Evening journal., 1908-11-06
NEW. GOLF RULES
UPSET CUSTOM
Code a Death KneII of Pre-
Iiminary Swings and Brush
ing Line of Putt

When the new golf rules are adopted
by the United States Golf Association.
as there is every reason to suppose
they will be. players viii have to
undergo many private rchearsals TO
breal, themselves of habits, which the
latitude of the old code allowed thea
to indulge in. Heretofore the most
prevalent has been ,he preliminary
swing. which many for some time
have deemed has been carried to a
tiresome excess. From taking a pre-
liminary" on the tee. it has been eN-
tended 10 the second shot then TO the
third shot until il had become parr and
parcel of a players game.
Under the new regime there can be
no more preliminary which viii
bend or break anything growing.
In other words. the days of the pre-
liminarv smite through rough grass are
numbered, and the player viii have to
walk up TO his ball and small his
hardest without any preliminary up-
heaval.
The new rule in fact permits man
10 fan the air as much as he likes. but
he must disturb nothing growing" in
the process. 1t reads:
Before striking at 4 ball in play a
PLAYER shall not move bend or break
anything fixed or growing. except so
far as is necessary to enable him fair.
" to take his stand in addressing the
ball. &c.
The old rule read:
Before striking at a ball in play the
PLAYER shall not move. bend or break
anything fixed or growing NEAR the
ball" sc.
"Near the Ball" Eliminated.
Near the balr' it viii be seen has
been eliminated. and with the enmi-
nation passes The preliminary swing.
except in very modified form.
The habit of brushing imaginary oh
structions in the line of the putt will
have to be discontinued. The line OF
the putt may no longer be touched 'oX-
cept by placing the club Immediately
in front of the bah in the act % ad-
dressing st." The rules relating to
this read
SecOnd-Dung Wormcasts, snow and
ice may be scraped aside with a club
hut the club must no, be laid with
more than its own weight upon tie
ground nor must anything be pressed
down either with the club or i'm any
other way
Third-The line of the putt must not
be touched. except by placing tho club
Immediately in front of the ball IT, the
act of addressing it, and as above
authorized.
Special Rules For Matches.
Other important innovations are the
special rules for match play competi-
tions." These relieve the player from
the onus of being too eXacting in a
match. They speak for themselves and
read:
On the putting green If the corr
petitor whose ball is nearer to the hole.
play first. his ball shall be at once re
placed under penalty of the disqualif-
cation of both competitors.
A competitor shall not waive any
penalty incurred by his opponent,
under penalty Of disqualification
Competitors snail not agree to eX-
clude .Ae operation of any rule, or iocal
rule. under penalty OF disqualification
The Rules of Golf Committee recon-
mends that players should not concedc
puts TO their opponents.
The medal play rule which disquali-
fed a competitor who drove from out
side the teeing ground has been mOdi-
fled TO read:
If at any hole a competitor play his
first stroke from outside the limits OF
the teeing ground he shall count thai