808 SPORTING STORIES 



to be gentlemen, but must have been mad ; and I was very 

 glad when we got to the next station." 



Even now, perhaps, it may be necessary to explain that 

 "The Principal's Nose," " Walkinshaw's Grave," and " Hell " 

 are three well-known bunkers at St Andrews. 



It is odd that the two oldest pastimes known in these 

 islands should have come to the front again and distanced 

 all rivals in popularity. I refer to golf and football. All 

 our other sports with the single exception of polo, and that 

 is an exotic, are mere things of yesterday compared with 

 the antiquity of these two. 



Horse-racing, as a popular sport, dates no further back 

 than the last quarter of the seventeenth century. Cricket 

 will not celebrate its bi-centenary for another fifty years, 

 but golf and football were flourishing six hundred years ago. 



Indeed, they were so enthusiastically patronised that it 

 was deemed necessary to restrict the indulgence in them 

 by Act of Parliament both in Scotland and England, 

 because people were neglecting archery in their passion for 

 these two fascinating games. 



Charles I. was an enthusiastic golf player, and it is alleged 

 that he was playing on Leith Links when a letter was put 

 into his hand announcing the first news of the rebellion in 

 Ireland. He did not, however, display on this occasion 

 the sang-froid which heroes in like circumstances have 

 evinced when engaged in a favourite recreation. 



He did not deliberately finish the round or even allow 

 the first hole to be decided, but in great agitation rode off 

 to Holyrood, from whence he next day set off for London. 



The Duke of York, afterwards James II., was also a keen 

 golfer, and when visiting Scotland in 1681-82, in the 

 capacity of Commissioner to the Scotch Parliament, was 

 often on the Leith Links. 



Two noblemen in the Duke's suite insisted that the game 

 was as much English as Scotch, and it was agreed to 

 decide the question by a trial of skill. The two noblemen 

 were to be on one side, and the Duke was allowed to 

 select an Edinburgh player as his partner. Inquiry was 

 made for the champion golfer in Edina, and universal 

 suffrage pointed to one Patcrson, a poor shoemaker, whose 



