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  What is known as ‘shot play’ can only reduce a round to a confused jumble of individual strokes, some excessively brilliant, and the others, in racing language, ‘nowhere.’ A good round is one that is accomplished by a logical sequence of the easiest possible shots, each hole being linked together by the solid assurance of complete steadiness. In the same way a good score is built up hole by hole, and the homeward half must not hang disconnectedly upon the outward. Play for your fours, and the threes will take care of themselves. It is in this willingness of the professional to take what the gods offer, as opposed to the amateur’s tendency to strive for brilliant results, that the wide gap dividing their prowess has come about. The American amateur is more like a professional in this respect, because he has succeeded in grasping something of the professional’s frame of mind, to play golf simply for necessity’s sake. For instance, he makes a habit of counting his strokes throughout the round of even a friendly game. Whatever else may be said for this custom, a vast amount of demoralising fancy play is cut out in the process. Such an attitude may indeed rob the game of many of its pleasures. The golfer who can play with his head among the stars, and attempt the game as it might be played in the Elysian fields, has his moments of sublimity. He may possibly never be efficient, but at any rate he never will be dull. Between the two alternatives there lies perchance the happy medium, and that may present at once a pleasant and a practical solution.

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  THE STORY OF THE FIRST TEN YEARS OF THE OPEN LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP

  MAY HEZLET

  The first Open Ladies’ Championship meeting was held over the links of the Lytham and St Anne’s Club on Tuesday, June 13th, 1893. The weather proved favourable, and everything possible had been done by the Council for the convenience and comfort of the competitors and their friends. The greens were in excellent order, and a large crowd assembled to watch the start off. The meeting therefore commenced under most auspicious circumstances, and foreshadowed the success which has since attended all the efforts of the Union. Thirty-eight competitors had entered, the favourites being Lady Margaret Scott and Miss Issette Pearson. All through the week Lady Margaret Scott displayed decided superiority over her opponents, playing excellent golf, and winning the majority of her matches by a comfortable margin. She was never pressed in the slightest, and, in fact, had never to play the two concluding holes on the course. Miss Pearson was also in good form, and one of the best matches of the week was that in which she was opposed to Mrs. Catterall. Both played excellent golf, and the result was only decided after an exciting struggle had taken place and an extra hole had been negotiated. Miss Pearson eventually won the tie hole in five to Mrs. Catterall’s six.

  Miss Pearson and Lady Margaret Scott were therefore left in to fight out the final round, and so confirmed the opinions of those golfers who had ventured to predict their success before the meeting took place. Miss Pearson, however, did not do herself justice in the final heat, and Lady Margaret Scott had a somewhat easy victory. From the first the latter had been chosen as the winner, and her play fully came up to the expectations of the spectators. She has a beautifully easy swing, and her style is one of the best for beginners to imitate, as it combines grace and ease with power and skill to a wonderful extent.

  The second contest for the Ladies’ Championship Cup took place at Littlestone-on-Sea in 1894. By kind permission of the Council the matches were played on the men’s links, the total length of the holes being 4,286 yards. The entry list numbered ten more than in the previous year, and the average standard of play had considerably improved. In the first round Mrs. H. C. Willock and Mrs. Wilson Hoare, who have both since earned many laurels, had an exceedingly close and exciting match, the latter only being successful after two extra tie holes had been played. Lady Margaret Scott, the champion, was again among the competitors ready to defend her title, and her form seemed if anything better than in the previous year. After several exciting contests those left in to the final round were Lady Margaret Scott and Miss Issette Pearson, who for the second time had thus proved superior to all their adversaries. This year, however, the final round proved much closer, and it was only on the sixteenth green that Lady Margaret Scott managed to gain the victory, and so carried off the cup for the second time in succession.

