The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-04

~ ~: - 49, M. dcrng from the path
- --~s' Of amateur rectltude
I doutt II you could
JOHN g ANDERSON. find in tho whole
army Of Americas golfers more than I'VE
Dr ten out OF 100000 players who are not
clean handed in this matter. This is a
surprisingly small percentage and 81
hardly would be worth botherinR over n
% We're not Tor the outlook. The consensus
" opinion Of all the golfers with whom
/ have Cbattcd about the definition
changes seems 10 be that results could
have been gained much better by eXecu-
tive action I'm the case OF individuals
rather than 10y a widespread attempt at
uuou.mity.
one Of the first charges IL that amateur
golfers have been laying out courses for
pay. This IS true beyond the shadow Of;
a doubt but Il in no way oan be con-
Strued az violating the rule laid down in
the amateur definition OF 1909. Whether
10 does violate the amateur spirit IL an
other matter altogether, one which the
delegates must determine The trouble
was that when the list Of so-called in
fractions was given out by the preside Mt
of the ass citation 81 WAS not made clear
90 everybody that the letter Of the law
had been obeyed in this particular in
stance.
Tho second section. as sent out was
now writing articles explaining IN detail
how 10 play certain shots and receiving
q cash remuneration. This section prob
ably has been misinterpretsd by more
people than understand H. Il hits di-
Tertlv. Of course, at those who have
written books on the subject and have had
printed excerpts from them I'm the daily
newspapers, or else have written shor.
si,etn about how 10 play shots. This
it seems To me is a mountain sprung out
Of molchill TO begin with, most writers
- this class tell how they themselves
play the shot that s they make an at
tempt TO tell. for | doubt II one in n
hundred Is succ, ssful. ana from an educa-
tional standpoint the stun Is worth prac-
ticallv nothing. They do not teach others
how to play for the simple reason that &
g impossible TO teach the glms with
any real success by written matter Not
even one professional plays tho game as
he has written about e. The majority
~ the low handicap men in the United
states Golf Association have AZ some time
or another written articles on the game.
but they have dealt with the other fea-
lures OF the sport and left this exceed
ingly difficult proposition 20 those better
able 10 handle Il. Yet I'm papers all over
the country have appeared articles stating
how such and such players would be
profess oral iZed. Personally / think that
confer on other players st ought not 10 be
kept In thu dark.
Then comes the section about the taxi
ing OF free board from tho hotels and
sometimes travelling expenses to play in
tournaments for the advertising gained
thcrefTum for the hotels. This Is wrong
all the way through ana Il world be en-
tightening II more were heard about the
practice, which I cannot bring myself to
believe is ut all general Then the using
~ a golfers name for the advertisement
OF some article OF wearing apparel or
other like things Is manifestly contrary to
the spirit and the word indirectly" as
used in the 1909 code Yet | cannot help
reiterating that the players who have been
guilty OF many OF these acts may be
counted on the fingers OF both hands.
and seven or eight out OF half million
whom IL may be found necessary TO get
back on the right track ought to present
no great difficulty.
But now as to professonalizng the am
ateur course architect. The arguments
in favor OF the measure are not overly
convincing So far as ! can make out
the reason chiefly urged is that Il is max
ing the game too plebeian by having those
who play az amateurs lay out courses FOR
money. II Is urged that there will he
many golfers who viii give up their golf
uS an aVOcatiOn and look on II as "A means
20 a livelihood. Perhaps II IS argued that
this work is essentially tho professionals
job, and that an encroachmeut on his
preserves carries with il, the jump into
IA" paid brigade But II any golfer will
call to mind the courses which have
been made the subject OF the highest
praise he will almost invariably md that
they have been laid out by amateurs
The reason is quite clear, There has
been an unlimited supply Of money
granted to the makers. and all the neces-
sary time was given to tho undertaking.
\ present day professional when called
into consultation is generally forced to
make all the plans for the arrangement
Of the holes, traps. bunkers and so on
I'm a few days time. His fee. nifty or a
hundred dollars day, Is like a pirate
nag to many committees who are TOO
short sighted 10 SEQ that a thousand
dollars spent In ttlng other than a
forced snap Judgment at the start will
save them ten times that amount In the
long run
Tho best II mono too good for the
golfer, but he has not been getting II
until the last few years when a few anna =
tours. and a very small number at that.
have brought to bear the result OF much
study,
Most OF the golf professionals in this
country We're good players even when
lUt Bulld ptltud udll was IN use , they
had been brought up on the game In a re-
glOn where the hazards were tho work of
nature, with the great increase in the
interest and the necessity OF laying out
courses near the populated districts over
stretches OF land which were not suited
by nature FOR an eighteen hole links a
new plan, this time Of a very scientific
nature, was needed and few and far be-
tween were tho professionals who knew
enough about drainage, grass growing and
the scientific construction of golf holes TO
bring about the best results. There was
not a thing In common between the for
mer links and the present on account OF
the necessity for novel engineering feats
and the new ball Moreover, in tho old
country the professional did not have TO
bother about tire agricultural problems.
the grass came up over night and a green
could Ice made IL a month, Il Is not
reasonable to suppose that Just because "A
player can drive over ywo hundred yards
nd oh ha Ia al d.