Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-30

The past week was one Of the worst OF
the year for local golfers, it having
rained every day up until yesterday. AS
consequence, hardly any golf wa:
played. Friday being the first day OF
which any matches were played at either
Chevy Chase, Bannockburn or the Wash
ington Country Club. At Columbia {
match was played Thursday, but this wa:
| more in the nature Of an experiment. Al
of the courses were crowded yesterday
everybody taking advantage or the on'
good day of the week
| Columbias annual tournament. whlcf
will be held October 10. IL and l., VII
undoubtedly be the best ever held by tht
local club. Invitations have been sent u
clubs all over the country, and a grea
many stars are expected to compete. The
veteran Walter J. Travis of the Garder
i CITY Club of New York, whose name !:
known wherever golf is played. has beer
invited to enter, and mas accepted
| letter to this effect having been received
F, by the green's committee yesterday.
| One of the most fruitful sources of an
noyance to both players and committee:
alike is the failure on the part OF the
| rank and file of golfers to observe the
very clear but little respected regulation:
4
what manner one match may pass an
other on the links. Perhaps no one thing
| in the whole range of golf is the cause Of
more heated controversies or gives rlst
to more uncomfortable luminosity than the
frequent clashes among players due to 9
disregard by one party or the other, anC
generally both. of what, under the rule
touching on this subject, is really plain
simple duty.
CD 10 N
duleing in four-ball matches has become
so prevalent The example of better play
ers who seem universally to prefer this
form of contest has been followed b!
the buffers, and during the busy days OF
the active season courses are fairly
blocked, to the exclusion of players who
NAV prefer the older and better style
of play afforded by singles or foursomes
To such an extent has this evil grown
that on some courses rule has been
adopted prohibiting fOur-ball matches on
busy days. All complication or neces-
sity for special legislation wOulu be obvl-
ated, however. if players would unite IN
familiarizing themselves with ana follow :
ing the very simple rules governing the
right of matches to pass one anotner.
The fundamental rule to be noted al
the outset is the one that single VWo
players) is entitled to pass through any
other match. The right does not accrue
however. until a request has been mace.
is to be remarked that this request snouid
be made in some way which conforms TO
polite usages To drive into q match IN
front and afterward call fore does not
constitute a proper request. Contrar1wise,
if a three or four ball match sees a single
closely following them the requirements
of the best etiquette is for the players
in front to signal to the single matcn
to come through, and, having done so.
they should stand aside until the single
gone
range.
There is only one instance when play
ers have the right to pass through with
out first making request, and that is
when the match in front is looking for a
lost ball. but even here the match fol-
lowing should not begin to play through
without first calling fore" and making
sure that the call is heard by the play
ers in front.
situations concretely. the following table
is given to show the relative rights pos
sessed by different kinds of matches:
/. A single has precedence over any
kind of a match.
some 1.-TWO ballsD has precedence over
three-bal or four-ball match.
3. A three-ball match has precedence
over a four-ball match.
f. A person playing by himself has no
standing and must always give away to
a match of any kind.
s. Any match playing a whole round is
entitled to pass match playing
shorter round.
6. Any match which fails to keep its
place on the green and loses in distance
more than one clear hole in front may be
passed by any match following.
In all these enumerated cases. however.
there should be no attempt on the part
of those following to pass without first
making a request, for without 1t those In
front are apt to stand upon their rights
and interpose objections. At the same