New-York tribune., 1907-01-23
ON THE GOLF LINKS.
r. S. Douglas on Handicap Com
mittee-BIdnks Sent Ont.

A change has been made in the personnel Of
the handicap committee OF the Metropolitan
Golf Association, Ftndlay s. Douglas taking the
place Of E. W. Menzies. who resigned. Leighton
Callzlns remains as chairman. while F. J. Phil
lips is the third member OF the committee.
Blanks have been sent out TO each club seore-
tary in the association with the request that the
ratings Of the individual members be sent IN by
! January 2s The Nassau Country Club and
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club have responded
They were the first last year. The secretaries
this year have been asked to return only the
names of those players handicapped up TO eleven
strokes There is also form of blank so
arranged that by using stamp for the date they
can be used each year without mourning extra
expense for printing AS in the past, secretaries
must return their reports on par
According to the instructions printed on the
blanks the first thing to do is to ascertain each
players best score average. This means his
average best game The committee states that
it would be than useless to attempt to
make any allowance for the tendency so COM
mon among golfers to go off their game The
committee says further:
If such an allowance were to be made, II
would be necessary to provide machinery for
the automatic reduction Of the handicap OF
player upon the sudden and unexpected ar
rival at his real form. For the same reason a.
club Handicapped should never raise a players
allowance until he proves by constant competi-
ton through the whole or greater part of a sea-
that his play is permanently inferior TO
previous period and not that he is only tempo
rarily of his game.
Secretaries are advised to send reply postals
to their club members. asking them to state their
five best scores in practice and in competition
rounds. In the absence of information the sec
retaries are authorized to give player aver
age based on his game of other seasons. 1t is
also stated that If nothing can be learned of
players game he should not be rated
Young players who are coming on fast may
bavs their best score average reduced a stroke
or two 10 forestan expected Improvement On
the other hand, in the case OF a man past middle
age, who years ago reached degree OF skill
which he has never been able 20 improve upon.
# IS fair in the opinion OF the committee. after
calculating the average best score. to add a
stroke or two. for the reason that his chance to
improve is slight.
pars of IS TO 76 on the average best scores OF
from 81 70 10 The allotment is mechanical
once the par and the average have been learned
II the par of the links Is AZ and player made
a rs 76 and IL his best score average would
ba 76 The same conclusion would be reached
if he made 72 once. for an exceptionally low
score if not duplicated is apt to be disresarded.
Pinehurst N c., Jan 22.-G. n. Morgan. Of
the Oakmount Club, of Pittshurg. was the win
ner of the triple tie for the gold medal which
resulted from the qualification round OF the
to-day. He led o. b. Prescott, of the Brae Burn
Club of Newton, Mass. three strokes with a
card OF o. A. l.. Squire, Brae Burn. winner or
the Presidents Cup, withdraw.