GOLF.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17109, 2 April 1921, Page 13

GOLF.

CHANGES IN THE GAME.

(special to "the fbess.")

(By Abe Mitchell.)

Though the professional takes no par*, in the legislative side of golf. I believe it is correct to say that his views arc both songht and valued. He is, of course, allowed to manage his own at-. fairs through the Professional Goiters Association, and J trust that I am revealing no secret in saying that he Mas taken into consultation in regard to the arrangements for this season s championship at Hoylake, Representatives of tho P.G.A. met meuibors of the st. Andrew's Committee after the match ■it Orhey betweon Vardon and Ray and Duncan and Hereon after the return of the first two named players iron America, and it was linen decided to conduct" tho qualifying.round and the championship proper in the grey old city which is the spiritual home of the game. As a. matter of fact, the control of the event was entirely (handed over to tho R. and Ar and tbongh I believe thev were a little surprised at this, the P.G.A. considered that it was an the: interests of all that it should ho so. I havo been asked why tho professionals wanted the qualifying .test to be held altogether, 'and not, as las. year, in professional, and amateur sections. The reason was oestainly not. that they considered that the amateurs, an being allotted eight places in the final stages, were being favoured. But the point made, and which, the 11. and A. have, i believe, accepted, was that all wore, en-' trants for the same event, and were playing for tho highest prize that tiro gamo has to offer, and that no distinction should be made.

An Out-of-Bounds Anomaly.

i But even if we do not take any direct part in the legislative side of the game, whatever decisions are come to usually affect vis just as mudi as anyone else. LThe now rules -which arc to come into > force on Mav Ist—in some instances I have heard of clubs who havo already adopted them, though this is of course, wrong—must be tested before it can he told whether the.changes are wise or i otherwise. But it strikes me as unfortunate that we cannot have one penalty fn general operation ior the shot out -of hounds. Either it be stroke and distance, or distance only' Not only is the- difference confusing to those of us who play on many courses, but it introduces a suggestion <if unfairness. For instance, tako the courses on -whitfa. the championships are to be decided this season. At St. Andrew's the penalty is steoko and distance, and at Hoylako distance only. But I fail to see why tho stroke into the stationinaster's garden on the Scottish Jinks should he mora harshly punished than one'into tho oi'chard at Hoylake. ■'•'■';' With regard to the change in the lost hall rule, I understand tJhat this, was •altered to satisfy America, who argufidl that the~6Sroke which resulted;-in the disappearance of the ball was often not as bad as the shot which ended "out of hounds;" So they said Uhe penalty should be the same in each instance, and their way of stating the case seems logical. A, hall out of hounds in very many cases Tvould be lost beyond re* 'coveiry. For example, if you are too strong with your appr&ach to the Bixth hole at Deal, she ball will probably' finislh in the sea, That is unquestionably lost. Yon do not know where it is any more than the ball which bides itself in the rough a few yards off •fairway. Again I have seen many halls struck out of hounds—l have hit inanj; of them myself, I regret to say—and the country into which they travelled was so had that, if you were prepared to search for a week, you would not expect to find .them. So that by this method of reasoning it is fair to say that the stroke which'causes the loss of a ball does not ; deserve to. be punished more severely than one which results in the ball being' hit beyond the boundaries of the course. So far. as the professional is concerned ■ this change of rule is not jery important, for the matt "who loses a ball and still hopes to snatch a half when penalised stroke and distance must ho a real 'optimist. Indeed, not once in a hundred times I rmagmo will it be worthI -while to go back and drop a second ball, unless, of course, you know that your ! opponent is, already in trouble. Then ■you may take the trouble to walk back «, hundred yards or more instead' of pro-• cecding to the next tee, as one is compelled to do under the old and present lost ball rule, but only if there is any likelihood of your opponent dropping two more strokes in recovering. This may happen in the caße of the amateur, but scarcely in that of the professional, and X should say that the authorities do not contemplate that anyone, except in rare cases; will play a second ball. If jt were to become a general practice, to inevitably'mean still more congestion on the crowded links. Jt ia'had enough when a player goes back to drop a ball in the case of out of bound*, and it will be so much worse if he does the same when a ball is,lost. The Hew Sajl Dttennna.

