The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
GOLFERS OPINIONS DIVIDED
Proposed Revision of Rules Causes
Much Comment.
Disseminated Players Want Radical
Changes, While Others Say ..Let
Well Enough Alone"

Just at present American golfers seem
to be divided among themselves as to
the best methods Of meeting the agita-
ton for a revision Of the rules. Those
early mutterings of discomfort which had
their origin in the West, have recently
been supplems nted by the '1et well
enough alone arguments. Not few OF
the protests against a TOO hasty action
have taken a humorous vein.
One facetious contributor. although Of
course carrying the joke too far to be
taken seriously, has probably come nearer
to the truth than may appear al fTst
glance, in his Efforts to point out possible
dangers as a result OF overlegislation.
When the rules have been changed and
twisted to suit every one, reformed golf,
as the humorist is pleased 10 style il.
VIII be devoid OF every element Of chance
or luck. he begins something like this:
(Scene-The course OF the Reformed
Golf Club. Two players and an official
of the Z. S. G. a, acting as refree, fol-
lowed by attendant carrying large vol
ume. There are no spectators, the condi-
tions Of the contest having barred the
gallery because it was found impossible
90 silence their applause, and this might
prove an unfair handicap to one or the
other Of the contestants. The committee
Of the L. S. G. A follow the match
carrying the rope from force of habit)
During this weird match some wonder
ful decisions are rendered by the referee.
who frequently has 10 consult the volume,
as the book of rules is called. Early in
the encounter one of the players, after
good drive. finds his bali in a cuppy lie,
whereupon he lodges a protest, claiming
that it is mauifestly unfair to be thus
penalized. As no one seems TO be quite
clear on the subject the volume is con-
suited and then it is found that the sit
uation is covered in Rule 23l6, which
reads as follows:
IF player, after a good drive,
finds his ball in a cuDpy lie there are
two courses open TO him: He can tee
up without penalty, or can compel his
opponent TO place his ball in a lie
equally bad
TT also transpires later on that
there is no longer any honor in golf.
in other words, the players drive off
first alternately It had. in the judg
ment of the reformers, a depressing
effect upon a player to have his op-
p0nent dcive of first for perhaps six
or seven holes in succession, and was
therefore unfair"
Another protest even more TO the
point has been made by a prominent
amateur who in the past has been an
official IN the L. S. G. A.. Metropolitan.
and New Jersey State Associations.
He begins by expressing his sorrow
at the new agitation for q drastic re-
vision of the rules of golf In ac>
cordance with American ideas and pro-
gressiveness. and he adds that the lat
ter has already done its best to ruin
the good old game; witness that abom-
ination, the medal play round for anna
teurs, four-ball matches, and, worst of
all, that abomination of all abomina-
tions. the rubber-cOred ball.
But, seriously speaking. the matter
has gone too far now for any turning
back. The hue and cry for a revision
of the old St. Andrews code has gone
the world over. or, at least. wherever
the game is played TO any extent. That
the cry has been needed was shown
only recently by the letter from an
Official of the St Andrews rules con-
mittee TO the United States Golf As
sociati0n.