THE GAME. IN AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 12

THE GAME. IN AFRICA.

GOLD COAST LINKS. An English paper publishes the following, ' account of a golf course at Accra, ©old I Coast—The eoif course has bean in existence for a good many years, but it is only 1, within the last year, since it has been |, lengthened, that much golf has been played. : , The course is now of nine holes, varying in ' ; length from 120 to 600 yards. There or© ! three really good length two-shot holes— long and rather uninteresting, the remainder : • are short but of excellent length and well i placed. The hazards are chiefly trees, roads, 1 buildings. cxtltivction. and. ant heaps, which. .' I though good hazards, are often the cause of I considerable mirth. It is very difficult to { play good golf for the following reasonsI Tho method by which the grass' is cut, i.e., ! by a matchett. causes larpe slabs of earth . , ■to be cut out at each blow, with the result . that until the pest shower of rain {ho course . , is pitted with small holes. j The subsoil—a mixture of light sandy soil, ! with here and there patches of gravel—has ' a peculiar way, of crumbling on .the impact "< of the club: this makes it essential that the ball be taken before the ground, and though not difficult for ions iron shots, seems extra- ' ordinarily hard when near the green. • ' Tho greens are composed of baked clay • covered with sand, which ia often blown ! away by the wind, and it is almost fepos* I siblo to pitch on any green and remain * there. „* Th £°V' however, when one:gets used to the ball turning off at right angles at any moment, is most- enjoyable, and what w ' larking in the game is made up tor in; incident. « is not an uncommon thing for an unfortunate rabbit to put in an app»ar6H°S- At once a stampede occurs, caddies.' *o'diers from the lures, motor dnverii all give chase: . the unfortunate rabbit has no chance; whichever way it doubles there is" v t|l-ways a shrinking human being before it. ■■ Wh«n the inevitable capture taltes place the saddieß return to their masters, and the game Resumed. The neighbourhood is iiir fasted with snakes of oil kinds, and it B*. hoves one to walk with caution in the rough, A tale is told of a , colour-sergeant. whose ball was nearly touching a large stone off' ang tee-shot: ho stooped down to'remove ftfce stone, and was horrified to see a Who " snake curled round the stone—it is needleaa : to say that he loathe hole! A dog-faced '■ baboon named Philippe Used to be chained I , ■ UP near a row of trees, which hav* in sk« \1 \ % * '.

-h-Philippe-was very, interested in- golf balls.tod ; if'any unfortunate individual-topped his toe-shot- at the seventh : hoi© -Phuinps would.fidd- it with either and we tell 'Jtroia a playing:point of view was of no mor# ,'SJEe. : :t There is -aw' tale of one- player who actually placed his toe-shot into Philippe's box, but on that' occasion : :fM player , waft mora active-' . wan PBuippe',, aad, rscovered his property before' any eenntj* dnnipp'jf co«ld be done. .