The Washington times., 1922-01-01

!. HUTCHINSON
URGES GOLDEN
RULE IN GOLF
Regulations of Game Too Much
Neglected, Says Famous
Player, Though Few Cheat.
BY JOCK HUTCHINSON.

by JUN HUTCHlSON.
Turing the last few weeks
- have written a great deal on
the fine points of the game.
l haven't mentioned yet one of the
most important things in connection
with the royal and ancient pastime.
So ! take this opportunity to give
a little advice on the rules of the
game.
For some reason the rules Of golf
are very much neglected. doubt
II there Is anyone that knows them
all or would trust his memory to
make a quick decision when called
upon. The strange part OF 1t all Ii
that golf is one Of the simplest games
we play. 1t merely consists Of driving
little ball with a club from a teeins
ground to hole in the least number
Of strokes, yet the complications that
arise over this feat are asto FISHING.
In golf, as a usual thing, players
are left on their own. Every player
is supposed to keep an honest count,
and there are really few VINO would
willingly cheat in this respect. A
player is supposed also to observe all
the rules and call a penalty on himself
before his opponent has a chance Of
calling attention to it.
Must Study Rules.
No player can properly learn the
game without studying the rules and
learning enough about them to play
in competition. There Is nothing
worse than to be compelled to play
with a partner who is constantly in
fringing or the rules because II is
every ones duty and obligation to
the other players competing to see
that all the regulations are observed.
When it is not done, rhe player per.
mitt.nS his Darther to break rules
can himself he disqualified.
Tho most common things that the
beginner and the duffer fail to OBJ
serve is moving the ball and soling
the club in sand traps. Players with
out the slightest intention of thea ting
anyone will place the club head so
near the ball in addressing 1t that
oftentimes IL is turned over. This Is
partly due to nervousness, hut the
habit should be broken Immediately.
Players who do this should mold the
club a little further away. Many
players have this fault on the putting
green.
Penalty Is A Stroke.
The penalty for this is stroke.
1t is alSb a stroke penalty II you
take your stance and ground the
club and the ball moves without be-
ing touched. 1t Is presumed that you
have caused it to move.
II we all followed the golden rule
it would be simple. Don't do any
thing that you wouldn't want your
opponent to do. Don't take a prac-
tice swing close to the ball, as 1t Is
sometimes impossible to tell whether
it is a practice swing or a plain Whit.
Many a player does this on the tee
very close to the ball, yet II his OPP
ponent was minded to call a stroke
on him there could be no possible
comeback.
An Unjust Penalty.
One very absurd ruling was made
at Hollywood in the women's cham
pionship. Mrs. Gavin played a ball
from sand trap. The ball failed
to get out and landed in another
part Of the trap thirty feet away.
She thoughtlessly, or thoughtfully
depending how you look at II, COW
cred up her tracks with her club
before going over to play again. The
committee penalized her two strokes
for this. 1t was in medal play, when
there had been no attempt to break
a rule. and she had only done what
all good golfers should do-cover up
their tracks In trap to protect
other unfortunates following who
otherwise may be found to play out
Of heel hole. This thing has come
up before. and golfing bodies have
decided that no penalty was incurred.
A Liberal Player.
Some golf players are too liberal.
Johnnie BALL is one OF these players.
He wanted Abe Mitchell to take a
shot over after the latter had hit
a spectator and bounded into a trap.
This was In the final Of the British
championship q few years ago.
There was a merry <nixup At B-ae
Burn In 1919 when Hagen and Brady