The New York herald., 1921-09-25
RULES VIOLATED IN
TITLE GOLF EVENT
Misunderstanding and Care
lessness on Part Of Many
Players-No Uniformity.
by JOHN q. ANDERSON.


The suggestion: made in these col
umns some time ago that it would be
a wise innovation to have scorers go
round with amateurs In the qualifying
stages OF championship meeting
gained many friends at the annual
championship just concluded at ST.
Louis. The number OF violations made
by the competitors not only rivalled
those of the open at Washington, but
in our opinion doubled. II not trebled.
1t is surely q. sad state of affairs
when In the first hour Of the prelimi-
nary qualifying round spectator sta
toned for that purpose at the first
green reported that he had seen three
golfers pick up the ball on the green
and carefully remove the mud fastened
thereon. that he had noticed four golf
ers with abandon pat the ground down
on the line to the hole, that caddy
before the player reached the green
had carefully filled In the green bruise
made by a stop shot and left his en-
ployer a clear run to the hole. and that
In trap a golfer proceeded to pick up
a tree branch and place 1t gently on
the slope of the hazard, thereby giving
him a better view Of the ball and
free swinging stroke.
These are but few of what must
have been a hundred violations Of the
stroke rules OF championship play One
reason why many golfers thought moth
ing OF the removal OF mud on the ball
undoubtedly comes from the Western
Golfing Association ruling which per-
mits this very thing. OF the number
who played in the amateur four-fifths
came from the section where mud re-
moval is permitted. Practice of this
sort makes II become second nature
and II was small wonder that violations
occurred.
Points n Moral.
The moral to be gained. 1t goes with
out saying. 10 the absolute need for one
set Of rules II we are to have any
kind OF fair play IN our championship
contests. Now there were fourteen golf
ers In the 81 list who were shut out by
single stroke. and we do not believe
that any one of these who held to the
rules OF the game was not entitled
10 play on the Monday. There were
many violations by qualifiers which
scorer knowing his business would have
checked up.
There was one instance where It was
quite patent that the players did not
know the rules of the game. On one
green a player whose ball was at rest
stopped down and picked 1t up while
his partners ball was in motion. think
ing that the other might hit his ball.
No penalty was added at the time to
the score. although the rules provide
specifically for one stroke penalty. Just
before the card was handed in the
player was told that he should change
Ii or disqualification would follow.
1T doesn't make any difference" said
he. "for I am SO and nothing over 50
viii get in.'' But II does make diff
ference 10 your partner" 1t was ex-
planned. II he signs your card he. too,
win be disqualified. 1t makes no diff
ference what score you have. whether
century or r. The point Is that
there IL n rule which you both are
violating" He thereupon. after thank
ing his informant. raised his score to
30. and II was thereupon signed and
turned In correctly. His partner had
an 81. which In the event that he
had been disqualified would have let
into further medal play scoring no
fewer than fourteen golfers. among them
a former national champion in the per-
son OF Dave Heron.
No Place for Horscpiay.
A champions life is not one which
permits OF much horsepiay on the links.
Moreover. he must not only try at all
times, but he must be scrupulouely in
tent upon having the gallery see that he
plays up to the rules TO the very letter.
Much criticism OF n very distasteful ma
ture was iovelled at Chick Evans In the
preliminary qualifying round for the
championship. On the fourth green he
was left with a short putt and essayed
n one hand stab at the ball. The club
head caught IN the ground. then slid
forward a bit. and, according TO fifty
people AT least, caused the ball 10 move
a half inch or 80. Another quick hur-
ried follow through and the ball was In
the hole Many golfers in the gallery
thought that was called out by the
national champion. whercupon a cer-
tain well known member of the press
called out: That should have been
81"
From time 20 time this ''heckicr," as
he was called by rhe local press the next
day, repeated tho cry. and nj the four
teenth hole. as the same local paper
reported. Evans turned 10 tho scorer
and said. make n n O." Evans said the
press report IN the ~. Louis sheet had a
S2, but = ''heckler" prevented him from
turning In that score.
This incident. which has been garbled
lately out Of AL reason. - typical OF our
point that the gallery which follows
IL a part Of thu game entitled TO know
tho exact score and 20 learn how II
was made. II IN the duty of the player
20 make known audibly when there Is
doubt what his score was. As n re-
suit 81 this indecision rumors flew 10
the clubhouse that Evans had been dis
qualified, that he was about 10 be dis
qualified. that he would be disqualified
when he turned hts card In And the
reasons therefor were ~ varied and as
unreal an possible.
More Hiprcar.mins.
Evans again held the GENRE OF the
stage when on the Mondays qualifying
L. annE anNnn Inllan frnrA a dat nncn nf