The New York herald., 1922-01-28
Linksmen Of England and
Scotland Also Busy Making
Suggested Improvements.
BY JOHN G. ANDERSON.

They're having a grand old time in
Scotland and England talking and writ
ing about the Americanization of the
golf rules, and they don't seem to like
/. either. Says H. Cozens Hardy of
London, well known golfer, Il have
played golf for nearly thirty years and
am familiar with all the best courses
of America and Canada. 1t is America
which has inspired the proposed aitera-
tions aod that Is at least one very SUBJ
stantial reason why the rules OF golf
committee should think twice before
they adopt them between now and May
l. Americans have their own way OF
playing golf. They know more about
baseball and they could teach English
men and Scotchmen great deal about a
game which has just as many fine
points and is in many respects superior
to our national game of cricket. But
they are no more competent to Instruct
the Royal and Ancient about golf than
is St Andrews to suggest amendments
for the National or American Baseball
Leagues in the United States"
There is more on the same strain In
cluding the final rap that at all clubs
in England and elsewhere there are fat
headed committeeman, some of whom
love to try to amend the rules as given
forth and authorized by the r and A.
And perusal of the press of London
Glasgow and Edinburgh finds a column
day devoted to the plants and COM
plants dealing especially with the lost
ball and the loss of stroke and distance
for the ball out of bounds. Just as that
rule has raised up a bit of stir in this
country so it seems to have caused a
whirlwind of commotion also of con-
trary sort across the water.
| The opponents of change have just
begun to have their innings, mainly fol-
the reason that they did not expect
much il anything to be done and were
exceedingly surprised to find that the
American delegation had influenced the
British members of the committee. For
information of readers we quote the
resolution which Is causing such a stir.
THAT in order to unity the penalties
of lost ball. ball out of bounds and
an unplayable ball the penalty In each
case shall be a stroke and the distance
but that in the case of ball out OF
bounds permission be given to clubs to
alter this penalty by a local rule and
that the rules of golf be altered accord
| ingly."
The general sum and substance of the
reasons for not changing at all are as
follow:
Confusion to BE Expected.
Ball out of bounds-Confusion is GER
tain to arise when committeeman WHO
are not always we'll versed in the rules
are permitted to make any change In
penalties as they see Mt. And the fact
that the same course can have many
| holes with varying penalties makes for
confusion. There should be clear rule
| for out Of bounds play and there should
be no divergence at all from this. with
which opinion we most heartily concur.
Lost ball-The losing OF a ball is due
to inefficient caddying more than any
thing else Delays will be had and
courses will become more congested thar
ever due to the fact that golfer will
have to return to the spot from which he
struck. Some golfers have even gone sc
far as to make table Of time, taking
the average number of lost balls In the
course of a round. and they say that II
will take half hour longer to play or
Saturday or holiday. IL change is tc
be made and two strokes penalty be con.
sidered necessary then why not have the