The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-07
Inter-AlHed Golf Play
Developed Queer Incidents
Tribulations of the British Team Were Particularly
Hanowing-Revival of Standardization and Sty-
mie Questions Bring Out Varied Discussion
by JOHN G. ANDERSON.

There were some curious incidents in
the golf tournament in the recent inter
allied sports. The meeting was held at
La Boulie and was won by the French.
who had no fewer than five well known
professionals, all of whom, with the ex-
ception of Massy, had couple of weeks
practice. So did the American team.
The poor unfortunates of this affair
were the members of the British squad,
who have been the objects of commiser-
alton by their friends. They have
asked them over and again what allied
them when they were taken into camp
by the American team.
So fast and furious did the missives
arrive that Harry Fulford, the dean of
the players, fastened to take his pen
in hand and write home to his friends OF
the real conditions accompanying thu
so-called title play. His explanations
make the matter much clearer, proving
as they do that the team did not spend
the time at the Follies Bergere or the
Bal Tabarin as caustic critics had in
timated.
There was little chance for the Brit
ish team to win from the Americans led
by Rautenbusch and Davis, especially
, after the terrible struggle the British
experienced in getting to the first tee
To begin with, the British military
authorities forgot to make despatch
mention of the tourney and 1t was only
through hearing from French profess
SIGNALS that news of the affair was hal.
Letters to the officers In charge at Paris
were sent and replies are still being re
ceived weeks after the event saying
that the matter would be attended to in
due season.
And Then PostpOnement.
Fulford arrived at the links after
travelling 200 miles and was told that
the event had been postponed for ten
days. Two days before the event lie
was asked to raise q team of eight men
for Britain and succeeded in so doing.
The desire of the committee in charge
| was to have the event strung out as
! long as possible, and 1t was ten days
! later before the team matches were
! finished, and there were not a half dozen
nations entered. To make il worse, al
though the men had fought four years
in the war, they were not allowed In
the clubhouse because they had been
golf professionals and mad to walk
down the road a mile or SO to get some
thing to eat.
| One of the American team was q
| professional, we are told, but he refused
to eat elsewhere but in the clubhouse
with the friends with whom he had
I fought and his inslstence won the day
The singles championship, which was
won by Massey, had but one qualifer from
Great Britain, two others, the Boomer
| brothers, who waited in vain for prom
| Used car from headquarters to take then
to the links, being disqualified after turn
ing in low cards because they didn't
start on time although the other Brit,
Usher started eight hours late and was
permitted TO play. He withdrew be-
cause of the seeming injustice done tc
| his mates.
All in all, the golf play must have
i been highly amuG.lg to those who are
accustomed to seeing events of this sort
run Off in three days with no SQUAD
bling.
The American officer in charge Of
the golf was taken i'll before the event
started and muddle ensued. We men
ton these circumstances to show the
necessity of having competent men il
charge OF Affairs in all events of i'm
portance and the real necessity of having
local clubs and clubs everywhere trah
| golfers TO manage the detail part of goli
Journeys, which in a short time will bt
a matter of open comment by contes
tantg and the gallery. The queer lucl
OF the Britishers made not an iota Of
difference in the fnal results, but II dc
furnish an object lesson calling for rea
golf knowledge.
Instances Nearer Home.
We itvt lad two or three instances
herr ahoIi. lately where decisive actor
by stun dy minded golfers was necessary
Take the most interesting case-tha
of the Sherwood Hammer match in thu
recent Merton Country Club tourney
Sherwood could not locate his ball OF
the last hoie Tor the period OF apou
fiftee.. minutes, finally finding II, playing
splendid shot, and winning the match
Congratulations are In order and Kan
mer leaves for New York
A protest il made by somebody tina
more than five minutes were used VI
in hunting for the ball and that Kan
mer should be returned the winner. S,
the committee decided, although III
point was raised that Hammer wa
equally at fault If he did not claim tn
forfeit at the expiration OF the tim
limit Enter the long distance tele
phone. Hammer Is located and urge
TO return and play in the nest round
which he did and lost \ What . mixup