While unyielding in loyalty to the Royal and Ancient, there will probably be many golfers who will extend tacit support to the new rule of the United States Golf Association to change the stymie rule and permit the inside ball to be lifted if it is "within six inches of the cup," an act which the Royal and Ancient forbids. It does not occur very often in average play but it is one of those-irritating positions which the expert player is easily able to overcome, but the average player very rarely. And if the change has the backing of such a powerful body as the United States Golf Association, which cannot be said to be without authority in the matter, it must have something in it to commend it in its reflection on the standard of play. After all, golfers strive to become good players but the game has become so scientific and precise at the hands of the world's champions that the huge class known as the "average player" always will be just fair or mediocre and to make the game more interesting in regard to the score should be all to the good. He would be denying the enjoyment of the game who would deny that a lower score, to the average man, is of much more importance than the playing of a difficult shot, and a little concession would be appreciated. The conflict if any—and the two great golfing associations have only friendly disputes—will come in the Walker Cup games at St, Andrews' this summer when the golfer will know his fate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.