New-York tribune., 1907-12-26
ON THE GOLF LINKS.
THE NEW SCHOOL PLAY.
AdUanced By Oldtimcrs
For and against Changes.

During the last twelve months golfers generally
in this country and Great Britain have been d.
aI'ions 1n.ee InpIs.dns s1,,
merits of the foursome and four-baIl contest and
the latest system Of scoring by points in team
matches compared with the time honored GUS
tom OF counting by the total number Of holes
As for the rules. let II suffice for the present
that both the St Andrews committee and the
ecutive body in this country working on the
matter. and word has been received that interest
ing developments will be forthcoming at no distant
likewise been argued pro and con and with more
zest than since the Lesley cup competition
1t would seem to be largely matter of opinion
which styIe is the more attractive, but when it
comes to the point blank statement that the four
ball style is golf and that the foursome is h7-
brid the exponents of the foursome IN answering
the charges only have to call attention 10 the
first paragraph under Rules Of Colt. which be
gins as follows: 'The game of golf Is played oy
two Sides each playing its own ball.
However IL the matter were put to vote among
the leading amateurs in this country 1t IS not un
likely that the four-baH would receive the most
support 1t affords greater action, and tnat Is
more in line with what Americans want But un-
til the recent tri-city contest at Brookhne and lns
Interstate match between Massacnuseets anu
Rhode Island foursome play had never nad an
honest show on this side OF the Water- As ,nn ths
ter of fact the foursome Will make It's way IN sn
limited States on it's merits, II at all, and prooaoy
no amount of argument will convince player ox
it's advantages If he prefers some otner slS'" oi
the game -,
This statement applies also to the system OF
conducting team matches Tne Gsu1I IN M ssai-
match without the foursome or four-oaA anair
figuring at all mas ever been a popular mernoo OF
pIayfng the game. In the early DAYS. especloAy
rival clubs was a function Of some lnporLAoce.
and II is also worthy OF comment tnat tnere -
sisns of ravfval Of the oldtine ehtnusiasm ="
% ~ as some Years ago that here IN this country
the Metropolitan Golf Association, reanzans eas @
element of luck attending conpetition oee~se1
teams whers the scoring by total number oS
LoIes abandoned the old style for lhe siusio 49,
system. 1t Of course. possible win sne 49,
for a
Teriep-.d players into service with q eoinpe.
gnt heart. knowing full well that 10 MATE, ,r nU
bsl5I,, the, NAV be beaten IN holes the resuis
counts only one point against the fortunes VI ia"
side. ...,. .x>.r< thA
advocates of the point system hold tnat .uo-I .
n1sn is superior to a method which makes " pos
sibIs for two or three brilliant players 70 caMy
along several ordinary performers ano sVsn.'
- .ba day over a roally better balanced team.
Another claim made by advocates or tns olo
theory that deciding matches oy points - . oou
frcive 10 sIacsness. 1t IS said that the naso
chance Of his losing the match by singie pons
causes far less concern to the man than the pros
pect of having fourteen down or so cnarseo 10 -
door.
Brt another point which allows OF counpa<1son
between the system of scoring by holes ana tno
method popular at present Is this: Tnen 'ners w.e
no subtle attempts made to diminish the suosean-
tial effect OF the victory on either side Looking as
the matter from the old. conservative angle II u
easy to see that the early match players saw M
good reason. either in soling policy or In tns
melting out of strict gilhnS justice. TO di1n1sn ene
aggregate effect of an opponents beating. Tho0e
were days when the total number OF holes ootaloeo
by one side was recorded with honest franknasa.
Until recently the universities OF Oxford ano
Cambridge chung TO the older principle OF scoring
by holes instead Of by points, but now even they
have come out in favor Of the latter. Those who
have made a close study Of the subject arc gener-
ally familiar with the contention OF golfers
who allege that scoring by points Is fairer than
the old practice Of counting By holes. The only
factor. they say. which ought TO be reckoned in
these team contests is the Individual match play
between each competitor
They likewise aIlege 1t IS unfair TO find that
OF the teams has lost the match simply through
arily out OF form OF because he has had the un-
looked for misfortune to be pitteJ against very
much stronger PLAYER than himself What might
have been possible victory by a narrow margin.
a haIred match or defeat by a hole or two Is
turned into fairly serious disaster for the whole
side by the accidental fact that one PLAYER alone
has finished ten or twelve down. But 1t Is argued
that these grounds are not adequately supported
by soundness OF argument One defender OF the
old style says:
Nearly every player in practice gives refuta-
tion Of the theory that the new method Is better
than the old Even In the international matches
among the professionals. wherein the stamp or
approval finally given 10 the scoring by points
outside goIng public know the margin of holes by
which competitor has gained the victory over
his opponent. Any one may reaal the tact carefuly
chronicled between brackets against the players
name that alhcGgh he Is only to be credited with
,he nominal victory of one point for his side. hs
has truth his match by tbs SUBSTANTIAL
victory of six. seven or eight holes
''Th. same practice Of carefully chroniclins what
IS in effect. wrongly looked upon as a minor detail
IS preserved nearly all the published records or
the important team matches N which the
leading players take part So that the new scoring
principle Cor team matches Is almost constantly
and consistently ignored being OF much less
golftng value 70 the combined superiority OF tha
side than the older or better method OF showing
the world that the match has been actually won
by the superior methods OF players on one side or
the other.
To be sure 10 one dreams Of suggesting that the
ordinary single match between two individuals
shouIi be decided otherwise than by the sxpedenr
of totaIng up the number Of holes won As team
matches are. in she opinion OF some. nothing
more than single matches. = Is easy TO understand
why the advocates of the old school are loath TO
tolerate The continuing OF those who allege tnaf
system Of scoring which is found to give universal
satisfaction all matches Of everyday life should
should be considered unfair fnapplicable and IN
efYectiye when transferred to the scoring OF side.
should any golfer dare to suggest that the pTsn-
ciple OF scoring by points might as well be ap-
nIiad TO the ordinary Individual match he would
probably run the risk Of having his well meant
rronosit.on described the new-fansled scheme
Of a busybody. And then the argument II ad-
yancsd that on the same basis OF looking az the
team match problem it seems TO be a RIDICULOUS
refinement of sympathy for the woes OF the con-
covered that an established method or matcn scor-
- shouId he revoutonized in order To gloss over