GOL 
Golf... ground. A marble monument was afterwards erect- 
—\~" ed to his memory in Westminster Abbey, between those’ 
of Gay and the Duke of Argyle, in the poet’s corner. 
The inscription was written by Dr Johnson, and -con- 
tains a very just though concise delineation of his merits. 
Asa man, he was constitutionally kind, but exceedingly 
improvident, and acted according to impulse rather than 
inciple.. As a writer, he must be regarded as stand- 
ing in the very foremost rank of the British classics. In 
both views, simplicity may be considered as his leading 
characteristic. (7) 
GOLF, is an ingenious field game, played with bats 
or clubs, and balls, and a favourite amusement in Scot- 
land. When or by whom it was firstintroduced, is not 
ascertained ; but we find, that as early as the fifteenth 
century, it was so much in vogue as to be an object of 
attention to the legislature. The parliament of Scot- 
land, assembled «under James II. in 1457, passed an 
act prohibiting golf and foot-ball, as being found to 
interfere too much with the acquisition of dexterity in 
archery, an accomplishment in those days of such conse- 
quence to the safety of the state. “ It is decreed and 
ordained,” says the act, “that the foot-ball and golf. be 
utterly cried down, and not to be used, and that the 
bow-marks be made at ilk (each) parish kirk a pair of 
butts, and shooting be used». And that ilk man shoot 
six shots at the least, under the pain of being raised 
upon them that comes not, at the least two pennies, to be 
given to them that comes'to the bow-marks to drink.” 
This shows that golf was -at that period known and 
much practised. And as in the former reign, viz. of 
James I, anno 1424, we have a similar act of parlia- 
ment, prohibiting foot-ball, without any mention being 
made of golf, we think the probability is, that golf was 
not then known :—certainly it was not much practised. 
In both the subsequent reigns of James III. and 
James IV. we have similar acts of parliament against 
foot-ball and golf. Under the first of these monarchs, 
in, 1471,,it is enacted, «* that foot-ball and golf be 
abused, (that is disused) in time coming; and that the 
buts be made up, and shooting used, after the tenor of 
the act.of parliament, made thereupon.” In the reign 
of James IV. 14.91, it is statute and ordained, “ that in no 
place.of the realm there be used foot-ball, golf, or other 
such unprofitable sports,” under the penalty of forty 
shillings. All these statutes: were evidently framed, 
not from a conviction that there was, in the manly and 
athletic exercises of foot-ball and golf, any thing inju- 
rious either to the health, the morals, or the loyalty of 
the subject; but because they drew the attention too 
much from the attainment of skill in martial exercises, 
at,a time when the situation of the country so eminent- 
ly required it, 
The ground over which golf is: played, is in Scot- 
Jand called links, and is usually a particular sort of 
sandy soil in the neighbourhood «of the sea-shore, its 
surface mostly covered with short close grass, here and 
there interrupted by breaks, pits, and inequalities. These 
interruptions are necessary to impart interest to the 
game, 
The track along which the players proceed, is deno- 
minated the course, and may be either rectilinear, or 
a figure of any number of sides. Holes are made in 
the ground of about four inches diameter, and at the 
distance of four hundred yards, or a quarter of, a mile 
from each other ; and the object of the game is to strike 
a ball from one of these holes into the next with as few 
strokes as possible... A game may be said to terminate 
at each of these holes, and their number is not limited, 
but depends on the nature of the ground. 
334 
and therefore, by the rules of the game, he is obliged — 
club; the accuracy required to keep the course, and to’ 
GOL 
- Balls are used of about uth of an inch in diameter, _ 
and weighing from 26 to 30 drachms avoirdupois. ay 
are made of strong alumed leather, and stuffed with’ — 
feathers.’ ‘The feathers are forced in at a small hole’ 
fortifi f horn befc ear 
ortified by a. piece of ho ore. A good player, 
the dig: 
different situations of the ball, and in different stages of | 
the game. bitin! a of ni at petted ae Fine ; 
mon or play-club, the spoon, the putter, eiron; 
but ret golfers have aah“ ora daian different sorts.) 
The common oe is used Aizr the — hg the, “ 
the 3 the , Ww in a Ow; iron, 
eis ak greedy or stones; and the putter, | 
when near the hole. hg Pe ore 
A match may consist of two or more players; but — 
no proficient at golf every plays in one exceeding four, © 
that number being allowed to be the most elegant and — 
convenient, Each party has a ball, and the rule is, _ 
that at the beginning of a hole or game, the player may__ 
elevate his to what height he chooses for the conveni- — 
ence of striking, and this is done by means of a little’ 
sand or earth, and is’ called teeing ; but after the first — 
stroke has been made, the ball must be played from — 
the spot where it chances ‘to lie. And whichsoever of — 
the balls ‘lies farthest back, or at the greatest distance © 
from the hole to'which the players are proceeding, must ~ 
be always played till it get before the other, = 
Thus, suppose A and B to be en in a match, — 
A plays off, and then B. A’s ball lies farthest behind, 
to. play again. is is called playing one more, or the 
odds. But A misses his ball, or sends it only to'so short 
a distance, that it is not yet:so near the mark as B’s, A” 
must therefore play a third time, and this is called lay 
ing two more ; and should it so ha’ , that{even at _ 
this stroke he does not get his ball laid nearer to the — 
hole than that of B, he must then play three more, — 
and so on. ‘ 5 ‘ off ane + 
When B then plays, he is said to play one off three; 
and if’ he plays acteonla time in order 4 fet before A’s 
ball, he is said to play one off two ; and if'a thirdtime, 
one off one, or the like. mae Rear we of Bats im 
lays first, again plays the odds. Butif when | red 
pe rnpee me off three, A: had been to play mes ' 
he would then have played two more, or three more, 
respectively. If the party consists of four, the rule — 
is the same, except that the two partners on each side 
play alternately. If the ball be struck into the hole — 
at the like, or an equal number of strokes on both — 
sides, the hole is said to be halved, and goes for eer g 
To play this game, will require more dexterity and 
practice than is commonly ined. But anideaof 
its difficulty may be formed by considering the small< 
ness of the object struck, compared with the ine 3 
of the circle described in the swing round with the 
‘ 
measure the force — in such a manner as to avoid _ a 
hazards and over-driving the ball when approaching 
