The New York herald., 1922-12-21
GOLFERS SEE END OF
BAN ON STEEL SHAFT
u, S. G. A. Asks Leading ANA
teurs to Try Club and Re-
port Findings.O
BY KERR y. PETRiE.

BY KERR ~. PETRiE.
Some may rrofess TO see In state.
ment ms de this week by the executive
committee of the United States Golf AS
sociation the spr.nging Of the latch
which next year Is to throw wide the
door for the steel shafted club 20 take
it's place among the recognized imple-
ments of the game.
Whatever the future may have In
store, Il is now quite apparent that
discussion OF this question Is bound 10
occupy some OF the time OF the dele
gates at the Forthcoming annual meeting
OF the national body TO be held next
month in Pittsburgh Like the tourna-
ment playing professional, the steel shaft
has crent into the game without any
Official invitation. and If one is to judge
by The Joy with which it is pounced upon
in the average store by the long handi-
cap man whose golf education as yet
has. not advanced TO tne stage where he
considers the rety of buying clubs
known to be under the ban OF official
dom II has come TO stay.
A year ago the u. S. G.. A. gave some
consideration to the sheel shafted golf
club and decided that the time was not
yet ripe for admitting it to good stand
ing among the clubs of accepted form
and make. Something to that effect ap-
reared not long afterward in the book
OF rules Some became aware OF II by
chance. others have not yet learned Of
the ruling. Quite naturally there was a
good deal of confusion the last season
as to the exact standing Of the new
shaft.
In the invitationi tournament al the
Nassau Country Club notice was
posted at the first tee drawing atten-
ton to the fact that steel shafts were
taboo. The new contraption was found
in the hands Of many tournament play
ers nevertheless. The Massachusetts
Golf Association allowed it in its title
tourney and, whether sanctioned or not.
II popped up in many other champion
ships.
Discarded His steel Shaft.
Perhaps the most amusing incident
Of all was that at the Professional Golf
ers Association championship at Oak
mont, when Jack Burgess OF the st.
the Oakmont professional. using steel
shaft. Burgess prom tly notified the
committee stating that he did not. care
whether Rowe, his opponent. used a
steel shaft or a coal hammer. but as
the rules of golf put the responsibility
for an infraction upon the opponent so
failing to report Jack thought IL would
be better to put himself on record
There was good deal of thumbing
Of the rule book after this. A well
known amateur who plays regularly
not thousand mics from Oakmont
wanted to wager that steel shafts never
had been barred. Then one of the j. G..
A. members found a 1922 edition of the
code wherein was set forth something
that caused the aforementioned amateur
10 rub his eyes and Rowe TO discard
his steel shaft forthwith.
But IL would move seem from what the
u. S. G. 4. has to say on the subject
that the public has been laboring under
a delusion, and that in short, the u. S.
c.. A. meant that the steel shaft should
be barred only from the national cham
pionship.
IA number of people seem to have
misconstrued the action taken by the
executive committee OF the IT, $. G.. A..
with regard to the new shaft" says the
statement I'VE were asked to approve
OF It's use but felt that II was distinct
departure from the accepted form and
make OF golf clubs, and. as 10 one at
that time knew It's possibilities to be
sure that its use was ~ he best In
terests of the game we accordingly re-
fused TO permit It's use In the national
championship Our feelings are still the
same. The executive committee itself
Will try out the shaft and requests that
n number OF the leading amateurs dc
he same and report their findings to
the committee. II will also request that
all other players who use the shaft and
who desire to should submit their views
TO the executive committee.
Not Opposed to Club.
Last spring after the u. s. G. A. had
decided to place the plea OF the steel
shaft for admittancel to the sacred circle
OF golf implements upon file. meantime
allowing the evidence to accumulate w.
ID. Vanderpool. the vice-president, made
II clear that the national association
was in no manner opposed to the shaft
as now made. He made II clear. how
ever, that what the powers that be had
to guard against was the improvements
that might be introduced.
AS II stands the steel shaft may con-
tain nothing that Is contrary to the
spirit of the law as laid down TO govern
the accepted form and make OF clubs
save that II Is not OF the material from
which club shafts have been designed
from time Immemorial. But how were
the officials TO know that some genius
might not come along with a process for
the treatment OF metals which would inn
part To the shaft the torsion necessary
tosenable "A player to send the ball much
further than now can be accomplished
either wildwood or steel?
That in a nutshell is the matter OF the
steel shaft as the L. S. G.. A. sees IL.
After digesting its import no one can
say that the policy of watchf' waiting
has not been thoroughly Justified From
what can be seen it will be a difficult
matter TO keep the new stick" out OF
the game. Quite. likely pressure will be
brought 10 bear at the forthcoming meet
ing to have the ban lifted. This Is a
matter In which, as the national execu-
tive committee shows, the rank and file
can aid. If the steel shaft 'as is' is TO
be admitted to active membership among
the implements II should be with the
understanding that at the first sign Of
"a, .,atFs tssfNA o In