Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-23
ENDS REACTIONARY
POLICY OF us. C. A.
Fighting Executive Slated to
Retain Presidency An
other Year.
BY w. r. McCALLUNI.


A CONTINUATION of t be pres
~ ent strong and forward
4 l. looking policies Df the
United States Golf Asso-
citation is assured for at least an
other year by the nominh tion of
Herbert H. Ramsay Of New York
for president of the body for the
year 1882. Ramsay already, has
served a one-year term as presi-
dent Of the association, and, in
line with custom of man v years
precedent, will serve another term.
TO many golfers in Washington who
do not fully understand the workings of
the United States Golf Association, the
parent golf body seems an Iautocratic
organization of somewhat mysterious
character. Washington and the Middle
Atlantic section have not b4en repre-
scented either in the officers pr on the
Executive Committee Of the q. S. @. A.
since the resignation Of DR.. tWalter S.
Earban, back in 1922.
The real fact of the matter is that
the u. s.. @. A., like most national gov
erning bodies, must take national view
of the problems common to all localities
where golf is played and mutt legislate
along the line of the greatest good for
the greatest number.
Ramsay Not Reaction hry.
For many years the u sic. A. has
been termed a reactionfry body,
strongly influenced, in fact isaid to be
dominated, by the Royal and Ancient Of
st. Andrews. That charge may have
been partially true in other years, but
under the Ramsay regime lit has no
basis in fact Herbert Ramsay is too
fine an administrator, too much a stu
dent of the game and its problems, to
permit the association of which he is
president to backslide.
Ramsay rose to the presidency Of the
u. S. @. A. by being the hardest worked
member of the Executive Committee,
assuming the tEuckhorse jobs that other
members did not have time to take over.
One Of his tasks, and one in which he
came in contact with officials of the
District Golf Association, was an in
vestigation Of the alleged "non-ana-
teur' activities Of George J. Voigt, back
On 1927.
At that time the District association
had barred Vcigt from playing in the
District amateur championship on the
assumption that he was retained by bis
then employer because of his skill as
golfer. The u. s.. G.. A. undertook an
independent investigation Of much the
same charge, with Ramsay as the in
vestigator, but the charges never were
proven and the matter was dropped.
That was one of the unpleasant jobs
which Ramsay undertook
There we're many more of similar
character and through them all Ram
say maintained his smiling poise and a
1udiciously detached mind, one able TO
decide a question on its merits He rose
20 be vice president of the association
and during the years when Findlay S.
Douglas was president of the association
Ramsay was the actual administrator.
His election 70 the presidency was
natural, and he now has served one
year term and has been nominated for
another. His election as president for
1892 viii follow at the annual meeting
of the association next January
Not Bound by Custom.
Ramsay is a human being who thinks
in terms which most of his fellow
golfers may understand. He is not
bound by custom and is not subject to
the ties Of precedent, which the grow
ing demands Of the growing game OF
gok make obsolete. A keen student Of
The game and a successful lawyer,
Ramsay has brought to the many prob
herns OF the United States Golf Asso-
citation q refreshing slant on matters
and one which cannot help but aid the
u. s. G.. A. in the perpetuation Of its
position as the administrative agency
Of the game Of golf in this country.
Ramsay himself is most approach
able. a factor which cannot be said Of
many past presidents Of the U. S. @.
"A. He has no high hat" and always
Is willing to discuss golf and golfers, If
1.-THE discussion Is worth while But. like
most executives, he has not the time TO
discuss Irrelevant matters.
He came 10 the presidency Of the o.
8. @. A. at the same time the 100000
golfers OF the land were asked to take
10 their bcsoms a new, lighter and
old hand-picked system Of determining
the contestants In the amateur cham
I1ionship. within q few months after
he had assumed the robes of office,
Ramsay had changed the method Of
choosing entrants in the amateur cham
pionship, for 1t was Ramsay himself
who stood up in the inner councils Of
the u. s. O. A. and made II so plain
that the country was dissatisfied with
fbe old method that the parent body
substituted the sectional qualification
Fvsten-a system which has found uni
yersaI commentator throughout the
land Ramsay also met the problem Of
ERE unpopular balloon" ball In two
listed fashion. Throughout the first
half Of the year the y. S. G. A was
hombarded from one end Of the land
to the other with complaints against
the light and large golf ball. Ramsay
saw that something must be done about
n. for the balloon" ball itself was
brain child OF the u S. O. A So early
"A September he announced that a
change in the ball was TO be made, TO
meet the constantly growing volume Of
complaints.
A Willing Fighter.
The decision made during the past
week. 20 restore the old weight Of l.62
ounces and retain the size Of SO In
inches. is the answer Of the U. S. @.
a administration TO the complaints OF
COLTS countless buffers.
track" Ramsay has been called
shard guy" He Is a hard guy 70 con-
vince II the argument does not carry
vvafer. He is a fighter who Is perfectly
willing and capable of going 10 the mat
on any subject that he does not think
viii better his beloved game Of golf.
But he also is a sympathetic listener,
II golf has any ills Ramsay viii listen.
pigeon holing Is not the Ramsay style
he Is a hard guy, but right guy. in
the pariance Of the street.
ToHN J. oUIGLEY is the new golf
champion Of Central High School
- Ouigley last week defeated Ted
DuvalI to win the title, annenng the
final match. played over the Army
Navy Country Club course, by ana 8
Kenwood Golf and Country Club