New-York tribune., 1908-02-10
ON THE GOLF LINKS.
Chance Lost to Haze Olympic Cup
Played For Here an the East.

ISOLATION those control of the sport here in the
East recently turned down opportunity to have
the Olymrsc Cup competition held over one OF the
courses in this vicinity during the coming season.
the matter now stands, the Western Golf Asso-
citation has awarded the Olympic Cup competition
to the Rock Island Arsenal Golf Club
1t Will be played Saturday, July IL This I'M
mediately precedes the annual championship tour
nament of the Western Golf Association. which Is
to begin the following Monday over the same links
There had been some talk of presenting the Olympic
Cup to the foreign committee having in charge the
Olympic contests TO be held In England next sum-
nler, but this project was abandoned because the
Western directors were not assured OF American
team going abroad.
The alternative proposition to have the Olym-
pic Cup an adjunct to the national amateur cham
pionship tournament, but neither the United
States Golf Association the Metropolitan Golf
Association evidenced a desire to have 1t played
for at Garden City thus giving the metropolitan
team chance to defend the cup at home, there was
nothing left for the Western directors to do but
send it to Rock Island to be played for in connec-
ton with the Western amateur.
1t is quite evident therefore, that If the metro
politan team wants to try to hold the cup for an
other year, it will have to travel to Rock Island in
July The prevailing impression is that the metro
politan team will let the cup go by default
There has been a general impression that what
ever part this country is to take In the Olympic
golf competition abroad next June will be left en-
tirely the United States Golf Association Some
time ago 1t stated that the Amateur Athletic
Union had turned the golf invitation from the other
side to the United States Golf Association but
". Fellowes Morgan. secretary of the latter body.
said the other day that communication whatso-
ever had been received either from the Amateur
Athletic Union or the foreign committee.
That the controversy the Olympic golf tour
nament to be held at Deal has reached acute
stage may be gathered from editorial which re-
I'm ''The World of Golf of Lon
don. The latter scores the Royal and Ancient Club
of st. Andrews for its policy of holding aloof from
the Olympic affair. The editorial is as follows:
Most persons who are not connected with the
Cured in golf, 1t was inevitable that the royal
that its position as the ruling body OF the game
protest seemed reasonable enough. But investiga-
ton has shown that he was not oognlzant o. the
not ignored as he suggests. The Olympian
authorities consulted them on the subject and re-
There is no reason to suppose that the st. An
but there is every to think that the letter
in question was treated just as many other epistles
sion when golf was included in the Olympic games
wa was at St LOUIS nnt IN l Club n oPon2e
team. The invitation may or may not nave oeen
posted in the clubhouse. Anyway, nothing was
DONE and Britain was consequently not repre-
sented- :. -,
that st. Andrews are consistent in their do nothing
policy. We wonder Wnetner tne cluD HS u Wnolo
is thankful to Mr.. Low for stirring up such a
strife. Now that every one has been set by the
ears 1t will be difficult for the alleged authorities
to relapse into their old apathy 1t is evident that
fhey have only themselves to blame If anything
is done of which they do not approve. II now only
remains for them make the amende honorable
and fan in with the arrangements that have been
made by more energetic people than themselves
With regard to these arrangements, we do not
think that they can be said to meet the situation
There is nothing Olympian about stroke compe-
fitiou 1t perhaps unavoidable that the con!ost
for Individual honors should be of this nature, but
in the intert event foursomes might have hsen
substituted. This would have at least proVldfeuo a
the elements of team contest. in which all OF the
players were straning every nerve Tor the , hon3r
about card and pencil golf. The whole business Is
too nersonaI and when stroke events extend over
more than one day they are apt to become some
what tedious. ,.,-
IF tha team contest were to be by foursomes, with
zach country represented by one couple. there
might be a possibility of some close matches SUCH
countries as France, Sweden and Belgium. VINO
are said TO be among the intending competitors,
might concefvably produce two good goifers. VINO
would have a reasonable chance of success IN a
competition by strokes, however, we would NOT oe
f1cJir,ed TO give much for the chances OF, say,
Sweden. But. considering that we have parucuiars ar
of only one golf course in Sweden. and that one
consisting of only six holes the Swedes are GER
tatnlv puckv In entering al all "hether the e'et'
bo decided by strokes or holes