The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-07

Have you played golf? If not you
may know that there is for you an I'M
discovered country, full of fascination
and mystery, charming, satisfying and
attractive.
Now this it not a technical descrip-
ton of golf. 1t may prove to be a lit
tie story by one who has tried his hand
on the links. For an American reporter
to describe golf would be as ridiculous
as an Englishman trying to tell US the
fine points of baseball
Your friend will take you out and
say, as if outlining the game: Here's
the teeing ground. Here's your driver.
There are eleven holes in the course.
You had better tee off first"
Perhaps you can recall the sensation
and your father took you out beyond
your head in the water, threw you in,
and then said, Swim"
The links, we will say, are as diversi-
fed as the average ones. You step
upon this sacred bit of earth as gin
gerIy as a ballet girl steps out behind
spectators you have the "caddies," who
are making poor efforts to conceal their
smiles, and several friends, who have
come down to bid you a gOdSpeed, as
though you were about to start on an
ocean voyage. The caddy places a ball,
light yet firm, larger than an English
walnut, smaller than an American
peach, on tiny mound of dirt on the
teeing ground. He passes you the
driver" 1t is like the hockey stick
of old, only the head of the driver is
Far ahead OF you, 271 yards away, a
round disc on a metal pole marks the
spot of the first hole. Your friend tells
you to drive to that hole. You stand
in front of the ball, your legs spread
like a Colossus OF Rhodes You whirl
the driver with might and main, and
you expect to see it send the ball right
up to the next hole
Unhappy mani Though you can play
billiards and tennis, your hand shows
no cunning here at this tantalizing
] game.
The ball goes bounding off to the left.
! and there is nothing for you to do now
! but to watch your opponents beauti-
/ full drive when the ball rises slightly,
| and flies like an arrow toward the first
| hole.
AS your ball is not so far ahead. you
| are permitted to play first. It has
! dropped down behind a sod, and seems
nestled away out of harms reach.
You, strong man, are eXasperated by
| such a bit of hard luck. The caddy
pulls out a Iofting iron from the col
/ lection of sticks carried in the bag
/ slunG over his shoulder. The iron
seems just fitted for lifting or lofting
| the ball and carrying it along on its
! journey. You hit it as though it were
| an enemy, and, stung by the blow, the
! stupid ball seems to take revenge by
| going straight toward a One-storied
stable in the course and crashes
| through a window.
When it is carried out of the stable
| three StcklengthS away, then dropped
! over your shoulder as you face the
hole, you are anxious to say something
not pretty to see in print. With the
''cleek'' comes new iron. To the novice
the 'cleek' is little unlike the lofting
iron. It's metal face is not laid back
at quite such an angle. By this time
the hole is within reasonable distance
not more than thirty yards away, an6
you are about to make your approach
shot. After that shot is finished you
have no doubt the ball will be within
a few inches of the hole on the put
! ting green. But disappOintments are
! common in golf. This time you are toe
! strong. The ball goes over the green
and beyond a pile of fence boards and
| posts. The 'caddies'' hunt faithfully
for the ball. but it is irretrievably lost
| Much Inundated, you see new bal
| thrown in as you pay a penalty of g
stroke for your bit of hard luck.
The putting green is near you now
For a space of thirty square feet the
grass is green and velvety. 1t is like
an oasis in a desert of parched, brown
rainless field. In the center of the
green is a circular hole four and one
half inches in diameter and a few
| inches deep.
So, at last, you are near the putting
green. My dear boy, be careful to pro
nounce it as if it were rhymed with
butting. That is very important. L