The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10
WILL ADOPT MATCH PLAY
RIVERSIDE GOLF CLUB WILL PLAY
UNDER THE NEW RULES.
Instructor Lennon Points Out the Adj
vantages of Match Play Over the
Medal Play System.

The Riverside Golf Club will adopt the
match play system for the coming season
for all tournaments There has been much
controversy of late between the leading
golfers of the country regarding the two
systems-match play and medal play. and
the United States Golf Association and the
Massachusetts, Golf Association, after
much consideration, have adopted the
match play to govern all tournaments. In
speaking of the advantages of the match
play over the medal play, F. v. Lennon,
instructor of golf at the Riverside links.
said, yesterday:
II have read with great interest the
opinions Of the leading players Of this coun-
try on the change that has been made by
the United States Golf Association, in
adopting the match play. Take, for example,
the system of match play played in the
tournaments at the Royal and Ancient
Golf Club of st. Andrews for the Great
Britain championship in 1901 The largest
number in the history Of the club was en-
tered in this tournament, 116 started, and
all were handled in four days. Matches
were eighteen holes, except the final. which
was thirty-six holes. On the first day
eighty-four matches were played and the
last pair was in soon after o'clock. On the
second day twenty-four matches were
played. On the third day six matches were
played and on the fourth one match at
thirty-six holes. After the first days play
all players had finished by 5 o'clock. The
length of the ST. Andrews course at that
time was $40 yards. This only goes to prove
how successful 1t would be run in this coun-
try under similar conditions as in all of our
large tournaments we have very close to
116 starters, and sometimes more, taking us
five to seven days to finish, and if one will
take note he will find that very seldom has
a tournament of this length been run in this
country without being interfered with by
rain or disagreeable weather. This is only
. one Of the minor suggestions that / could
offer where, in my opinion, the match play
system would be Of great advantage to
player. 1t not only finishes a tournament in
four days, which, as it is played in the
United States, takes six to seven days, but
would also bring out the worth of the
player.
HILTON's VIEWS
Mr.. Hilton, the winner of the Great
Britain 1901 tournament, has this to say in
regard to the match play system: All our
tournaments are match play, the medal
play being an American idea and In some
cases a very good one, but we could not
play the medal game in Great Britain. The
first reason would be that. instead of fin
ishing our tournament, as we did. in four
days, it would prolong the tournament to
have to have a scorer for each pair. as
they do in America. and by playing match
play we do away with the entering of play
ers who are not in the class OF golf that
the match players are These are only a
few of the many objections that We would
find In playing the medal system. 1 highly
approve of the match system and think
that the United States Association. in
adopting this rule, will find it most sue
cessful.
Lowe, the runner-up to Hilton in the
same tournament, has this to say: think
the United States Golf Association has at
last adopted a system which will prove
most successful, as we find IT very success
full in all of our tournaments in Great
.The United States Golf Association, be-
fore adopting this rule, gave ii careful con-
sideration The association asked all the
leading golfers and clubs of the country
for their opinion In regard TO the match
play system. and as result two-thirds of
the leading golfers Of the county came out
golf clubs. Walter Travis. who was cham
pion for two years and who to-day is the
leading amateur golfer of the country, be-
ing one of the few prominent golfers OBJ
jecting to the match play system I be-
lieve Travis objects to the match play be-
cause he has been very successful in tour
naments where the medal play system was
used, and IL one will take note that in
every tournament Travis entered he has,
with very few exceptions. carried on the
medal prizes"
MATCH PLAY AT RIVERSIDE.
Mr. Lennon said that after careful con-
sideration he has decided to adopt the
match play system at Riverside this sea-
son. Lennon says:
TT would be impossible for me to have
| a scorer go round to score for each pair
| under the medal play system. and by adopt
| ing the match play do away with that
| and also save the player from forgetting
one or more strokes to a hole. which occa-
| sionally / find some do. Another disad-
vantage / may speak OF would be that a
| man playing the medal game who might
would practically be cut Of the running,
which oftentimes happens to the best rlay-
| ers whereas man playing the match Syr-
| tenn II on his game for one or two holes
/ have q chance to redeem himself"
! Hr. Lennon Was asked x the Iudiouapo11n