When Arnaud Massy won the championship at Hoylake in 1907, he only fulfilled the prophecies of those best qualified to judge his qualities. The severe weather conditions which prevailed on that occasion suited his style of play, as he is very powerfully built, and drives a very long ball with a decidedly low trajectory. His swing is distinctly of the 'headsman' type, the club being taken over the head and not round the shoulder, and he appears to get an extra twist of the wrists (which must be unusually strong and supple) at the top of the swing which seems to give him additional power. His left knee turns unusually late in the upward swing, giving an impression of great solidity of stance. He is a beautiful putter, and, as Mr. Darwin points out, shares with other fine putters the habit of taking the putter well back from the ball, and consequently striking it a very free blow.

ALEC HERD.

A. MASSY.

GEO. DUNCAN.

J. SHERLOCK.

[To face p. 239.

G. Duncan is another example of the 'headsman' type. He is supposed to have modelled his style on Vardon's, but Duncan certainly takes the club higher over the head than the former does. In other respects his style bears a distinct resemblance to his model. Beautiful free wrist-work and an exceptionally fine follow-through help him to drive a tremendous distance, and his iron play is crisp, clean, and well controlled. The extraordinary rapidity of his play might possibly be slightly modified, but the results obtained are surely an object-lesson to the players who fondly imagine that their wearisome methods will help them to attain fame.

Sherlock is a striking example of a player improving one department of his game by changing the course he most habitually plays on. Always a beautiful putter and approacher, it is only since his advent to Stoke Poges that he has attained the length of driving which is absolutely essential in the highest class of golf. Possessed of a sound quiet style, he appears to play every stroke in the simplest and most natural manner, and his putting method is particularly easy and effective. He favours the old fashion of grip, even with the putter. The only peculiarity about his style is his habit of addressing the ball with the extreme toe of the driver - in fact the club head is almost clear of the ball.

Jack White is another very fine putter. When he won the championship at Sandwich he never missed a putt which he could reasonably be expected to hole. Contrary to Sherlock, he interlocks very considerably, and when holing out adopts a stance with the right foot immediately behind the ball. He is apt to go off his driving now and then, and on these occasions a disastrous hook becomes very evident; and, curiously, it is a fault which he shares with perhaps the finest putter who ever handled a club. I imagine that few will dispute Willie Park's claim to that title. Park's method of putting certainly favoured the use of the right hand, and he hit the ball with a rising club, thus imparting overspin, and endowing the ball with that running-on power which was a very conspicuous feature of his play on the green. He was hardly ever short with an approach putt, and holing out had no terrors for him.

Approach putting was, I think, certainly at one time, the deadliest part of Andrew Kirkaldy's game. He tied with Park for the championship at Musselburgh, but was defeated in the play-off. A fine player with all his clubs, his touch with the wooden putter, particularly at St. Andrews when the greens were glassy, was wonderful. With a quick, short swing, he drove a very long ball, and could punch it an incredible distance with a half-shot with the iron. In the opinion of many he is the finest golfer who never quite succeeded in winning the championship.

EDWARD RAY Open Golf Champion, 1912.

[To face p. 241.

Of all professional golfers E. Ray, the champion, is the most prodigious smiter. Tall and powerfully built, there are no half-measures about his game. He seems to put every ounce of his weight into the stroke, but the distinct forward lunge of the body is sometimes apt to make his long game a trifle erratic. He is certainly one of the few players who always appears to be perfectly unconcerned and happy - even on the most important occasion.

Tom Vardon is the happy possessor of a very similar temperament. His departure for America is a great loss to Sandwich, where his cheerful disposition made him a general favourite. As an iron player and putter he had no superior, but his driving, especially against the wind, sometimes let him down a little. He invariably drove a very high ball, the result probably of playing nearly all his golf at Sandwich.

Tom Ball came into prominence in 1908, when he was second in the championship at Prestwick. He repeated the performance the very next year at Deal, and also succeeded in winning the News of the World tournament. His style of driving is somewhat curious, by reason of a kind of dip and knuckle in of the right knee in the act of striking. He is a fine approaches especially with the mashie, and a deadly wielder of the aluminium putter. He believes in giving the back of the hole a chance.

There is no greater character in the world of golf than Bernard Sayers. Not only is he a wonderfully scientific player, who makes up for his lack of inches by every trick which the ingenuity of man could invent, but he is a splendid instructor, always ready with some new-fangled club or latest infallible tip to revive the jaded spirits of the struggling tyro, or for that matter of the accomplished player when off his game.