The sun., 1916-10-09
RULES VIOLATED IN
Big GOLF JOURNEYS
Many Players Disregard Play
inc Code and Escape
Penalties.
INFRACTIONS HURT GAME
nv JOHN q. ANDERSON.

There have been many gross b's Ut
negligence. on the part II golfers this
year IN their relation to the rules OF the
game. This we expect. OF course. from
,bose who have never looked inside a
col, rule book. but when IL happens
,h,, golfers 81 prominence. both anna
,eur and professional. show a complete
disregard for the written laws In cham
-tonship meetings II Is time to speak
openly Of the matter.
The professional tournament which
besins tomorrow at the Siwanoy
country club will be "A match play, ana
ytnov Of many professionals who have
even, more than an hour brushing up
=, tho rules Of the game as they per-
,,in 10 match play. a feature OF play
xb,ch has never been prominent In their
,,,,d IL is well that this Ia 50, since
nc look to the professional for advice
ava instruction in the methods OF play
ing and 4. Ia to his great advantage "
ne Is an authority on the rules oil inc
ZANE and displays his knowledge on the
ints But to cite n few examples OF
uh., has occurred this year may be Oh
value.
The arst fagrant violations OF the
r,,s. occurred In the Metropolitan anna
tour championship at Nassau. II VIII
". remembered that the day was stormy
,,d n hit cold, but even so there was not
the slightest reason why some OF the
,oifers who later qualified should have
zone into the clubhouse ut the nnish OF
the nine holes to get warmed up.
should Not Discontinue Play.
There 4. a rule which says hat COM
ce,itors shall not discontinue play on
s.eo,nt OF had weather or for any other
reason whatsoever. except where the
committee considers that the course IL
,o, in a condition to play over. n
nenai,v for this delaying Is disqualified
Tben came the Metropolitan open
cbamnionship. where violations OF rules
nv the professionals were so hagrant
that FOR my own part ! was kept pusy
eypiaining what I had meant In writing
that the professionals knew the rules
and always followed them. In the last
round two golfers with a chance for the
! t,te had to be spoken to In the course OF
the rlay for their evident lack OF knowl-
edge as regards playing procedure. There
is A rule which says that In stroke com
petition, and It is true in all competitor.
The line TO the hole must not be touched
b. the putter except in the case where
worm casts, &C. are being brushed
aside.
Then there was a breach OF rule.
Nhiel Npt only WAS hhkIhhN ~ Nh's
cha mplonship but also has been men
toned by players who have a regard
for the rules in connection with thu
Lesley cup matches and the champion
I ,hip at Merton. The rule which is VIC
lated perhaps the most Is that whicf
reads in brief that the player shall no
move, bend or break anything hxed Oh
growing except so far as II Is necessary
to enable him to get a stance.
The penalty for "A breach OF this rue
u two strokes in stroke competition
and the loss OF the hole In match play
I, Is permitted only to take a practice
swing a clubs length from the ball
Al Garden City there were many golfers
who took = practice swing within "A ZOO
Or SO OF the bail and never once wa:
= there n penalty imposed by the referee.
Golfers FOO Careless.
Golfers have become so careless tina
they grant the reasonableness OF tn
rule. but think that tive feet or a foo
answers the purpose just AS well. an'
therefore do not take the extra pain!
Involved in stepping a Few inshs
which makes for bad habits and slop
plness should he brought up with
sharp twist when big championships ar
on. and il Is TO be hoped that the BIZ
matches this week will be judged witt
accuracy and decision BY the referee
In charge.
There were many interesting sideilght
on the rules at Merton at the time OF tn
amateur championship. First and fore
most was the long wait which came I
one OF the players in the first rount
His match was scheduled TO start at
!, certain time and the players opponen
H1 mt Ghnu I'm until almost an hntl
after the starting time. But the CON
mittee did not forfeit the match afte
a fifteen minutes wait but permitted I'll
match to go on, thus losing a chanc
which would have lone worlds OF goo
IN showing the desire to run the tourna
nent according 10 the usual golfng Law
The score cards which are used at tn
time Of the national amateur champion
ship IN the qualifying round should hay
printed on the back a statement to tn
effect that all competitors would be dc
fauIted unless they appeared at the hri
Tee within fifteen minutes OF the state
time unless the committee chose to rul
F, differently in light Of very good reason
such as the holding up Of trafnc or ca
breakdown, &c.
should Enforce Rule.
II Is true that tho hfteen minute lin
mas leen spoken OF and put In print
4 the circulars sent out, but II Is seldo
seen by the players as II would be see
many "A time In the course OF a round
were printed on the score card. The
l would suggest that there be In RI
INK the following This rule will /
enforced" 1t would only take one
t"o defaults 10 bring every one to Il
Tee on time.
More often than not ! fancy Il
go.'ers who read about the rules al
the!r enforcement soon forget and (
mack TO their own failings In this r
spect. Only when W. bring the VOL
Mons In prominent tournaments to lig
VIII We have more strenuous attemp
on the part Of the "a and file to pls
me game fairly. In the tournament pls
lh's year In addition to the exampl
"H'eh have been name above ] ha'
seen a golfer drop a ball after he h;
q. lost his drive at the spot where he gu
posed the ball had gone another
merton lifted his ball and careful
wiped on A large piece Of mud which a
hered 10 Il still another patted the tn
on the putting green all the way to 4
mole many took practice swings with
elk inches or so OF the ball on the fai
way while the most fragrant exhibits
came IN the national amateur. whore
payer on one occasion said he had TAX
q TOR the hole when he had actual
'aken a stroke more.
Inc erormlty OF the offence was I
creased by he fact" that he said. 9Th
was TWO Is, wasn't IT." when as a matt
course the opponent was 8. But Il
quite beside the real object Of I
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