The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
Royalty Did Much to Make
Golf Popular in Scotland
Broke Laws to Play 1t, and Each Succeeding
Century From Time of Mary Queen of Scots 1t Be-
came More and More Recreation for the People,
BY JOHN G. ANDERSON,

There was told in this column a few
weeks ago some OF the interesting de-
tails concerning the beginnings of golf
as a competitive sport. and there was
mentioned In particular the interest dis
played by the royal ladies and gentle
men OF those periods whose leadership
had much to do with early expansion
and success. Laws forbidding the play
were broken by the makers themselves !:
with each succeeding century the game
became more and more a recreation for
the people of Scotland. England. Ireland
and Wales. and finally for all nations
Examples OF devotedness to the sport
were many. from the time of Mary. Queen
Of Scots. who two days after the murder
of Darnley had a round on the course at
Holyrood in company with Seton, and the
renowned Halbert Logan. who refused to
obey a summons to attend the Privy
Council at Edinburgh. the Officer who ac-
costed him being driven from the links.
or the Earl Of Montrose. who golfed
gayly up to the hour set for his wedding
and few hours afterward was again
seen on the links at St. Andrews.
Little enough was written in the story
of the doings OF golfers. From the SOW
ereign and early club records have been
obtained much OF the early history, but
from the poetry standpoint the record is
bit better. There was written in 1T43
in Edinburgh by Thomas Mathison n
serio-comical poem in three cantos h
ginning after this fashion:
Con and the man ! sing. who emlous plies
The join;ed club; whose balls invade the
skies,
Who from Edina's towers. his peaceful
In quest OF fame DER Letha's plains did
Eoam'
Long toiled the hero on the verdant field
Strained his stout arm the weighty club
TO yield
Such tolls It cost, such labors TO obtain
The days OF conquest and the bowl to gain.
The poem gives In graphic review, at
ter the fashion OF the Greek poets. the
story Of the days play between the two
champions. Pygmalion and Castalio.
showing at the end how the hero Cas-
talio at the last hole smites his deeply
!mbedded ball with ponderous stroke a
great distance, amazing his opponent,
who nothing daunted, plays his approach
to within two club lengths of the hole.
Then OF Castalio 1t is writ:
Full fifteen clubs length from the hole he
A wide cart road before him crossed his
way;
The deep cut tracks the intrepid chief
dehes.
High Ger the road the ball triumphing
Mes,
Lights on the green and scours into the
holei
Down with It sinks depressed Pygmalion's
soul.
Seized with surprise tn anrishtsd hero
stands
And feebiy tips the ball with trembling
hands.
The creeping ball Its want OF force COM
plains.
A grassy tuft the lettering orb detainA
Surrounding crowds the ViCtors praise
proclaim,
The echoing shore resounds CastaIio's
name.
For him Pygmalion must the bowl prepare.
On Famc's triumphant wings his name
TIL time shall end and goffns be no more.
From n Rare Work.
interviewer with the story told were
other names standing for eminent per-
sonages OF the time. Pygmalion was
Mr.. Mathison himself and Castalio was
the renowned Alexander Dunning. then
the governor OF Watson's Hospital Very
few copies Of this work are in existence
to-day, even though second and third
small editions were made by request In
1853 and 1893.
i have a well preserved and valued
edition OF this poem, and in the ad-