New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-11
GOLF.
Brisk Midsummer Practice for Ma
tiOnaL Cham piOnsMp

Aside from practice In mino- matches. metro
poian golfers will have only two big tourna-
ments in which to measure up for the national
amateur championship at Baltusrol the week
of September = The first of these is this week at
the Apawamis Club, Of Rye where a three-day
open tournament starts Thursday. The quail
flying round Is 10 be at thirty-six holes. in
cordance with the established custom at that
links. and medal will he awarded for the best
score The first sixteen will qualify for first and
Tunner-up cups. and the second sixteen for
ISOLATION cup. On Friday and Saturday match
play rounds at eighteen holes will be decided. and
there will also he an open handicap at thirty-sx
holes on Saturday, with cup for the best net
and medal for the best gross score.
The other tournament has been annual fixture
since 1897. II will be given under the auspices or
the Shlnnecock Hills Golf Club. August I. and G.
and is open 70 members, season subscribers and
their guests. The programme follows:
Ingr.d9y; , august 4-QualifynE round. play
Friday August Second round. semi-nnais; finals
to thirty-six strokes. ''' '"''''F
But while the opportunities for open tournament
practice are apparently limited an endless number
of club handcaps. team matches and sweepstakes
at mountain and seashore courses will provide
abundant chance for getting in trim for the Bal
tusrol championship
The changed conditions OF this championship will
make it doubly interesting to those who have fol-
lowed the trend of goIfng history this side of the
controversy between the adherents OF match and
medal play. and at the same time to retain the
qualifying round which has been distinctive feat
ure of American championships ever since the in
PRODUCTION OF tho game. year ago the radical
step of abandoning the qualifying round did not
meet with the success hoped for by the match play
adherents. The fact that only dozen couples or
SO played on the first day. while nearly seventy
couples drew byes. did give the afrar the ecat
usually present at such tournaments. and as re-
suit interest was dun and the gallery small
The chief argument in favor OF the change was
that il would favor the more skifu and prevent a
I
70 the der!ment of the others. This expectation
was not realized. The buffers were just numer-
Gus as ever and the luck Of the draw enabled
many OF them continue in the tournament when
/ under the old system they would have been down
and after the first dav
/ TO ooviate this there will be two qualifying rounds
/ begin ON Tuesday, September & with an eighteen
Will be thirty-six hole medal play round on Sep
/ tembcr : thirty-two TO qualify. Match play At
/ rounds each day. leaving the two iralsts 10 play
/ at thirty-six holes September 10 The champion
United States Golf Association. and the system
/ will be the sixth change II the conditions.
instance, however; as the spread Of the game has
{ continually altered the aspect Of the champions hiI
] and the changed conditions have been the logical
Under the new method every VIII have n
chance 10 compete on the first day. and siXty-fou-
/ OF these VIII have further chance qualify on
/ the second. The cutting down of the subsequent
match play rounds from thirtv-six to eighteen holes
viii shorten up the tourram the usual limit
| nnal round. This that the mental strain OF
/ two days OF match play is eliminated counter
round.
! ON the other hand most Of the crack players are
united IN saving mat luck cuts too much OF a
figure in eighteen hole matches and that thirty-siN
holes is tho test Of golf rh time OF debate is
gone, for this year az least. however and players
everywhere are limbering up for trial of the new
/ plan BaltuSrOl