Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-28
HQskin Letter
By E
J. HASKfN
AUCTION GOLF.

/ disaster. On the other hand, how
ever, sound bidding and steady playing
will bring home the bacon.
A concrete example may serve bet
ter to elucidate the finer points of the
game. A and B are playing c and D.,
and have the honor on the first tee.
The first hole is a par four. A is a
consistent four-getter on No. |, while
& usually requires a five. Accordingly
they bid nine for the hole. c and D
are feeling a bit chestV this afternoon,
thank you, and they bid eight. Just to
put n little pep into the game at the
very outset A and + double. c and d
decide to let the contract stand without
a redouble.
Right here it will be objected that
A and B have nothing to play for, as
their play would not affect their op-
p%onents who have the contract. and the
game would become one where only one
pair played u each hole. However.
the ingenious individual who invented
auction golf has made provision for
that objection. There is a best ball
least twice the auction stake. Then,
if the bidders are doubled. or r~edoubled,
the best ball stake is increased proper
tionately.
This gives A and B something to
play for to offset losses in event G
and ID make their contract, or TO in
crease their winnings If the bidders are
set. Of course, the bidders may win
tn best ball stake. as well as their
contract. or they may lose their con-
tract and still save something out of
the wreck by having the best bail.
B~0okkeeper Not Needed
Offhand it would appear that an ex-
pert bookkeeper would be required to
keep the scores and figures out the
winners and losers after the match is
over, but such is not the case. This
is obviated by the simple expedient OF
having each player carry Il certain
number of markers which have value
corresponding to the agreed stake.
Settlements can thus be made after
each hole is played out, and no book
keeping is necessary.
Advocates of auction golf claim many
virtues for it aside from its speculative
feature. They say that it tends to
make players more conservative and
decidedly more careful in their play. is
Il splendid test of nerves and at the
same time calls frequently for brilliant
and spectacular golf.
One who has not yet tried the new
game is inclined to agree with this, at
least insofar as the nerve test part
of it goes. Think of the ordeal il
would be to watch your partner take
four or five strokes to get out of n
bunker when o have n doubled and
re-doubled contract. Consider the eff
fort it would require to control your
| emotions when your partner missed a
rntt tbnt n nna-arr,a d blind m IN anr1j
have made. And surely steady nerves
would be necessary to get down the
long one to save your contract after
your partner had dubbed a shot or two
and thrown away your opportunity for
an easy win.
In criticism of auction golf, it may
be said that it is no game for Satur-
DAYS. Sundays and holidays when the
course is crowded, for obviously it will
tend to make the play slow. Rather
il is a game TO be essayed on days
when YOU can have the links to your
selves, and to be started in the early
morning with many long hours Of day.
light before you.
There are two other new golf games
that hold out interesting possibilities
One is the No Alibi' and the other Is
THE Singer" The former was in.
! vented LOT tNe DSltIiL VI LHoSe DldNeGS
and in number they are as the sands
in the bunkers-who are always able
to explain every defeat by the one shot
that went wrong-the topped drive, tn.
ball out of bounds. the one that caromet
into the water hazard, the easy put
that trimmed the cup, ct cetera. Tht
No Abb form of competition is de
signed to eliminate ali such post NOR.
TENS, for in such a contest each player
is peritted to re-play in the course o.
the round any four shots with which
he is not satisfied. 1t is only required
that the decision to try the unsatisfac.
tory shot over again be made before
the next shot has been played.
The Singer is the exact opposite Of
the No Alibi and is game to be played
with your ancient enemy who ''alway,
has all the breaks" for under its rules
each player has the right to require his
opponent to re-play a specified numbe,
of shots in each round. 1t is what
might be termed an adaptation Of thu
principle of the recall Of officials OIL
judicial decisions. When your oppon.
ent chips out from off the green. o,
negotiates an unusually difficult putt
or whales out a recorlbreaking drive
all you have to do to get even with him