FOUNDED 1890; THE RECOGNISED ORGAN OF THE GAME £ ftecorii of “ ge Kopal anti ^unctcnt ” Oame. "Far and Sure.” [Registered as a Newspaper.] No. 288 Voi. XI.] Price Twopence. FRIDAY, JANUARY i7th, 1896. [Copyright.] 1 o.?. 6d. per Annum, Post Free. Jan. 25.—Huddersfield : Monthly Competition. RoyaL Wimbledon ; Monthly Medal. Romford : Captain’s Prize. Royal North Devon : Monthly Medal. Royal Eastbourne : Monthly Medal. Taplow : Monthly Medal. Cinque Ports : Monthly Medal. Neasden : Monthly Medal. Alfreton : Bronze Medal. Alfreton Ladies : Silver Spoon. Moseley : Monthly Medal. Glamorganshire : Monthly medal (“ Bogey ”). Eltham Ladies : Monthly Medal. Disley : Annual Meeting. Enfield : “ Bogey” Competition (Kenilworth Cup). Burnham (Somerset) : “Bogey” Competition. Balham : Monthly Medal (Juniors). Jan. 27. —Warminster : Monthly Handicap. Pau : Jubilee Medal (Open Handicap by Holes). Jan. 28.—Bowdon Ladies : Monthly Medal. Waveney Valley : Monthly Medal. 1896. JANUARY. Enfield : Ladies’ “ Bogey ” Competition (Wyndcroft Jan. 18.—Royal Worlington and Newmarket : Monthly Medal. Prize). Robin Hood v. Kidderminster. Burnham (Somerset) : Monthly Gold and Silver Medal. Mid-Surrey : Monthly Medals (Senior and Junior). Jan. 29. - Robin Hood z. Ipsley. Ravenscliffe : Monthly Medal. Morecambe and Heysham : Captain’s Prize. Northwood ; “ Bogey ” Competition. Jan. 30.—Romford Ladies : H. H. Raphael Prize. Royal Epping Forest; Quarterly Medals (First and Second Wellingborough : Monthly Medal. Class). Royal Guernsey : Monthly Medal. Willesden : Monthly Medal (Short Handicap). Royal Cromer : Monthly Medal. Rochester : Monthly Medal. West Middlesex : Monthly Medal. FEBRUARY. King’s Norton : Captain’s Prize. Feb. 1.—Hythe : Monthly Medal. North-West Club (Londonderry) : Ladies’ Monthly Medal. North-West Club (Londonderry) ; Monthly Medal, Disley ; Winter Silver Medal. King’s Norton : Monthly Challenge Cup. Wimbledon Ladies : Monthly Medal. Woodbridge : President’s Prize. Rochester Ladies : Monthly Medal. Lansdown: President’s Cup, Monthly 'Competition, and Harrogate : Monthly Medal. Ladies’ Monthly Medal. East Finchley ; Monthly Medal. Royal Liverpool : Winter Optionals. Burnham (Somerset): “ Bogey’’ Competition. Macclesfield : President’s Challenge Cup. Saltburn : Captain’s Prize. Birkdale : Fourth Medals. Balham : Monthly Medal (Seniors). Neasden: “ Bogey ” Competition. Tooting : “ Bogey” Handicap. Finchley: Monthly Medal and Captain’s Prize. Jan. 19.—Disley : Schofield Prize. Northwood : Monthly Medal. Jan. 21.—Cumbrae : Club Prize and Sweepstake. Manchester : Captain’s Cup. Jan. 22.—Meyrick (Bournemouth) : Monthly “ Bogey.” Biighton and Hove : Berens Gold Medal. Jan. 25.—Lytham and St. Anne’s : Captain’s Cup. Bury : Monthly Medal. Royal West Norfolk : Monthly Medal. Bowdon : Monthly Medal. Cheadle : Fourth Winter Monthly Medal. North Manchester : “Bogey ” Competition. Royal Epping Forest : Gordon Cup, Captain’s Prize, and Woodford : Captain’s Prize and Monthly Medal. Monthly Medal. West Middlesex : “ Bogey ” Competition. Willesden : Monthly Medal (Long Handicap). Great Yarmouth : Monthly Medal. Royal Ashdown Forest: Monthly Medal. London Scottish : Monthly Medal. Sidcup : Monthly Medal (First and Second Class). Raynes Park : Monthly Medal. Chislehurst : Monthly Medal. Bullwood : Monthly Medal. 394 GOLF January 17, 1896. SOME “ ROYAL AND ANCIENT” MEDALLISTS. is not much room for vaunting. Those who know St. Andrews green intimately, and can compare its condition thirty years ago with its present state of perfection, admit that it is many strokes easier than it used to be. In the earlier period lawn-mowers Mr. Craig Thomson, Broughty Ferry, who became a mem­ and rollers were unknown. Cut turf was plentiful, rushes and ber of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club upwards of forty years long grass were frequently encountered, bunkers had to be ago, has, along with Tom Morris, recently been having his crossed, not evaded ; to use the term “ putting-green ” at the high hole was a misnomer, it was little better than blown sand, portrait painted, and, apropos of the occasion, a contemporary whilst the journey to the end hole was a narrow way guarded observes that besides being one of the oldest life members, Mr. on both sides by whins and rough heather. Thomson has won more of the honours which the “ Royal and Proceeding down the list of medallists we come to Mr. Mure Ancient ” has to bestow than any other member of the club Furgusson and Mr. J E. Laidlay, each with nine wins to his north of the Tay. In respect of seniority, Mr. Thomson has still credit. In 1893 ^r- Mure Fergusson, playing for the first time with a bulger, lowered the record to 79, and won the King a considerable lee-way to make up, Col. Thomson (of Charleton), William IV. medal. Last year he