THE PRINCE'S GOLF ORDEAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3145, 27 November 1922, Page 2

THE PRINCE'S GOLF ORDEAL.

(By Harold Saunders.) St. Andrews, the little grey city on the Fifeshire coast, has been the scene of many historic events. The ruins of the cathedral bear witness to the exciting times of John Knox, who thundered from the pulpit to Mary Queen of Scots agarinst the "monstrous regiment of women" ; all kinds of distinguished people have been honored with honorary degrees by the university, with every conceivable pomp and circumstance', and, last, but not. least, there is the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the officials of which the world has regarded as the governors of the game for the last century or more, and on whose links some of the most classic battles have been won and lost. In all the varied history of the city, however, one ventures to think that nothing will ever have appeal to the imagination of its citizens —not even the destruction of their cathedral by the followers of John Knox —so much as the ceremonies prescribed for the Prince of Wales, who plays himself into office as captain of the Royal and Ancient Club on Wednesday. It is a coveted honor, but only twice previously have princes of the Royal House been invited to occupy it. These were Prince Leopold and King Edward VII.. or the Prince of Wales as he was in 186,3, when he accepted his term of office. Neither knew anything about the game at that time, and s-o the historic ceremonial connected with the election of the B. and A. captain had to be abandoned in their cases. It is different with the present Prince of Wales. It would be the basest flattery to .say that he excels in golf as he does in some other sports, but he knows how to bit a, ball, which was more than cither of his royal predecessors could boast at the time of their election. So the Prince will perform the ancient rites of playing himself into office. They are sufneient to test tho nerve of the stoutest golfer. The captain-elect experienced golfer. The captain-elect has to drive the first ball in the club's autumn meeting, at nine o'clock precisely. All St. Andrews and the whole of the countryside for miles around turns out long before the appointed hour to line the fairway from the first hole to the Swilcan Bum. There are small boys and fishermen and sober burgesses, all bent on trying to achieve the distinction of retrieving tho first ball driven by the new captain. A gratuity of one guinea adds zest to the otherwise empty honor of the victor in the fearful melee. The knowledge that all the hundreds lining the pathway to the first hole are trying to gauge the distance of one's drive is, in itself, a dreadful test of the nerve of the captain-elect. There is. however, another disconcerting thing for .which he has to be prepared. A small muzzle-loading cannon is brought from the seaward side of the club-house for the occasion in charge of a coastguard, and placed on the terrace overlooking the first tee. Tho coastguard primes and loads the piece, and stands with lighted fuse waiting lor tin* fateful moment. With luck, the discharge, of the cannon should synchronise with the new captain's tee shot. Both should go off with a splendid detonation. The cannon is a. practical certainty, but the ten shot is not so certain—and small wonder! The ordeal of that tee shot is considered sufficient I'nr one day, and tho striker automatically becomes the holder of a medal given to the IL and A. by William IV.'s consort. The new captain need not play another stroke during the Jest of the day. His only privilege during his inauguration as the club captain is that of paying for the wine of the rest of the members at the banquet in the even-