Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-30
STYMIE CAUSES SLIGHT FLUTTER
IN THE CLASS TOURNAMENT OVER
ARONIMINK COUNTRY CLUE LINKS
Two Other Cases Cited in Which Penalties Were
Not Inflicted Where Golf Rules Were
Broken and Shattered

TNHERE was a little furry on Friday at
l. Aronimink during the progress OF the
class tournament because two pairs agreed
to do away with the stymie. l happened
to be participant IN both matches, and
this may clear the situation In the minds
Of a lot of technicians who were gathered
around the scoreboard waiting for the play
era 10 thsh. for somehow or other the
impression got around that what we did in
those matches was nothing short Of murder.
Some one said that 1t was an effort on
my part TO attempt to put the Western As
sociation ruling on the styme into effect
because I have written in favor Of that
ruling AS a matter of fact, have come
out against the stymie every year for the
last ten years, and so far as l am concerned
there Is nothing new In my opposition to
the stymie. Furthermore. nothing was far
ther from our thoughts to make an issue
Of the stymie at that time. one of the golf
technicians observed that IL golfers were to
consent to the dropping OF stymies they
might as well agree to throw out bunkers
and some other remarks equally absurd.
Real Facts of the Case
The facts were these: J. c. Baker Of
the Philadelphia Cricket Club, when he
reached the first green remarked that he
was opposed to stymes and wanted to know
II objected to doing away with them.
| said | would rather not play them. because
| did not consider them a part of golf in
| any sense of the word. Neither one of us
| laid stymie during the round In the
| afternoon I mentioned the stymie PROPOSE
| ton to Dr. F. j. Higgins on the first green.
| He said he would rather let me decide the
| question. told him would play them or
| not. just as 1t suited him. He knew my
| ideas on the subject and said he did not
| like stymies whereupon suggested that we
| cut them out. which we did. Playing the
| eighteenth hole. which both Of US hashed up,
| myself In particular Doctor Higgins rar
| his approach within a foot Of the hole.
was in the rough playing one moro Ntr"li"
| Doctor Higgins lifted his ball so as to give
me shot for half. which missed. There
| was no stymie or semblance of stymie
| Then the technicians got started
| In the absence of Francis B. Warner
secretary of the Golf Association, Harrison
Townsend, for ten years the secretary, was
| In charge. He said his impression was
| that both of us were disqualified for waiv'
| ing the rule ] remarked that Doctor Hig
gins had won fairly and 1t was not riSh
| to deprive him of victory ! told him tina
| II there was to be any disqualification III
| might as we'll start with the morning round
| as both Mr.. Baker and myself had mutual,
agreed to cut out the playing of stymies
In this way Doctor Higgins would not b.
affected, and later on decision to this ef
feet was made
Case Is Amicably Settled
There was no argument of any sort. =
| took a little time to find rule book ant
q little more time to find the ruling AM
that was all there was to It, But l canno
help referring to two other incidents II
other tournaments under the auspices o
the golf association, and both Of them oc
Cured during the qualifying round OF tn
interclub championship.
| In the first instance one of the player
was bunkered His first shot out lande
In another part Of the bunker. Before h
| took his second shot he smoothed out tn
hole made by the club, as well as his foot
prints The committee decided there wa
no penalty. as what he had done was don
with the bNst OF intentions Commen sens'
Yet the player should have been penalizet
In the other instance the winner Of tn
Cold medal for low scoring on two Q
three greens removed ant hills with HI
putter, and as there are only four thine
which can be removed with q golf clul
and ant hills are not one Of them. the play
incurred penalty on each and every gree
This fact was known to at least or
member OF the executive committee. "
nothing was done and the player got h
medal The point of all this is that II u
two players are to be disqualified for breai
ing one rule. how about the other two WI
were not penalixed at all? II the rul
say that stymies must be played. why pc
nit one man to break rule about groun
ing a club in the bunker and another ms
10 break another by brushing aside wi
his putter ant hills that should have be-
picked UP? IL we are TO have technic
golf. why not make all golfers obey q
rules7
Others Agreed Not to Play Stymies
There 10 not the slightest doubt that 9th
players IN the class tournament also agrs
not to play stymiss. II 10 the one rule IN
is most frequently broken. No player "
ground his club In . bunker or DO any o
Of the score of things that entail the loss
hole or . stroke. and he will not agree
waive any penalty or push aside any ~
but when II comes down TO stymies W
~ sfyals NJ Mhsn Two IIsyssa AZ