Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-30
GOLF GOSSIP

IN these udyS Oh our tcBiDlobOu ~
golf II Is rather refreshing to come
across the following article In Ladies
Golf on "The Ideal Rules" under the
name OF r. K. Risk:
The other day, in a private library
Of music, had the good fortune to
come upon the Rules Of Coli, set
out succinctly, clearly. and with COM
prehensive completeness, in some
thing under 500 words. The code
which binds us today runs to some
TO- 900 words, be the same more or
less, and hardly think they can be
fewer.
The broad sheet containing the ideal
rules Of golf "a all told had, accord
ing to the computation of its present
owners, lain undisturbed between the
sheets of a piece of music for some
20 or 80 years. II is headed Golf,
the Name Of q Game Among the
Scots" But the impression given by
the second line in the title, that the
sheet is of English origin, is at once
corrected by what may be described
as the imprint. though there is no
printers name. Commissions Punctu-
ally Attended To. Orders addressed
to Colin Campbell, Club,maker, Golf
House. Leith.'
so the document contains the rules
of golf as 1t was played on Leith links
about a century ago Leith links,
where Charles III, on an historic occa-
sion, suddenly abandoned his round,
on hearing the news Of rebellion in
Ireland, and forfeited his prize In the
match: having to choose between
The sheet, which measures IL inches
by 5. finds room for q piece of golf
history, as well as the rules of the
game.
Among them" (the Scots) "it has
been very ancient, for there are stat
utes prohibiting 1t as early as the year
1857, lest 1t should interfere with the
sport Of archery. II Is commonly
played on rugged broken ground, GOV
cred with short grass, in the neighbor,
hood Of the seashore. A field of this
game Is generally played in parties OF
one or two on each side. Each party
| has an exceedingly hard ball, some
what larger than hens egg. This
j they strike with e slender and elastic
club, OF about four feet long, crooked
III the head and having lead run into
II 70 make II heavy The BAH, being
struck with this club. win ny to the
distance Of 200 yards There were
giants sin those ds(yk .also), and TIN
game Is gained by the party who puts
his ball into the hole with the fewest
strokes
But the game does not depend
solely upon striking the longest ball
but also upon measuring the strength
! of the stroke. and applying 1t in such
erection as to lay the ball In smooth
ground whence it may be easily moved
at the next stroke. To encourage this
amusement, the city Of Edinburgh, A
ID. 1744. gave the company of golfers
silver club to be played for annually
by the company, the victor to append
a gold or silver ball to the prize. /,
has been played for every year except
the years 1746 and 1747 For theil
better accommodation, % members
of the company subscribed 430 each
in the year 1853 to build a house
where their meetings might be held
The spot chosen for this purpose was
the southwest corner of Leith links
where an area was taken in feu from
1.-THE magistrates Of Edinburgh, and Z
commodious house and tavern bull
upon it,
These particulars about "the Com
Ipany of Golfers" (which is, of course
today's HONORABLE Company of Edin
bufgh Golfers) date my documen
back first OF all to 1881, when tn,
Honorable Company deserted Lett
links. and then further back TO 1900
when the Edinburgh council conferred
the title now used. by special charter
1t is an assumption almost amounting
Ito certainty, that Colin Campbell, q
lofficial OF the club, would never omi
ffrom the club rules its title of hon
durable, had 1t in his tine been con
Serred. ]. G. Copper, the honorar,
! secretary of the club, has very coul
teously put himself to the trouble o
searching the records and minutes 10
Colin Campbell, but without success
However, the precise date of this doc
.ument Is of less Importance than tn
fact that q century ago some dozel
rules were all-sufficient They cor
tain not only the germs of much II
genious and painful modern law-mal
ing, but everything essential to a thol
oughly sporting match, on any links
cid or new.
ii