The Washington herald., 1922-04-19
STEEL SHAFT GOLF
CLUB RULING MAY
CAUSE ARGUMENT
Barred by U. S. G. A., w,
G. A. to Call Meeting
To Consider Question.
BY GORDON sHAND.

The recent action Of the United
States Golf Association in barring
steel-shafted clubs has given on
cials Of the Western Golf Associa-
tion something to think about.
Reports from the Middle West in :
dicate that meeting to consider
the question Is not far in the offine.
Though the Western body signed
a peace pact with the national as
ISOLATION at the last annual meet
ing OF the latter and announced tina,
II was thoroughly In accord with
the U. s. G. A., II Is certain that
the Westerne.s will not adopt this
ruling with undue haste merely to
show their hearty cooperation"
President Albert II. Gates, of the
w. G. A, has announced that he be-
lieves IL the steel-shafted club has
mechanical advantages IL should be
barred. but is apparently perfectly
willing to be convinced otherwise
by amateurs. professionals and even
the manufacturers. That would
give both sides a fair shake.
There Is also the matter of econ
omy to be considered. President
Gates says that hickory is growing
scarce. which has caused a sharp
advance in prices. He points to
the fact that sl2 has been asked by
a professional fo- a plain wooden
stick. and makes II plain that IL
there is no undue mechanical power
IN the stecl-shafted club, and IL IL
can be produced more cheaply, the
players should be permitted to
use 1t.
The Western Association has one
point of difference with the U. s.
G. A. which isNnot likely Il be
eradicated. a definite vote against
the stymie rule. which was recently
adopted by the national body, was
recently taken. and IL is probable
that this decision will remain final.
No Changes In British Amateur,
Although comparatively large
number of British amateur golfers
have been petitioning the ROYAL and
Ancient Club. OF st. Andrews. to
institute qualifying test of thirty
six holes medal play in the British
amateur championship at Prest-
wick, beginning May 20, American
golf officials have been Informed
that there will be ora ctica,ly no
change in the conditions OF play
this year.
<hIltIlEdUS WHO nIeT can
therefore, rest assured that they
Will have to 20 through the same
old crush they were forced to
struggle with last year. Even the
examining of the second and third
rounds into one day-which neces-
states about twelve hours golf
is not going to be altered. All
matches in the amateur tourna =
ment will be at eighteen holes. ex-
cepting the final round. which will
be over the 36-hole route.
Miss Leitch Has New system.
Judging from reports from abroad.
Miss Cecil Leitch. British women's
golf champion and contender in
our own national women's cham
pionship last summer, is advocat-
ing or at least suggesting a new
plan for playing the British wom-
ems championship. so as to avoid
(she says) the chance for an in
ferior player to eliminate a su-
perior opponent before the closing
rounds.
Miss Leitch is quoted as sug-
gesting that the field play seventy
two holes of medal golf. at the rat e
of thirty-siX holes a day, the
four lowest scorers then to play
the semifinaI round at match play.
thirty-six holes a day. and the two
survivors to play the final round.
also at thirty-six holes day.
This happy thought is projected
apparently to perpetuate Miss
Leitch at the top of the heap in
women's golf in Great Britain. The
feminine golfers likely to finish
seventy-two holes of medal play
in two days. in condition to give
Miss Leitch severe battle over
another thirty-siX-ho route. can
pretty nearly be counted on the
thumbs of one hand.