The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-28
NJ JOHN q.

ny JOHN q. ANDERSON.
The handwriting is on the wall. In
letters Of holder design than in any
former year there can be traced the
inscription. 1.-THE stymie must 60" For
four years now there has been little
on the surface OF disauietude about this
one unfavorable symptom in the gam
OF golf. Golfers and people In general
grew tired of the continual wrangle
about the pros and cons In connection
with the styinie dispute. and 1t was
Informally buried or the putting green.
But like many another worm which has
its %habitation in such places 1t turned
again and poked its head up by the
cup. Last years championship at Elk
wanok saw the golfers getting busy IN
regard to the old time ak about the
stymie. for there were glazing examples
which have been noted before OF how
much defeat and victory was charged
up to this potent feature.
This year went along as usual. with
most golfers ridiculing the retention OF
the stymie, until one day 1t was brought
into a further amount OF d%isrepute
which set all tongues wagging again.
II happened on June IL that In the
tournament at Belmont Spring. Waver-
ley. Mass, r.. Pullen was completely
stymled by Jesse Guilford at the nine
tenth hole: he was all square or
course. at the time and lost the match,
although he was but ten inches away
from the pin. The same day in the New
Jersey championship n competitor was
laid two stymies and as a result was
beaten on the same afternoon In my
own match at wykagyl I lay fourteen
inches from the pin. and my opponent
on the like was on the edge OF the cup.
There was no way for any one living
to get in the hole. so all that could be
done was TO play safe and virtually lose
tho hole. Since that time three matches
have been lost and won by the means of
this featureless and distasteful part OF
the game Of golf.
1t Is hardly necessary TO go over the
which have been advanced
by both sides for the retention or the
abolition OF the stymle. There was a
time. however. when the opponents OF
the blockade would grant moro than
they will to-day. When the advocates
Of the stymie said that II was possible
for one expert to jump or play around
the ball In front this was granted. with
the statement that there were mighty
few who could do THIS. which did not
weaken the argument any for the sty-
mieists; but time and play have shown,
IA IL did on three occasions In one day
in important tournaments this spring.
tina there are plenty OF cases where
stymies annot be circumvented that
a try at doing this means taking a
thousand to one shot. and golf isn't
built on those Odds, say what you ike
II was only n few years back that
I was in favor Of stymies which were
laid by the player himself. 1t seemed
that that was a fair enough plan. pro-
vided the player was on the putting
green when he made the stymie shot.
But since then I have come to the con-
clusion that there Is no legitimate rea-
son why a player should not nave an
unhampered shot at the hole. The game
in Its essence Ia to get the ball into
the hole in the fewest number OF strokes
and never was meant to try to place
the ball in such a way that you your
self or your partner would be seriously
hindered from so doing. How silly 1t Is
to try to get in the way Instead OF
trying to get the ball in theh hole.
But 1t is said the good players always
try 10 leave the ball In such a position
when they miss that they will stymie
the man they are playing against In a
match. have heard that statement
many times and still believe that II
is one of the silliest ever made about
the gam OF golf.
There is not n golfer in a hundred
who can lay a stymie when he wants
TO. A moments thought about the mat
ter will be convincing. I think II Is
dificult enough from a distance OF four
feet to hole the ball in a space which
measures four and one-half inches. so
few II any golfers will try to lay a
stymie instead OF trying to hole the ball.
When they do stymie It Is more often
than not pure luck. But how much
harder Is It to try and succeed In lay
- -A,rot frnsn N distance Draatar
than four or Ave feet when the space
in which the ball must stop measures
only about one-third tho size OF the
width OF the hole! The whole argument
falls nat.
Almost every ball which is holed has
some strength to 1t as 1t falls Into
the hole, some even hit the back OF
the cup but It would be only those
infrequent puts which would always
stop short of a certain mark on a
very small space which would be sue
cessful and the maj who can so reg
uiate his putting touch to this fneness
and nicely to my way or thinking mas
never yet been born. So that. to re-
c%apitulate. n II can be shown that the
stymie il an element OF luck which Is
more often than not unjust. and II. as
I believe, 998 out OF every 1000 In
this country at least do no believe In
the accident OF the game as BETTING
the snort, then this common feeling Will
como 10 the surface n demand In no
waver,ng tones go far as the United
States Is concerned that 1t be abolished.
One most convincing bit OF news in this
regard commands attention for n mo-
ment.
1t has been but a few weeks since one
OF the great trade golf ORGANIZATIONS OF
the country. the Lumber Trade Assoc
citation. held It's annual tournament In
Boston over the Woodland Golf Club
links. This notice printed In big let
tiers was placed where II could be noted
by each golfer: THE contestants shall
not play stymies." There was a reason
OF course why such a bold fling was
made, namely. that both medal and
match play was held at the same time.
but there never was a single complaint
from a single golfer OF the hundred and
more competing because OF the new rul-
ing. and there was all the time
on the Justice OF the no stymie rule. |
fully expect to see other organization
following this example. 1t will not be
Tonga few years at the most-before
the match play OF the golfers will be
with stymies excluded. and this reform
will spread to the clubs themselves. II
YOU say that these men are not playing
golf as It should he ~played--that they
are not following the true traditions OF
the game according to 81, Andrews in
the strictest sense-the reply must be