New-York tribune., 1908-03-02
ON THE GOLF LINKS.
st. Andre7os Body Contradicts Itself
Odd Versions of Rules.

When the rules committee of the Royal and An
cient Golf Club of St. Andrews contradicts itself
| there be little surprise over the state of un
| certainty at present existing among the golfers in
| this country regarding the rules In 1905 Alan L.
Reid captain of the Chicago Golf Club. wrote to
Captain Burn, of the Scottish rules committee ASK
| ing If a four-ball match could compete in medal
/ play competition. Following is a letter mailed to
/ Captain Burn, which explains itself:
In 1905 I placed before your honorable commit
! tee the following inquiry and requested decision
| Under definition Rule (a) may four ball match
| compete in medal play competitions?
Since the receipt of your yalCed decision our club
are now co1fTonted s decsion of vour Commit
tee recently published, which has placed US IN
somewhat of quandary, leaving US uncertain just
what is the proper play regarding the form Of conf
petition above mentioned.
The decision referred to is as follows:
"Query-In club competition three members
one of these members won the competition and was
disqualified by the committee because it has never
been the custom TO RerTnlt three balls TO De payen
of the custom, and there is no local Fuie on the
facts (a) that they have always disqualified com
peitors under similar circumstances C5l that there
to disqualify the winner"
players be disqualified, but the practice OF
playing three-baH matches in stroke competiton Is
undesirable account of the delay involved
AS three-bail and four-ball matches are governed
by the rules. ard the decisions above quoted
appear to be diametrically opposite to eaGh other
me at yOur convenience. which OF these TWO Ce-
cisOns should govern cur competitions
The Ouien sabe competition which started
recently by Crafts ". Higgins is proving interest
ing. In fact. the different interpretations to one
of the simplest of the series seems to be another
convincing proof that the rules of golf are beyond
comprehension Under the caption What Shall
the Poor Golfer Do?" is Question H. as follows:
a ball is lying under fence bounding the course;
the ball being partly within bounds and partly out
Of bounds How shall the ball be played
Following are some of the answers:
Out Of bounds (Rule tg)) is defined as oelng
'out side the boundaries of the course, and bail
ibe bonndaTy Inc AS only the outer circumfer-
ence Of the ball in this caSe vas over me 63ua
being in bounds and therefore played from It's line
The ball must be considered as out OF bounds
and played aec9rdingly Rule y Is very clear clear on
bah has been played put OF bounds another may may
De cropped etc. a pan lyi4s l1e[ 81 f,4 -s
partly within bounds and partly OUT G1 bounds
certainly is in doubtful position and therefore
Rule ! 20 iS specific in defining out Of
bounds" and the player should therefore be gov
ball see Rule 81 regarding a split ball
covered by the rules OF golf the arbters must
Ts qfide II b. As ] t4srf b Is no nG54nF shoud m
be decided by e4Gity wfeh h would r ars be TO permit M
under Rule :, or 10 consider 1t as out Of bounds
II the greater part of the ball is within bounds !
II must be played from where II lies IT, however |
insiN.
The bali not being wholly outside the boundaries
of the course is IN bounds aud should be played |
from where It lies tRule tgl and Rule -
1 first made my mind that the ball in |
bounds tttule !, - and should be played from its
lie, then ran up against Rule 32 and decided |
that The proper answer to consider the ball |
as out of bounds Rule 81 made think that |
the position of the ball should be decided by |
WrhetI the greater part Of the ball inside
outside the boundary line. | Rule Sc. |
the book. and decided that equity should |
govern. and the player be allowed 10 take his |
choice and play the bali in bounds and from |
its lie. or Of bounds, he chose After |
having been obliged to change my opinion |
garding the answer TO your simple question several
lines came 10 the final conclusion that the ball
was neither in bounds nor out OF bounds. but /
should be considered a lost ball a lost ball is !
hall that you cannot find out where it is in five /
minutes. and ! deny any to find out, under /
the rules where the bail in question is in five J.
times five minutes Ny answer is that the bail I
should be played according 10 the rules governing /
'ost ball.
The following question was also asked
In match play a PLAYER picks up his ball when
rlaviuE through the green TO Identify it, and then
replaces IL What, if any, Is the penalty
To this the following answer has been received:
no penalty. If opponents consent is obtained
Rule s. stroke. consent consent Rule u.
oss Of the hole Rule :. Take your choice