The Clicking of Cuthbert

is onl

on the first tee, stand the cheery optimists who are about to make their opening drive, happily conscious that even a topped shot will trickle a measurable distance down the steep hill. Away in the valley, directly in front of you, is the lake hole, where these same optimists will be converted to pessimism by the wet splash o

ndred-and-twenty-yard drive down the hill to the silver drops that flash up in the sun, as young Freddie Woosley's mashie-shot drops weakly into the wate

*

I have known cases where marriage improved a man's game, and other cases where it seemed to put him right off his stroke. There seems to be no fixed rule. But what I do say is that a golfer should be cautiou

nd palatable food-stuffs first came together, nor what was the mutual magnetism that brought their deathless partnership about. One simply feels that it is one of the things that must be so. Similarly with men. Who can trace to

at the most expert critics are still baffled in their efforts to decide which is the worse player. I have heard the point argued a hundred times without any conclusion being reached. Supporters of Peter claim that his driving off the tee entitles him to an unchallenged

ound, to play together, and go neck and neck round the eighteen holes, than to take on some lissome youngster who could spatter them all over the course with one old ball and a cut-down cleek stolen from his father; or some spavined elder who not only rubbed it into them, but was apt, between strokes, to bore them with personal reminiscences of the Crimean War. So they began to play together early and late. In the small hours

f golf, I am satisfied. That is the impression I intended to convey. They were real golf

the trouble and expense of ringing up the office to say he would not be coming in that day; while I myself have heard James-and this not once, but frequently-say, while lunching in the club-house, that he had half a mind to get Gracechurch Street on the 'phone

topped drives and short putts-but two individuals, in whose breasts Nature had implanted other desires than the simple ambition some day to do the dog-leg hole on the second nine in under double figures. My friends tell me that, when I am relating a story,

once, at a picnic, I observed her killing wasps with a teaspoon, and was impressed by the freedom of the wrist-action of her back-swing. Beyond this, I can say little. But she must have been attractive,

encounter Peter in the bunker nea

girl, that Miss

r a moment from his t

es

or he had not mentioned Miss Forrester's name, and yet P

the day, on the plea of a sprained wrist. Peter, acknowledging the cancellation, stated that he himself had been on the point of ringing James up to say that he would be unable to play owing to a slight headache. They met at tea-time at Miss

er. After an awkward si

es

all I say?-that emanates from a good woman that makes

r re

es

hed James's do

ld man. You want to go home an

said

gether. By now, thought Peter, it must be lying on his friend's table. The thought saddened him. And James, guessing what was in Peter's mind, was saddened too. But he did not waver. He was in no mood to read MacBean's masterpiece that night. In the twenty minutes of silence after lea

lf together, and during the round achieved towards each other a manner that, superficially, retained all its ancient cheeriness and affection. If-I should say-when, James topped h

ek. From that time on it became clear to all of us that, if Grace Forrester intended to marry anyone in the place, it would be either James or Peter; and a good deal of interest was taken in the matter by the local sportsmen. So little was known of the form of the two men, neither having figured as principal in a love-affair before, that even money was the best you could get, and the market was sluggish. I think my own flutter of twelve golf-balls, taken up by Percival Brown, was the mos

except in each other's company. And it was not until one day when Grace Forrester was

was knitting this sweater there was a big sensation. The

if small, then James was the lucky man. Neither dared to make open inquiries, but it began to seem almost impossible to find out the truth without them. No masculine eye can reckon up purls and plains and estimate the size of chest which the garment is destined to cover. Moreover, with amateur knitters

a, and Peter would walk home singing. The suspense of the two men can readily be imagined. On the one hand, they wanted to know their fate; on the other, they fully r

ust come a breaking point. It came one

topping in mid-stride.

been feverish a

said

good night's rest for weeks. We must find out

k and ask her

l and went into the house and presen

," said James,

," said

ttle surprised at finding the troupe playing a

ou please tell us who-I should say, wh

womanly candour that well became her. "It is a sock. A

ght," sa

ght," sa

," said Gra

ther to leave Woodhaven, the survivor would find himself in a position to conduct his wooing as wooing should be conducted. Hitherto, as I have indicated, neither had allowed the other to be more than a

ghteen-hole match on the links. He thought very highly of the idea before he finally went t

oing round to disclose his plan to Peter, when Peter

ng," sa

ng," sa

toyed absently wi

an idea,

ing his knife down with a jerk-shot

mean-with Her. At present we've got each other stymied. Now, how would it be," said Peter, abstractedly spreading marmalade on his bacon, "if we were to play

that he struck himself in

the idea I got l

it's

only thi

er, they were friends. For years they had shared each other's

ly Pete

ll mis

you mean,

me place. But of course you'll soon be able to

you can return. You won't be offended if I don't ask you to be best

ighed d

ing-room done in blu

fe and fork for you at our little nest. Grace is no

d Peter. "Strict Royal and

tain

e, old man-but no ground

al, the ball shall be considered holed-out only whe

o hurt your feelings-missing the ball cou

layer whose ball has fallen in the rough, may not p

, strict

ct ru

bookshelf and began to study the photograph of the short approach-shot showing Mr. MacBean swinging from Point A, through dotted line B-C, to Point D, his head the

