Golf
London: George Bell and Sons, 1895. 58p. decorative cloth. Third edition. First 1889, second 1892. illustrated with four photographs of "Old Tom" Morris.
Author was the founder and Captain of the Cambridge University Golf Club and a personal friend of Old Tom. Brevity is common in these early golf volumes and this little volume is no exception. It does however begin with a good history of the game in chapter one and follows, quite uncommonly, with a chapter on the golf course itself. Two chapters of brief instruction and advice to beginners is followed by a lengthy chapter on the Rules of Golf of 1888. The 17 divisions with 45 rules of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club are itemized, followed by a section on Rules for Medal Play. What is most interesting and unique to my understanding about this book is that it continues by listing the ten LOCAL RULES FOR ST. ANDREWS LINKS (E.g. players with caddies may pass players carrying their own clubs) as well as the Local Rules of the Cambridge University Golf Club to suit play over Coldham Links. There are several interesting changes made since the first edition, including for additional pages on information on the rise of patent clubs, groundkeeping issues of worms, tees, rules indexing, etc. Front paste down stained, brown pastedown offset to feps, several page edges turned, bright blue covers with black lettering clean and unmarked, no marring of cover illustration of Old Tom Morris at the top of his backswing. Part of the Percy Boomer golf library. Item #10423
Price: £119.00