The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-08-09

We believe that there is a higher,
keener sense of honor and true sports
manship among professional golfers
than is TO be found in any other single
group of sportsmen. Others may not
agree. but certain 1t Is that the pro-
fessionals who are absolutely conscien-
tious in observing even the smallest |
details of the rules, far outnumber the |
amateurs who take care to do the |
same. One has but to follow an open |
tournament. or any other match where |
! professionals are in play, to find out |
| the truth of this statement And. be it |
remembered, when the pro goes into a !
match or tournament, not only is his
! reputation as a player at stake, 1t |
| means bread and butter as well. for
! it is part of his business to win cash |
prizes If he can. He has thus a greater
| temptation to meet, and many times
single stroke means the loss OF large
reward. But you will always find the
! pro honest and faithful to the game A
most striking illustration is TO be found
! In the of James r. Thompson of
Philadelphia. who played in the recent
metropolitan open championship, held
| at the Apawamis club New York After
| finishing the Anal round Thompsons
| card was turned in by the official
marker who had followed Thompson
and his partner. and the score as certi-
| fed by the marker was duly posted by
| the official in charge of the board.
Returning from the dressing room some
! time later. Thompson was congratu-
| lated by another player upon his ex-
ceedingly fine round, the figure for the
last round being mentioned Thomp-
son thereupon corrected his friend by
.~I1f
was ONE stroke more than that just
mentioned. But" said this friend
| you must be wrong, Jim. 1 just saw
your total posted, and the last round
was marked up at" 4 cannot help
that replied Thompson, 1T was
stroke less" They thereupon walked
over to the score board and there sure
enough. were the figures mentioned by
the friend. and which meant one of the
valuable cash prizes for Thompson.
Figures not turned in by Thompson,
mind you, but by the marker furnished
by the tournament officials However
| Thompson insisted it was wrong and
that he should be marked one stroke
more. Every professional keeps his
score in his head" and can always tell
you just what he took each hole.
and, as Thompson ran his eve down the
column he found a three marked at a
certain hole. when he knew he had
taken four. His demand that the
score be changed and made right led
to hasty meeting of the committee,
, who endeavored to find out how to set
tie the question under the rules
Rule FIVE of the Rules of Golf, issued
by the Royal Ancient Golf club of St
! Andrews, by which golf computations
i are governed the world over, is the
rule that bears on the Thompson case.
, The side heading reads: The scores,
: how kept" The text of the rule Is as
4 follows:
% The score for each hole shall be
kept by a marker or by each competi-
, tor noting the others score should
more than one marker keep a score,
each shall sign the part of the score
for which he is responsible. The scores
should be called out after each hole.
On completion of the stipulated round.
the card shall be signed by the person
q who has marked it. and the competitor
shall see that II is handed in as soon
h as reasonably possible. The penalty
: ! for breach of this rule shall be dis
r | qualification. Scoring cards should be
: Issued with the date and the player
0 name entered on the card. cad1ie
cannot be considered marker" Under
d urgent and exceptional conditions. how
: ever, the committee may alter this in
: depreciation.
h CD Competitors must satisfy them
d selves before the cards are handed in
: that the scores for each hole are cor
rectly marked, as no alteration can be
made on any card after II has beer
e returned If 1t be found that com.
q petitor has returned a score lower thar
o that actually played he shall be dis
qualified For the additions of the
4" scores marked the committee shall be
y responsible.
1t was finally decided there was moth.
ing to do but to declare Thompson dis.
qualified and this was done. much &c
the regret of all, for everyone great,
: ADMIRED his honesty and sportsman
snip, which entailed such a direct finan.
. cial loss Afterward the Metropolitan
q Golf association made up a purse fol
q Thompson. thus returning to him the
$ money he would have won If he hac
been content to stultify himself ane
II rest upon the score as returned by III.
; marker. 1t is greatly to be feared thu
average amateur would have Welded II
y the temptation. Perhaps not those o.
e our better players. but the average mar
IF who plays the game will sob his ciut
e In a hazard and violate other rules am
l. say not word to his opponent or any.
l. one else, and such man would scarcel,
protest when someone else gave hin
credit for a stroke less than the mum
'e Der played
lie The Thompson case aroused much
y discussion among Eastern golfers ans
one writer on the subject has this Il
,r say about it
4 Golfers. irrespective of any pretu
dice for against Thompson in Thu
- matter, point out that Thompson il
" nowise violated section 1 of this rule
= He had nothing to do with the mark
, ing or handing in of the scores, tina
being the markers duty. In the secont
section. however, some of the law
d | yers"-and there are as MANY lawver