GOLF.
The spring meeting of the Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrew’s was less well attended than usual this year, and the scores were somewhat higher than on recent occasions, but the meeting excited its accustomed interest, and was productive of several excellent contests. Mr. Edward Blackwell carried off the medal with a score of 82, while for second place there tied with 83 strokes Mr. Robert Maxwell, Mr. J. Stuart Paton, and Mr. W. Herbert Fowler. When the tie was played off Mr. Maxwell won with a score of 81, which proved the best of the meeting. Among the notable absentees were Mr. A. G. Barry, the Amateur Champion, the Hon. Osmond Scott, John E. Laidlay, and Mr. Cecil K. Hutchison. For the captaincy of the Club Mr. Balfour-Melville has been nominated.
The Southern Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association held a successful prize meeting on the Ashford Manor Club’s course at Ashford, Middlesex. There were seventy-two competitors, including Jack White, Rowland Jones, James Kinnell, and A. H. Toogood. Neither Braid nor Taylor was, however, able to play. The Tooting Bee Challenge Cup was won by W. R. Lonie, of Warlingham, whose score was 77 and 75 = 152, while Robert Thomson, of Romford, won the prize for the best single round with a score of 74, which constitutes the medal record of the course. The high wind which prevailed affected the scores. At the spring meeting of the Midlands Section of the Association at Derby the first prize was carried off by J. W. Fulford, of Birstall, with a score of 76 and 77 = 153.
Mr. Cecil K. Hutchison distinguished himself during the Easter holidays by doing the full round at Sandwich in 69 strokes.
The Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society sent a strong team to Ireland during the Easter holidays. Three matches were played, and of these two were won by the Society, while the third resulted in a tie. The links played over were Dollymount and Portmarnock.
In a professional tournament at Radlett, in Herts, first place was taken by J. Bradbeer, while Tom Vardon and J. H. Taylor tied for second place, and James Braid came last.
At Westward Ho, J. H. Taylor and James Braid played a 36-holes match. The former led most of the way, and at one time stood 7 up, but Braid towards the finish played magnificently, and succeeded in halving the match.
A new combination of scratch players called the Edinburgh Twenty Club played a match at Leven, in Fifeshire, with the Leven Thistle Club, and won by 9 matches against 7. The defeated club is one of the strongest in Scotland.
The annual match between the Bar and the House of Commons was played at Woking. The former won by 7 points against 4, being successful both in singles and foursomes.