GOLF

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 166, 9 April 1921, Page 3

GOLF

NOTES AND COMMENTS

iHE STYMIE

VIEWS OE WELL-KNOWN PROFESSIONALS.

The question of the abolition of the stymie is causing a deal of trouble in golfing circles. Recently' in England the two famous professionals, San-iy Herd and Harry Varden, were asked to give their view on the matter. V ardon wrote as follows to the Morning Post’:—“Unless the stymie is to be taken out of golf altogether it should bo left as' it stands and always has stood. To play a stymie when he is required io do so is a fine test oi a golfer’s nerve and ability. It levels itself up in the course of a year. I always think that when a rule or law is made "it should be carried out. Clubs should not be permitted to make local rules which over-ride or set at naught the main regulation, because in such circumstances golfers find themselves always at sea. Alake a firm rule which everybody understands, and then see that they stick to it.” Sandy Herd took exactly the same view of the matter. He states:—“’there is only one answer to sueh a suggestion as an alteration in the law regarding stymies. You will spoil the game of golf if you do away with the stymie. It is the only department of the game that enables you to hit your opponent below the belt (not that you try to or want to), and it enables him to do the same. What a beautiful shot would be done away with if the rule were altered. 1 consider that to hole stymies by the different ways one has to is an art in itself. And I say without any hesitation —nobody has a right to ruin a great game/’ In. the course of a letter in the same journel, a well-known golfing peer elates:-"! imagine that all true golfers will deplore the action taken in the matter of the stymie by the United States Golf Association, who, with characteristic thoroughness, have eliminated all mention of it in uieir rules. At the same time no one win contest their right to frame such laws to suit, they peculiar requiremenfs. or to play the game as they think fit, but the disturbing fact to Briish golfers is that such alterations received the sanction and approval of the Rules Cbmmitee on this side. It has always appeared to me that to tinker with the rules governing the game in however small a degree tends to detract from Its great merits, but when an alteration violates a great principle it borders on sacrilege. Hitherto we have regarded the Lines Committee in the light of a sacred repository in whose keeping may safely be left the ancient traditions and destinies of the gamp, but this latest example of stewardship will badly shake our faith. The interpretation that is being put on this concession to American demands looks as if the committee were desirious to placate and conciliate them, but many will think that, such action wjjs undignified, and should not have been granted without a mandate from the golfing community here. We are expecting an invasion from a team of crack American amateurs this season. They will be compelled to play under our rules, which will be in direct conflict with theirs on the' putting green, and it is a fair assumption to predict that complications will •.rise. Should the Americans£fail to capture the amateur championship little credit may be given us for retaining 'the title, for they will Tightly say that they were playing under rules foreign to their own, and which they consider unfair. Looking at and judging the matter from an international standpoint, it is the grea/est misfortune that such differences of opinion should exist, and now that the point of the wedge has been inserted, cleavage, to ihe point of absolute disruption, may ereni,uallv arise, which would be calamitous. I plead that British golf be allowed to retain the stymie as being a part of the whole that goes to make tjie real game of golf.” Jottings Here and There.

Thus an American writer:—“Over in England they have already started to worry about the Yankee golf invasion in 1921. They have the impression over there that a big fund is being raised to send over 15 or 20 of America’s best amateurs. No fund is being raiised here for the amateurs. 'Those who go over will pay:their own expens'es. The lund which is being raised is to finance a team of professionals who are going over for the British open. The British have plenty to think about in regard to Uns golf invasion without the unnecessary worry over the status of our amateurs.

Another writer, on the question of rules:—“Those golfers who want the rules changed probably haven t stopped to consider that it may be the way they play the game and not the rules winch has put them in suclh a restless frame of mind. Golf has withstood the assaults of more poor players than any game you can recall. And when a game can stand up under the number of buffers at large on the links the rules surely are fool-proof. By the way, have vou heard of any good players kicking about the rules?” M

“Bogey” writes: “In your column last week reference was made to an American player who had the experience of holing out in one and yet losing the hole. A well-known Waikato and Kinff Country player had a similar exper-ence recently on "the Te Awamutu links. 'I he tee for the last hole is on the top of a hill, and the hole itself is about one hundred and ninety yards down the slope, near the club pavilion. The player in quest, on drove, and the ball came to rest about a foot from the pin. it rolled a little right into the hole. Needless to say, he won the bole, and, I think, nhe game.

tournament at nelson. A very successful Easier tournament was held e.t Nelson under very fair weather conditions. This is tho hist tournament that the club has held, and it is to be hoped (hat it will be made a permanent fixture. In addition o local players, Messrs. S. R. Hormbrook, J. VV. Haynes, A. Toogood, A. Mnvin, H. Page, ,J. T. Lewis, C. J. Percy, N. A. Ching were present from the North Island. The amateur provincial championship was won by N. Rout, who defeated H. C. Cock in the final by 6 up and four to play. N. Rout s play throughout the tournament was particularly sound, and he well deserved his The following players qualified in the championship:—N. Bout 159, N. / • Ching 16,1, H. Page 171, L. h Carter IM. C. P. Palmer 177, H. C. Cock Mavin 185, E. B. Moore ISS, G. I’., 187 R. Davis 189, F. M'Cabe 191. 1 ■ Moore 193, R. B. Dodds 193. A. Toogood 197, A. Toswell 197, I. Dodds 198. In the 36-hole stroke match, N. bout, N A. Ching, and R. Davis tied net score of 153, and in the play oft N. A. Ching won with a net score ot «b, N Rout 83, and R. Davis 84. On Monday morning the Bogey Handicap was won by N. Rout (2) with a score of 1 down, but being in the championship he was not eligible and A. Robinson (2d) was the winner with -down. The medal handienn in the afternoon was also won by A. Robinson (20). with a net 75. I. Dodds second with >B. On Tuesdav morning the Bogey Handleap was won by IL Page 3 up, and the 1-ball bogey was won by Messrs. Dodson and Palmer 4 up. with Hormbrook and Weymouth second 3 up.