Evening star., 1901-12-28
Women Who Take a Keen Interest
in the Game.
PLAYING FOR PLEASURE AND HEALTH
British Championships in Which
They Have Competed.
SOME FAMOUS VICTORIES

Written for The Evening Star by Or. J. G. Nc
Pherson.
| 1t would surely be very unreasonable to
! think that the fair sex would exclude them
selves from the best of games But it is
only within the last few years that they
have gone in enthusiastically for the prac-
| tice of golf. 1t strikes one that. with
proper care and training; golf is well
! adapted for ladies. They must never think
| of driving with Braid or Blackwell, for
physically they are not able to drive so far;
| their arms are shorter, their bodies are
| shorter; their frames are more slender, and
| their dress keeps them from being so agile.
| Yet among themselves the game must be
| very charming.
| For many day the ladies were confined
! to the short holes in the vicinity of the
golf course. At putting they were adopts.
| Their delicate fingers could guide the put
| ter as sensitively as one would paint
| brush And it would often take Old Tom
| all he could to beat them.
Gradually the holes We're heightened to
| admit of cleek shots, and there they also
| excelled. But this did not satisfy them;
they longed to have the full swing with the
driver. Mrs. Grundy was never thought of;
| they would go in for the long game. Here
was a fresh field of enjoyment. Cricket,
| foot ball, polo, were out of their reach; but
| they could be graceful when playing golf.
| And it is blessing for the sex that golf
| stimulates them to take eXhilarating eXer-
| else in the open air. 1t makes their COM
pexion and physique the envy of the ladies
of other countries where it is not yet per-
mitted. 1t has considerably knocked on
the head hatlesS dawdle and formal dress
parades.
Ladies who have gone in for golf confess
that while year before they would feel
quite played out with a mile and a half
oil hpi ftx-f0
rounds and feel all the better for the jour-
ney.
The First Lady Champion.
However, it was the attraction of the
championships which brought ladies' golf
to a height. They would follow the men as
they contested in the semi-final and final
for the blue ribbon of the game. They
would be breathless with excitement over
every stroke as the competitors neared the
end. And the enthusiasm took lasting ef-
feet in their resolution to have ladies'
championship. In 1893 this was instituted
and the first competition took place by
holes at st. Anne 's-on-the-Sea. The total
number of aSpirantS for the coveted honor
was thirty-eight.
St Anne's course is of sufficient extent to
test all points of the game for a lady
player. The bunkers are not severe when
properly attacked. Very soon 1t was seen
that Lady Margaret Scott stood a very
good chance of winning. Out of the eight
cen holes she had beaten one opponent by
nine, a second by eight and a third by six
She finally beat Miss Pearson by seven.
Lady Margaret played a very steady game
all through.
This championship had been brought
about by the Ladies' Golf Union Ii orig
mated with half dozen of the Wimbledon
Club. Mr. Laidiaw Purves took it up, and
under the enthusiastic work of Miss Pear
son, the honorary secretary, the union be-
came grand success
The Irish ladies' were ,,of 20
be behind, and few months afterward the
Royal Belfast Ladies' Golf Club promoted
the movement which resulted in the Irish
Ladies Golf Union, with Miss Muligan as
honorary secretary. The first contest for
the championship of Ireland took place in
the following spring on the links of the
Royal Belfast Golf Club. There were
forty-seven entries, from eight different
clubs. The final round was between Miss
Mulligan and Miss n. Graham. A high
wind and binding showers made the play
for the ladies nearly impossible, but they
were not to be cowed by the elements.
They fought out very tough match, Miss
Mullfgan winning by two holes. The first
lady champion was more remarkable for
steadiness than brilliancy. She studied
every shot as If that were the shot for the
match.
Lady NJ. Scott and Her Successors.
At Littlestone, in 1894, the second ladies'
championship took place. No fewer than
sixty-four entries for the fray; but Scot
land was again unrepresented. That Lady
Margaret Scott secured her second victory
gives ample evidence of her excellent play
Miss Pearson was again the runner-up;
but she was beaten by three holes. Lady
Margaret Scott had been victor In the con-
test by six, eight, five. five and six holes
This proves her inimitable play and strong
nerve The accurate approaches were most
wonderful; there her strength lay.
In the following year at Portrush Lady
Margaret Scott again became victor. She
had beaten successive opponents by two,
four, six, four, six and two holes; and in
the final she disposed of Miss Lythgoe by
six holes. The week before the Irish la
dies championship was gained by Miss Cox
on the links of the Royal Portrush Golf
Club. Sixty-four competed, and the contest
was most successfully carried out
In 1896 Lady Margaret Scott did not COM
pete for the ladies' championship at Hoy
lake Eighty-two entrants showed the in
creasing enthusiasm for the game. Among
these were three capable Scotch PLAYERS
and the two Irish champions, Misses Multi
gan and Cox. Miss Ball. sister OF Mr.
John Ball, jr., the distinguished open and
amateur champion. managed to beat Miss
Mulligan at the nineteenth hole Miss
Bence won from Miss Cox at the twentieth
hole, but she was beaten by Miss Pascoe
who finally won. Miss N Graham who
was the runner-up in the first Irish ladies'
championship, was the successful cham
pion lady golfer of Ireland. The match
TOOK place at newcastle, County Down.
Miss Graham played brilliant and steady
game, and showed no nervousness.
The ladies crossed the border and Sc
lected the beautiful links of Gullane near
Edinburgh. for their next annual contest.
This brought out thirty-five Scotch players
out of the one hundred and one compet-
itors. The Misses Orr of North Berwick
had shown their prowess over the best
Scottish links, and Scotland looked on them
as their highest hope. The CHAMPION of
the previous year was beaten by Miss Pear
son. who also overcame Miss Bence. but
she had to give in to a married lady. Mrs.
Murray. In the final the two sisters. Orr.
competed for the championship, when the
younger came in victor. There was a
large gathering Of interested spectators.