Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13
WHlGHAM HAS PLAYED
GOLF IN MANY COUNTRIES

CHICAGO. May ITO have played golf
In China. India, Persia Turkey and France,
in addition to Great Britain and America.
Is probably the experience of but one golf
err In the world-Henry James Whigham
This comparatively young man. who In 1898
and 1877 won the championship Of tina
United States. has doubtless played golf
under the skies of more nations OF the
orient and occident than any other man.
Mr.. Nhighane since his victory In the
amateur championship at Wheaton Ia 1897.
In the semi-finais OF which he had downed
the dreaded Douglas. has won fame as a
war correspondent in Cuba first and later
In South Africa during the Boer war
did not see much golf in South Africa.
SAID Mr. Whis.ham. because, you see. We
were rather busily engaged otherwise. But
was gwen something OF thrill one morn
Ing TO find a cleek on the battlefield OF
Moddor RIVER; The district is great re-
sort for the Kimberley people. and 1t hap
pened that that part of the engagement
was fought on the links.
odd that l should be reminded Of the
game In that way, wasn't IT. But. as
matter of fact, there is no country now
adays where one may not find something
OF golf However crude the courses may
be, they are there-the Briton, as has often
been said. carries his sports with him as
we'll as his other customs.
Il did not go back to London for two
years. and after the South African war
went to China At Shanghai there Is
good course OF nine holes, laid out on turf
within the race course. There are also
links at Hankow, six hundred miles up the
Yang-tse kiang. and the foreign residents
of Picking, have a course there, but they
play almost entirely In summer; as l was
there in winter 4 did not go out.
I'm the late fall OF 1902 | went to India,
and arrived in Calcutta in time to take
part in the tournament for the champion
ship Of India. I had no clubs with mo
and bought set. The large number OF
English residents IN India. of course means
that there must be excellent golfers there.
and this l found to be the case. / lasted
to the semi-fnals, when 1 was put out by
Mr.. Macbeth Of the Royal Liverpool Golf
Club IF HOylake, a player of considerable
skill.
lat Bushiro, on the Persian gulf
played over a course laid out by the Brit
lsh residents" said Mr.. Whigham. AT Bag
dad, rather I'm a suburb of that city
about two three miles out, the English
colony had a club with say. a dozen mem
bcrs. and l went out to play over their
course.
THE links are laid out on the ruins of one
Of the cities built by one of the old Assy-
rian kings. possibly on the site of Ctesi-
phon. and 1t was rather a novel expert
ence TO dig up a piece of pottery 1000 years
old with every iron shot. / do not remem-
Der having seen any cuneiform Inscriptions
upon these bits OF pottery. but had l stayed
longer / might.
''Teheran. too, has a course. but / did
not play there.
From Persia I went across the Caucasus
to Constantinople, While there | played
on the outskirts of the city, on a plain
called Ak-Midan."
Mr.. Wigham was of the colony of
Cannes residents who played against the
team from Great Britain. and he later led
the Cannes team in its ma tch against the
British team at Hoylake. In the match
at Cannes he was pitted against John
Graham. jr., whom he defeated easily, but
at Hoylake he was up against Johnny
Ball, who, on his home course. beat him.