Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
PUT7ER AN ISSUE.
More Golfers Have Their Say
on M0oted Question.
OPINIONS DIFFER WIDELY
Western Club Said to Be in Favor
of Following Lead Of Old
st. Andrews.

Now that some metropolitan golfers
have declared themselves either for or
against the ruling Of old St. Andrews on
the mallet-headed putter, the controversy
is spreading. According to a Philadel-
phia critic, one outcome of the agitation
may be that golfers here are likely to
ask for a representative advisory board
to work in conjunction with the Scottish
committee. not appointed, but elected OH
a territorial basis:
Several of the leading Philadelphia
players have been asked to express them
selves on tine putter question, and the net
result shows that, as IN New York,
opinion is divided. A. W. Tillinghast
says:
Il must confess that 1 do not approve
of, the law, but at the same time I regret
that ST. Andrews should deem it neces-
sary to rush to a conclusion without at
least minority opinion from this coun-
try. AS to the clubs used in the game,
I 1 have always contended that should all
players limit themselves to common
type. the more nearly would results rep
resent pure skill"
Howard Perrin, winner of the Quaker
city championship on several occasions,
is another who does not approve of the
st. Andrews acton. Schenectady putters
are not in the freak class, he thinks. II.
b. Mcfarland stamps the action OF the
rules committee of the Royal and Ancient
club as ridiculous.
y western man writes in part as fol-
lows:
II do not believe that the rules are any
where near perfect, and have never
minced words in SO stating, but one set
Of rules Is far better than several sets.
If any one is relying on western votes to
bring about tine forecasted split with St.
Andrews he is going to get badly left.
You will find after the votes are counted
that the western clubs will be with G. B.
Macdonald and for harmony and com.
promise. 8. II. Strawn can control all
the Chicago clubs. and few more of lis
west of here. That will give those who
think one code the best fifteen out Of the
seventeen western clubs. This leaves only
the two Pittsburg clubs not accounted
for"
Continuing to discuss the question.
Leighton Calkins. president of the Plain
field Country Club, says that he was
partly misquoted. He says in a letter:
"In my talk yesterday I did not mean
to give the impression that l would favor
new national association in the event
that the United States Golf Association
adopts the st. Andrews rule. What
meant to say was that I would have a
great deal more sympathy with move
ment for new association than 1 ever
have had. because / never have had any.
II would. however, continue to work
Association for the purpose of effecting
a change of sentiment, but would work
within the United States Golf Associa-
tion and outside.
II do believe. however. as / told you,
that If the United States Golf Associa-
ton follows st. Andrews there will be q
split in this country, and the Garden City
Golf Club and other clubs taking similar
action will be responsible for the deplora-
BILE result.
There is one thing which said in my
address at the Planted Country Club
meeting which all of the newspapers seem
to have left out, and which is of con-
siderable Importance, because it shows
that I deplOre the necessity of taking
issue with ST. Andrews. My suggestion
was that the United States Golf Asso-
citation, at its annual meeting, vote not
to accept the ST Andrews ruling at the
present time. but instruct the secretary
to write St. Andrews requesting it to
hold the new rule in allegiance at least
until We have had chance to present
our arguments against it. In other
words. believe in giving st. Andrews a
chance to reconsider before we break
away. But. most enlphatically, il they
decide to be dictatorial, I. with equal
emphasis. shall support any honest effort
within the United States Golf Association
to have our own rules