*

clear blue sky on to turf that glistened more greenly than the young grass of early spring. Butterflies flitted to and fro; birds sang merrily. In short, all Nature smiled. And

can see, is a bogey four, and James was dead on the pin in seven, leaving Peter, who had twice hit the United Kingdom with his mashie in mistake for the ball, a difficult putt for the half. Only one thing could happen when you left

h the same stoicism displayed by those kings in ancient and superstitious times who used to fling jewellery into the sea to propitiate it before they took a voyage. But today, by one

yes at the Pacific while all his men gazed at each other with a wild surmise, silent upon a peak in Darien. Precisely so did Peter Willard and James Todd stare with eagle eyes at the second lake hole, and gaze at ea

ispered James, i

!" mutter

on

y very

h a two. Peter's previous record was eight, and James had once done a seven. There are times when strong men lose their self

honour, shook visibly as he addressed his ball. Three times he swung and only connected with the ozone; the fourth time he topped badly. The discs had been set back a little way, and James had the mournful distinction of breaking a record for t

dseason form. But today it was war to the niblick, and neither man asked nor expected quarter. Peter's seventh shot dislodged the stone, leaving him a clear field, and James, with his eleventh, extricated himself from the furrow. Fifty feet from the tree James was eighteen, Peter twelve; but then the latter, as every golfer does at times, suddenly went right off his game. He hit the tree

they can clear the bunker that spans the fairway and lay their ball well out to the left, whence an iron shot will take them to the green. Peter and James combined the two policies. Peter aimed to the left and got a slice, and James, also aiming to the lef

by some act of God, contrived to get out in two, James's chances might have been extremely rosy. As it was, the two men staggered out on to the fairway again with a score of eight apiece. Once past the bunker and round the bend of the road, the hole becomes simple. A judicious use of the cleek put Peter on the green in fourteen, while James, with a Braid iro

halved in nine. The eighth, always a tricky hole, they took no liberties with, James, sinking a long putt with his twenty-third, just mana

ames looked a little fur

id. "I want to get a few balls at the shop. And

with you,"

mes. "You go on and hol

MacBean's "How to Become a Scratch Man". He felt sure that one more glance at the photograph of Mr. MacBean driving would give him the mastery of the stroke and so enable him to win the match. In this I think he was a little sanguine. The difficulty about Sandy MacBean's method of tuitio

*

tenth tee, that the latter's manner was strange.

old man,

said

een thinking. James, old man,

pasm of pain twis

low voice, "she were not

do you

ng, no

rester is

es. Qui

"You're trying to put me off my stroke. You k

, n

off the game and make me go to pie

id Peter. "I intend t

s re

ha

ive

tand! You are doing this for me because I am your pal. Peter, this is noble! This is the sort

u m

, n

ins

u mean

s, old man. I-I hope

what to say. How

t tha

n my game today. You might easily beat me. Have you forgotten that I once took forty-seven at the dog-leg hole? This may be o

derst

ick to it that

there's no need for yo

st now outside the tenn

urned c

think pe

er go to he

is hand. "Peter, old man,

s all

you goin

r round the second nine. If you want

wedding, Peter?" s

said Peter.

turned to go, he stood looking after him

*

made a charming picture as she stood there in the sunlig

ou do?" s

Todd? Have you b

es

Mr. Wi

ere having

e men very rude. Mr. Willard left me withou

as asto

talking

what was the matter with him. He ju

eel when you swing," said James

your

Peter. You mustn't think too hardly of him. We have been playing an important match,

N

n me at the lake-hole.

r father

e hole into the woods. It requires the nicest delicacy and judgment, such as I gave it. You might have to wait a year before seeing anyone do it in two again. I doubt if the 'pro.' often does it in two. Now, directly we came to this hole

t does it matter w

and it is largely the desire to retain these angles which results in their moving their heads and stiffening their muscles so that there is no freedom in the swing. There is only one point which vitally affects the stroke, and the only re

t for air, and as he pau

gibberish to

am quoting verbatim from one o

wung her tennis

pallid. I think it is the

rtist, I should show James at this point falling backwards with his feet together and his eyes shut, with a semi-circular dotted line marking the progress of his flight and a few stars a

ing the golden summer air with the most hideous blasphemy. It would be incorrect to say that James's love was turned to hate. He did not hate G

g world stood still. Then, without a wo

*

friend arrived. He looked up with a start. Then, seeing

congratul

athed a d

he said. "O

efused

ever sent one right up the edge of that bunker

y ra

walked up, there was my ball on the edge of the bunker, nicely teed up on a chunk of grass, so that I was able to lay it dead with my mashie-niblick, h

you feel," said

was the silliest game ever invented." He paused to mark the effect of his words

. You see, she said the same thin

e d

e-hole today in two, and she said that in her opinion golf was a game for chi

shivered i

nity in the family,

r, "is the charit

nate to find i

we

un a risk lik

er a

p golf really seriously. It w

ought to do our four r

ter it would be rash not to practise most

to be safe

ou about it for some time. I've got Sandy MacBean's new book,

am

et

hands. James Todd and Peter W

*

f he finds that there is any danger that it may not-if the object of his affections is not the kind of girl who will listen to him with cheerful sympathy through the long evenings, while he tells her, illustrating stance and grip and swing with the kitchen