Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-19

ouEtN EAleHNt ~ hNRN aNe
cards were posted on certain holes.
There is no end to the curious changes
that may be tried in occasional handicaps
any more than may be sounded on a chime
OF bells. A f~rivolity conceived by f. j.
Phillips and tried out at the Dyker
Meadow Golf club was a four ball medal
play competition in which partners were
changed on each green according TO the
high or low strokes recorded. Earnestness
and not ~frivolity is back OF another variant
in h-andicapping. 1t Is to guard the clubs
handlcappers from the player who has
been given too many strokes, or who plays
pbetter that he knows how and returns
a CO net, or some such preposterous card
The plan originated at the Baltusrol GOLF
club and II is a fine one. The Idea Is TO
select as the standard what the scratch
man OF a club is able to do, perhaps rs
Or76, and to rule tina net scores below That
are counted as 76. II there ls returned a
Il, 70 and 70 net, for instance, they become
a triple tie at 76 net.
The word select bring up much that IL
curious in the ~game-good, bad and indif-
ferent. To play thirty-six and Only re-
turn a card for eighteen holes, on the
eclectic system, the score being g. composite
Of the best holes on either round. is a
popular form OF competition. 1t is Interest,"
ing, n the late Mr.. Everard had a
theory that the open championships should
be so played as the fairest test of golf.
Among various ramifications Of the system
last season was a four ball select score
competition. Our method Of playing off
ties by all keeping on at one time, the high
scorers dropping out, is pronounced curious
and hasty in Great Britain. What would
tA... -. - A.. ,1o& oRko, oIoDtad nNw 70
save time Of drawing the names from a
hat2
New Tournament Plan.
To keep all who enter for a tournament
in the game for the entire three or four
days leads to a curious Increase in the
prize list. Those defeatd in the first
rounds Of zach sixteen start again for
beaten eight cups, which leads in turn
to cups for the beaten fours." The sys-
tenn of qualifying in sets of sixteens for
tournament cups has but one fault-a
player OF class who by i'll fortune has a
poor medal score will get into O set where
he is an easy winner, a leviathan among
minnows. There are instances of this
dropping down, having been by intention.
The methods to nullify this state of things
have their odd side. At many places the
first sixteen is for players rated from
scratch to eight strokes, the second for
those from nine to seventeen, and so on.
A player, no matter how poorly he brings
up in the qualifying round, cannot join in
a sixteen below his handicap class.
On the other hand a player with a high
handicap who scores Unexpectedly well
must play out his hand, even though II
brings him into the first sixteen,
In this country the golflng is mainly q
week end recreation and every variation
that is not foreign to the spirit of the gam
is permissible to stimulate the interest
The British golfers are more conserva-
tive and stick to either stroke or hole play
without side issues. The American four.
bali match, however. is gaining friends
there as a change from the foursome
DOGGY is an English invention and unit
recently unknown in Scotland. Regarding
this prejudice against any change the ruler
committee of st. Andrews is now doins
what 1t can do dispel the gloom and tC
accept what the old Scots have condemned
as merely curious in the game.
There is no end to the curiosities Of
shots, clubs or balls, but they are not nov
in consideration. However, our players
vary from the routine of competitions they
are loyal to the best traditions of golf.