New-York tribune., 1912-01-22
NEWS FOR THE GOLFERS
| eiohton CaIkinS Quick to An.
swer Attack of Crafts Higgins.
wESTERNER is "T0O FUNNY"
M Radical Action on Stymie and
Ball Taken at Chicago
Meeting.

., renIv 10 Crafts w. Higginss attack on
-, Metropolitan Golf Association, the par
srs,em of handicapping and Leighton
c.Ir,ns in particular the latter comes back
:, che WesterneT in a manner that VIII
s.obably GAUGE the Chicago man to reflect
s.tore breaking loose again. The Plain
s.,d golfer says he doubts IL Higgins In
tended 10 have himself taken seriously, be-
.onse he was too funny" Calkins then
soes on to show where the Western man
sss changed vastly in sentiment from a
,,n,a not so long ago when he was regarded
.s a trouble-maker by a majority of the
United States Golf Association officials.
The Calkins letter of reply sent to the
writer is as follows:
have read what Mr.. Higgins, of Chicago.
has 10 say in the current number OF his
mnssazine about the Metropolitan Golf AS
sociauon. but ! cannot satisfy myself that
10 Intended 10 he taken seriously, because
he was too funny. His first grievance ap-
nears TO be that the Metropolitan AsSocla-
lion had no business to abolish the Graham
half-stroke device and heartily indorse II
In the same breath, or to express any nope
that the National Association may some
day come to recognize Its value ana auopt
n This SAYS Higgins, was not sportsman
like The Metropolitan Association, II II
could not honestly say anything bad about
served a modest silence.
In the second place, he appears to be hurt
because the Metropolitan Association at It's
recent meeting directed its officers, before
sctually abolishing the Metropolitan half
stroke and par distances, to inquire or the
United States Golf Association whether IL
really desired TO have us do this. why,
declares Higgins should the National AS
sociation belittle itself by asking the Metro
politan Association to agree with II? why
should II take any notice OF the Metropoii,
tan Golf Association resoluuonsI II Is S Jus
POSSIBLE that Mr.. Higgins does not know
that al the meeting President Wheeler anu
some of the delegates thought that, mas
much as the United States Association nau
not requested local associations to conform
10 the national method, it was possible that
II did not intend TO go into handicapplng
for any other purpose than to limit the neiu
for the amateur championship. some OF
the delegates thought that 1t would be
pity to take final action in abolshing the
half stroke and then find out afterWaru
that the National Association was nor IN
tsrested I'm having local organizations COR
form to the national method. II ls also
probable that Mr.. Higgins Is unaware tndI
President Strawn of the United states s,,, as
meeting, expressing his appreciation or the
loyal support given by the Metropoii''i'
Association. 60. A.,
sociation needs no defence-in fact, the
limited States Association has always re-
lied upon the Metropolitan ana other East-
ern associations for It's strongest suppoIt.
Our local associations I'm the East VIII not
even admit club TO membership unless II
has Joined the National Association Cdl Ci
the Western Golf Association cay as much
or point out i'm its record any OF thst uh-
qualified support OF the policies or the
United States Golf Association, in whlch
Mr.. Higgins now imagines that ne mas uS
lacking? 1,,d-
AS MIR. Higgins has referred 10 my fond
ness FOR statistics perhaps he Will forgive
me II take parting shot and REMIND mn MN
of his lacerated feelings a year or so ae9'
when the Western Golf Association au-
dressed a letter TO the United states Asso-
ciation and got no reply-at least, 40 II was was
said. But / suppose he was then seelns
things through a glass darkly. Now, ap,
narently' a new light has come 10 him. and
he trembles for the dignity of the United
States Golf Association n II stocps 10 i, az,
however, we gladly welcome Mr. Higgins
as an out-and-out supporter OF the UhLtu
States Golf Association. ana Willingly io,, olier
up our poor little Metropoltan AssoTiS.lUt, ha ya
not entirely given UP hope that he VIII
some day catch on 10 the half stroke; =, -, 80
far he has shown no sign OF unuerstaiuiis
I'm the least how II ts used
Further details of the annual meeting OF
the Western Golf Association. held IN Chl-
cago on Saturday night, tell OF the tact
that the organization in question decided 10
avoid taking any radical action toward the
abolition of the styme and the standardiza-
;ion of the ball The Western body TOOK
It's cue from the United States Golf Asso-
cistion. IT was also voted TO indorse the
parent bodys efforts with regard to tfe
national handicap list. as may be seen by
the following resolution:
BE IS resolved. That the Western Gnt
Association indorses the efforts OF the
United States Golf Association TO secure
Uniformity in handicapping, and therefore
amends it's table of distances and directions
for computing the par of holes to conform
with the official figures recently adopted
nv the United states Golf Association to
wit:
Holes lin "a 2o5 Yards inclusive. par is...... 3
Holes 226 10 125 yards inclusive, par ls......