  In 1895 a new era of ladies’ golf commenced when the championship for the first time was held in the Emerald Isle, at the links of the Royal Portrush Golf Club. This meeting is of special interest, as it proved to be the last appearance in public of Lady Margaret Scott, and also the first appearance of Miss Sybil Whigham, the famous Scotch player. The visit of the English golfers to the Emerald Isle had a far-reaching effect. Up to that time the game had been played by ladies in Ireland, it is true, but in a very half-hearted manner. They had not realised the pleasures and possibilities contained in the sport, but had regarded it simply as a pastime to while away an idle half-hour. On seeing the skill and science of the English golfers, however, their opinion changed rapidly, and from that time they determined to devote themselves to the study of golf in earnest, and so fit themsleves to rank as formidable adversaries. The effect has been wonderful: golf has improved more rapidly in Ireland than in any other country, and the standard has been raised beyond all knowledge. Certainly the game is one worth cultivating, as many have experienced who have derived incalculable benefit from it. The Portrush links were in perfect order, and the championship week opened brilliantly. Another incident of this meeting was the presentation by Mr. T. H. Miller and Mr. Smith Turberville to the Ladies’ Golf Union of the great flag, which is such a well-known landmark to all regular competitors since that time. A preliminary medal round was held, in which the scratch prize was won by Miss S. Whigham with the fine score of eightynine. The chief match in the first round was between Lady Margaret Scott and Miss M. E. Phillips, and after a most exciting struggle, the former proved victorious at the last green. Miss Phillips, although defeated, played a grand game, and can always remember with triumph that she was the first lady in any championship match who forced Lady Margaret Scott to play the last two holes.

  In the third round Lady Margaret Scott and Miss Pearson, not having had the luck to be in separate halves of the draw, were opposed to each other for the third time. It is unfortunate that Miss Pearson can never do herself justice in a championship match, but she has always so much trouble and worry over the arrangements that her game suffers considerably. This was the case in her match against Lady Margaret Scott, and the latter had a somewhat easy victory. Miss Whigham and Miss Dod, who have since often met as foes, were opposed in the third round, the latter proving successful by two up and one to play. Miss Dod, however, in a later round fell a victim to Lady Margaret Scott. In the semifinal round Miss Lythgoe defeated Mrs. Willock, and Lady Margaret Scott, although being four down at the turn, pulled up wonderfully, and managed to snatch the match from the grasp of her opponent, Mrs. Ryder Richardson. In the afternoon Lady Margaret Scott played perfect golf, and defeated her opponent, Miss Lythgoe, by six up and five to play. She thus for the third time in succession secured championship honours, and so created a record, which has never yet been, and is never likely to be, broken. Her style was perfect, and throughout the meeting she never showed a trace of nervousness, but played with great calmness and ease. Other players who competed in that championship and have since become famous were Miss Whigham, Miss R. Adair, Miss Dod, Miss Phillips, Mrs. Willock, Miss Pearson, and many others.

  In 1896 the championship meeting took place at Hoylake over the links of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Most of the better players of former years were present, with the exception of Lady Margaret Scott, Miss Whigham, and Miss Dod, the absence of these fine golfers being greatly regretted. With the absence of Lady Margaret Scott it became a very open question who would prove the ultimate winner. A number of new names were on the entry list, among them being Miss Moeller of Ilkley, Miss Aitken, and Miss Kennedy. Only one of the few representati
ves of the Emerald Isle, namely, Mrs. Lepper, reached the third round, and one Scotch representative, Mrs. Crawford of Portobello, reached the fourth round. All the honours were carried off by the Wimbledon Ladies’ Club, as three out of the four semifinalists were members of it, and its representatives had good cause to feel proud of their prowess. Large crowds of spectators watched the final and semifinal rounds. In the semifinal Miss Pascoe and Miss Moeller had an exciting match. The latter at the outset looked certain of victory, as at the seventh hole she was four up, but Miss Pascoe made a splendid recovery, and rapidly reduced her adversary’s lead, eventually gaining the match by three up and two to play. In the other half of the draw Miss L. Thomson somewhat unexpectedly defeated Miss Pearson by one up. Quite three thousand spectators followed the final round between Miss Thomson and Miss Pascoe. After a very good match the latter lady proved the winner, securing the cup and gold medal with the title of Open Lady Champion for 1896. The chief feature in Miss Pascoe’s game is absolute steadiness, her iron play and approaching being particularly good.

