Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-03
GOLF ASSOCIATION
FACES BIG TASKS
Reinstatement of Outlawed
Members May Lead to Inter
esting and Warm Debates.
THOSE MUNICIPAL LINKS

Boston, Mass, Dec. There may
be exciting moments next January at
the meeting OF the United States Golf
association delegates. The decision OF
the Woodland Golf club to pursue
the course mapped out some months
ago and fight hard for the reinstate-
ment of the members at present out
side the pale can mean nothing more
than a clear-cut decision which will
show to the golfers all over the coun-
try the 1917 attitude of the new eX-
ecutive committee.
The whole question is far bigger
than any committee or club, and it is
to be hoped that steps will be taken
in the meanwhile to have harmoni-
Gus gathering two months from now.
The question that has arisen be-
tween the Woodland Golf club and
the officials of the United States Coli
association has not few complex
elements, important to every club IN
the country whose members favor the
true spirit OF democracy,
Some Suggestions.
Suppose that 100 clubs had had
their favorite members debarred by
the United States Golf association Of
hcials and were deprived of discus
sion of the case.
Suppose, as happened i'll this case,
there was a refusal on the part of the
resident executive committeeman to
meet and discuss together the merits
OF the situation and that repeated eff
forts on the part Of the club officials
failed to get the proper and courteous
response expected concerning the no.
tifcation of disbarment, etc. Would
many golfers deny that feeling OF
great disloyalty would creep into the
hearts of the members of the hundred
clubs on the ground that they had not
the right sort of treatment by the men
elected on national ticket for that
very purpose.
But as this happened to only one
club there has not been the same feel
ing of sympathy because of the pecu-
liar circumstances of the members in.
volved. The officers of the United
States Golf association must meet half
way every time any club, whether &C
tive or associate, for the clearing up
OF any disagreement. In this case who
would say that the Woodland club
had received anywhere near square
deal.
A Hornets Nest.
1t is on that account and not for
the personal sympathy accorded to
Francis Ouimet and the others that
the Woodland club hast may sur
prise some of the officials to hear
heard from we'll over fifty clubs in
the east rendering their belief in their
action, and sympathy as well; while
only FIVE clubs--you would not fail to
guess them without being told-have
said that they believe the club was in
the wrong.
And accompanying the letter from
one OF the five clubs was statement
that it was only the majority part OF
the executive committee of the club
which favored the United States Coli
association action and that the club
members were spokenly in favor OF
the Woodland club. Is it reasonable
to presume that the official action or
nonaction is right when it is so over
whelmingly vetoed by thinking men
far from the immediate scene of &C
ton who surely have not been hap
hazard in their choice.
The game OF golf is too fine sport
to be immeasureably hurt by the con-
certed action of few men who are
sincere in their beliefs that they are
managing for the best interest of the
game. That is point worth consider
ing. To our more than 100000 there
are being added 10000 or $4,000 new
golfers each year.
Municipal Links.
What will be the new order when
we have a million players or more in
the country? Have many Of YOU
thought much about the new munich
pal championship won this year by
Chicago from Hartford and played on
the links of St. Louis by representa-
tives of the golfers who play 100000
rounds each year, In five years more
we shall have fifty to seventy-hve mu-
nicipal links; in another ten years
we shall have 400 standard courses
Of either nine or eighteen holes.
Is there going to be one national
organization in control of all the clubs
and their members, with the right to
make laws for the proper government
of the sport2 Golf is bound to be-
come the nationally played game OF
the land, as base ball will always
combine the playing numbers and be
pre-eminent as spectacle.
And now is the time when breadth
of opinion as opposed to narrow per-
sonal choice, constructive legislation
as opposed to guess work in the mat
ter Of new membership rules, a coun-
try-wide view rather than nine
seven-club horizon is needed in Amer
lea as never before.