ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL, CONCORD, GOLF LINKS.
Teeing-ground at the start, looking towards the course.
This lay of the land makes it necessary for the player to adopt one of two plans when he starts. He must either make a fine drive right over the willows, and land in the meadow which lies between the teeing-ground and the first hole, or he must make a careful drive so as to place the ball on the hither side of the bushes, and then loft it over them with an iron. If the ball drops in a favorable position, however, the player may use his brassey with advantage, and drive through a gap that exists in the underbrush. This move will generally save him a stroke over the iron play. If he uses the iron, and arrives safely on the ground beyond, a good cleek shot will land him on or near the green. If he used the brassey and went through the willows at the ditch, a mashie shot should put him in position for a putt.
In all plays for the first hole the fence as well as the road and the bushes on the right must be avoided. Within sixty feet of the tee for the second hole there is a ditch, and beyond it a slight hill, and after that a level clear stretch to the second hole, just behind which is a fine woods. Careful driving is therefore required to avoid going into the ditch or hitting the hill, and many of the novices find they need to give good care to their lofting to save themselves from jumping into the woods.
ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL, CONCORD, GOLF LINKS.
Looking back from the middle links; course is around the fence on the left.
From the second to the third hole it is perfectly plain sailing, an even, smooth meadow with a slight downward inclination. This part of the course is so good that it has frequently been made in one drive. Between the tee for the fourth hole and the hole itself there is a potato patch surrounded by a fence, and, as every man who plays golf knows, a potato patch is a very unpleasant hazard. But to the careful driver its terrors in this case may be greatly reduced, for a good strong drive will put you out of all danger. The putting green, however, is on a slight elevation with woods behind it, so that considerable care is required when dropping the ball upon it with a mashie stroke.
From the fourth to the fifth hole the course runs through an orchard, which, however, is not very extensive, and many of the most expert players on this links can drive entirely over it. The ground slopes toward the putting green until within about fifty yards of it. From the fifth to the sixth hole the ground is overgrown with crab bushes about two feet high and very dense, so that a ball dropping fairly into the midst of this patch is likely to lodge there. The space around the green, however, is perfectly level, and is screened on the far side with pine woods. It is one of the shadiest and best of greens that it has been my fortune to see anywhere.
The course from the sixth to the seventh hole is likewise over a reasonably smooth green, with tufts of crab bush sticking up here and there. It has no especially difficult features, being a plain straightaway course, but it offers a favorable chance for a good iron-player to distinguish himself. The green from the next to the last hole ends in a semicircle of pine woods, and then comes the long hole home.
The home putting green, although level itself, is situated on a hill-side, and so the man who is reckless or over-energetic with his putting-iron is liable to make a long putt—and see his ball roll all the way down the hill. At the bottom of this hill are a fence and bushes, where many a game has been lost through the carelessness or misfortune of the players who have allowed their balls to get into this hazard at the last moment.