The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-10
Medal and Match Play.

AVU0A anu M0NCu L NY
Then there is largely an un-
necessary difference between the
rules for medal and match play,
the penalties for violation being
especially difficult. One of these
was grudgingly eliminated recently
by the changing of the rule on lost
balls, 80 that the sufferer in this
case in match play did not neces-
sari1y lose the hole, but only the
distance and a stroke as in medal.
Likewise it was permitted a match
player to lift his ball from an un-
PLAYABLE lie with q penalty Of two
strokes, as in medal. instead of
giving up the hole. but there are
other cases that need amendment.
1T seems unbelievable, but the
rules still apply to the old solid
gutta percha ball, which was sup
planted Is years ago by the rubber
cofed ball OF elastic rubber. Rule
"a provides that if ball split in
pieces, an accident which some
times happened to guilty. new
ball may be placed where any
piece lies. The fragments might
ali lie on a haystack; but. regard
less Of that, such a catastrophe
cannot oyertake the modern ball.
Same Rule for Mud Ball.
The same rule holds thaE mud
adhering to ball does not make
It unfit for play. but modern ex-
perience on American courses prove
that in certain weather conditions
mud does make a ball unfit for
play, and the Western Golf associa-
ton recently promulgated a gen
eral rule that = ball may be clean
cd on a putting green when muddy
It also has been a local practice
for many years to protect turf. that
= ball may be played OF any green
extraneous to the one the golfer is
playing. so that all golfers feel that
it is regular rule. There is nc
such rule, except course regula-
tons. until the Western Golf as
ISOLATION recently made one.
There are many other points
that might well be taken up from
time to time. if an American body
could establish laws Of the game
without awaiting assent from mer
in foreign lands, although it is I'M
likely that the primary tenets OF
tho sport would be altered; for il
would not be golf we're the rules
wholly upset.
Need Lawyer for Rules.
"The regulations. for example, dc
not permit a practice swing within
club length of the ball after it il
in play, but it takes q Philadel-
phia lawyer to ind that out; be-
cause it comes under . rule which
forbids the bending or breaking Of
anything fixed or growing within
that distance OF the ball, leaving il
to be deduced that such bending OF
breaking would result from a prac.
tice swing. An American addendun
does say that a practice swing may
be taken more than a club length
from the ball, but the whole sub
iect could be covered clearly in
more direct language.
Likewise. few players strictly
adhere to the rule that q ball shall
be deemed lost if not found within
five minutes. sportsman3hip fore
ing a player to allow his opponent
more time in most cases in spite
of the story Of the two Scots. San
dy could not md his ball after a
fine drive; and. the rivalry being
keen. his opponent sat down and
held his watch while the seconds
licked on the i've minutes. When
time was up, Sandy in desperation
dropped another ball downs his
trnuser leg and exclaimed. Here it
isl Whereupon the ti4ekeeper
sprang up angrily and shouted
You're q liar. I've been sitting on
yuaf hall m tho ttUa.