New-York tribune., 1912-01-18
HIGGINS IN WAR PA|NT
Fiuhting Golfer of the West IN
Arms Once More.
PAR SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION
SAYS Metropolitan Association
Here Takes Itself Far
Too Seriously.

Crafts W. Higgins, the fighting golfer
- the West. has his war paint on again.
This time the Metropolitan Golf Associa-
.,or is the object Of his vituperative re-
marks. In an editorial which will appear
a. the current number Of his magazine
higgins not only takes fall out or
leighton Calkins but intimates that the
Metropolitan Association takes itself far
,oo seriously-and it's all because Of that
vexatious little half stroke used In COM
,uting par. Mr Higgins writes as fol-
lows
"The principal business at the annual
,,eeting OF the Metropolitan Golf Assocla-
pon was the report of its handicap com
ro,,,ee and the discussion concerning the
Efforts of the United States Golf Assocla-
,,or 70 establish a national and uniform
hss,s of handicapping. According to
sneakers. the United States Golf Assocla-
,,on. the Western Golf Association and
everybody except the members Of the Met
ronolitan Golf Association are laboring
under a mistaken idea concerning par.
while the Metropolitan apparently In
dorsed the United States Golf Association
ond secured headlines in the New YORK
peners telling about its great loyalty 10
the parent body, the resolution passed mas
sting in its tail. in that the United
states Golf Association is required TO po-
i,,elv and respectfully ask the Metropol-
dor IN adopt the new national figures Tor
mar leighton Calkins, the principal Met
.o,o,itan Golf Association spokesman
too, occasion also 10 rap the Western Golr
association for its lack Of intelligence
but in doing so he stated: IT Cthe ~ Is
not intended 10 appear on score caros Gnu
the half stroke. while useful, is not aoso-
lutely essential
oNVbv then make such pother about IT!
WHY not make a straightforward inoorse-
ment Of the United States Golf Associs-
ton. like q good sportsman, and be Gone
with itg The trouble seems TO he that the
Metropolitan. a local association haVlhs
a territory covering a radius OF nfty nIles
from New York City. considers itselt OF
far greater Importance and maghltuue
than II actually is. II takes itseh aIto-
gether too seriously.
"NIr. Calkins is great on proving by fg-
ures his contention that the United states
Golf Association is all wrong. TINS
,,,atbod NAV or may not be right Some
twenty-fve years ago ! was member OF
+be Chicago Board OF Trade. One OF my
duties was to write daily market letters
and the plan was to take the published
statistics and show by these figures why
the price of wheat should go up, and then
10 write a second letter showing by the
same figures why wheat should sell lower.
In consequence OF my early training Mr
Calkinss hypothetical figures. which show
that the United States Golf Association
table would produce the par Of " for
course 4.O68 yards long, as against
true (?) par Of 63 by that Of the Metropol-
itsn Golf Association. do not strike me as
forcibly as If ! had never tuggled with
figures myself Who is going to be fool
ish enough TO lay out such course, any
bow?
"NIr Calkins also fails to take into con-
alteration the fact that the Western Golf
Association cannot use his pet half stroke.
because il holds match play competitions
against par. and believes the contestants
should have three chances at every hole
10 win. TO halve, 10 lose. Mr.. Calkins and
his Metropolitan Golf Association follow
ers would deny contestants the inherent
right Of every golfer TO halve some Of the
holes. or else 10 consider II half when a
PLAYER has taken more than par Of the
hole 10 get his ball down. Apparently
they consider that medal play compeu-
tion Is all there is to the game of golf.
III the United States Golf Association
thinks il advisable 20 have the Metropol-
.tau Golf Association system Identical
with its own, then the half stroke will be-
come thing of the past On the other
hand. should the United States Golf As
sociation reply that such action is unnec-
sAsary. then the Metropolitan system will
remain as 1t is, standing solitary and
alone in its grandeur.
"The National Association has issued its
mandate. Why should it belittle itself by
asking the Metropolitan Association IL
agree with Il? Why take any notice OF
the Metropolitan Golf Association resolu'
tion2
The United States Golf Association is
practically certain Of the unqualified sup
port Of the Western and trans-Mississippi
golf associations in the adoption Of the
new figures for par