Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-04

may compel the United states Golf asso-
citation TO pass on some intricate cases OF
near amateurism that the American Ath-
letc union and other organizations may
have passed up as nuts tooahard 20 crack.
New Rule on Topics.
The text Of the United states Golf asso-
citation definition as adopted In December
reads:
Section Z. No person shall be considered
an amateur golfer or shall be eligible TO
compete In the amateur championship OF
this association or In any event of anna
teurs authorized or held by II who accepts
or has accepted directly or indirectly any
fee, g~ratuitys money or other consideration
for playing or teaching the game of golf
or who personally makes or repairs golf
clubs, golf balls or other golf articles for
play, or who after the age OF is years
has received pay for services as a caddie.
caddiemaster or greenkeeper, or who Is
OF has been a professional In any other
branch OF athletics, provided, however, that
any person who is or at the time becomes
insligible as an amateur by reason OF this
bylaw may be reinstated upon giving to the
executive committee of this association sat
isfactory evidence OF meriting such rein
statement. Nothing herein contained shall
require reinstatement as an amateur of
any person In good standing as such on
January /. 1909, under the provisions of sec
ton OF the bylaws Of this association
then in force.
otCllon D.. ETONeSNS dBdlntN any INDIVIDUAL
for violation Of section 7 OF these bylaws
must be made in writing by a member of
a club belonging to this association and
must be sent to the secretary of this asso-
citation with a certificate by the secretary
OF such club that the protest is lodged by q
member in good standing Of such club.
British Rule on Amateurs.
In Great Britain the definition OF an
amateur is shorter and founded on the
same basic principle regarding debarment
for accepting compensation for playing the
game. An amateur athlete In that coun-
try has been known TO accept without pen
atty Appearance money as we'll as trav-
cling expenses, which a golfer could not do,
and also to take part in a resort tourna-
ment ms the guest OF the hotel keeper. The
latter custom is dying out both in Great
Britain and the Riviera, for the hotel keep
ers have learned that to exploit a plus
handicap man as a guest has the effect OF
keeping many minus handicap players
away. The players who should receive
from five to ten strokes from the plus man
have to meet him on even terms in every
match. As a consequence. the plus man
not only gets free board. but also wins all
the best cups. while the minus men are
not only out of pocket for expenses. but
also put out Of conceit in their goif-so
when they learn any certain amateur OF
vast skill in cup winning is at the resort
they journey elsewhere. After all, one re-
sort course in Great Britain or the Rivieta
is much like another, the chief attraction
at any of them TO a golfer being to find
himself among men of his own playing
class. The British definition follows:
An amateur golfer is a golfer who has
never made for sale golf clubs, balls, or any
other article connected with the game; who
has never carried clubs for hire after at
tanning the age of 10 years, and who has
not carried clubs for hire at any time
within six years of the date on which the
competition begins: who has never received
any consideration for playing in a match
or for giving lessons in the game; and
who for a period of five years prior to
September /, 1885. has never received a
money prize in any open competition.
This definition has not been changed
since 1886, the year of the establishment
of the amateur championship there. Under
the strict letter of the rule should a club
in Great Britain put up a money prize, say
of 5000, TO be played for by amateurs at
an entrance fee Of IS, the prize not to be
a sweepstakes. but to be awarded irrespec-
tive of the entrance fees, neither the win
ner nor any OF the competitors would be
disqualified. But to have received a money
prize prior to September 1, 1886. would dis
qualify! Public sentiment would disqualify
an amateur to play for a money prize and
also keep a club from offering pne.
Revision II Needed,
A revision of the amateur definition as
to this point would seem to be due in Great
Britain. Such a change is imminent, and
oddly enough 1t is in response to protests
made by professional golfers that 1t is to
be done. They objected in the first place
to British amateurs taking pay to lay out
a golf course. In this the trend of opinion
was against them. and it was held that
the amateur is within his rights to improve
the technical aspect of a golf course with
out being open to the charge that he is
necessarily infringing on the work of the
professional, for such work has only been
an adjunct of the professionals task and
never been the mainstay.
The appeal to the British clubs govern
ing the amateur championship for a re-
vision is now based by the professionals
on the injury to their trade caused by the
alleged practice of members OF clubs join
ing together in a kind of syndicate to buy