Stymie

Matthew Beard was an American child actor who portrayed the confident, miniature con-man Stymie in the series “Our Gang” (The Little Rascals) produced between 1922-1944. Stymie’s distinguishing features included his bald head and an oversized derby hat. Stymie, and his various partners in crime (Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Waldo, Butch, Woim, Froggy, Porky, Miss Crabtree and Petey), perpetrated countless shenanigans on unsuspecting marks.

Fact:
Stymie replaced Farina and was eventually replaced by Buckwheat.

Hold on a minute! That’s the wrong “Stymie”!

There was a time in the history of golf when you were not allowed to mark your ball on the green. In the event a competitor’s ball interfered with your path to the hole, you would need to go around (slice or hook) or over the top of your competitor’s ball to get to the hole. The situation was known as a stymie or being stymied. In addition to the obvious challenges, there were strategic implications, similar to billiards.

Ramifications:
If your ball was to strike your competitor’s, you would continue to play your ball from the new location. Your competitor had the option of putting from the original location or the new location. In the event the action of our ball caused your competitor’s ball to go in the hole, the ball was considered holed and no additional strokes were accessed to your competitor.

Facts:

• Dictionary.com suggest the origin of stymie was first recorded between 1855-1860.
• In 1920, the USGA tested a modified stymie rule for one-year, allowing a stymied player  to concede the competitor’s next putt.
• In 1938, the USGA modified the stymie ruling to allow for the marking of a competitor’s ball, only in the event the competitor’s ball was within six inches of your ball. During the same period, the stymie remained alive and well under the R&A Rules of Golf.
• In 1952, when the USGA and R&A consolidated the Rules of Golf, the stymie situation was eliminated.

Fun:
If you have a moment, Google “stymie” and locate (or click on the link) the USGA’s article: Rules Throwback: Tough Putt? Try Being Stymied. There is an incredible video of Bobby Jones maneuvering around and over in various “stymied” situations…it is ridiculous!

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