Some Good Golf Stories.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 4, 22 January 1913, Page 9

Some Good Golf Stories.

The good golf story is always popular, and ene of the most successful features of the handsome Christmas Number of the •‘Windsor Magazine’’ is an amusing •survey by Laurence North of “Legends of the Links” in their wide abundance and variety. Among other good things the writer says: —

“One day, as. Mr Balfour was going out for a round at St. Andrews, he -waved genially as he passed to a caddie of his acquaintance, who returned the wave with that nonchalance of the gamin which is said to be next to the ease of a cultivated gentleman. The writer’s friend observed: 'I see you know Mr Balfour ?’

“ ‘Au ay,’ said the caddie, ‘us Con sairvatives a’ kens- ane anither.’

“Turning to the finer humanities of the links, there is a very pleasing anecdote of, the admirable relations that often exist between players and eaddies. This story has been used as material for fiction by another hand, but the bare skeleton of truth may be given here, without the embroideries of the n-oveiist.

“Once upon a time, in a northern golfing city, the law was administered by a sheriff of great kindness of heart. He had a favourite caddie, a sad poacher in ills spare hours. This worthy was knio-wn on the links by his Christian name alone. One fine day, in Court, the sheriff sentenced a poacher—who failed to appear at the bar—to five pounds or three months. A warrant was at once made out for the culprit’s arrest, the Court rose, and the sheriff Went to golf. All that afternoon the caddie carried for him. As they drew near the last hole, a policeman appeared and seized the body of the caddie. ‘My hat!’ 1 cried the sheriff, ‘are you the poor chap I sentenced this morning!’ It was even so. Sorrowfully the prisoner departed. The elieriff was heard to murmur, ‘lf 1 had 1 only known —-’ Then, remembering his high legal office, he left the remark unfinished'.

“Next day, to everybody’s surprise, the caddie was carrying again. As he •fid not possess five pounds in the world his release caused some speculation at the club. But the general surmise as to who hait paid 1 the fine eame pretty near the mark. It was noticed', too, that from that day the eaddh: gave up poaching,*’