who is outside of It, and make approach
ing and putting a matter of luck rather than skill
1t Jars the arms and breaks the clubs until you
reach place that by courtesy Is called the green
Even if this be fairly free from 1t is
bered with all sorts of minor veXations. such
clogs of frozen stuff off boothees and the like,
while every projection of the ground is hard
that the ball kicks off at the most unexpected
places The sand in the boxes is usually of the
sistency of rock. that a good many players have
taken to the use of the artificial tee. while in APP
preaching the putter is more useful club than
ground is hard the eyes and a perpetual strain
on the attention, and even with red colored balls
therefore that the courses at the South where the
nw So Rood
links have been established there 1t is also natural
that Northern players should be loath to leave
them Perhaps that is why the season of open
tournaments about this city is so late in starting.
issued the usual schedule of these meetings and
possibly ii may be omitted altogether. Enough is
known. however, of the plans of the nearby clubs
to enable golfers who attend these gatherings tc
arrange their plans for the season. The next i'm
portant contest is the metropolitan championship
itself. which is scheduled to take place the Mas
sau Country Club May %. a. % and &c. This
decides the possession of the cup held by Her
bert NJ Hartman. of the Meadow Brook Hunt
Club. as well as the foursome championship of the
metropolitan district. Following this affair will
come the annual open tournament at Baltusrol,
The dates chosen are May 80 and 81. June and .
nua champonshg Of the United States the he first
week in LILY These together with the annual
the Wee Burn Golf Club. of Noroton. Conn prac-
prior to the general breaking up for the summer
months.
THE courtesy Of the green" Is phrase with
many meanings When players in front, not
only courtesy but the ordinary rules of safety, de-
mand that those behind should wait until the sec
ond shots have been played and the players them
selves of range. Those who have felt the
impact of a we'll driven golf ball need not be told
of the stunning blow that be administered in
this way. A solid sphere of gutta percha delivered
with force sufficient to carry 1t hundred and fifty
yards sometimes do considerable damage, even
going so far as to break limb or knock
1nsensble In crowded tournaments. and especially
where there many spectators accidents of this
kind are not nfrequent and the observance Of this
courtesy of the green should have the of law
Another courtesy" is that the putting green
sacred ground. and that once there player shall
not be disturbed till the balls down. But be-
ginners will do we'll to remember that after they
have hoed out 1t Is equally obligatory to leave the
green at once There is great temptation after
missing stroke try ii again in the hope of
better success. But when others waiting to
approach this IS of thoughtless discourtesy.
1t Is frequent thing a standing
hole, pencil and card i'll hand computing his
strokes, while others waiting get The
green should be left 1T once and whatever count
ing of strokes is necessary should be done some
where else. But 1t is the man who insists on talk
ing to his partner during a match that calls for
does not require that two players should remain
one should refrain from comments while the other
is actually PLAYING, There should be no II suppose
way" Such things only dIsconeert and never help
a man. The very fact that another has said a
stroke can't be missed makes the player wonder
if he can't miss it after all, and the moment doubt
ppessons of sympathy for poor shots ARE
b s'f S R" h PfSw
ton Of that fact but running aI fire of too bad,
of questionable taste.
There other aspects TO the Sunday golf ques
ton aside from the mere moral ones The greens
want a rest If the players don't. AS rule. when
the playing Of any game Sunday is consd-
cred. advocates that the players have no
opportunity other than Sunday but In the case
of golf this argument has little weight Most
men who Tay golf able to have every Satur-
day afternoon the links and great number
of the summer evenings between the close of bust
hours and dark and this should be sufficient
for the OrcRary mortal F@r'heT o, than this as
which one can easily play himself silly There
oyeTgofed and # sunday is to be added TO the
other six days available this weakness VIII only
After all 1t appears that the Oakland Golf Club
is not the first to exact gate money for golf
match. England. and not America. has the respon-
sbility of the innovation. 1t appears that about
years professional match was played
A. "a PARK ;5 bo wo m
that time local professional at Chesterford Park,
and gate money so rigidly exacted on the DC,
and the umpire himself allowed upon the
ground without payment
There Is apparently no remedy for the general
rise in the price of gutta percha used for making
golf balls. Possibly something is being done 10
check further rise by the adoption Of less wasteful
methods of collecting the gum than have been in
vogue but II must obviously be some time before
this can have any effect the price of the balls
sold In the retail market. Horace Hutchinson was
credited some time ago with the invention of new
ball. the "Maponite.' which was to revoutonize
new material by some secret process, and was
One-t third the cost Recently nothing has been heard