To play golf one must know the rules of golf thoroughly, and conform thereto in every respect. There is only one game of golf, and that must be played according to the strict letter of the law, or else it is not golf. It may be a game of driving a ball round a golf-course, but it is not golf. Nothing surprises me more than the fact that a number of really good players do not know the rules; but this, I am sorry to say, is nevertheless the case. They no doubt know the principal rules; but put them into a tight corner, and ask is this or is that allowable, or what is the penalty for doing one thing or another, and they are entirely at sea. If there is one thing a golfer ought to know thoroughly, it is the rules of the game he plays. Some years ago the rules were contained in a couple of pages of print, embracing less than a score of laws, but nowadays they have increased considerably in number and complexity. My own opinion is that they are still far from perfect, and I should like to see a simpler and more explicit, and a more generally applicable, code introduced. However desirable this may be, we must meantime accept them as they stand, and act accordingly. A golfer who desires to improve and perfect his game should always endeavour to play with an opponent who is just slightly superior to himself - one who can, generally speaking, beat him by a hole or by two holes in the round of eighteen. If he chooses an antagonist of heavier metal, he will have the feeling all through the game of playing against odds he cannot hope to cope with successfully, and this will tend to make him press, and will in time break up his game and demoralise him completely; whereas, if he plays with one just a little better than himself, though he is playing against odds, he will know that he cannot be beaten by much, and that he has a chance, and it may be a good chance, of holding his own, or even of coming in victorious, and he will further know that if he desires to do this he must not indulge in loose play. His game will therefore be kept in a healthy state of tension. He should never permit himself to play under the conviction that he must be beaten. It is an undeniable fact that if a golfer once gets a fixed idea into his head that a certain rival can beat him, he will always play a losing game against that rival, although there may be nothing to choose between them as regards golfing ability. I can quote the case of two well-known players, who were at the time among the best of their day, and who were, in the opinion of those competent to judge, equally good players. Yet the one was invariably successful in his matches against the other, simply because he had got into the habit of beating his rival, who had come to look on defeat as a matter of course. A match between a good and an inferior player may be equalised by the former allowing to the latter a handicap of so many holes, or so many strokes to be taken at certain holes: but this never makes so good a match as a level game with a player of equal skill with oneself.

Golf is a tickle game, and must be wooed to be won. No good can be got by forcing the game; and unless one feels fit and has a keen interest in the match, it is better not to play. It is no use going out and playing a round in a half-hearted, listless, indifferent way. Playing in this way is ruinous to good golf; and whenever one loses interest in the game, he is better to stop playing until he feels he can throw his mind and his heart into it. There is no greater mistake than playing till one becomes stale. Further, golf is a business-like game, and should be gone about in a brisk, businesslike way. It is far better to play and walk round the links smartly and quickly than to creep round at a snail-like pace. Therefore choose a partner who will not keep you back by slow play. It is impossible to play good golf if you are thinking of something else all the time, and if you have any business worries, leave them behind when you go to the links.

'Foursomes' are not generally regarded as of the same serious character, so far as golf is concerned, as singles. In a single each has himself and himself only to depend upon; but in foursomes one is apt to trust either too much or too little to his partner; and besides, there is frequently a good deal of bantering carried on between the opponents, which is hardly conducive to good golf. Nevertheless a foursome makes a very enjoyable game if the sides are well chosen. It is not every golfer who will make a good partner in a foursome, and it is not always the best two players who will win. Much depends upon the ability of the partners to adapt themselves and their game to each other's play, and examples arc not wanting of two first-class players being beaten by two of inferior calibre.

A three-ball match is, I consider, one of the best forms of golf, and only little inferior to a single. By a three-bull match I do not mean each party playing against the other two - playing his own hall, as the expression goes, - but one, a good player, playing against the best ball of the other two somewhat inferior golfers. This form of the game is of great benefit to the single player, who pits himself against the other two, provided the odds are not too great. On most greens three-ball matches are not within the rules of the green, and can be passed by a two-ball match.

The subjects of match and medal play are deserving of some remarks.

In match play the opponents arc face to face, and each sees what he requires to do to win or to halve each hole as the game progresses, and must regulate his play accordingly. I have before recommended every one to play his own game, no matter against whom he is opposed, and this is a general rule which may be with safety adhered to. But. like all other rules. it is subject to modification, especially in match play. The modifications which may be necessary can best be illustrated by examples. Let it be supposed that in playing to a hole the one player's ball lies well, while his adversary's has got, into a hazard requiring a couple of strokes for extrication. Under such circumstances the chances are that the first-mentioned player will win the hole, provided he does not make some dreadful mistake, and he ought to play with caution, and run no risks of getting into difficulties, in order to make absolutely certain of gaining the hole. He should remember that he has two strokes in hand, and should be careful to utilise them with the object of making sure of the hole. To win the hole he requires to get down in only one stroke less than his opponent; and if the latter takes seven strokes, nothing is to be gained by attempting to hole out in four or five strokes. Now, on the other hand, let it be supposed that our player's ball has got into a difficulty costing him a stroke, and his opponent with the like lays his ball on the green. It is almost certain, bar mistakes on the part of the opponent, or bar exceptional play on the part of our supposed golfer, that the latter will lose the hole, and he ought to run every risk, however great - be it a long carry, or a difficult approach, or a tricky putt - in order if possible to snatch a half out of the fire. To put the matter shortly, in match play a golfer's game must be governed by the state of the match at the time, and he must play to win holes or secure halves quite irrespective of the number of strokes taken to any individual hole, or to the score for the round. Every one wishes to win his matches, and the way to do this is to hang in to your opponent. In a close match it is the player who can hang in that wins; and when playing against a superior golfer, if you hang in to him he will possibly he disappointed to find that he is not winning so easily as he probably expected, and this disappointment may in the long-run cause him to 'crack.' It is a good principle to try and have your opponent beat 'before the finish,' i.e. before the last hole is reached.