Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-03
Old Scottish Pastime.

Old Scottish Pastime.
For centuries the game had been played
In Scotland by all classes of the people.
from the king on the throne to tho mean
est Of his subjects, before It had made
any progress In England. How long golf
has been played at Blackheath TO one can
exactly tell but until we'll on in the nine
teenth century it was played there mainly
by Scots. To the English strangers visit
ing St. Andrews, even in the sixties, the
sight OF relocated elderly gentlemen
grayely hitting small white balls along the
links with sticks, was subject for min
gled mirth and wonder-it was looked
upon as one of tie funny antics of the
unaccountable Scot. Gradually. however,
the Enslishman came to recognize that
there were both science and fascination in
the game and from the time of the estab-
liShment of a golf club at Westward I1O,
in 1864 II began to make rapid progress
though the modern furore for 1t did not
begin until it was known to be the favor
tie game OF MIR. Arthur Balfour, who. as
Irish secretary was then very popular.
Since then it's fame has gone forth to the
end of the earth; gOlf-nakers. who were
barely making a living at their trade. in
a few years made very comfortable for
tunes. Golf courses rapidly multiplied in
Scotland. both inland and along the shore;
soon there were many public and private
courses in nearly every English county;
the infection spread rapidly over Amer
lea the colonies and the continent; old
men in the fiftieS and siXties-Sometime
even in their seventies-became as ardent
devotees to the game as lads in their
teens; the ladies also caught the fnfec-
ton and after some years of obscure
dawdling at the small holes began boldly
to ape the full drive swing Of the mascu-
line golfer; and probably the next golf de-
velopment will be an amateur champion
ship open to men and women.
First Championship Match.
The first open championship match was
played in 1860. the first amateur cham
plonshlp match IN 1856, and the first lady
championship match In 1888 The ques-
ton has been raised whether the best
golfers of the antc-furore period are sur
passed by the best golfers Of the present
day-by Harry Warden. James Braid or
W. II. Taylor The touring Scotsman
Braid, a kind OF golfinG engine. gets Oft
ener into difficulties than the other two,
but Is unequaIed III getting out of them
Warden. his great friend and rival, Is
graceful and accomplish Taylor, mod
est, eager, not so gifted physically as the
other two is Il master in approaching
But whatever the individual merits of the
great triumvirate they are almost in a
class BY themselves for Herd and Row
land Jones. who run them hardest lack
their perfect consistency. their almost
constant command of their best abilities
III comparing. however. their powers with
those of past golfers, the spur of more
constant competition and OF greater re-
wards must be taken into consideration
Even supposinG they have attained to a
more absolute command of their powers
and to a more machine-like accuracy than
any previous golfers, it does not follow
that the best of the older golfers would
not IpIer modern conditions have he
come their equals or superiors Golfers
who have Witnessed the play of Allan
Robertson and young Tom Morris affirm
that in reality they were quite the equals
of the modern champions: that their
knowledge of all the subtleties of the
their clubs with a mastery that could
hardly be surpassed. AS for Allan Rob-
ertson, we have now no criterion for eX-
actly guaging his achievements. though
he was in class by himself when old
Tom Morris was at his best; but the re-
corded achievements of young Tom Morris
in the open championship competition,
then played at Prestwick, speak for them
selves. His figures when he won the
championship at Prestwick three times
running were 154, 1871. and 149 for two
rounds The 149 figures are remarkable
when we consider the modern improve
ment in green's, clubs and balls. When
Warden first won the championship at
Prestwick, he took 307 for four rounds.
If we add the 154 and 137 of Morris. we
get 3D. but if we add 1877 and 149 we get
only 3O6 If We add 15i and 149. we get
only 3U3, and II we double $40, we get
only 29S. Moreover. his $40 was eleven
less than any figures of the two rounds
by any other two-rOund championship
winner than himself. and including young
Wi'He Park. who, after Inc was past his
best. ran Warden to stroke or two for
the four-round championship at Prestwick.