Evening star., 1896-06-18
WOMAN AS A GOLFER,
How the Game May Help i'm Matrl.
mOnial Plans.

HOW the Came Mny Help i'm Matrl-
mOnial Plans.
From the st. James Gazette.
An experienced pet rson-experienced both
In golf and in matrimony-of my acquaint-
afce gives this piece Of advice to bache-
lors: Never" ne says. marry a woman
Until you have played a round of golf with
ier; or. better still. watched her unob-
served during the varying fortunes of
competition" Place yourself inconspicu-
Cusly by the side of some first-class bunker
on the ladies' course, and the disclosures
VIII be invaluable to your future life. A
We man will show you a good deal of her
Character during three minutes in a bad
ounher. round Of golf is altogether
such an excellent allegory Of the game Of
NE tnat l feel convinced that a woman
VINO can pass creditably through the or
ueai OF public goifing competition has
certain useful gifts of character and tenn
Lefament. In the days to come, when fem
iHihe conscriptloa becomes the law of the
lahd' should certainly, if 1 were COM
hiandlns oflcer of the forces. select my
generals from among the golfing amaZons
OF the day. Frivolity apart, what are the
powers and capabilities of ladies on the
solf links? Let US be bold and touch a
question full of delicacy and over which
as a rule. many loose and inaccurate no.
tons still prevail How does the game of
scratch laiy"-may the inelegant term be
pardoned-compare with that of the
scratch" man.
Well, in tie first place, everything de-
pends upon the course over which the sup
posed trial game of comparison would be
played; but, genel ally speaking, the odds
10 be given or received would be in inverse
fatlo to the length, not necessarily the diff
Guilty, OF the &C urSe; and at Sandwich,
where for instance, the driving carry" is
extreme, II would probably be found that
the best lady player in her highest form
could safely in match receive "a half
IRON the average man at scratch. Now,
wherein lies this discrepancy between the
relative games of man and woman? Tn
doubtediy the answer will be not in the
short game. nor necessarily in the driving
from The tee. but in the wear and tear of
play through the green. And with apollo
gies to the late lady championess, who
stands undoubtedly at the head of all her
English and irish compeers-of the Scotch
represen tatives of the game We have, un-
fortunately, been given little chance of
Judging-I venture the opinion that it was
precisely in the length and strength of her
driving through the green that her supe
riority was shown. On the question as to
whether this weakness in wcmans game
could be rem edied by more frequent play
on courses where long driving through the
green is a necessity, / would rather not
discuss, nor even consider.
AS things are at present constituted, that
blessed and Acknowledged half between
me and the girl who is now honcred as my
partner on the links of life-yes, that sand
bunker is responsibilities my cole remaining
source of authority and power; and may
heaven defend me from the day when my
wife shall learn hard hitting through the
green. Their" is, however a good deal
more than the mere playing of the game
which deserves cCnsiderati IN; and, in
competition over a long course involving
the continuous physical and mental-to say
nothing of the moral-strain Of perhaps
Two hard rounds day for four or five
consecutive days. it will be not always the
best player who sec ures the victory. but
she to whom nature has given, in addition
to the average proportion of skill, cool
nerves and indomitc BILE will. and plenty OF
stamina. physical hardihood and endur-
ance. But the new woman seems capable
of evolution and development in any given
direction. and for my part. do not grudge
her the pains and tribulations of a golfing
education. 1t ought to improve her char
acter and temper as well as her physique.