GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1920, Page 3

GOLF.

NEW PLYMOUTH CLUB. The first Tound of the St. Andrewjs handicap for Thursday players wilt be played this afternoon. The draw is: Hasell plays Delghton; Dr. Wade plays Broome; Chong, a bye. Entries closd with the secretary at 6 p.m. A-m&rrow for the first round of the St* Andrew's handicap for Saturday players. ETIQUETTE OF THE GAME. Tho etiquette of golf—the true spirit and ideals of the game—formed the subject of an Interesting discussion at a meeting of the Australian Golf Union, and the latest Sydney Referee to hand has the following:— In a general discussion, tho opinion was expressed by delegates that since tho war. owing, no > doubt, - to the fact that there had been few competitions, a general slackness in the observance of the rules and etiquette qf golf was noticeable, especially among new players, who had taken up the game during the war. It was agreed that it would be to the benefit of the game and the general comfort of all golfers'if club committees would take the matter In hand. This Is gratifying. The clear lack of etiquette Is very prevalent everywhere. It is hardly fair, however, to blame the men who took up tho gai'.ie during the war. Some years before the war started Innumerable complaints were received by the writer from all over Austria, with requests that articles on etl- j uuette might be inserted in this column, I'ages I have been written in many magazines, but they do not appear have done any good. One hears beginners state that thoy wish f- , become familiar with the rules and customs of the game, but there Is no necessity to lewn tho latter. Everyone knows them. tor they are very simple, merely the little ; couTtesiea of everyday social life, plus a little eommonsensp.. The great difficulty is that, a great proportion of players seem to think of and consider only themselves and their rwnfort, and utterly ignore everyone else. KED RAG TO THE BULL. What one. might term the. "golf atmosphere" is vapidly dying out as the playeia of the oid school get fewer. The sight of a pair of long-markers in front seems like a red rag to a bull to better players. They appear to think that it Is their djuty, at. all costs, to get ahead of them. They tear along at their heels "and wait like vultures until, for a second or two, tho leading men cannot find their ball, "tvhen they dash through, regardless of how many shots they may f.ozle in so doing. They then fool they have done their duty, and promptly slow down for the rest of the round unless they have the luck to sight another pair of longer handicap men than themselves, when they repeat tho process. It should be remembered that every time players are passed a good deal of congestion is caused, so that unless compelled, it is always advisable to give the pair in front as much latitude as possible.

RESPONSIBILITY OF SCRATCH MEX. More than this, the scratch men rather appenr to fancy the long-Markers and beginners aro necessary evils, existing only to nay their subscriptions and koep tho club jrolnp. They go through, often, without much warning, and think nothing of keeping the whole ftelrt bflck , They wlold a printer power for good or evil than the others, and should remember that one pair can easily spoil the treasure of dozens, for they Tarely lose their bull for lone enough to give tho others si chnncft of rightly claiming to go through. The trouble seems to bo thai; in medal competitions lhclr usual methods aro abandoned, and unlimited and undue caution Is taken over every shot. This is one of the reasons that medal scores are so much higher tnau practice rounds.