  In 1897 the championship was played at Gullane, there being a record entry of one hundred and two competitors, including thirty-eight Scotch, ten Irish, one Welsh, and the remainder English. It was the first time the event had taken place in Scotland, and the play of the Scotch girls was a revelation to everyone, as was capitally expressed by one old enthusiast, who confided to a friend: “Mon, this is a fair enlichte’ment tull me.” The play throughout the meeting was excellent, the best representatives among the Scotch being the Misses Orr, Aitken, Campbell, Titterton, Maxwell, Blanche Anderson, and Aitchison. Most of the crack English players were present, Miss Nevile being a new addition to their ranks, and she proved to be the only English player left in the fourth round. The semifinal lay between Miss E. C. Orr and Miss Titterton, and Miss Orr and Miss Kennedy. Curiously enough, the two sisters were left to fight out the final, the younger of them proving the winner by four up and three to play. Since that time no Scotch girl has held championship honours, partly owing to the fact that the best representatives have never come forth to make good their title.

  The record of lovely weather which had been experienced every year was broken at Great Yarmouth in 1898. The links were very much exposed, and as the wind was bitterly cold, the competitors found the conditions somewhat trying. Seventy-eight competitors entered, including one from Scotland and two from Ireland. The great match of the meeting was that between the ex-champion, Miss Pascoe, and Miss Pearson. Miss Pearson led at the turn, but lost several holes coming home, and Miss Pascoe stood in the comfortable position of dormy two. Miss Pearson, however, made a splendid effort, winning the next two holes, and eventually gaining the match on the twentieth green. In the afternoon Miss Pearson had again a tie, but was defeated at the nineteenth hole by Miss E. C. Nevile. In the semifinal round Miss E. C. Nevile defeated Miss Dod and Miss L. Thomson beat Miss A. Barwell. The final thus lay between Miss Thomson and Miss E. C. Nevile, and the former proved successful by six up and five to play. Miss Thomson, now better known as Mrs. Towne, played excellent golf throughout the meeting. She had been silver medallist in 1896, and is very well known in the golfing world. Her opponent, Miss C. Nevile has since that time become very famous, and now ranks as perhaps the best of the English players. She is an exceedingly powerful player, driving a long ball, and her iron play is also excellent.

  Ireland was the scene of the 1899 championship, this being the second time the meeting was held across the water. The meeting proved to be a most successful one, and the chief point noticeable was the wonderfully improved play of the Irish competitors. Since 1895 the number of Irish lady golfers had increased considerably, and there was a marked improvement in their average form. The Council of the Newcastle Club had made every arrangement necessary to the comfort of the visitors, and the course was in splendid condition, the greens being so perfect that bad putting was almost an impossibility. Most of the well-known English players were present, and the entry list was considerably augmented by the large number of Irish competitors, who had been partly attracted by the fact that the Irish championship had been decided the previous week over the Newcastle links. The course ranks as one of the best in Ireland, the special feature being the enormously high sand bunkers which have to be carried from the tee. Long driving is a necessity, as it is fatal to get into the bunkers: they are so high and composed of such heavy sand that once the ball gets embedded in their depths it is almost an impossibility to get it out again. In the semifinal Miss Dod played against Miss May Hezlet but, being a little out of form, was defeated by four up and two to play, while Miss Magill, playing a grand game, defeated Miss Bryan by six up and five to play. Two Irish players were therefore left in to fight out the final, and after a very close match Miss May Hezlet became the winner by two up and one to play, and had the honour of being the first Irish golfer to hold the championship cup and medal. The Countess of Annesley presented the prizes at the conclusion of the meeting, Miss May Hezlet receiving the cup and gold medal, Miss Magill the silver medal, and Miss Dod and Miss Bryan the bronze medals.

