26 THE AMERICAN GOLFER

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1 26 THE AMERICAN GOLFER PLAYING TWO BALLS A VERY interesting case has been submitted to us for decision by a Denver subscriber, who writes as follows : "A and B are playing the 37th hole of a match. A slices from the tee into the rough and finds his ball in a shallow track made by a wagon used in removing leaves. He asks B whether he can drop out and B says "go ahead." But not wishing to do so unless the rules allow (there being no local rule), A asks the club professional who is in the gallery, who says that there is no rule allowing it. He then plays it where it lies, but also drops and plays another ball saying he will play both balls and get the committee's decision later. He wins the hole with the first ball but holes out also with the other. Can a player ever play two "balls?" Nowhere in the Rules is any provision made for the playing of two balls, save in the case of a ball which possibly may be out of bounds, which Rule 23-2 provides for, to wit: "In order to save delay, if a player in making a stroke be doubtful whether his ball is out of bounds or not, he may at once play another..." The two cases are scarcely analogous. Moreover, the Rules of Golf Committee have decided that ignorance of the Rules does not absolve a player from any penalty incurred. In the case under notice there would appear to be no reasonable doubt. Rule 6 reads : "A ball must be played wherever it lies or the hole be given up, except as otherwise provided for in the Rules and Local Rules." There was no Local Rule, and in playing a second ball, provisionally, the player, in our opinion, lost the hole. If this sort of thing were permitted, on any pretext whatever, the door would be opened to all sorts of possible abuses. Let us take a hypothetical case. A and B are playing together. A gets into casual water in a bunker. He claims he can lift and drop in the hazard without penalty. B says no, there is a penalty of one stroke whether the ball be dropped in the hazard or back of the hazard. So A decides to play the hole out with two balls, one in the hazard and a provisional one back of it. Both players misjudge the speed of the green and fail to lay dead. A, however, retrieves his mistake with his regular ball, with which he holes in a stroke less than the other. Other instances could be cited where the playing of a provisional ball would give the player an undue advantage. We are aware that the practice is not of uncommon occurrence, but we are strongly of the opinion that it should be frowned upon.

2 THE AMERICAN GOLFER 27 GOING THROUGH THE BALL AS HARRY VARDON SAYS, golf is a funny game. Two, three weeks ago we were going round in slightly better than par 72, 73, 74, and it was all quite so easy. Suddenly, there was a change. To beat 80 was quite a feat. Yet one's physical condition was the same. But there was a screw loose somewhere. Unconsciously, we had drifted into the habit of not going through the ball. Instead, we were cutting across it, heeling for the most part. And no distance, try as we might. In fact, the harder we tried, the more deplorable the results; and thus our whole game was thrown out of joint... everything, tee-shots, second shots, approaches, even putts...all were infected. A chance remark by an outsider started things going into the normal channel once again to our infinite wonderment wonderment that we should have been so blind to such an obvious fault, alas! so very, very common that of not going through the ball. IN A FOUR-BALL match between Walter Hagen, the Massachusetts Open champion, and Tom MacNamara, the Western open champion, against Alex. Smith, of Wykagyl, and Gilbert Nicholls, the Metropolitan open champion, which was played at the Great Neck Golf Club course, the latter combination won by 3 up and 2 to play, at 36 holes. The individual scores were: Nicholls, 67, ; Smith, 78, ; Hagen, 73, ; MacNamara, 72, MR. ARCHIE M. REID won the John Reid Medal which is emblematic of the club championship of the St. Andrews Golf Club, with a score of 78, , twelve strokes better than the second man, Mr. Chas. H. Brown. This makes the tenth time that Mr. Reid has won the medal. MR. A. F. KAMMER won the Staten Island championship, which was played at the Richmond County Country Club course, beating his club-mate, Mr. W. Roy Barnhill, of Fox Hills, in the 36 holes final, by 10 up and 9 to play. This makes the fifth time that Mr. Kammer has secured the championship. The medal for the best score in the qualifying round went to Mr. A. W.

