British Golf Links

GOLF - LltfK BRITISH GOLF LINKS A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LEADING GOLF LINKS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM it I) ^ilumcrous glltusfrations au6 portraits ED1TKD BY HORACE HUTCHJNSON LONDON J. S. VIRTUE & CO., LIMITED 26, IVY LANE, AND 294, CITY ROAD, E.G. 1897 EDITOR'S NOTE. A FEW words by way of preface appear necessary, if only to explain the presence of Pau, Biarritz and Cannes among " British " Golf Links. When the title was selected, the intention was to confine the book to links on the British Islands. In course oF its preparation, it was sug- gested that it would add to the interest of the book if some account and views were given of greens, even outside of Britain, to which the Briton commonly resorts. Yet it scarcely seemed wise or necessary to change the title ; therefore let him who would quarrel with it do so or find some better reason for the inclusion of these foreign greens. A further likely question is, " If Pau, Cannes and Biarritz, why not—even a fortiori—Dinard, Jersey and Guernsey i" The truth is, that the scope of the book has had to be rigidly deter- mined by the kindness of friends—and, with the best of goodwill, they were not always able to help us—in sending accounts and views of the various greens; and, for the immense trouble which many have taken in this particular, the editor begs to give his best thanks. It was, in any case, impossible that the scope of the book should be all-exhaustive—that would have made it also all-exhausting. Throughout it has been the editor's aim to let the honorary secretaries and others, who have been at the pains to send accounts, tell their own tale in their own words, believing that in this way a pleasant variety ot style and manner of treatment would follow, which could not have been the result if the whole had borne the mark of one pen. For the errors, doubtless numerous, of his editorial work, the editor would wish to apologise at the outset, and, at the same time, to express his indebtedness to the various sources of reference and quotation from which, by permission, he has drawn; especially to "Famous Golf Greens," to the "Golfing Annual," and to the "Golfing Guide." In all cases he has endeavoured to acknowledge this indebtedness at the place in which the extracts have been inserted, and if, in any instance, he has failed of this due recognition, he trusts that this general expression may be taken to cover all omissions. LIST OF CLUBS AND LINKS. N7VMK lf CT,ITH. MAM.K OF UNKS. ROYAL AND ANCIENT ST. ANDREWS ST. ANDRKWS .. ST. GEORGE'S SANDWICH ROYAL PORTRUSI-I .. l'ORTRUSIT .- ABERDEEN ,. ABKRDOVEY ALDEHURGH ALNMOUTJI ALNMdUTII THE ROYAL ISLE OI; WIGHT . , BIARRITZ HIARRTTZ (FRANCK) .. THE ROYAL ULACKHEATH UI^ACKMIiATH MEYRICK BOURNKMOUTI-T (M1CYR ROYAL WEST NORFOLK ,; BRANCASTJiR BRIGITTON AND HOVR BRIGHTON CANNES CANNES (FRANCE) .. DALHOUSIE .. CARNOUSTIK CF-irSLKHURST CHIST,EHURST ,. .; CINQUE PORTS DEAI COVENTRY COVENTRY THE ROYAT, nunrjN DOM.YMOUNT .. DORNOCH DORNOCH ROY At EASTBOURNE EASTBOURNK .. EDINBURGH BURGESS BARNTON ELTHAM ELTHAM GREAT YARMOUTH GREAT YARMOUTH .. GULLANE GULLANE ROYAL ST. DAVID'S HARLECH vili LIST OF CLUBS AND LINKS NAME OF CLUB. NAME OF LINKS. HASTINGS AND ST. LEONARD'S ,. .. HASTINGS ROYAL LIVERPOOL HOYI-AKF, I-IUDDERSFIELD HUDDERSFIELD INNERLEVEN LEVBN LTTTLESTONE LITTLKSTONE LYTHAM AND ST. ANNE'S LVTI-IAM MACHRIHAN1SH .. MACHRIHANISH. CAMPBELTOWN MINCHINHAMPTON .. .. .. MINCHINHAMPTON PRINCE'S . MITCHAM COMMON ROYAL ALBKRT, MONTROSE MONTROSE HON. COMPANY OF EDINBURGH GOLFERS MUIRFIELD ROYAL MUSSEI.BURGH .. MUSSELBURGH NAIRN ,-, .„ .. NAIRN ... COUNTY DOWN (NEWCASTLE) •• -- NEWCASTLE (COUNTY DOWN).. NORTH BERWICK NEW CLUB, ETC. .. NORTH BERWICK NOTTINGHAMSHIRE NOTTINGHAM PAU PAU PORTHCAWL PORTHCAWL PRESTWICK PRKSTWICK RICHMOND SUDBROOK PARK ROMFORD ROMFORD .. .. ,:. RYE RYE SCARBOROUGH .. SCARBOROUGH TOOTINCi BEC . ... FURZEDOWN TROON TROON WEMBLEY WEMBLEY ROYAL NORTH DEVON WESTWARD HO! ROYAL WIMBLEDON & LONDON SCOTTISH WIMBLEDON BRITISH GOLF LINKS. ROYAL AND ANCIENT GOLF CLUB OF ST. ANDREWS. Thou piv'sL me lo my Ufa's ln A golfer's fnmeiiivme; I ht, Ihy jjiftj n driver's J If J Froi, " ODE I ST. ANM ite of the magnificent venerableness of its title, the Roynl d Ancient Club of St. Andrews is by no means the oldest established golf club even in Scotland; much less does it vie with the lioary antiquity of the Elackheatli Club. Nevertheless it is regarded by universal consent as the premier golf club of the world; its traditions are the traditions of the game, its rules are the rules on which