The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-12
Eastern Clubs Would Be
Cold to New Golf Body
Present Rules Have Satisfied Many and Broadening In
fuence in U. S. G. A. Has Brought About Far Diff
ferent Feeling Over That of a Few Years Ago.
by JOHN G.. ANDERSON.

| The American Golf Association and
distinct bodies acting as the authorita-
| tive administration body for making and
enforcing the rules for the playing of
golf in the United States and the hold
to be the case if the proposed scheme of
! the directors of the present Western
Golf Association receives a favorable
vote on the fifteenth of next January,
week after the annual meeting of the
U. s. G. A. in New York city.
We have had recent wars in baseball,
bicycling and other sports, but few
sportsmen, and least of all golfers, ex-
pected that there might arise a real
contest for supremacy in the control of
the game whose dictates. as promul-
gated at st. Andrews. have been passed
on by the ruling body of this country TO
! the players. The directors of the West
| ern association do not think that the
| sectional differences which have been a
matter OF concern the last few years
should any longer be continued as sec
tional. since their Importance by the
| w. G. A. directors Is now considered
wholly national in scope. For the pur-
|
may be hazy the following chief points
of differences between the u. S. G. A.
and the w. @. A. are tabulated
First--There is distinct difference
In the stymie ruling. The concession
made by the gathering in Great Britain
did not please the golfing critics in the
West, believing as they did that the
Western definition of a stymie was even
better than that gained by the commit
tee abroad.
The ruling as regards the out of
bounds, loss of stroke and distance does
not appeal to the Western golfers, and
they have changed the penalty to the
old time ruling, loss Of distance only.
Assuredly ii is a fact that many clubs in
the East will take advantage of the pro-
viso open to club committees and formu-
late a local rule which will eliminate
this double loss. Too seldom has this
permission by the u. S. G. A. been COM
mented upon; there would be less dis
satisfaction with the new rules If play
ers and committeeman would study them
a bit.
Architects banned In West.
Then there is STILL we believe, a diff
ference between the East and the West
in the matter of amateurism with the
East for once and only appearing TO be
the more lenient Golf architects have
been placed in the amateur ranks in the
East. but the West still has n ban on
their business activities. In the matter
of club representation. too. that is voting
powers, the West differs from the ma
tional scheme OF allied and associate
members
There are other minor differences The
chief point at issue now. however, upon
which the w. G. A. win base its claim
to natio lal leadership is that the game
Of golf has become sectional rather than
with worldwide viewpoint. Let ST.
Andrews and Great Britain, Europe If
need be. keep TO whatever rules are for
mulated or have been in use ia the past.
Perhaps In America there may be need
and demand for a new set whioa -ill
not alter substantially the playing of the
game. The low score will still win.
American golf under American rules
seems TO be the partly concealed slogan
OF the directors Of the w. G. A. They
claim that just az the National League
has minor differences with the American
League In the playing rules Of the games
of baseball with no bother as world
championship games are shifted from
city TO city or park 10 park, there would
be no mixup playing the game Of golf
under different jurisdictions II the rule