again entered the honours’ Baron Playfair, Mr. Maitland (of Balmungo), and others, being list with 80. Mr. Laidlay only joined the club in 1885, and he nearly twenty years his senior in membership. But the par­ has still a long period to add to his laurels. At the spring ticular point of interest is that one whose prowess on the golfing meeting of the past year he repeated Mr. Fergusson’s score of 79, and in 1894 he won the gold medal with 80 strokes. Mr. field in by-gone days is undoubted, should have passed almost Horace Hutchinson figures next in the list with eight wins. He completely out of the knowledge of the present generation of appears to have been at the top of his game in 1887, when he golfers in St. Andrews. Looking, however, to the published took the silver cross at the May meeting, and the Club’s gold record of the Royal and Ancient medallists, the description of medal at the autumn meeting, his score on each occasion being Mr. Thomson is amply borne out by what is found there. In 84. Dr. Argyll Robertson and Mr. Robert Clark follow with seven wins. the year 1855 he secured the gold medal of the club with the Dr. Argyll Robertson’s best appearances were in 1871 and notable score of 93. This was the same year that Mr. George in 1867, when he secured the silver medal with scores of 93 and Glennie won the King William IV. medal with 88, establishing 94. In 1867 and 1869 Mr. Robert Clark took first place at the May a record for the medal round which, for a score of years, re­ meetings with 92. Mr. Charles Anderson and Mr. Thomas mained unchallenged. From the year 1806 to 1836 the gold Hodge are next on our list with six awards each. On the medal was the only one competed for at the autumn meeting, merits of his play, Mr. Hodge ought to have figured in the list but in 1837 it was relegated to second place, and the medal seven times ; but, on one occasion, with a winning score he was presented to the club by King William IV. then took the disqualified by an inadvertence at the Burn hole. Lying on premier position. But, strange to say, during all these years the edge of the hole, he failed to play out, but, as any one would from 1806 onwards, it was never won at a less figure than 93, have done in match play, assumed that he had an "unmissable until 1876 when Mr. Alex. Stuart gained it with the score of 92. putt, and proceeded to the next hole. In 1869 he almost In 1853 Mr. James Balfour-Melville, Mr. Leslie Balfour-Mel­ repeated Mr. Glennie’s performance, and with 89 strokes won ville’s father, won it at 93, and twenty years later Dr. Argyll King William IV. Medal. His next best score was in 1861, Robertson secured it at the same figure. Mr. Thomson’s was, when he was awarded the silver cross with 92 strokes. In 1879, therefore, at the time, as has been said, a very notable Mr. Charles Anderson was the first to equal the record score score. At the spring meeting of 1866 he improved at the autumn meeting, and with 88 won the Royal medal. The his position by winning the first place with the score same year Mr. W. J. Mure had lowered the medal record at the of 92. This was also the record score for the May meet­ May meeting to 86. In 1880, Mr. Anderson secured the silver ing first made in 1861 by Mr. Thos. Hodge, and which cross with 87 strokes. In reading over the preceeding notes it remained until 1874, when Mr. W. J. Mure lowered the flag is interesting to observe that Mr. W. J. Mure though he does at 90. Mr. Thomson’s name appears altogether six times in not appear so often in the medal list as some of his con­ the club’s register of medallists, and it is certainly very pleasing temporaries, first in 1874, and again in 1879, took the silver to be able to call attention to one who was an exponent of first- cross with a record score for the May meeting. class Golf in the historic period so long ago as 1855, and who Among others who have won a prominent place in the temple is still to the fore, and able to represent a former generation of of fame are :—Mr. D. Lamb and Mr. H. Lamb, Mr. J. H. golfers. A contemporary of Mr. Thomson’s was Admiral Mait­ Blackwell and Mr. E. Blackwell, Mr. Macfie, Mr. Everard, Mr. land Dougall, of Scotscraig. Excepting Mr. Leslie Balfour- Fairlie and Mr. F. G. Tait. Estimating these by the frequency Melville, Admiral Dougall’s record is the most illustrious in the with which their names appear in the honours list they are club’s annals. He figures in the medal list no less than sixteen among the “ Minor Medallists,” though their best efforts are quite times. His best appearances were in 1856, when he won King in line with some of the scores already quoted. Of Mr. Tait, William IV. medal with 92, and again, in 1865, when he won however, it must be said that he has his career still before him the same medal with the same score.