3 28 THE AMERICAN GOLFER SOME SIX YEARS AGO the Yahnundasis Golf Club, of Utica, was established. Recently we had occasion to revisit the course. Never have we seen, anywhere, such magnificent putting-greens. They are practically flawless. And the fairway is almost as good. This high state of excellence is largely due to the work of Mr. Sherrill Sherman, the Chairman of the Green Committee. For the benefit of others, Mr. Sherman has very kindly consented to tell us how the results were brought about. His article will be published in our next issue. The club intends going in for a thorough system of bunkering the course, which should make it a really good one. Louis W. MARGUCCI, the one-armed caddie at the Essex County Country Club, N. J., who plays a remarkably good game despite his physical disability. Dole, of Fox Hills, with an 84, Mr. Kammer being next in a tie with Mr. B. T. Allen, at 85. IN A 36 HOLES four-ball match which was played at the Arcola Country Club between Mr. Oswald Kirkby, of Englewood, and Max Marston, the New Jersey State champion, against Mr. Jerome D. Travers and Mr. Archie Graham, a former State champion, the latter two were beaten by 4 up and 3 to play. The individual scores were: Mr. Kirkby, 78, ; Mr. Marston, 82, ; Mr. Travers, 81, ; Mr. Graham, 81, MR. JOHN WARD won the club championship of the Garden City Golf Club, beating Mr. Walter J. Travis in the 36 holes final, by 4 up and 3 to play. Mr. Ward also led the field in the qualifying round, with a fine 77. THERE IS ANOTHER course at Utica which offers very fine promise, that of the Utica Golf and Country Club. It was started just about a year ago, and the developments made in the meantime have been very marked. Several changes are required in order to make the lay-out really first-class, and we understand that the club intend going ahead with the proposed changes. ANNUAL GOLFERS The annual golfers' dinner at the Happy Hollow club is carded for this evening. Omaha (Neb.) World- Herald. EXPUNGED Frank Lynch, the young golfing star who defeated Chris Kenney last week in the Municipal golf tournament, was expunged yesterday afternoon by W. J. Preckel in the semifinal round. St. Louis (Mo.) Republic. THE WRAITH OF GOLF The wraith of golf mere man pursues For days, weeks, months and years; Most fickle fate he daily woos, His courage, too, he oft renews, Though oft on verge of tears.

4 THE AMERICAN GOLFER 29 A score of eight-two, once made, Becomes a beacon light To mark the game that he has played When fortune smiled the fickle jade! And every shot was right. This wraith is found on every hole, 'Tis known to some as par; For others bogey is the goal To equal, though it tries the soul Of both plain dub and star. Still there are many, many men Who play the ancient game Are satisfied with under ten For long, hard holes; the short? well, then, Nine pleases just the same. The wraith of golf is not a score That marks a player's goal; Tis neither five nor three nor four, 'Tis always less and never more Than last time on that hole. But should a player make a "one" By some freak shot sublime, His hopes thereafterward will run To do once more what he has done, And score a "one" each time. JAMES P. HUGHES. THE MIDDLE-ATLANTIC State team match, which was played on the course of the Columbia Country Club, of Washington, D. C, was won by the Columbia Country Club team, which beat Chevy Chase in the final, by 4 points to 1. Summary: COLUMBIA, 4; CHEVY CHASE, 1. Samuel Dalzell (Chevy Chase), 1; John C. Davidson (Columbia), 0. Donald Woodward (Columbia), 1; F. H. Ellis (Chevy Chase), 0. L. L. Harban (Columbia), 1; W. Tuckerman (Chevy Chase), 0. George P. James (Columbia), 1; Morven Thompson (Chevy Chase), 0. Alpheus Winter (Columbia), 1; Reeve Lewis (Chevy Chase), 0. The Hermitage team of Virginia won from Norfolk by 3 to 2 and the Washington Country Club won from Bannockburn by 3½ to 1½ in the consolation. In beating Mr. Davidson, Mr. Dalzell established a new season's record for the course of 36, 37 73, equaling the record of last year and beating the present season's record of 75, held by Dr. Lee Harban, by two strokes. THE FALL TOURNAMENT of the Maryland Country Club was won by Mr. Thomas W. Sasscer, who beat Mr. E. E. Johnston in the final, by 6 and 5. Mr. Sasscer also won the low score in the qualifying round, with an 82, Mr. Johnston and Mr. R. T. Cutler tieing for second place, at 83. THE ANNUAL tournament of the Columbia Country Club, of Washington, D. C., was marked by an abnormally large list of entries no less than 178. The medal for the low score in the qualifying round was won by Mr. Walter J. Travis (Garden City), with 38, Mr. Donald Woodward, of the home club, was next, with 38, The final narrowed down to the Metropolitan amateur champion and Mr. C. B. Buxton (Huntingdon Valley), Mr. Travis winning by 4 up and 3 to play. OTHER WINNERS : Defeated Eight Winner Henri de Sibour, Chevy Chase Club; runner-up George P. James, Columbia C. C. Second Sixteen Winner William Waliace, Hermitage C. C.; runner-up A. S. Mattingly, Columbia C. C. Defeated Eight Winner A. R. McKenzie, Columbia C. C.; runner-up H. C. Chamberlain, Columbia C. C. Third Sixteen Winner C. H. Williams Aronimink C. C.; runner-up Morven Thompson, Chevy Chase Club. Defeated Eight Winner Judge M. Peck, Virginia C. C.; runner-up J. B. Cassell, Chevy Chase Club. Fourth Sixteen Winner E. L. Bartlett, Baltimore C. C.; runner-up I. R. Prentiss, Mohawk G. C.

