The New York herald., 1922-01-08
OFFERS SOLUTION
OF STYMIE PROBLEM
Donald J. ROss's Plan Increases
Distance Between Ball
and Ball.

Special Dispatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD.
PrNEHUnsr. N. c., Jan. 7.-Silas II.
Strawn OF Chicago, president of the
United States Golf Association in 1911
and 1912. will present at the annual
meeting of the United States Golf Asso-
citation in Chicago January IA a plan of
Donald J. Ross which Mr.. Strawn con-
siders would be a fine solution of the
stymie problem. The stynie will be
given full consideration at the meeting.
Since the United States Golf Associa-
ton modified the stymie rule so that 1t is
in effect only when player himself lays
stymie on the green there has been
much misunderstanding and general dis
satisfaction with the rule, and Mr.. Ross,
after making practical tests and giving
considerable study to the subject has
devised a plan which he considers will
retain the stymie and eliminate the only
fault which can be found with il.
Mr. Ross outlined his plan to Mr..
Strawn here this week, as follows
"The solution of the problem, which
I have arrived at after making practical
tests in which experts as we'll as aver
age amateurs have taken part, Is TO in
crease the distance when a stymie is
in effect from the six inches between
ball and ball (the st. Andrews rule for
merly used in the United States) TO two
feet between the nearer bali and the
hole, and two feet between ball and ball.
"The most serious objection to the sty-
mie is that Il occasionally brings about
an impossible shot which no amount of
skill can overcome. There should not be
an impossible shot in golf If the two
foot rule were in effect II would elm
mate the impossible shots, for when the
nearer ball is at least two feet from tho
cup and the stymied ball at least two
feet from the nearer ball it is always
possible to negotiate the stymie by pitch
ing over the nearer ball or curving
around II.
'The distance Of six inches between
balls ls arbitrary, and there is no reason
for 1T: whereas the distance Of two feet
Is based on the possibilities of the game
and is sound from every point of view.
The compromise we now have i'm the
stynnie has caused more misunderstand-
ing than any rule ever written into the
rules of golf-it will never be satisfac-
tory because the golfing public Is ops
posed TO IT,"
Mr.. Ross stated that he had gone on
putting greens with professionals n a
amateurs and tried various stymle shots
with these players at distances from one
to dozen feet and found that when the
nearer ball was two feet at least from
the hole and the other ball two feet
from the nearer, such stymies could be
negotiated by skillful shots. He consid-
ers such legitimate stymies create as
intereeting shot as there is in golf
Mr.. Ross recalls that before the sty-
mle was practically abolished In the
United States players used to obtain
much pleasure from practiclng this shot
and that many became so expert thai
they frequently could negotiate ddlcul
lies. He pointed out that It would be
simple matter to mark the fagstaffs or
each hole with the stymle measure o
two feet and for players TO have th,
distance marked on putter shafts. IT,
[ also declared that tho stynie provide
true elemen. Of luck which all sports
should have.