The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-15
COURSE ARCHITECTS
IN GOLF RACE WITH
EQUIPMENT MAKERS
nv FRANfS G. MENKE

A rather unique situation presents
itself within golfdom, where course
architects now are engaged in fever
ish race with equipment makers.
Everyone with some vestige of au-
thority in the game constantly insists
that the game is too easy-that the
courses should be made longer and
more difficult. And presto. the next
season finds the thing done-through
the medium of heightened and more
difficult courses.
Thereupon, comes a yowl from the
average player. He's all steamed up
over the new traps that were built, the
new distances and the other new haz-
ards which nave killed his IS or 80
game and chased him up to best
game" around 95 or 100.
Then the ball maker and the club
manufacturer steps in and says:
Calm your gentle souls; we will
succor you"
Thereupon the equipment makers at
once comcoct balls and sticks designed
to get greater distances and so re-
store to the golfer the 85 and 80 game
which contents him.
It's like a merry go-round.
Set Ball Standard.
The dominating factors in the game
finally have become smarted up to the
deplorable racing condition. They
realize something must be done to
standardize balls, clubs and courses,
or everything will become increasing
ly chaotic.
A year ago the boss golfers settled
upon a 1852 ball for tournament play.
That meant a globule 1852 inches in
diameter and 1852 in bulk 1t was as
sumed that such a ball would elimin-
ate all the trouble.
But not so.
For it was found through 1921 and
again this season, that although manu-
facturers adhered to the 1.62 standard
they are frisking around a bit with
the Intervals of the ball.
A brace of golfers stepped on to a
mound one afternoon, each using the
standard ball One man outdrove the
other by so yards. He repeated or
the next tee-and continued to out
drive his rival all the way. That an
noyed his foeman, who always had
prided himself upon being a better
driver
After the game was over the beaten
man asked the victor for his ball. He
got it, and cut it in half, Then he
chopped the one he had been using
The reason for the difference in driv
ing then became apparent.
The losers ball contained a bulky
core of loosely wound rubber; the
winners ball had a smaller rubber
core, but one which was intensely
wound-just the type of core which
was splendidly made for distance
work.
Examine Contents
Golf dignitaries now are making al
examination of the contents of al
standardized balls. They have found
some peculiar and freak windings-
all made so as to cheat the purpos'
of the architect who heightened tn
course so as to make it more difficult
Our findings" said one of the lead
ers, will be reported at the white
meeting. And with those finding
will go recommendation as to stand
ardization of the contents of the bal
We assumed a year ago when ruling
on a standardized ball in weight an
diameter that we nd solved one o
COLTS big problems-that of maxim
the game uniform.
But when we failed to dictate tn
contents Of those balls, and especial
the core-winding methods, we pa
TALLY failed in our purpose. But thi
winter we'll amend our rules in sue
way that the deplorable race b.
tween course architects and ball MANI
facturers will cease for all time"
Copyright 1921 BY King Features
Syndicate. Incl