Evening star., 1915-05-30

More than one effort has been made
in the last few years to change the
system of match play encounters of the
second. third and it may be the fourth
sixteens writes John Anderson in the
New York Sun. The method of giving
strokes amounting to three-fourths of
the difference in handicaps has not
been as satisfactory as desired, yet the
lack of a proper substitute has caused
the old method to remain in vogue; this
season has seen it again incorporated
in the schedules of many Of the clubs.
The fault findings have been of various
sorts and coming from no particular
class of golfer. 1t has been by no means
definitely fixed that three-Quarters OF
the handicap difference is the right
system, for in a match between low
and a high handicap man there are
other factors entering in besides the
mere matter of strokes.
For instance, the 20-handicap man who
is playing with, let US say. for example,
5 man does not receive a sufficient
counteracting stimulus from his handf-
cap which will offset the thought of his
patent inferiority as real golfer in COM
parisdn with his opponent. If the high
handicap man is a hard-working, faith
full golfer he will feel abashed at many
of his efforts and the knowledge of his
stroke or strokes to be gained at certain
holes will not suffice to draw his atten-
tion away from his defects: if he is
careless golfer it is quite likely that he
will not play with even his accustomed
ability. And added to all this is the
fact that golfers who have large handi-
caps are not so keen for winning as
those who receive short allowances from
the official stroke allotter. The man with
a Is or 20 handicap may be just as much
n n 10
pleased when he does win. but because
he is in class C or D he does not try so
hard nor get so much pleasure when con-
fronted by a class A or man.
That this is not theory has been proved
the past two seasons, for we have in
stances Of several clubs which have
made 1t the regulation that no man can
qualify in a higher division who has q
handicap below a certain figure. That is
good business from the standpoint of IN
ment. and If no other ways and means
are followed, should be instituted at
every club which holds handicap tourna-
ments 10. members and guests.
Another Complaint Bobs Up.
Then there is another complaint.
namely that three-fourths of the handi-
cap difference is not enough and that
the whole allowance should be given.
Fact as well as fancy has played a part
in this discussion. and the arguments
cannot be decided on the results gained
from the practice, for there is an even
distribution. Last year controversy
ragged within separate clubs with the
county union of clubs in central Eng
land and in the West Bowling Golf
Club in particular as the center of the
heated discussion. The members of that
club who thought that full handicaps
should be given out not only In hand1-
cap match play, but in all bogey and
par competitions were in the majority,
and naturally the system had real
try-out.
Far from being a failure. as was
freely predicted, the method worked out
exceedingly well. In forty competitions
with an average of seventy-five goifers
only one occasion was the result at all
out Of the ordinary. That was where
one golfer went mad, as they SAID.
and turned in a score of s up on DOGGY.
1t is significant. I think, that 1t was
bogey and not par that was played
against, for it would be an easy mat
ter for many of our players to get
eight or even more holes up on DOGGY
if listed after the custom of some years
back In fact, l know of several CLUBS
where the difference between bogey and
par is at least eight strokes and the par
is not a difficult one at that. Therefore
when the other clubs in thescounty asked
the West Bowling club to revert to the
old established standard the latter club
politely declined and invited the others
to join it in this new method OF play
ing matches which were against bogey,
par or in handicap match.
There Is no argument in that what is
good enough for all the other clubs is
good enough for the one which is trying
out a new system; every attitude and
a attemnt fo get sonnet thing which is bet
ter should not be frowned upon. but
rather encouraged for it is only by ex-
pertinent that real results will be gained