Evening star., 1911-01-08
Mr.. TAFT IS INTERESTED
Disapproves Restrictions Made BY
Scotch Organization.
FAvORS SCHENECTADY PUTTER
Question Will Be Live Issue At
Meeting Of National Associa-
tion at Chicago Saturday.

( CHICAGO, ILL.,, January 5.-While the
question as to whether the United States
Golf Association Is to follow the ruling
Of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club OF
st. Andrews. Scotland, and debar the
Schenectady and all center-shafted clubs.
or to split with the dignifled Scottish
body is filing the eastern press, the con-
troversy 80 far has not created much of
a ripple in the west. This week the
battle-ground will be transferred to Chi
cago. and at the annual meeting OF the
United States Golf Association. to be
held Saturday night at the Blackstone
Hotel. the question will be the live issue.
Previous to the storm wave in the east
it looked as If the annual session Of the
association would be the usual love feast,
and that the annual meeting OF the
Western Golf Association. scheduled for
ono week later at the La Sale Hotel.
would be equally peaceful.
First Signs Of Strife.
ing Of the United States Golf Association
some Of the eastern Clubs polled their
members as to whether they should vote
to follow the lead Of st. Andrews
Club or declare for independence. This
provoked the first signs OF strife in the
east. Largely through the efforts of
Charles B. Macdonald, the former Chi
cagoan, and some Of his associates, the
voted So to 3S in favor OF supporting the
st. Andrews organization.
This action arous the wrath Of Leigh
ton Calkins. president Of the Plainfeid
Country Club Of New jersey. and for
mer committeeman of the United States
Golf Association. His club Mad voted
against following the ruling OF st. An
drews, and he said:
IF the United States Golf Association
makes the mistake Of blindly upholding
the Schenectady putter. and by SO doing
shoul6 bring about a split in this coun-
try.t1 shall. lend my support to a new or
ganization."
Secession Threat a Bomb.
This threat of secession coming from
one Of the most prominent legislative
golfers of the east was something of
bomb for the United States Golf AS
sociation officials. Reading between the
lines. it meant that IL the Western Golf
Association should decide to carry out
its proposed policy of extending it's ter
ritory to take In the whole Of the United
States and Canada 1t might rely on the
support OF some Of the prominent eastern
clubs.
J. Travis. President Taft took a hand in
the matter, and his letter to the Garden
City player automatically suEgested
that the restrictions made by ST. An
drews were too narrow.
This will doubtless carry some weight
1t is quite possible Mr.. Travis has So
licited the opinion of a number Of the
leading players of the country on the
matter. Whatever is the outcome, 1t is
certain the matter will be well venti-
In the meantime the officials OF the
United States Golf Association doubtless
will be working on a peaceful solution OF
the trouble. The most simple solution
would be for st. Andrews to rescind its
Scotchmen would listen to any sugges-
tons from this side Of the water is q
matter Of conjecture. They certainly
did not ask any advice from tho United
States Golf Association when making the
ruling.
Mountain Out Of Molehill.
Crafts w. Higgins Of the Golfers
Magazine believes that Mr.. Macdonald,
Mr.. Calkins and other critics have
jumped to hasty and wrong conclu-
sions, making a mountain out Of a mole.
hill. In an article on the subject he
cites the point that the purpose Of the
United States Golf Association is to
promote and conserve throughout the
United States the best interests and
true spirit Of the game Of golf In this
country.
Further. he says, 'it should be borne
in mind that st. Andrews neither &C.
l.. - 81 - kA
States Golf Association any obligation to
confer with 1t before taking its recent
stand on the form and make OF golf
clubs"