New-York tribune., 1912-01-07
WHO DISCOVERED PAR?
Three Golfers All Speak at Once
on the Question.
SOME CREDIT TO TRAVIS
But Leighton Calkins and Lionel
Graham Have Their
Own Opinions.

three no less prominent hghts OF the Sdiho
than Walter J. Travis, Lionel II. Graham
and Leighton Calkins. In fact the matter
has reached such an acute state that
mass Of correspondence has already taken
place on the subject.
Some ten years ago Graham, partly
through the suggestion of Travis under
took the task Of evolving a plan whereby
players in the Metropolitan Golf Associa-
ton might be handicapped on basis of
par. His system was adopted by the asso-
citation, and when he retired from golf in
an official capacity Calkins took up the
work. At present there is a decided differ
ence Of opinion as to the exact parts taken
by Graham and Calkins in this handicap
play.
Both agree that il was Traviss sugges-
tion that players be handicapped on a par
basis, but Calkins only gives Graham credit
for a table OF distances with the half stroke
for computing the par of the course, where
as Graham claims 10 have devised for the
first time the handicap system based on
par. Incidentally, Calkins takes the credit
for the system OF allotting handicaps on the
basis of par.
On December ii last Travis wrote let
ter TO Calkins that drew the following re-
ply from the Plainheld golfer under the
date of December 10:
Referring TO your letter of the 14th l
do not think you are entirely accurate with
regard 10 the history Of handlcapping. You
say:
by the way. when the real history Of
the Calkins system is written I hope you
VIII not overlook the fact that the writer
was the nrSt TO offer the suggestion in
Practical Golf that the best plan or
handicapping was to work from par. You
WIZ recall that subsequently Mr.. Lionel II.
II. Graham and yourself evolved what is
now known as the Calkins system, and that
several communications passed between us
on the subject"
l have not your book before me. but
remember distinctly that in your chapter
on handicapping you advocated hasing
handicaps on par rather than on bogey or
the scratch player or any other lenient
basis l DO not think, however. that you
went further than such a suggestion;
In 1902 and 1903 /. II. Graham devised
table Of distances including the half stroke,
10 assist club handicappers In estimating
the par Of a course by its length In short
Graham devised a mathematical guide for
the Handicapped in figuring out the total
part OF a course. Graham, however, did
not go further and produce any handicap
1 devised the Calkins system of handicap.
ping in 1905 when ! became chairman or
the Metropolitan Golf Association handicap
committee. and il was formally adopted by
the Metropolitan Golf Association that
same year. Starting with par as basis
for medal play handicapping. l invented EIIa
system TO enable clubs by uniform
method TO handicap all players on the basis
Of par.
To summarize. the history might be given
somewhat as follows: (a) Your suggestion
that players be handicapped on the basis
Of par, (b) Graham's table OF distances
with the half-stroke for computing the par
Of a course, (c) the Cakins system for al
loting handicaps on the basis OF par
am inclosing for your files the form OF
handicap report used by the Metropolitan
Golf Association for wears ana a
copy Of the United States Golf Association
form BY comparing the two you Will note
that the United States Golf Association has
adopted without deviation the Calkins sys-
TEN, which is also the metropolitan sys-
TEN of haDdicapping on the basis OF par,
the only substantial difference is the re-
vision OF the table Of par distances and the
exclusion Of the half stroke. In other
words, the United States Golf Association
adopts a different table for estimating the
par Of course by yardage, but 1t has
adopted without change the Metropolitan
Golf Association system Of handicappng.
There is no question in my mind that the
mately adopt the half stroke as I explained
at our recent annual meeting. table or
distances IS of no special value at the more
prominent clubs, because most OF us can
accurately determine the total par Of
course after becoming familiar with It in
actual play II is the inexperienced handi-
Capper at the less prominent clubs who is
helped by a table Of distances; and II Is
common sense that he will get more help
tances with the half stroke than from the
United States Golf Association distances
when you consider that II is the total par
Of a course which is wanted for handicap
basis and not the individual par or the sew
eral holes. / endeavored TO make this point
as clear as possible In the statement when
made at the annual meeting, copy OF
which I send you.
After digesting the contents Of this letter
Travis writes to Graham, inclosing the
Ic ba following
interesting reply from Graham under the
date Of December %:
have your letter Of the 21st inst, inclos-
ing letter from Leighton Calkins, dated
December 10, with reference TO the par
system Of handiCapping My recollection OF
the details Of the par system is not very
clear because it all happened many years
ago-I think in the spring Of 1902, when
was chairman Of the handicap committee
Of the Metropolitan Golf Association.
In his letter TO you Calkins writes as tol-
lows:
In 1902 and 1903 l.. H. Graham devised
table OF distances, including the half stroke
TO assist club handicappers in estimating
the par OF a course by its length. In short,
Graham devised a mathematical guide for
the handicapper in hguring out the total
lar OF a course. Graham, however. did not
60 further and produce any handicap sys-
Now. | have certainly thought all along
that ! was the first man in this country to
devise handicap system based on par. My
recollection is that during 1901 ! had several
conversations with Addie Larkin as 10 the
Cesirablity of changing the system then in
vogue, which was that handiCaps were
based on scratch or bOgey indisCriminatcly.
Larkin was chairman of the handicap
Committee Of the Metropolitan Golf AssO-
Ciation, and il was on his recommended ton
that J was elected on the VI. G.. A. commit
tee and appointed chairman of the handicap
committee in order 10 devise Il new system
% handicapping
soon after the election I took up with
you and with other prominent golfers the
question of handicapping on par and Ia
you ] was Indebted for much valuable as
s.starce. and particularly for the table %
recollection IS that I made report 10 the
CHcCutivc committee of the Metropolitan
Golf Association, advocating the adoption
hy the association OF the par system #
uN the committee, and, II my recollection
serves me right, the matter was also
thTashed out a. the annual meeting and
approved. In my report ~ that time
stated that the object Of adopting the par
system was not only accuracy of handi-
oaTping but II was also for the purpose
Of standaTdlZins handicaps. / went fur
ther and stated that ! hoped the system
would ba adopted by all sectional aSSoCia
tons, SO that when n became advisable a
national system OF handicapping based on
par could b. devised by the United States
Golf Association Time has justified me-
and ! am glad 70 learn that the United
states Golf Association has now adopted a
national system based on par
That Calkins az that time thought / had
devised par system IS evident from the
following extract from q letter OF his to me
dated May 2, 1904.
uttee this year ] have heard high praise
ON all sides Based on your par system
they the handicapsl at last furnish some
Thing which aDprOachcs 4 real guide 10 golf
going I think your rating Of the ton
y0t,Icrg H. gSUeC8lly fine. and ahgOlUtpl A