Evening star., 1915-01-18
NATIONAL GOLF DELEGATES
SHOW CONFIDENCE IN LEADER
Accede to Request of President Frank L.
Woodward to Submit Another Ruling
to the Executive Committee.

NEW YORK, January 1s.-To golfers
who were not present at the annual
meeting of the United States Golf As
sociation. the reference of the amateur
rule question to the new executive COM
mittee after comparatively short dis
cussion may seem a rather fiat ending
of a controversy to which so much pub
licity has been given in the last eight
months. There was a general expecta-
ton that after so much talk something
definite would be done and that when
the meeting was over a new amateur
rule good for all time would be found
on the u. S. G. A. statute books.
That this did not prove to be the case
was due almost entirely to the new
president of the association. Frank l..
Woodward Of Denver. and the decision
to put the matter in the hands of the
demonstration of the confidence which
the delegates had in the new executive.
The moment that Mr.. Woodward ended
his remarks about the amateur ques-
tion it was plain to every delegate in
the big room that a man was at the
head of the association who had thor
ough grasp of the situation, who knew
exactly what he was talking about and
who could be depended upon to carry
out the wishes of the golfers of the
country in regard to the important
question that was to be decided. Alb
solute confidence in Mr.. Woodward was
the controlling factor in the willing
ness of the delegates to let the execu-
tive committee formulate the phrasing
of the amateur definition of the future.
Although he has been an official of
the U. S. G. A. for only short time,
-hN hoe
done much for the game in the far
west. He has been president of the
Western Golf Association during the
year just ended. and retires from that
position today, when the annual meet
ing of the Western Golf Association is
scheduled to be held in Chicago. West
ern golfers realized his efficiency as an
executive in 1912. when he persuaded
the Western Golf Association to send
its amateur championship to Denver.
and then on the Saturday before the
tourney was to begin found himself
with a host of golfers on his hands and
no course for them to play on. A
cloudburst had practically ruined the
course of the Denver Country Club.
and for few minutes 1t seemed as
though the tournament could not be
played. Mr.. Woodward refused to ac-
cept defeat, however, and went at the
task of getting the course in shape
with an energy that was bound to have
results. Enough of the course was re
claimed from the waters to play the
championship according to scheduie'
and nine-tenths of the credit for the
feat belonged to Mr.. woodward.
Present Rule Sufficient.
When the business of selecting
courses for the three champions ships
had been disposed of, Mr.. woodward at
once brought up the amateur rule. His
remarks on the subject lasted about
ten minltes, and were listened to by
the delegates with close attention. 1t
was soon evident that no radical
changes in the amateur rule were de-
sired by the new president. 'The pres
ent rule is sufficient" he said. AL
though, the rule as it stands covers the
situation, Mr.. woodward said that at
tempts have been made to evade IT
which are a blot on the name of Amer
lean golf 1t was at this spirit of
evasion that the agitation over the rule
was aimed, and to illustrate the lengths
to which the matters had been car
ried Mr. Woodward read a letter which
had been received by prominent
golfer from a club. Neither the name
of the golfer nor of the club was made
public.
The letter invited tho golfer to play
in a tournament at the club, to bring
two Of his friends with him. and as
sured him that the club would pay all
expenses. II would welcome rule to
penalize club officials such as this one,
said Mr.. Woodward.
One matter which was brought up
by the new president was that section
3 of the bylaws has been stumbling
block to all efforts of the executive
committee in the past to investigate
violations of the amateur rule. The
section reads: Protests against any
individual for violation of section
Of these bylaws must be made in writ
ing by a member of a club belonging
to this association. and must be sent
to the secretary Of the association with
q certificate by the secretary OF such
club that the protest is lodged by a
member in good standing of such club
Hands Are Tied.
This section has tied the hands of the
executive committee and not a single
case of alleged professionalism ever
has been brought before 1t, proba bly,
because of the complicated method OF
procedure prescribed by section 8.
In closing President Woodward In.