golf is universally played—with a few local exceptions, which do not affect the justness of the general statement—and to its arbitrament, or to that of a body in which its members are very largely re- presented, most questions are commonly referred by other clubs. Its course is probably the finest in the world, and it now possesses a second, or alternative course, which, but for the neighbourhood of the old-established one, wotild probably 1>e deemetl to vie with the best known elsewhere. The follow- ing description of the older coxirse, taken, by kind permission, from the "Golfing Animal" of 1888-9, and written, at editor has reason to believe, by a late well-known profess player, gives as excellent a notion of it as writing is likely ti which 1 gen ral description of the " The St. Andrew's golf course is of a sandy nature, while small hills, which contribute to the hazards of the green, are conspicuous throughout its entire extent, Starting at the teeing ground of the first hole, •which is immediately in front of the Royal and Ancient Golf Chihhouse, you have a space of from 200 to 300 yards of as level ground as there is to be found all the way round. At the end of this is the Swilcan Burn, fe-OYAL AND ANCTENT fiOT.F CT.UR OF ST. ANDREWS. which runs across the links in a zigzag fashion, and flows into the bay. Forming a Splendid hassarcl for Hie approach to the first, or ' Burn,' hole, where the putting green is always in good order, owing to its being kept moist by its proximity to the burn. The second hole—' Coiner-of the-Dyke,' as it is generally called— is rather more undulating, traversed by little ridges witli small valleys or ditches between, It is bounded on the Tight by whins (although little now remains of these but the name ; the ground however is hillocky and rough), and on the left by the station ; it is considered a rather difficult hole, owing to the amount of bunkers around the putting green. The third hole is somewhat similar to the second, but in playing the tee shot you must lie careful to avoid a 'draw,' or you are very' apt to get into some of the catches lying around the bunker named the ' Principal's Nose,1 which is not very easy to keep clear of. By the edge of this putting green is a long bunker, which stretches nearly across the green, and is ii good trap when approaching the bole, which is placed on a very flue piece of turf. Leaving the third hole, going to the fourth, you have again a good variety oF hillocks—some lather high—but a good player can clear everything and get to the putting green in two strokes. The best play here is to keep, if anything, to the right of the course, so as to avoid bunkers. The next hole is the 'Long' hole, which requires three full drives to get Lo the putting: green, or two good shots and an iron, and if the "wind is contrary sometimes you do jiot reach it in three j but "when once on the green you discover it to be the finest on the whole links j in fact, many golfers aver it to be the best iu tlie kingdom. It measures about sixty yards long, and about forty Capiafa, 1895-0. yards broad, and is very nearly absolutely level. In driving to the sixth hole you encounter a succession of bunkers which are very treacherous. The first of these, called ' Walkinshaw,1 looks the player straight in the face, and is a nice trap for a short drive. There are no less than nine bunkers in this hole, and none oC them very easy to get out of. The putting green of the hole was alwa3'S rather bumpy and rough, but of late years, with care* ful attention, it has greatly improved, and at present ia in very excellent condition. The next hole is the 'High' Hole, which lies close to the river Eden, and is a very critical one to negotiate, as, although not long, it is difficult to approach, bunkers being all round it, and the Eden immediately at Uie back. The green itself is of a very sandy nature, con- sequently it is tender, and cannot stand much work. From the ' High ' hole we come to the ' Short' hole, which is for a missed ball from the tee to escape, as bunkers are prominent, and it lakes a pretty shot to lie near the hole, i which, as a rule, ought to be taken in three strokes. Now we come to the ninth, or last, hole oivt, which is something like the first hole, rather level, and with but one slight • i hazard in it, and thia a little bunker some forty to fifty yards short of the hole, beyond which lies a good putting "In turning homewards you play to the same putting greens as you do when going out, but the holes are placed *WM on tIle other side of the greens.

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