Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-06
RECENT CHANGES
MADE IN GOLF
- ---------------------------
Defense Of the Four Ball Game
As Against the Four
some.
COMING REVISION OF RULES,
Scoring In Team Matchcs--Loyni Dis
cipIcs of Old school Are Con-
tinually Receiving shocks.


loyal disciples of the old school are
continually receiving shocks. In fact
those who like to refer 10 the time
when. i'm their opinion. golf was at its
best find it next to impossible to rec
oncilc themselves to the altered con-
dItions During the past Twelve
month. a large proportion OF the
devotees of the game in this country
and Great Britain nave been divided
among Themselves over three import
ant prublems-ihc revision OF the
rules the relative merits OF Inc tour-
some and the foui-hall contest, and
the latest system of scoring Dy points
IN team matches as compared win the
time honored custom OF counting BY
the total number of holes.
As for the rules let It suffice for the
present that both the ST. Andrew,
committee and the executive body IN
this country have worked hard on the
matter and word has been received
that interestir/; developments VIII be
forthcoming at no very distant date.
The foursome and four-ball question
mas likewise been argued pro and con,
and with more zest than everssince the
Lesley cup matches last fall.
1t would seem to be largely matter
OF opinion which style Is the more at
tractive. but when 1t comes TO the
poInt-blank statement that he four
ball syie is golf and that the foursome
Z is Il hybrid, the opponents OF the FOUR
some in answering the charge only
have to call attention to the first para
graph under Rules Of Golf. which be-
gins as follows The game OF solt Is
played by two sides, each playing its
own ball"
III the matter were put to vote
among the leading amateurs In this
country, 1t is unlikely that the four
ball would receive the most support
1t provides greater action, and that ap-
pears to be more in line with what
Americans want But until the trl-
city competition at Brookline, and the
Interstate match between Massachu-
sets and Rhode Island foursome play
had never been given an honest SHOW
in this country. AS a matter of fact,
the foursome viii make Its way In the
United States on its merits, IL at all.
and probably no amount of argument
will convince player of its advan-
tages II he prefers some other style OF
the game
SCORING IN TEAM MATCHES.
This same statement applies more
or less to the system of conducting
team matches. The usual inter-cIup
match without the foursone or -FOUR
ball affair figuring at all has ever
been a popular method OF playing the
game In the early days a contest or
y. this nature between rival CLUBS was u
function of some Importance, and II Is
II also worthy of comment that there
seems to be signs OF revival of the
\ oId-time enthusiasm I'm this branch.
1t was some years ago that the Met
ropolitan Golf association realizing
the element OF luck attending compe-
t.titbon between teams where the Scof-
8sins was by total number of hoies.
abandoned the old style for the single
.polt system 1t is. OF course. possi-
ble with the latter plan In operation
for a captain to press inexperienced
players Into service with compare
lively light heart knowing full well
that no matter how badly they may
he beaten In holes the result only
counts one point against the fortunes
OF the side.
While this may be true to a certain
extent the advocates of the point sys-
tenn claim that such plan Is superior
to a method which makes II possible
for two or three brilliant players to
Garry along" several ordinary per-
formers, and eventually gain the day
at the expense OF what was really q
better balanced team
Another claim, made by advocates OF
the old theory IL that deciding matches
by points Is conducive TO slackness. II
AZ SAID that tho mere chance of loslnG
his match by a single point occasions
far less concern TO the man than the
prospect of having IA down or so charg-
ed to his door
But another point which allows OF
cmparison between the gystem of seor'
ing by holes prevalent until few years
ago, and the system now generally ~
use, is this Then there were, no subtle
attempts made To diminish the substan-
IL tial effect or the, victory ON either side
~ OLD METHODS OF COUNTING.
Looking at the matter from the old
conservative angie, the early mattel
players saw no good reason, either IN
Hohng policy, or. i'm the melting out OF
strict golhng Justice To diminish the
aggregate effort of an opponents boat
Ing. Matches were, Of course, decided
by the aggregate number Of holes wor
4 by each player. Those Were days wher
. the total number OF holes secured b,
one side were recorded with an Honest
frankness. -
Until recently the universities OF OK.
I ford and Cambridge chung to the oldei
principle OF scoring by holes. insteas
OF by points, but now even they have
come out IN favor Of the point system
Those who have made close study .
the subject are generally familiar VIA
the contention OF golfers who allcg
that scoring by points Is a fnirer meth
cd than the old practise of counting b,
holes. The only factor, they say, which
ought to be reckonod In these team
matches Is the Individual match pln'
between each competitor.
They likewise allege II " unfair I
find that one OF the teams has lost thu
match simply through the accident .
one member being found temperate.
out of fern. or because he has hnd TN
unlooked-for misfortune 10 be pltte
against very much stronger playo
than himself What might have been ;
possible victory by a narrow margin
halyed match or o, defeat by a hole q
two, IS turned into a fairly serious dis
aster for tho whole side by the aec
/ dental fact that one player alone hal
had the ill-luck 10 finish 10 or y down
REAL SCORES SHOULD BE GIVEN
But It Is claimed that these ground
are not adequately supported by sound
ness OF argument. one supporter Of tn
old style declares
NEARLY every player IA practise give
refutation Of the theory that the new
method Is better than the old. Eyei
In the international matches among tn
professionally wherein the stamp OF ap