New-York tribune., 1912-04-22
NATIONAL LIST.
The u. S. G. A. Secretary Replies
to CaIkins's Criticism.
R. c. WATSON ANSWERS HIM
SAYS Plainfield Man Fails to Ap-
preciate Purpose Of the
Handicap List.

tAoho'SNb
Robert e. Watson, secretary Of the United
ststes Golf Association, asserts that Leigh
ton CaIk,ns. the man who recently criticised
tho national handicap list. is laboring und"r
A wrong idea as TO tho purpose Of the hs'.
II tbe executive committee makes mistakes
It IS only too ready 70 try 20 rectify them
saws Watson. "hUt unjust criticism Is IN
fair and cannot go unpassed by tho United
states Golf Association without giving the
real facts to the public
Watsons Iettcr on III" subject is as fol
lows:
"A couple of weeks ago I read an article
bv Leighton Calkins criticisinC the national
handicap l!at Of the United states Golf As
sociation Mr. Caliins evidently has been
laboring under q wrong idea as to IN" pnT-
pose of the handicap list
Il stated 10 the press some time aco that
II was absolutely necessary for the United
States Golf Association 10 take steps 10
weed out the numnc- Of entries in the anna
teur championship. as IL was impossible 10
run off the tournament on schedule, owing
to The fact that considerable number or
golfers had made q practice Of entering n
WHO Ildu llbi l4't riiEli'fFL p'F'4'l' 'i'"'ie'
OF even qualifying. for the pleasure Of play
ing over q championship course and enjoy
ing holiday OF the first dsv Of the tourEa-
ment.
Last year, at Apawamis, one OF our best
players was paired with one OF the asprants
for the coveted title. and while the good
player finished his first nine holes in $S
strokes, his partner played them in -
strokes. and remar rked that he had no idea
he could play them in such low score
Continuing at the tenth hole the aspirant
holed il out in =, and then took strokes
more TO the eleventh hole before he decided
that he really had no chance to qualify on
the FIRST day and tore up his score card
Meanwhile, the good player was entirely up
set by the exhibition Of his partner which
unconsciously began to put him off his game.
and managed only to qualify himself with
difficulty He kept track of his partners
strokes throughout the entire round. as the
aspirant gamely struggled through to the
finish and wound up with a card Of 81 plus
II. making a total Of rs Tor the round,
whereas the highest qualifying score for the
first day was 81 strokes.
Another example was one OF an old
gentleman. some seventy-ive years old, who
started off the first toe in the qualifying
round and took Il strokes 10 reach the first
green and holed out I'm 4 strokes more, max
ing a total of is strokes for the first hole.
When asked how he had the nerve To enter
the tournament he said that he intended 10
play in the seniors handicap medal play
tournament to be held at Apawsmis some
time later on and as he had never seen the
course he thought 1t a fine timo To prac-
tisc over It, as he considered he had
good chance 10 win the competition. since
he was sure 10 get a very large handicap.
BY the way. ] understand that the seniors
handicap II for mon over nifty five wears
old
Il could recite many more instances like
this, even after the executive committee has
implored all would-be competitors who have
no possible chance TO qualify 20 stay out OF
the tournament so that tho event may be
handled properly.
Two years ago the entry in the amateur
championship held at Brookline was 2ls
and ~ drove of the first tee on tho morn
ing the competition started As a result, it
was impossible for n considerable part Of
the field to finish their first eighteen holes
lUdi ud.' anu lliFN "FIt bbIiB'h ~ So W.
at an unearthly hour the next day in order
TO finish their fret rourd.
Making an analysis of the calibre Of the
entrants in this tournament there were not
at the most more than soventy-hye men
that had the least possible chance to quail
ify among the first thirtytwo. Such being
the state of affairs, II became imperative
for the United States Golf Association 10
devise some plan to eliminate the would-be
entrants who had no chance IN the tourna-
ment, but were simply blocking up the
course and making It impossible TO com
pleto the competition on schedule. There
FORE In each district Of the United States
committee was formed, headed by an
officer of the executive committee, to pick
out the players IN each district who had
the playing calibrc which would really en-
title them TO be eligible to compete in the
championship. The work was done with
the utmost care, requiring over four
months TO try TO ascertain the names OF
the members of the different clubs belong
ing TO the United States Golf Association
good enough TO play IN the championship.
Needless to say, in making such a list, at
first, mistakes are bound TO occur, but as
time goes on these errors can be rectlhed.
1t is not the purpose of the United States
Golf Association for each club TO adhere
absolutely to the association rating of each
OF the players when 10 local competition,
az the club is naturally in closer touch
with the calibre Of the game from time 10
time which the said player is showing.
THE United States Golf Association Is
anxious for every amateur player I'm good
standing and belonging TO a club in this
association TO compete in tho champion
ship who has really a chance 10 qualify.
The association is doing its best 30 further
the interests of the game and to protect in
oldentaly the best interests OF its members
in every way possible, and no action Is |
being taken by II without the most careful
consideration in every particular by the ex-
ecutive committee. II IL makes mistakes. |
It Is only too ready To try to rectify them: |
but unjust criticism by AN individual Is !
unfair, and cannot go unpassed by the |
United States Golf Association without CIV |
ing the real facts TO the public.
Any golfer belonging to cluo mein- |
Der Of the United states Golf Association |
VINO thinks he is eligible to compete In tho |
championship, whose name has been omit |
ted on the national handicap list. may nave |
his name enrolled upon II by submitting the |
proper proofs through his own club TO the |
secretary of the United States Golf Asso- !
cation before August 2"