The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-28
SOME NEW GOLF RULES.
Suggestions for Simplifying Code and
Classifying Courses.

The first gun in a move in this
country to simplify the rules of golf
has been fired. In the current number
of the Golfers Magazine appears a
new set of rules, which has been
drafted by a we'll known western anna
! teur. Besides differing from the old
workings in number of cases, the re-
former introduces a decided novelty in
a socalled classification of links, which
are placed in three divisions, to be
known as the major standard
course" the Ordinary major course"
and the minor course
The idea is to have the national
amateur and open championship
tournaments played over major stand
ard courses, which should not be less
than 5000 nor more than $500 yards
| long, with a minimum width of fifty
yards for the fair green. The require
ments would also call for well knit
| turf, that must be kept in condition
satisfactory to the executive committee
of the United States Golf association.
The principal requirement of the or
binary major course is that it shall not
be less than 5000 yards in length. A
course of this nature is supposed to be
suitable for the womens champion
ship tournament. Both of these types
must consist of eighteen holes. All
nine-hole circuits are to be classed as
minor courses. Five physical divisions
| have been specified as follows: Teeing
ground, fairway. hazards, out of
bounds and putting green
With regard to a ball lying in a
water hazard, the new suggestion diff
fers materially from the old rule,
which reads in part:
IF a ball lie or be lost in water or
in casual water, in a hazard, a ball
may be dropped in. or as far behind
the hazard as the player may please,
under penalty of one stroke"
| Occasionally one hears of a man play
ing a ball out of water, but the new
ruling, which would do away with all
that. reads:
"A ball in a recognized water hazard
shall be abandoned and another ball
dropped behind such hazard, with
penalty of two strokes
| The practice swing question, which
| has caused considerable controversy
and annoyance of recent years, would
torily by the suggested ruling, which
reads:
Except on the teeing ground, each
practice swing made within two club
lengths of a ball shall count as
stroke"
One of the new suggestions also pro
vides that when a ball has not been
found in two minutes the players fol-
lowing shall have the, right to go
through by twice calling Fore.
Another stipulation is that the flag
must be removed from the hole when
the player is within twenty yards there
of, whether the ball be actually upon
the more closely moved ground recog-
nized as the putting green OF not. A
two stroke penalty has been suggested
for violation of this rule. The reform
ers would also do away with all brush
ing across the line of put when on the
green.
The definition of a professional is
gone into at some length. Section of
Rule 6 in the United States Golf Assoc
iation book reads:
mo person shall be considered an
amateur golfer, or shall be eligible to
compete in the amateur championships
of this association who receives mon
ey consideration, either directly or in
directly, by reason of connection with
or skill displayed in playing the game
of golf or other branches of athletics
The new rules suggested reads:
"a professional in golf is defined as
one who accepts or has accepted any
fee. wage or gratuity for playing the
game of golf who plays, or who has
played for money prize; who receives,
or has received pay for instruction; who
personally makes, or repairs golf clubs
for pay; who. after the age OF sixteen,
has received pay for acting as caddie.
or who is, or has been professional IN
any branch of sport.