Jewish Woman Finalist Forfeits Golf Title Because of Yom Kippur

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

Nationwide interest has been aroused in the outcome of the recent woman’s golf championship because Mrs. J. G. Spitz, one of the finalists, was compelled to default rather than play on Yom Kippur. Mrs. Spitz requested the committee in charge to have the final match played on Monday, instead of last Saturday, but the officials declared such a change was impossible. When she did not appear for the match on Saturday, Mrs. Jean Jones was declared State champion.

President W. P. Wood of the Virginia Golf Association and R. B. Augustine, Chairman of the tournament, explained that they were notified too late of the objection of Mrs. Spitz. They issued this statement:

“Since publication of the tournament program, not one of the committee has ever been approached with information that any of the days of this tournament fell on a religious holiday. If such intimation had been made dates would have been changed immediately. Original dates were deferred one week at the request of women golfers of this city, and the committee was absolutely innocent of the fact that this tournament would conflict with any religious holiday until the tournament had gotten well under way.”

He declared that under the United States Golf Association rules it was impossible to change the schedule.

Alvin Hutzler of the Lakeside Club, which Mrs. Spitz represented, is indignant over the action taken by the committee. “There was a distinct understanding between Mr. Wood and myself.” he says, “that no member of the Lakeside Club would be compelled to play on a holy day. Mr. Wood takes the position that he understood this day to fall on Sunday; otherwise Saturday would not have been set for the final round. I was out of town when the date was set and did not return until late in the week. I got in touch with Mr. Wood on Thursday and understood the matter would be adjusted satisfactorily.”