GOLF
In golf the player strikes a ball in the endeavor to send it to a particular spot. He is not met with opposition in such endeavor, as in other ball games, his opponent having also a ball which he, too, is trying to put into the same spot with fewer strokes. This spot into which the player tries to put his ball is a small hole in the earth about 4-1/4 inches in diameter, and the instruments he uses for doing so are exceedingly varied.
The game commences by a player hitting off from a marked line called the teeing-ground, the ball in the direction of the first hole. In a regular golf course there are generally 18 holes, their distance apart varying from about 100 yards to 500 yards. The smoothly kept grounds near the holes is called the "putting-greens," and beside each "putting-green" is a marked teeing-ground. After the ball has been struck from the "tee" the player must not touch it with his hand until it is driven into the next hole, out of which he may then take it and "tee" it on the teeing ground in a good position for the drive-off to the next hole.
As the holes are widely separated and the ground in many places uneven and broken up, the ball will be driven into many positions, it will lie in the grass, in sand pits or bunkers, and in all kinds of holes and hollows in the rough surface, therefore it will be readily understood that the distance the ball is sent will vary with the stroke. It is to meet the difficulties arising from having to strike the ball in its different positions that so many instruments are called into requisition for the purpose. The names of the chief sticks and implements employed in the sport are: driver, brassie, spoon, cleek, iron, mashie, niblick and putter. The driver, brassie and spoon are wooden-headed clubs, but the others have always iron heads. The driver is the club used for striking to the greatest distance when the ball is on the "tee," that is, on the little mound of sand on which it is placed at the commencement of each hole, so that more facility may be had in striking it. The putter is used on the putting—green, for short strokes round about the holes. The putting—green or ground surrounding each hole is kept level for about a radius of 20 yards from the hole. The different sticks or clubs are graded from driver to putter in accordance with the different lengths of stroke for which they are designed. For instance, the niblick is a short club for taking the ball out of difficult positions ("lies") as when the latter gets into long grass, sand or some other awkward kind of obstruction.
A good driver by well hitting the ball can send it to a distance of about 200 yards from the tee. If the hole be so far off as to require a second stroke of equal length he can use the driver again, provided the ball is on level ground, but it is likely it will not be on such ground for the second stroke, and in such case the brassie or spoon is called on to do service. Each of these instruments has the face that strikes the ball laid back more than in the driver, so that they can lift it more easily off the ground. If the ball gets into a worse position, as a bunker or sandpit, the use of the cleek, iron or niblick will become necessary. The heads of these clubs are adjusted to deal with difficult "lies" that is, positions in which the ball may be driven. The niblick is used for taking it out of especially bad situations.
The stroke called the full swing is used with the driver. There are many other modifications of stroke, such as the three-quarter, the half and the wrist strokes.
As has been said, the issue of the game depends upon sending the ball into the holes with fewer strokes than the opposition. Victory is gained by the side which holes the ball with less strokes. If the sides hole out in the same number of strokes the hole is halved. A match is also won by the side which is leading by a number of holes greater than the number of holes remaining to be played. Thus if Jones has won six holes and Smith four, and seven holes have been halved, Jones, in case the round is the ordinary length of 18 holes, will be two holes up, with only one hole remaining to be played, and therefore he, Jones, wins the match. This is the general manner of playing the game in a match, each player playing his own ball.
In what is known as "score" play the relative merits of several can be tested at the same time. In this kind of play the total score of each player for all of the 18 holes is added up and the player who has the lowest total is declared the winner.
ARCHERY
Archery has played an important part in the history of the race from the very earliest times. Primitive man hurled his stone-pointed arrows at wild beasts, and as he advanced to a higher state of the observances of the laws of force he fashioned bows to give a greater impulse to his missiles. For hundreds of years the bow and arrow constituted the principal weapon of the chase, and finally became the instrument of offence and defence for armored knights, warriors and heroes. Robin Hood, roving the wild woods of Merry England, depended upon it for his prowess, as did Allan a Dale and Little John. In the early battles it was the chief weapon, and did effective service. In the battle of Hastings it decided the issue for William the Conqueror; at Agincourt, Crecy and Poitiers victory depended on its use. Skilled archers became famous all over the land, and many were their doughty deeds with the long bow.