GOLF

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 160, 2 April 1921, Page 13

GOLF

NOTES AND COMMENTS Quito the greatest problem of to-day confronting American golfers—and there seems to be absolutely no ground, for all the trouble—is the question of new regulations. English writers naturally adhere to the support of time-honoured rules, for there can be no doubt that the game as played in the Old Country , and the dominions is all right as it stands. But the “New York Evening Post” has something to say on the matter. Henry Ilsley, the Andirondack expert, states in a recent issue on the question of “golf ball” legislation: — “Golfers the world over are still discussing recent golf ball legislation and tho high cost of the game. As to the latter, after urging economy on greens committees and house committees, the proposition is advanced that by carrying one's own clubs a material saving will be made in the course of a year. Against that, however, must be set tho cost of lost balls—an -important factor on courses where one must be everlastingly straight down the line. Whether the average golfer will be willing for economy s sake to dispense with the average caddie is a question. The man of dedicate feelings probably would not have the nerve to pass the battery of accusing eyes or listen to sotto voce comments as he digs around in the rough in search.. of the elusive sphere. Granted that many caddies are impossible and at best little more than beasts of burden to tote the heavy bag, in this role they at least assist in conserving the golfer’s wind, strength, and temper. The player with plenty .of money always will hijve his caddie, will invariably attempt to secure the services of the best one in the club, and will continue to -tip him outrageously, when he wins easy money from his regular rivals, despite ‘rigid rules and threats of club officials. ' The average player, it appears, will have to do the best he can, will have to follow the. fight on his own ball—despite the repeated injunction to keep the eye on the place where the ball was—if he hasn’t tho price and has the nerve to pass up the caddie. Eighteen Holes or Twelve?

Golfers in England became genuinely alarmed the other day when a writer on tho “Daily Chronicle” launched ,;out as follows, on the subject of length of . games: — "I think that by strong measures it may still be possible to make golf a tolerable game. Tho chief thing is that it is frightfully complicated and frightfully laborious. The fundamental cause of this is the unfortunate fixing of the normal length of a course of eighteen holes. I wonder who did that? It is six holes too long. It is because of these six holes that the bond-slaves have to bolt their breakfasts and miss their baths and come back late for lunch; that everyone rushes round the course at a hand gallop; that everyone is always either pressing someone in front or lotting somebody go through behind; that everyone is touchy und had-tempered about etiquette in the morning; that everyone totters exhausted into the cluohouse and takes to secret drinking before lunch. If the normal course was twelve o holes these evils might disappear. Only then some madman would start starting earlier in order to piny two rounds before lunch and ruin the whole thing. lh« best thing would be to do away with Clubs altogether, and that is the fundamental reform for which I am working. The real defence of golf is that it forces you to take walking exercise when you otherwise wouldn't and generally rn fair y good scenery. But this would be equal y true if the game was to walk around tile course throwing the ball instead of hitting it with complicated instruments. There would be no bother about buying clubs or carrying clubs; you would simply • put a ball in your pocket, .walk out to the first tee and fling it madly from you at the bunker. ' It would be grand. And very likely you would get over the bunker.” . ) Jottings Here and There.

Here's a new one in golf. Can _ft •player hole out in onb and still lobe the hole? Holing out in one is so common these days that the feat haid’y attracts more than passing not.ee and the Hole-In-One Club, members are • innumerable. But to hole out in one and still lose the hole is unique. Tins novel ex ence mently befell am English golfer Driving from the first tee, his ball struck the tee box-of the ladies tee It bounced sharply to the lef landed on the eighteenth, green and rolled into tho hole. He lost the hole. #♦ ' *

In standardising the golf ball a hnnt has been placed on the size and the weight, but not a mention is made anywhere about the price. Golf deate j s are informed that when players buy golf balls and remark on paying foi them, “Isn’t that the limit? they are referring to the cost and the size and weight. . ,'

Thus the New York “Post” lia is going to send a golfing sen»at.on over here next summer in the person of J H Kirkwood, who plans to enter the national open. Kirkwood is as a violator of form in golf. He is as awkward as a novice and pays little attention to the accepted precepts, but He can hit the ball a mile, pitch it np dead to the pin, and can put with fienduh accuracy. Hheis as good as all that, good-bye cup.”

If golf officials want to, make an addition to tho riilds which will be hailed with delight by everyone who.ever fporiwl a drive, let them pass an irone: ad ed et against voluntary advice on the links. Make the penalty severe enough so that no player would dare to say a. second time, ‘ ‘You don’t do that right; let me show you.”