162 THE COMPLETE SPORTSMAN 



But though the niblick becomes a burden 

 and the desire to drive a long ball from the 

 tee fails, the golfer need not give way to utter 

 despair. Even in his dotage he may still hope 

 to extract a not altogether exiguous pleasure 

 from striking a captive ball into a net in the 

 back-garden, and can find endless satisfaction 

 in the task of converting the lawn-tennis court 

 into a putting-green for " clock-golf." And 

 when at last he is no longer able to leave the 

 house, he can amuse himself by laying out a 

 miniature golf-links in his wife's drawing-room, 

 and dodder round with a couple of clubs, seeking 

 to establish a record for the course. 



In " house-golf " (as it is called) the various 

 articles of domestic furniture Avill usually supply 

 all the hazards required, though these may be 

 further supplemented, if necessary, by obstacles 

 imported from outside. Thus, a hip-bath filled 

 with the moss-fibre in which last year's bulbs 

 were grown makes an excellent bunker; two 

 waste-paper baskets piled upon a low book-case 

 add to the difficulties of a mashie-shot from the 

 sofa on to the hearth-rug, where an inverted 

 saucer adequately fulfils the purpose of a hole. 



In the drawing-rooms of most of the Stately 

 Homes of England little courses of this kind have 

 been planned by loving hands, and the aristo- 

 cratic inmates are thus provided with a source of 



