The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-23
Fossilized Golf.

By sort of tacit understanding the
golfers of the world have come to look
to that venerable home of the royal
ana ancient game, the st. Andrews
club in Scotland, as the final court
OF appeal for the settlement of
all controverted questions If one
eliminates sentiment there isn't any
very good reason for this attitude of
difference. The current membership
of the club is just as modern as the
rest of U.s. Old Tom Morris and most
OF the men he trained while in his
prime nave long been gathered to the
fathers The atmosphere of the old
links, their traditions, and memories
are delightful to the true golfer,
young or old. But there is consider
able reason for believing that the
game would still be played with goose
1eather balls and the crude utensils of
the eighteenth century club maker if
the, outside world had not taken it up.
In the st. Andrews atmosphere all in
noVatlons are looked upon with dis
trust. For instance, so Spectacular an
Improvement as that resulting from
the far flying rubber cored ball has
come in for considerable criticism in
England recently, not a little of which
could probably be traced back to the
standpat golfing stronghold in Scot
land. For some time there has been
noticeable worry there over the ten
dency of the American players to in
vent new forms of clubs. This worry
took the form at first of a general
statement that clubs departing in a
substantial way from the traditional
and accepted form consisting of a
plain shaft and head not containing
mechanical contrivances' would not
be sanctioned. This rule was adopted
in the general code of the United
States Golf association. And here
things official stood until this fall. On
September 81 the royal and ancient
club held a meeting, at which, among
other business, it adopted the follow
ing new rule:
The game of golf is played by two
sides. Each playing its own ball with
clubs made in uniformity with the di-
rections laid down in the clause on
form and make of golf clubs.''
The essential part of the form and
make of golf club clause is given be-
low:
The rules of golf committee re-
CARDS as Illegal the use of such
clubs as those of the mallet-headed
type, or such clubs as have the neck
SO bent as to produce similar effect.
CThis appears to rule out both the
Schenectady and goose neck patterns.)
Further, 'tsome general considerations
which will guide the committee" in
interpreting this rule are set down.
They are to the effect that the distance
between the heel and toe of the head
Of a club must be greater than its
antero-posterior diameter; that the
shaft must be attached to the heel.
and that the shafts lower part must
not be so curved that, if produced. it
would not meet the heel.
All of these rules may be good rules.
The duffer has no right to intrude his
opinion on such weighty matters. But
he is likely to feel, nevertheless, that
a wholesale general order against all
changes, good or bad, is rather arbi-
trary, and, to quote Mr.. Roosevelt, fos-
SLICED. Such an order promulgated in
previous age would have anchored
the royal and ancient game to the
ilnkempt heath and primitive imple-
ments of the days when James VI took
it down to England with him.-New
York Globe.