Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-01
AMATEUR QUESTION MAY
LlVEN MEETING OF GOLFERS
Discussion mt Session of National
Association Likely to Result
In Spirited Debate.


The discussion of the amateur o,es
ton is likely to make the annual meet
ing Of the United States Golf Associa
tion on January S, one OF the liveliest
in its history. There will be something
more exciting that night than the Sc
lection of the courses for the annual
tournament, for the question OF what
constitutes a golf amateur, which was
raised last spring by President Robert
c. Watson is likely TO be pressed to n
final settlement.
Whether the architect of golf links
ence Of the game for Remuneration are
to be classed rs pros. is a problem of
some some importance. I'M 't,. as 1t Is desired to
nnS nnGe fhe Tnes Rris,n OF the United States
lect of amateurism. else there might
be ugly clashes In the future.
MaX H. Behr. former New Jersey
New York, believes that those two ac-
tivittcs should not be prohibited to
an amateur. On the general subject
magazine:
The annual meeting of the United
States Golf Association promises to
annals Of the association. The entrance
of semiprofessionalism Into the ranks
OF our amateur golfers has become so
pronounced of late years that at last
an effort is to be made to lay at rest,
once and for all, the doubt and Iues-
toning which seems to surround the
subject ut the present time Although
the present definition is very broad, il
is not sufficiently specific. especially In
the matter Of the. status OF a golf arch
itect and one who writes upon the
theory of play. whore the employment
OF such knowledge brings a remuner-
alton.
Nothing could be more praiseworthy
true golfer than this determined effort
TO solve most delicate question For
Il delicate question 1t is indeed and
delicate for the reason that there is no
real fundamental law upon which to
base n definition, but rather the inter-
prctation of n spiritual and moral sense
to find where and when this sense has
been absent in the golfers and what
acts Of his arc to be considered as in
dicative of It's absence.
"Out and out professionalism is cas-
skill at the game. That is an act open
and above board. for fundamentally we
recognize that game exists for pleas
ure; and mat anyone who makes a
the bounds OF amateurlsm. But what
of him who looks upon the playing of
his rounds OF golf as recreation. and
yet. Interested in golf architecture, ac-
cepts money In return for his know
ledge and thus Indirectly profits from
the game?
IL Dc lnnt tnlS out
RACES the sensibilities of one endowed
with the purest feeling, Of amateurIsm,
hut, is his resentment. justified by rea :
son? The answer is that amateurism
Is more question of feeling thar rca-
son. But II may In all justice be asked
why feelings should be allowed to
govern the drawing up of an amateur
definition, an act which should alto
Gether be governed by reason.
Therein lies the difficulty for the
association. Is II to set about Its task
reasonably or allow itself to be carried
away entirely by its feelings? we
hope that when the time comes around
for the settlement of this matter reason
will predominate. and that this will re :
suit In n clarifying OF the atmosphere
and n complete doing away with tho
underhand methods now now being en-