5 30 THE AMERICAN GOLFER Defeated Eight Winner Robinson White, Columbia C. C.; runner-up H. A. Gillis, Chevy Chase Club. Fifth Sixteen Winner John W. Brawner, Columbia C. C.; runner-up N. E. Sprague, Inwood C. C. Defeated Eight Winner H. S. Clark Bannockburn; runner-up R. H. Pritchett, Baltimore C. C. Handicap L. L. Harban, gross; F. B. Pyle, tie net; C. H. Orme, tie net. In the handicap event on Saturday Mr. C. C. Van Leer did the 13th hole (150 yards) in one stroke, a perform- The tournament this year marked a new departure in that 18 holes were played at each of the above courses, which are less than three miles apart. At Piping Rock Mr. Knowles registered a 46, 37 83, and in the afternoon, at Nassau, a 38, 40 78, making his total 161 on the 36 holes. This was good enough to win both the gross and net score prizes, but as no player is allowed to take more than one prize, Mr. Knowles elected to take that for the best gross score, Club-house of the Utica Golf and Country Club. ance which was signalized by the following notice on the blackboard in front of the club-house: "Notice Van Leer made a one on the 13th hole. What will you have?" MR. ELLIS KNOWLES, of Pensacola, Fla., won the University Club's Golf Association annual tournament, which was played at the Nassau Country Club and Piping Rock courses. Mr. Knowles was Intercollegiate champion in 1907 while a student at Yale. which gave the net score prize to Mr. H. S. Loud, Stevens, with There was a tie for the second and third net prizes between Mr. Wm. Willis, Cornell, with and Dr. J. A. Miller, Princeton, with For the prize for the lowest 18 holes gross score made on either course there was a three-cornered tie between Mr. Percy R. Pyne, 2d, Princeton; Mr. Geo. T. Brokaw,

6 THE AMERICAN GOLFER 31 Princeton and Mr. S. Clifton Mabon, Rutgers, each of whom made an 83 at Nassau. Mr. E. I. Trowbridge, Yale, won the prize for the best 18 holes net score at Nassau, with ; and Mr. A. I. Smith, Jr., Stevens, won a similar trophy, with a score at Piping Rock of Lesley Cup Competition Metropolitan Golf Association. Tom Morris Memorial Trophy Los Angeles Country Club. American Golfer Trophy Yahnundasis Golf Club. Southern Amateur C. L. Dexter. Southern Women's Miss Alexa Stirling. Olympic Cup Chicago District Golf Association. Trans-Mississippi Alden B. Swift. Some of the women members of the Stamford (N. Y.) Country Club. GOLF CHAMPIONS FOR YEAR National Amateur Robert A. Gardner. National Open Jerome D. Travers. National Women's Mrs. C. H. Vanderbeck. Western Amateur Charles Evans, Jr. Western Open Tom MacNamara. Western Women's Miss Elaine V. Rosenthal. Metropolitan Amateur Walter J. Travis. Metropolitan Open Gilbert Nicholls. Metropolitan Women's Miss Lillian B. Hyde. Massachusetts Amateur Francis Ouimet. Massachusetts Open Walter C. Hagen. Pennsylvania Amateur F. W. Dyer. Pennsylvania Open late Tom Anderson. Middle-Atlantic States J. C. Davidson. Pacific Northwest Chandler Egan. Central States Wm. Diddel. Western Intercollegiate Team, University of Illinois; Individual, John Simpson, University of Illinois. Eastern Intercollegiate Team, Yale; Individual, Francis H. Blossom, Yale. Western New York Roy McAuliffe. New Jersey State Max R. Marston. Connecticut State Amateur H. K. Kerr. Connecticut State Open J. M. Barnes. Vermont State Amateur W. A. Barber, Jr. Rhode Island State Amateur H. E. Kenworthy. Rhode Island State Women's Miss Dorothy Dempster.

7 32 THE AMERICAN GOLFER New Hampshire State Amateur C. W. Bass. Michigan State Amateur James Standish, Jr. Michigan State Women's Miss Madge Miller. Ohio State Amateur Holland Hubbard. Ohio State Open Grange Alves. Missouri State Amateur Cyrus More. Missouri State Women's Miss Grace Semple. Minnesota State Amateur Dudley H. Mudge. Minnesota State Women's Miss Eleanor Lightner. Indiana State Amateur John Simpson. Indiana State Open Sidney Cooper. Wisconsin State Amateur Richard P. Cavanagh. Wisconsin State Women's Miss Majorie Miller. Colorado State Amateur M. A. Mc- Laughlin. Colorado State Open Fred Bell. Nebraska State Amateur John W. Redick. Nebraska State Women's Mrs. E. H. Sprague. North Dakota State Amateur John Reuter, Jr. Oregon State Amateur Rudolph Wilhelm. Panama-Pacific Harry K. B. Davis. California State Amateur E. S. Armstrong. California State Open Chas. Thom. California State Women's Mrs. A. R. Pommer. Northern California Amateur Robin Hayne. Southern California Amateur E. S. Armstrong. Southern California Women's Mrs. Henry Van Dyke. Carolina Golf Association Ellicott H. Burton. Texas State Amateur Geo. V. Rotan. Tennessee State Amateur Garner Watkins. Florida State Amateur James R. Hyde. Florida State Women's Miss Lillian B. Hyde. Florida State Open Tom MacNamara. Alabama State Amateur J. C. Allison.