Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-09
MORE HONOR 10 COL. BOGEY
Golfers Are Debating Over Rules Of
Match Play.
wEsTEREERs ARE INSURGENTS
Erponsnts % old traditional ReEuis-
tions Ffna ~ Hard 60 HOLD Play
ere OF the United states
IN Line.


NEW YORK April 1.-Golfers the world
over are paying more attention to boger
rules than was formerly the case. Mark
Alerton an English authority. SAYS that
the sensible golfer confines his attention
to the doing OF each hole Of his course I'm
Is few strokes as possible. and has hlth-
erto troubled himself only in the smallest
degree about the government OF the game.
But At last even this sensible person will
have to take an interest in golf politics.
for the most recent development directly
concerns what is a most popular form Of
the game. Hitherto the powers that be
have refused to recognize DOGGY" The
rank Of colonel has brought him no
respect from ST. Andrews When we have
engaged in bogey competitions we have
done 30 under a set Of rules not recog-
nized by the Royal and Ancient club. Re-
Gently. however. powerful unions. anxious
that DOGGY play should have some sort OF
official recognition. made representations
TO the rules OF golf committee with the
the result that the committee has signi-
fled its approval Of code submitted to
them BY the Midland Golf association.
That was how the trouble hogan. for &
was discovered that this new code entirely
altered the character OF hogey competi-
lions. Instead OF match play the stroke
play element in DOGGY competitions pre-
walls under the new code.
Kicks for Committee.
Critics Of the code made haste to poin,
out that the rules Of golf committees can
confer no official status on the new code
and the committee have received more
kicks" than praise
We have been inclined to blame Amer
lean golfers for their revolutionary tactics.
continues this expert. The United Slater
Golf association Is a large and power
ful body. and while Il processes loyalty
TO 81. Andrews this loyalty is apt to b.
looked upon with suspicion. In that ntt
matter OF he "schenectady" putter, 70
example, Il was st. Andrews who had L
climb down.
Even in America, however. the United
states Golf association does not have
things all it's own way. There Is anothe
association--the Western Golf association
whom we had come TO regard as evei
more unruly and intolerant Of the tradi
tions OF the game than the United State,
Golf association.
News reached me the other day from
private source that the Western associa
tlon has also submitted a code % rules 70
DOGGY" play to the rules committee, an,
on examination. this code, instead OF be
ing more revolutionary, contains all tn
elements Of the match play system.
Majority is PrOtestsnG.
Now, II We are to take the rules com
mittee as the guardians Of the old ira
ditions Of the game in this country, and tn,
United States Golf association as the NOR
conservative body in the states, the in
eyitable conclusion Is that the leglslativ
efforts Of these two bodies are by NJ
means to the liking OF great proportion
Of the golfers they are presumed to repre-
sent.
We find the most advanced association
in the states advocating the retention o
the old features. We find them even &C
knowledging the supremacy OF St. An
drews. The cat seems to be out Of tn
bag We were wrong In supposlng that a
American golfers were eager for home rul
and drastic changes.
long time ago we were urging 81
Andrews to wake up and get busy. Nor
we are inclined to implore them TO 60 {
sleep again. A muddle was made OF tn
Schenectady ruling. A muddie has bee
made OF the unofficial acceptance OF IN
Midland code.
st. Andrews will have TO climb dow
again. Boeey play Is match play, and b
trying to turn It into stroke play the rule
committee only weakly confirm their 10
norance, while formerly they used to boas
upon Il.
There Is still a chance for st. Andrew
II is not too late 20 recognise officiall
DOGGY play, and II they are as Ignorant q
bogey play a. they would have un believ,
then II Is still open TO them to give pow
ers to that committee Of experts who woul
settle the law Of DOGGY play once and 70
all