  In 1900 golfers from far and near travelled to Devonshire to the little village of Westward Ho. This part of the country is of immense interest, as it is the scene of Kingsley’s famous book, Westward Ho. Within a few miles are Bideford and Clovelly, and the scenery all round the neighbourhood is exquisite. The meeting was a most successful one, and although perhaps not conducive to good play, the golfers thoroughly enjoyed the delicious Devonshire cream with which they were regaled at all meals. On the final days of the meeting the clubhouse presented a most animated scene; tea-tables were spread outside the verandah, and the competitors finished their matches to the strains of a string band. The form shown at this meeting was perhaps the best yet displayed. Great interest was excited by the presence of Miss Rhona Adair, the Irish lady champion, and the Misses Whigham. So many stories had been going the rounds about the play of the latter golfers that wonders were expected, and the spectators had no cause for disappointment, as the Scotch girls certainly played marvellously. They drove beautifully— Miss M. Whigham, in the semifinal, creating a record by driving two successive balls of over two hundred yards each, and this was before Haskell balls were invented—and their iron play was a revelation. The only weak point they displayed was on the green, where their putting was not up to the mark, but this was mainly attributable to nerves. There is very little to choose between the two, but Miss Sybil Whigham is, perhaps, the steadier player. Miss Rhona Adair also played splendid golf, and had the honour of beating both these formidable opponents, as well as many others of note. She is a very powerful player, and is also renowned for her absolute steadiness and her capacity to play up better the more she is pressed. In the semifinal Miss Rhona Adair defeated Miss M. Whigham on the last green, after one of the most exciting matches ever held at a championship meeting. In the other half of the draw Miss Nevile defeated Mrs. Ryder Richardson, who had been one of the bronze medallists in 1895. In the final round Miss Nevile, however, did not play her usual fine game, and Miss Adair had an easy victory, and so gained the well-merited honour of being Open and Irish Lady Champion for the year.

  In 1901 the championship meeting for the first time was held in Wales, the scene of the competition being Aberdovey. There were practically no local players, but a large and representative entry of English and Irish players and a few Scotch. Miss Rhona Adair, the champion, was there to defend her title—Miss Whigham, Miss E. C. Nevile, Miss M. Graham, and a host of others were determined to wrest the cup from her, and some exciting struggles took place. Miss Rhona Adair had some difficulty in reaching the final round, as several times she was down most of the way round to her opponents, but somehow she always came to the front at the critical moment, and managed to pull the matches out of the fire. Miss Whigham was opposed to her about the fourth round, and made a great struggle to avenge her defeat of the previous year. Both played capital golf, and at the fourteenth tee Miss Wh
igham was two up and five to play. Miss Adair, however, managed to reduce the lead, and at the eighteenth hole the match was all square. Amid intense excitement the first tie hole was halved, also the second, and it was only on the twenty-first green that Miss Adair finally gained the victory. Her match against Miss E. C. Nevile in the semifinal was very similar, as the latter had the lead up to the sixteenth tee; but here again Miss Adair’s nerve and recuperative powers stood her in good stead, as at the last three holes she made a splendid effort and managed, in the end, to win the match. In the other half of the draw the semifinal heat lay between Mrs. Stanley Stubbs and Mrs. M. Graham. After an exceedingly close match the latter became the winner. After lunch a large crowd assembled to watch the final round between Miss Rhona Adair and Miss M. Graham. The latter player was not so well known as her formidable opponent, and by the majority of spectators it was looked upon as a foregone conclusion that Miss Adair would hold the cup for the second time in succession. Opinions changed very soon after the match started, and it was seen that whatever the final result was to be a close struggle might be expected. Miss Graham obtained the lead in the first few holes, and, what was more important, managed to keep it throughout the round. She played faultless golf, and never gave her opponent a chance, and finally won a well-merited victory on the sixteenth green. It was the first year she had entered for the blue ribbon, and so she came out of the ordeal with flying colours. Miss Graham is a member of the Hoylake Ladies’ Club, but ranks herself as a Scotch golfer, as her parents are of that nationality. She has a free, easy swing, is not, perhaps, a particularly long driver, but is most accurate in approaching and putting.