The New York herald., 1922-12-10
Britain adopts American
System of Golf Handicaps
Scheme Discarded by u S. G. A. Will Be Used Abroad
to Supplant Plus Plan Used for Years and
Now Found to Be Inadequate
FIRST TEAM.
ny JOHN G. ANDERSON.

For a generation the golfers on this
side of the water followed in the foot
steps OF those in Britain. Changes were
made from time TO time In dress, IN
tourney methods. in club details. In
championship formulas and the like
with America the copyist. Now we see
a change Some time ago, a matter OF
several years in fact, the Y. S. G. A.
undertook the difficult task of making
a national handicap list and only those
who were found capable enough were
permitted 70 be on that list and play In
the national amateur event.
But the method was soon discarded
because IL was not only too cumbersome
but was more a matter of opinion on
relative merit than actual proof OF the
years growth or diminishing power In
golf The country was too largo for
everybody to be rated and so the Sec
tional idea grew into being 1t has
worked out well, and with further re-
duction in the handicap rate for eligi-
bility- will prove the saving of the
championship in tho matter Of small
fields
The plus system has been in use In
Great Britain for many day. and there
are few golfers of the older school who
away with. The par OF tho various
courses was never based upon yard
age score and as q result any one who
went round the course in 20 was sup
posed to be scratch player. Then the
stars who went below that figure were
called plus men.
with the lowering OF par on the varf-
Gus courses through a livening OF the
ball there was reached the same general
standard, with the result that plus men
were as numerous as scratch men at
local clubs are here. Only plus men
were permitted to enter the amateur
championship few years ago.
Bfg Field at Prestvfck.
Later. with a revulsion OF feeling 70.
ward golfers who were handicapped as
high as plus seven and whose play was
no better than our one or two handicap
men, there was a violent revision down.
ward and clubs were called on TO havs
no men on the list who were more than
plus three. But at Prestwick last year
there were Just as many as ever. we'll
over $50. popping around for the anna
teur championship event Something
had TO be done. and now the powers that
be have copied the system which the
u. s. @. A. started and discarded. the
national handicapping idea.
The amateur champion. Holderness,
will be rated at scratch and there will be
no plus men. With him will be put
Tolley and wethered. and the other
members of the international team viii
be rated all the way from one 70 two.
Those in the Isles who do not have
rating which is as low as our ellgi-
bility rule, namely. 4, will be ellgibls
for the amateur championship at Deal
the coming May. BY the way. the anna
teur championship will be played the
week beginning May .. somewhat earlier
than heretofore.
IL will be very interesting 70 note the
effect of this system. Undoubtedly II
will bring about greater uniformity
than has ever been present IN Britain.
There arc few sectional organizations
such as the Metropolitan or Massachu-
setts. for example. and clubs themselves
will have to make a plea for their re-
spective stars.
VIII Have 10 Make Name.
The younger element will have to
make a name In local Journeys before
being given rating. and while this
will keep a few possible chances out
OF the lists II cannot be helped. But the
clubs handicapping win be- aided wonS