Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-12
EQUITY IN RULES OF GOLF
Interpretations Of Laws and Answers
to Points Raised.
OFFICIAL RULINGS CLASSIFIED
United states Golf Association Makes
Compilation OF Decisions by st.
Andrevvs' Committee for
Use of Members.

With the object Of bringing its interpreta-
tions of the rules up to date the United
States Golf association committee has is
sued In a pamphlet for distribution to all
membership clubs the queries answered by
the rules committee Of st. Andrews since
the last revision of the rules in 1908. The
questions and answers represent the work
Of the rules committee since May of that
year and will be Of use to American clubs
in solving the points always cropping up
on similar lines. The new issue of the rules
is expected in May, but 1t will not de-
crease the vaue OF these queries and solu-
tions, for they illustrate the application
of the code.
Some of the decision do not chime at
the first glance with American customs
For instance, a player in a medal COM
petition who returns q card on which the
handicap is wrongly subtracted is not dis
qualified. II is the duty of the secretary,
not of the competitor, to add up the score.
On similar lines is a decision that so long
as the score for each hole is correctly
marked the player is not disqualified or
otherwise penslized, whether his card is
correctly or incorrectly added up or not
added up at all. The point that the proper
strokes for each hole must be set down
is followed up in many decisions.
Penalty strokes Must show.
The neglect to mark a penalty stroke for
any reason or to be in doubt as TO whether
such stroke was put down is a frequent
cause for disqualification. There is no
value to a card when there is any doubt
that the strokes for each hole are not
properly counted. 1t is not disqualification
IN r,,lrA =
1t in, the original being destroyed and the
copy properly attested.
A recent case is of interest while the
courses are soft in the spring. At an
English course in playing out of mud the
ball adhered to the face of the club. The
committee said there was no rule on this
subject, but expressed the opinion that the
player should have shaken the ball off the
club without penalty at the spot where the
incident occurred.
The winner of the hole must always drive
off first for the honor cannot be
evaded. The decision is on a question from
Glasgow stating that in a tie between A
and B the former won the fifteenth hole
The sixteenth is a difficult pitch. and A
having the "honor," insisted on b playing
first. The committee ruled, Certainly
not"
There has been many argument ovel
question from Nottinghamshire asking Il
there was a penalty for touching the sane
in a bunker with the shaft end Of q club
the players ball being in the hazard. i
is defined as an instance of no penalty
provided always that nothing has been done
which might be construed as an intention
of doing anything to improve the lie of the
Posted Allowance Stands.
| In a stroke handicap the allowance posted
by the secreary opposite a players nam,
must stand. even though he inadvertently
posts wrong one, and not that fixed by tn,
committee. II discovered before the playe
starts the secretary may correct tn
blunder. but not after he has driven off
At match play the difference is that it 4
up to the player to ascertain his correc
handicap before starting a match. other
wise an opponent cannot be penalized 70
winning through giving shorter odds thai
the clubs ratings would have fixed betweel
the two contestants.
The Garden City Golf club always print
on its programs that stimies must b
played, but at other tournaments 1t is some
times held that 1t is optional to do so. Tn
rules committee in an answer to the Roya
Melbourne Golf club takes decided stan
for the stime. The query stated tha
A and were finalists in a tournament an
refused to play stimies. The answer wa
that as stimies are a recognized part o
the game of golf it is not permissible TO
players in tournament to refuse to pla
them. Then categorically the committe
made these rulings:
Could the two agree between themselve
that the ball nearest the hole be playe
first? NO" Does any rule oblige ther
to play stimies? 'tRule 8. taken along wit
rule 16. The penalty is disqualification.
| Is player allowed to lift his ball with tn
consent OF his adversary to avoid a stimie
| mo" Has rule 8, with the penalty of on
stroke for moving the ball, any thing to d
with a person lifting his ball to avoid
stimy? NO"
Line of the Put.
This is the text of the much dlscusse
verdict by the St. Andrews committee tina
the line Of the put extends beyond the hole
Selkirk Golf Club-In rule 10 of the rule
Of golf it is said The line Of the put ma
be pointed out, etc, but the person doing b
must not touch the ground" Does thi
refer to the ground between the ball an
the hole only, or does II also refer to tn
| ground lying beyond the hole, I, e., on tn
far side IL the hole from where the ba
| is lying? A and B were partners in
foursome against c and d. When A wa
about to play his put his partner b, stand
ing behind the hole, indicated the line h
should take, and In doing so he rested tn
top of his club on the ground two yard
behind the hole, and not on the green be
tween the ball and the hole. To reach IN
spot where the club rested the ball woul
have needed to pass the hole and go tw
yards beyond II. c and d claimed the holt
Where they entitled to do so? Answer
g and ID were right,
. | To tak sbaIter during a stroke connect