The New York herald., 1921-02-27
]. Il. TAYLOR RAPS
GOLF AUTHORITIES
FOR BALL MUDDLE
Former British Open Cham
pion Demands Adoption
of Floater as Standard. <
NEW SPHERE TOO HEAVY
Has Made Players Crawl Up to
Putting Green Like an
'Anaemic Worm
NEW SPHERE TOO HEAVY
BY KERR N. PETRIE.

VIII the golf authorities both here and
abroad ultimately revert to the fioater
as the standard ball? The chances are
that In time they will, on both sides of
the Atlantic. but In any event 1t should
surprise no one If the Royal and Ancient
Rules Committee Of st. Andrews, the
governing body in Great Britain, makes
q very decided pronouncement and takes
very resoute stand on the matter be-
fore another year has flown.
In Great Britain at the present time
there are two questions connected with
the game that are monopolizing virtually
all the time and attention OF the golfers
and the critics. These~are the new
standard ball and the rib-faced ap-
preaching irons Both are being pressed
very hotly, and 1t should surprise no one
If the mandate goes forth that both are
fit only to be classed with the Schenec-
tady putter which has been stranger
to British links these many years.
To pick up the thread of the story, 1t
was on June IS of last year that the
representatives Of the United States Golf
Association and the Royal and Ancient
met in London and recommended, by
way Of putting limit on the flight and
power of the ball, that the maximum
weight be set at 1-62 ounce avoirdupois
and the size at not less than 1-62 inch in
diameter. Not long after the first OF
the standard" balls was produced
George Duncan and Abe Mitchell were
sent out to test them, and much to the
surprise of the players and every one
who witnessed the experiments they
were found to fly even further than the
ball to which exception had been taken.
America also has satisfied herself that
II limitation of power Is what the two
committees have been seeking they will
have to experiment still further before
deciding on their model. What the
United States Golf Association will do
about It is not so clear as what will be
the decision of the Royal and Ancient.
for quite bit of feeling on the sub
ject already has developed abroad,
especially since ]. III. Taylor. the former
British open champion. went on record
as being very much opposed to the
standard" ball as it now stands.
Champion Airs His Views.
John Henry has written a long letter
TO the London Times in the course OF
which he scores the new ball and
roundly berates those responsible for
It, even to the point OF asserting
stoutly that it is the duty of those con-
trolling British golf to revert to the
fioater as the standard, and this
whether or not the United States feels
like following the example. In other
words Taylor would have the two coun-
tries go their own way IL need be. point
ting out that as America already has
abolished the stymie she already has
broken away from the game as it al
ways has been played abroad and that
consequently 1t does not matter a great
deal If there Is difference IN weight
and size of the golf balls in the two
countries.
That the blame for the nuddle in the
standard ball is being laid at the door
of the United States Golf Association
is made quite clear by the comment on
Taylor's letter made by still another
critic who asserts that II Is an open
secret that the Royal and Ancient would
have preferred to be more drastic and
adopt the floating ball but that to this
the Americans did not agree. the dead
lock preciptating compromise
Suggesting that the u. s. G. A. may
still be of the same mind that II was a
year ago this writer then goes on to
say that 1t is to be hoped that, II this
turns out to be the case. the Royal and
Ancient will not be so complaisant. While
feeling that it would be a pity if there
should be different rules in the two
countries ne AYERS tnat tnere are some
things that cannot be helped.
Golf Is now a national game ia
America, and no one would have the Inn
pertinence to suggest that Americans
should not play 1t as they think best
but let us also, II we think we are thor
oughly convinced of its expedcncy. make
n rule to please ourselves. Nor ia there
any reason why the very friendly and
pleasant invasion of each others golf
courses should not continue. each side
observing the laws of war in force In the
invaded country"
As the new ball limitations will not
20 into effect until May 1 there is a
possibility that In view OF the reports
concerning It's greater power coming
from all directions both In this country
and abroad the two committees may
again lay their heads together to devise