Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-02-21
THE GAME OF GOLF.
what tho Popular sport is and How IL
ni.waA

What the Popular sport II and How II IL
Played.
Briefly stated, the game of golf con-
sists in driving small gutta-percha
ball around course provided with
number of holes, generally eighteen,
from one hundred TO five hundred
yards apart, by means Of variously
shaped clubs. However tame this
statement may seem, the real game is
brimming over with life and jollity
and strong excitement.
The balls used in ancient days were
made of leather and stuffed with feath-
ers until they were as hard as stone;
but the golfng-ball in use to-day is of
gutta-percha, painted white so that 1t
may be seen easily, with a corrugated
surface, and its weight varies from one
and three fourths TO two ounces.
At the bidding of the golfer, this lit
tie ball, sometimes called the guilty"
flies over bridges, and streams, and
sand-hills, through thickets of gorse
and, alas! sometimes into sand-pits or
even amid gorse-bushes, from which it
is recovered with great difficulty, for
the rules are memorable, and a ball
When hole is made" however, and
the ball has settled into the goal of the
players ambition, IL is, Of course, i'm
possible to play 1t for the next hole
until 1t has been removed. A tiny pile
of sand or earth, called tee, is then
made for II, just outside the hole, and
within certain fixed limits called the
teeing-ground, and the little ball is
then ready TO set out on its next long
journey. The player or side that wins
the greatest number of holes in the en-
tire round has the game; or in medal
play, the victor is the side or the
player making the round in the least
number of strokes, and as certain con-
ditions cause the loss of a stroke, one
needs 10 be very careful how he strikes.
Holes are punched out of the ground
with an iron especially made for this
purpose, are four or Ave inches in diam
eter, and lined with iron. The holes
on the outward journey are usually
designated by white flags, and those
coming in with red flags The space
in the immediate vicinity Of hole is a
very interesting part Of the grounds,
because, even If your ball lies quite
near the hole, a wrong shot may send
| IL not quite near enough or far beyond,
and so give that hole to your opponent.
This space is called the putting-green,
and the process of holing the ball from
here is called putting.
Perhaps you may suppose that the
| golfing-ground or links has been care
fully prepared for the convenience OF
| golfers, but no such consideration /:
shown, and indeed the most important
feature of the game, and that which
adds its greatest interest and excite
ment, is the overcoming of the various
obstacles in the way of knolls, hillocks
thickets, and sandpits to be avoided
called by one general name, hazards
which tax the players skill TO the ut
most.
But we have not yet spoken of tive
very important matters connected will
golfng-the clubs and the "caddies.
OF clubs there must be a generous va
riety, though the tendency of late
years is TO discard many that were ono
considered indispensable. The ball i
capable of assuming so many singula
positions that the player must conside
carefully what club will best suit hi
purpose at the time.
A very important parsonage on tn
links is tine caddie, the man or boy wh'
carries the stout holland case or bal
in which are kept the various clubs
also balls TO replace those which ma.
be lost; who hands the clubs whel
needed, and who usually gives advic
whether IL is needed or not.
The ground best suited TO golf is
broad stretch of undulating land witt
sandy soil, covered with short turf
and supplied with occasional sand
holes and a fair amount Of growinl
bushes. The links Of st. Andrews b.
the sea, in Scotland, is the most famou
Of all golhnR-grounds, and tho tow
is not better known for it's ancient uni
versity than for its golfng.-