Then, of course, there is the' new ball. I' do not think that there is the slightest doiibt the-authorities have veen completely deceived in fixing the maximum weight and minimum size, and'that they are already aware that the makers are putting on the market \he best ball that has yet been manufactured. To some extent I believe this is due to the fact that they are winding the core tighter than ever. Not only am I satisfied that the new hail flies-further than the- "31," but I believe that it simplifies certain shots. It certainly comes up quicker, anu that is a most important advantage. I have heard many rumours as to what action the R. and A. committee intend to take in the matter, but I do not anticipate, whatever they may decide, that any change will be m«do this season. The manufacturers, I imagine, will be studied to ink extent. I shall be more than surprised, however, if the R. and &.' finaHy carry out the plan which they arrived at last season, and which was only scrapped to please the Americans. If xthis is' done it win mean the fixing of V real standard, ah- the standard will bb a ball that -will float. .Golf will be a very different game with a 'hall weighing about '26 ounces.

LADIES' CHAMPIONSHIP.

WON.BT MISS WEKffIT.

. 'fire Ladies" Golf Charnpror»hJ|> of CsnterEuxy wbb won at the Shirley links yesterday by" JBjs JT. E. Wright, of Turiarn, VI» also won it i»st year. Miss Wright went round oo Ibnksdxy is 85. strokes, bot yeJSt«dsy toot: 92—50 out sod 42 home. She was beaten in thia round by Mrs Donald with a score of - 9X. Hiss 'Wrigntf* aggregate fox the tm> roffnds was 177, and Mrs Robinson's 189, Too stroke handicap, played concurrently with the ehssnpionairip, wa* won. by Mns Bonttct (Juoidicap 13) witb » not score ot 78. She went out in 4& and caro* borne ia 4S. The links wera in and tbji weather driigrMfnl. • Tb« scons irt the lecond raced o( tho cfcampionsßip aro grnar. tudow, %Iso the aggregate tabus «t Hie .players:—

Sirs Donald and Mrs Green won the bogey lour-ball match with a score of two up. .Ifisi 9

3. "Wright and Miss Dorothy Anderson were | second with a score of one up. Tho scores were as follows.-. Mrs Donald and Mrs Green .. 2up Mis 3 Wright and Miss Anderson .. }'UP •"" Mrs Lawrence and Mrs Kitson .. "square Mrs Hill and Mrs Svraes ■■ •• eq"*™ Miss UobtnKOT! and Miss Harris .. 2 down Mrs Colin and Mrs Nathan .. 3 down . Mrs Godbv »nd Miss "Wilkin .. 8 down Mrs Bar "and Mrs Eer .- •• 4 down. Miss "West and Mrs Louisson- .. 4 down Miss Helmore and Miss Cotterill .. 7 down _ Mrs Banks and Miss Bennington .. 8 down Miss McDougall and Miss Knight 8 down Mrs Lythgoe* and Mrs TVigram . - 6 down | Mrs Foster and Miss Enright .. 9"°™ Putting matches were won by Mrs Ixrcm and Mrs Lawrence respe^veb-. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIP WON BY ' . H. B. LTTSK. The -fnml of the Auckland Provincial gob championship to p!i£jed at the Middlemore links on Tuesday 11. B. Lus* defeating H. George at the 'nineteenth. The game, was on* of theaost interesting matches 'that has been witnessed iu a championship m >w Zealand. Th-> game was expected to be closely contested. Lusk, who had been playing cricket, all the summer, had hecn piayinff himself into:form just previous to the tournament, and his round with Bell in the semifinal showed that he was quite on his game George played very fine golf, and was -1 up a: the turn, while at the thirteenth he was dormv 5. He looked a. certain winner, bu Lusk, who well deserved his reputation ot being one of tho most difficult.match players in New Zealand to defeat, came in in 37, and took George to the nineteenth, which he won in i to 5. . In consequence. George, who had won the championship in »10 and 1920, forfeited the title,. KIBEWOOD Uf AMERICA. > (By Cable—Press A«o<*tion— Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Kooeived April Ist, 10.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. March- 31. Kirkwood is sailing for England on April 12th, and will return immediately alter tne French Open ' Championship has been decided in order to take part in the American National Open Championship on Jul> 1&™.

ttroil ktTialffTrtW Warn Wrfcfet (Ebmhj) 93 1 . 91 177 Mo Boteuoa 97 ja «7 159 Mina Hurra (Etgiey) 93 8 85 193 Mia Donald (Chch.) .. 91 ia 7ft 193 Mrs Godby' (Chch.} ■ • 94 ii 83 196 Mra Colin lfl* 14 '87 197 lira Kerr (Tbnafttf ... . 98 12 87 203 Mrs Kitson (Chck.) .. , » 11 •87 2» Miss CottcriU (Chch.) iw 20 85 2W Lady Bojs (Chch.) •• 105 19 88 21i Tits Green (C&ch.) .. , Ufl 17 •93 213 Miss O'Botfce (C!hoh.>. .120 2* 9ft 2S Miss Knight (Chch.) .. 114 St 90 2»