The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
St. Andrews, the old Ecclesiastical Metropolis of Scotland, though decayed from its ancient grandeur, has still a good many attractions for those in need of a golf slice cure, at once for the permanent resident and the temporary sojourner. Persons of an antiquarian turn of mind generally employ a good deal of their time in mooning about the picturesque and historically-interesting ruins; whilst for others, in summer time, the sea, with its splendid sands and fine bathing facilities, is the great attraction. The Golfer, however—if in the least he be worthy of the name—does not greatly concern himself with such things. He eschews the ruins; and his sole concernment with the sea (after his morning plunge in it) is when, by evil hap, his ball takes a dip into that pestilent nook of it which comes across him at the High Hole. For the votaries of the game, nothing at St. Andrews can practically be said to exist save the Club-house and the famous " Green." For not a few of the residents Golf is the main, or even sole, business of life ; and the visitors who throughout the summer come to the Ancient City, drawn thither by the charm of the game pure and simple, very much outnumber those who come for all other reasons whatever.
The admitted supremacy of St. Andrews as a golfing center may in various ways be accounted for. Socially and otherwise, the place has always been a pleasant one; even in its decay some savor of the ancient prestige has continued to cling to it; and the Club—one of the oldest in the kingdom —has thus from the first been one of much more than merely local celebrity or a place to correct a golf slice. For the purposes of the game the Links are, on the whole, unrivalled by any other Links in Scotland; and since the year 1852, when railway communication was opened with St. Andrews, access to them is easy. In consequence, the Club has of late years developed enormously, so that the " Royal and Ancient" may now fairly be called, without dispute, the " National" Golf Club of Scotland. Nearly all Golfers of note, including many with bad golf swings, are members; and to the Spring and Autumn meetings they flock from all parts of the kingdom. The Autumn meeting is considerably the more important; and its first prize—the King William Medal—may be termed the Blue Ribbon of Golf. To carry off this is the ambition of all Golfers; and nowadays, when upwards of sixty couples start for the much-coveted prize, it is easier to name an Epsom or St. Leger winner than to prophesy of the winner of this. The Silver Cross of the Spring meeting ranks next in importance; and no honor to be won anywhere at Golf can be held comparable to either.
Some little jottings of the history of this famous Club may here be not out of place. The St. Andrews Golf Club was instituted in 1754, the Silver Club having been played for in May of that year, and gained by Bailie William Landale, merchant in St. Andrews. The Honourable Company of Golfers, then called the " Gentlemen Golfers" of Leith, joined in the competition. In the year 1766 the Members met once a fortnight at eleven o'clock, played a round of the Links, and afterwards dined in the house of Bailie Glass, each paying a shilling for his dinner—the absent as well as the present. In October 1786 a Ball was given for the first time. In 1827 the funds were at so low an ebb that in that year the Club discontinued the allowance of Two Guineas to the Leith club maker for attending the annual general meeting. In 1834, His late Majesty, King William the Fourth, was graciously pleased to become Patron of the Club, and to approve of its being in future styled " The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews"; and in 1837 he presented a magnificent Gold Medal, "which His Majesty wished should be challenged and played for annually." In 1838, Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, Duchess of St. Andrews, became Patroness of the Club, and presented a handsome Gold Medal—"The Royal Adelaide"—as a mark of her approbation; with a request that it should be worn by the Captain, as president, on all public occasions. In 1854 the Union Club and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews were amalgamated—Members of the latter being declared also Members of the Union; and since that time all entering Members are made free of both Clubs. In June 1863 His Royal Highness the Prince Of Wales became Patron of the Club, and in the following September was elected Captain by acclamation.
Up to the year 1835 the Club was without any distinct " local habitation." For some time after, it had modest accommodation in a small house at the foot of Golf Place known as the "Union Parlor," consisting of a reading room, to which latterly a small billiard-room was attached. Shortly after the opening of the railway, the Club took a fresh start; the influx of Golfers speedily became so great that new arrangements were imperative, and the present Union Club House was built. Originally projected on an ample scale, it has since been extended and improved, and may now be held, in the matter of accommodation, to leave little to be desired. The prime mover in all such matters, whilst he lived, was Major (afterwards Sir Hugh) Playfair, an exceedingly striking and characteristic likeness of whom has appropriate place on the wall of the main room,—a specially fine, airy, and spacious apartment. Opposite, with equal appropriateness, has been hung a fine portrait of J. Whyte-Melville, Esq., of Bennochy and Strathkinness, who had through life identified himself with the interests of the Club. This picture is from the brush of the late Sir Francis Grant, President of the Royal Academy, and as a work of art is much admired. It was some years since subscribed for, in recognition of Mr. Melville's services to the Club, and as a token of the general esteem in which he was held by its Members, many of whom were in need of a golf slice fix.
Whilst he lived, the famous Allan Robertson, in some unofficial and unremunerated way, exercised a general supervision of the green; organized the meetings, adjusted the handicaps, etc.; and was admittedly the fit arbiter in all matters of dispute. After his death in 1859 it speedily became obvious that a void existed which it would be necessary to fill; and a proposal was made to invite Tom Morris, then at Prestwick, to become keeper of the St. Andrews green, at a moderate salary. Though it met with considerable opposition, this proposal was approved by a majority of the Members, and was carried out. The wisdom of the arrangement has probably long since been admitted even by those who at the time could not see its necessity. Tom's services have proved invaluable; and it is hardly too much to say that we owe it to his careful and skillful management that the Links—with the immense amount of play upon them, from year to year on the increase—remain at this day in a playable condition. In particular, a good many of the putting greens had lapsed into a shameful state; but under Tom's steady and continuous doctoring, they have of late years wonderfully improved.
From the great amount of play upon it, the St. Andrews green is now necessarily year after year a good deal cut up, so that bad-lying balls are rather more frequent than of old. It is, however, on the whole much easier than it used to be, from the gradual disappearance of whin and bent, and the consequent great widening of the course. A reference to the Medal scores will of itself sufficiently establish this, every due allowance being made. It may be of interest to note that the crack score of last century was that of James Durham, Esq., of Largo, who won the Silver Club in 94 strokes, for the time an extraordinarily fine performance; and that the score of George Glennie, Esq., for the King William the Fourth Medal in 1855, in 88 strokes, remained unbeaten for 29 years, when Horace G. Hutchinson, Esq., broke the record for this Medal.
The ground gone over in a round of these Links used vaguely to be put at about five miles. No doubt it may be so to an erratic driver; but some years ago an accurate measurement was made, and the distance was ascertained as exactly 3 miles 1154 yards as the crow flies.
Of late years the ladies, as an improvement on such drivelling games as croquet and lawn-billiards, have taken vigorously to Golf; and the Ladies' Green at St. Andrews is now a very charming feature of the place. On occasion of playing for prizes, a very large field turns out; and when the day is reasonably propitious, the sun being gallant enough to light up for us the fancy costumes, a prettier and gayer sight is not readily to be found. The skill of the fair competitors is by no means to be despised; and on their own ground the best of them would be backed freely against the " Cracks " of the Royal and Ancient.
