The beginner has already been warned not to rush forth with his bag of clubs to do the round like experienced players, but rather to place himself unreservedly in the hands of the professional or of some skilled friend. If he does that he will therefore take similar advice as to his equipment; it is only a reasonable proposition that a man is not competent to choose the tools for any of the arts or crafts of which he prefers to be a learner. It is a great mistake for the beginner to set out on a voyage of discovery by himself in the golfing department of one of the athletic "providers"; he will find so many clubs to choose from with, to him, no effective distinguishing features that in the absence (which is very likely) of expert guidance from the attendant he will make up his set haphazard from the list he has probably pencilled. Later, he will find that they are practically useless, though perchance he may draw a "lucky number." A much wiser step would be to visit such an establishment as Park's (if it is available), where experienced players are in charge, but his best plan will be to go to his own club professional, whose trained powers of observation and knowledge of the game has endowed him with a sense akin to intuition. He will be able to decide for the beginner the proper length of each club, the lie (i.e., the angle made by the shaft and head), the "grip" of the shaft, and so on, and his official connection with the club will be a guarantee of good material and workmanship. He will, moreover, assist the beginner in another very important factor of choice, for which it is difficult to find an adequate description. Perhaps the word "feel" best expresses it; it is that nice sense of balance or adjustment to the hands which conveys the impression that the club is part of one's self without any actual relation to its intrinsic weight; just as the heavier of two billiard cues seems to a particular player to have its weight less marked than the lighter. This sense of "ac-commodation" in golf is sometimes called the "personal equation." The beginner will doubtless be advised to start with about four clubs, a driver, brassey, medium iron, per-haps a mashie, and a putter. Later, he may add a baffy, cleek and niblick. A baffy or spoon is a very useful substitute for the iron, with which many beginners find it exceedingly difficult to play at first. Of the two varieties, that provided with an aluminium head will be found the more serviceable; and if it be found that it accomplishes the work of an iron with greater ease, there is no reason at all to study the susceptibilities and aesthetic sense of the younger school of players who revel in the "iron." A wooden or aluminium putter will also be a useful addition to the bag as progress is made, for the long putts, especially over dewy grass. The driving mashie is also a favourite substitute for the cleek, which often fails to fulfil its early promise.

The ultimate choice of one's clubs, however, is a matter of selection extending over a long period of time, perhaps for some years. As time goes on, the player adds to his collection, old servants being discharged for new favourites which have shown themselves to possess that subtle attraction already indicated. Then again, as the player's skill and style develop, he finds a need for change and so gives trial to this and that club until experience proves their suitableness. When his set is complete to his satisfaction it behoves him to treat them with the greatest care, and in their replacement to engage the co-operation of the expert club-maker to produce their fellows as nearly as possible in every particular.

The enumeration of a few points respect-ing the different clubs may be of service to the beginner. In the selection of a driver, the fact that the best players favour the spliced shaft rather than that which fits into a socket should have due weight. Long-handled clubs held sway for a short time, the tyranny of fashion being exhibited in golfing tastes as in others; but the middle course is the best in this particular as well as in that of weight. It does not, by any means, follow that a heavy person needs a heavy club or vice versa; indeed, the reverse is often noticed, which goes to show that it is, after all, a question of balance and individuality. A stiffly-built person whose physique precludes a free, full swing will find a little additional weight of service in contributing force to the stroke. What is known as a "whippy" shaft should be reserved for days of greater familiarity and skill with the driver; fairly stiff shafts are more reliable and scarcely less effective. Short-headed clubs are preferable to those with long faces, though these may appear to have the advantage of allowing for inaccuracy of the swing; but experience shows that there is a greater danger of "slicing" and "pulling" with the latter. The brassey should, as far as possible, resemble the driver, especially in the "lie," though its rougher usage calls for a stiffer shaft.