Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11

I'M Announcement Of radical
arl departure in selection of
the field for the next am
ateur golf championship and the
voluntary retirement of Robert T,
Jones, jr., as member of its
n'Executive Committee marked the
annual meeting today of the
ssUaited States Golf Association.
- Bobbys name, at his own telegraphed
request, was erased from the slate of
officers and Executive Committee
members presented to the convention
Tor expected confirmation.
A. His dissemination to serve came as a
~aUomplete surprise to the officers and
IGNORED the point made in some quarters
that Bobby by retiring from amateur
= competition to carry through movie and
radio contracts, had disqualified him
self for service in an organization that
is being constantly called on to decide
-s questions of amateur standing, and
nominated him for reelection.
Wire Sent BY Jones.
His telegram said:
after careful consideration and
for personal reasons as well as
business demands, request you
withdraw my name as an officer of
the United States Golf Association.
} Kindest regards"
Although the association was pre-
pared to re-elect him unanimously the
expressed reaction to his telegram was
that Bobby again has done exactly the
right thing"
There was no question of the
eligibility of Jones to serve, since the by
distinction in listing qualifications for
its officers as to the persons standing
as player.
The association attitude on Jones
status as player was made clear by H.
II, Ramsey, president-elsct, in his speech
Of acceptance.
In order that there may be no mis-
understanding, we definitely state that
he Jones' is no longer eligible to
compete as an amateur If that occasion
should arise" Ramsey said.
Another Big Surprise.
The change in the manner of selection
Of the field for the national amateur
was little less of a surprise than Jones
retirement, although there has been
expressed dissatisfaction with the method
used In the past.
Under the new plan amateur players
with club handicap Of four or better
viii compete in some 20 sectional elm
nation tournaments, the method now
used In selecting the field for the
national open. BY this method Of elm
ination a field of substantially $50
players viii be selected to contest for
the amateur crown under the old con-
ditions of playa 36-hole qualifying
test, two 18-hole rounds and quarter,
semi-6nal and final rounds at 36 holes.
The defending champion viii not be
required to participate in the elinnina-
ton play, q provision that will have no
effect this year because Of Jones' re-
tirement
The Executive Committee announced
q ban on clubs Of the so-called sand
wedge type, on the grounds that it is
q departure from the accepted form of
golf clubs" and out Of step with the
associations policy to discourage me-
chanical invention and encourage de-
velopment of skill in the use of the ac-
cepted instruments"
sand Wedge" is Popular.
The sand wedge has become pop
ular club with several well known tour
nament players, among them Horton
Smith, and the ex-emperor Jones has
carried one in his bag for some time.
IN prospect q complete study Of the
question of amateur standing, subject
he said had been "the product Of more
loose thinking and loose talking" than
any other connected with golf.
''I think that in our ordinary course
we shall make a complete analysis OF
the entire amateur situation as affecting
the game of golf" he said, and 1t
may be that we can accomplish some
thing constructive in this direction
after our studies have been completed"
A complete slate Of ofnceps headed by
Ramsey, was unanimously elected, with
Robert M. Cuttin and Rodman E. Girls
com as vice presidents, Prescott s. Bush,
secretary; Charles H. Sabin, treasurer,
and Livingston Plat, counsel
Three hundred and twenty-five Of the
l,I34 member clubs of the association
were represented either by delegates or
by proxy. The meeting, including
Ramsay's speech, required only 80 min
utes.