The New York herald., 1921-03-18
GOLF IN NO NEED
OF UNIFORM RULE
!. G. Lincoln Believes That
America and Britain Should
Legislate for Themselves.
BY KERR n. PETRIE.

BY KERR n. PETRIE.
Should the Two million golfers who
don't play in championships be penalized
so Great Britain and America can have
a uniform set of rules for the benefe -
the few Americans who go each year -
the British amateur tourney or the hand
full of Englishmen who return the comp
liinent by competing for the laurel
wrea til of the United States links? ]. c.
Traffic Golf Association both puts
the question and answers it with
an emphatic mo- after digestlng the
article printed in THE NEW York HER
AID of February 81, together with ttls
letter written by J. II. Taylor. five tiI1es
winner of the British open champion
ship to the London Times relative to the
bali muddle.
Mr. Lincoln believes that If American
golfers want certain things in connec-
ton with the game such as the longer
driving bail. and the British golfers
clamor for the retention in the game
Of the stymie, there IS no valid reason
why these claims should be refused He
Is OF the opinion. further that because
England retains the stynl!e and accepts
the foat ting ball as It's standard. while
the United states takes the diametrically
opposite course, there rs no reason for
supposng that golf as game is destined
FOR the bow vows on both sides of the
Atlantic.
]. II. TAYLOR. in his now historic letter.
made just such a suggestion as Mr..
Lincoln advances, advising the Royal
and Ancient Club committee, the ruling
body abroad, to consider the wishes OF
the majority Of players in its own coun-
try first and to allow the United States
or other associations TO frame rules that
will enable their golfers 10 play the game
under conditions which they deem are
best suited to their needs
Mr. Lincoln adds an interesting chap
ter TO the ball and rule controversy
dis letter folows
TayIor's Frank Statement.
1T seems, in J. II. Taylor's opinion,
the Royal and Ancient committee made
very grave mistake when they ap-
proved tsubject to disapproval May u
the new standard ball without first test
ing same for distance, for he now claims
the standard ball is longer than the old
one. He further maintains that the one
and only solution of this ball situation
IS to go back to the large, light 'floatei'
81 dwt. lie says: a mistake has
been made which must be frankly
owned as such BY the rules committee
and steps taken as soon as possible to
rectify it 1t may be that the Ameri-
can golfng public may be averse TO
further interference II SO. they must
be allowed TO so their own way and
play game such as they have evolved
without stymies. which is not golf
This is very frank statement and
a very sensible and practical solution
or the whole controversy. Why should
either country impose upon the other
unwelcome rules or restrictions? The
desire on the part of the governing
bodies for one set OF rules Tor both
countries Is fast developing into an OBJ
session, and In their efforts to come 70
a mutual understanding or effect a conf
promise the golfing world is apt to suf-
fer For Instance the Royal and An
cient committee might say, Let the Y.
s. c. A. accept the 'fioater" as the
standard ball ana we VIII agree 10
abolish the stynlic. This Is a give and
take compromise and appears fair and
reasons BILE. so the governing bodies de-
eide TO make it the law. Now how
about the million golfers on this side
who hate the 'fioater' and the million
on the other side who love the stymic7
The golfers on both sides of the Allan
tic are dissatisfied, but the governing
bodies are In perfect accord
Once year three or four Americans
20 TO the British championship and once
a year three or four Englishmen come
to the American championship. why
should the two million golfers who don't
attend these events and care little about
them be subjected to irritating restric-
tions every day OF their golfing lives
lust to enable half 4 dozen to play under
the same rules? Vt is simply rdicu-
lous The Americans viii never consent
10 4 return 10 the stymie and the larse
floating ball and the Englishmcn viii
never be happ. without them, 50 what
is Tire use III goif committees attempil1s
TO change creation.
citing Traffic Problem.
IN England passing vehicles turn 10
the left IL America they turn 10 tho
right. Why? Let the golf committees
give logical reason for this and we will
have some faith In their efforts for
uniform set Of rules that will please both
countries.
'"rhe game IN this country won't 50 10
pot because We decline such things as
stymics and 'floaters.' and our present
association fully realized this fact and
abolished both, but r. any future asso-
citation. In its desire to act Ia harmony
with the Royal ard Ancient, tries TO jam
such unwclcomc impositions down our
throats they will find tho American
golfers equal to another Wilson holo-
Caust.
"The American golfers do not believe
in a ball longer than their present one.
or in mechanical devices 10 make tho
shot easier OF In larger holes. or in any
of such things thai would injura tho
game. They intend to protect and pre-
serve ii as It Is and make II a game that
VIII command the respect Of all big
broadrnindcd Americans, a game we can
enjoy in our own free way unhampcred
by rules and restrictions that. in our
opinion. do It no good, but. on the con-
trary, are Il source Of constant irritation.
Golf for Americans IN oar own big,
broad American way. of the golfers. by
the golfers, for the gofers'--with all due
reverence for the traditions OF tho
game II