The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-10
COSTLY GOLF PRIZES NOT
PROPER THING FOR SPORT
Tendency Toward Expensive Trophies Out of Keeping
With Right Sort of Amateur Spirit-Honor of
Winning Should Be Sufficient Reward.


the gross or net prize in a field made
up OF from so to 200 golfers IN fair
out and out qualifying round to with
draw from match play and still receive
tho prize which he and no ono else
rightfully won.
Few indeed are the men golfers who
give moments thought aside from
the championship proper to the play 81
the women. whose numbers are increas-
Ing to n wonderful degree. glance AZ
tho neishboring districts as well ~
the metropolitan will convince one that
1915 In already looming up most high
In the golf affections of the players Of
tho gentler sex. Before going into the
present situation and the seasons play
so far as II has advanced 1t might be
profitable to trace briefly the course of
women's golf since the start Of their
golfiing unions.
The first so-called Ladies Union was
started at st. Andrews in 1867 and by
1885 the membership was over 500.
Westward Ho In 1868 had a similar
club started which was reests blished
in 1929, while other organizations at
Musselburgh. near Edinburgh, and the
London Ladies' Scottish, begun In 1872.
achieved fame. The latter club declined
In Importance for while. but when it
was reorganized under the title OF the
Wimbledon Ladies' II grew to first rank
in Importance and to-day has few n
any equals In the realm of organized
women's golf Troon Carnoustie. Bath.
and other well known golting resorts
followed the lead and after the first
championship was played down AT -.
Anne's on the Sea the interest among
the British women increased hundred
fold. To-day there are more than zoo
women's clubs in Great Britain with
tournaments held over a period OF
months varying from six to ten. Never
does the enthusiasm seem to flag and
their championships in each country.
England. Ireland. Scotland and Wales.
together with the combined forces In
attendance at the national. produce rare
sport. The play OF the various clubs
takes the form quite often of that which
is now having such run in these
regions. namely team matches
The women in past years had to no
| coaXed out to the links. That was
literally true. one reason being that
the play of the women was So uneven
the poorer ones did not care To match
their skill against those who were clever.
snd the handicap system had not been
devised ten years ago In such a way
that there seemed an even chance for
all Hut some wise women saw that
II the game was 10 he made source
OF satisfaction and pleasure TO others
there must he greater appearance ~
equality. So IL was that team matches
came into greater prominence. for u was
possible for the women to he matched
IN against those Who were Of similar
rank. and when bad shot matches bad
shot no one is hurt or yexei. Besides
which II was not necessary for scores
! to he turned in. and whom the match was
I played for point out. another in. and
one for the match not more than three
| points could he chalkcd W against the
name of the loser. which WAS IN Itself an
| essential concession to pride. The liking
for the team matches has grown fr m
, time TO time. but this year all records
/ have been broken the evolution has
risen TO another high notch.
II is quite natural To presume Of
course that the creates, amount OF play
would be In the sections whore the
women are chosen TO represent districts
In the play for the Griscom cup - he
contested this year at Merton tho first
week in June. The presumption is cor
rect and II Is but necessary to look over
tho reports " the various tournaments
in the three districts, New York Ro>-
ton and Philadelphia. to discover that
the women are roaming mp and down
hill IN the pursuit Of the elusive bali
and the difficult par. In the Boston
section since April & there have been
meeting. held, no matter what the
weather. every Thursday. with an at
tendance averaging well toward forty.
Team matches on tho three fourths
handicap basis have been the feature.
although an occasional medal play
handicap has varied tho programme
When the weather gets little more
dependable it is expected that there
will he nearer sixty golfers taking part
In the events each week. which is far
and away the best Of any season or any
two combined. New golfers have been
coming TO the front and at the present
rate II will not he many years before
the state has another group Of golfers
who must he reckoned with when cham
pionships are being mentioned.
The amount OF play In the New York
district far surpasses any other season
and the interest OF the fine players
shows an increasing love for the game.
Seventy women on the average have
taken part in the weekly team matches
In the metropolitan section and the play
Of the well known players such as Miss
Lillian r. Hyde and Miss Marian
Hollins shows them to be getting into
form,
In the Philadelphia association the
most pretentious system Of team matches
is in operation. All the clubs have
been suhdivided into what might no
called the city and the rural or sub
urban leagues and the standing OF the
clubs Is printed in the papers each week
with the total number OF points wor
and lost II II an unusual day when
less than eighty women turn out for
the contests. which Ia about twice a.
many rs in previous years, The leaders
Mrs Ronald Barlow and Miss Anita