The next is another new hole, called the "Briars," and is one of the most sporting holes to be found anywhere. To top the tee shot, is to land in unnegotiable gorse. To heel, is goodbye to a four; and to pull, is to land out of bounds amongst trees and shrubbery. The tee shot must be high, and played well over the left of the trees, if the green is to be reached in two, for that is the straight line to the hole. If the corner of the trees only is carried, there is every chance of the ball lying badly amongst the hillocks and bunkers which nature and man have scattered, in rich profusion, about 50 yards beyond, and, in any case, to take this line entails a very long and difficult second. By playing his first stroke well on the left, the player should have no difficulty in carrying the bunker guarding the green, when he has a good chance of a four, The 7th, or "Dowie" hole - named after one of the founders of the course - brings us back to the old course. This is another shortish hole of 190 yards, and the hole is cut on a green close to the "out-of-bounds" field, which runs almost parallel to the line of fire, and which is bounded by a cop and ditch. A pulled ball is therefore fatal, unless it has been played well to the right, in which case it is perhaps the best stroke possible, as it will enable the player to avoid the patches of rushes which guard the immediate approach to the hole. The putting green is small and very keen, and though the hole should be done in three, four is quite good enough.

Continuing, with the cop and "out of bounds " still threatening us on our left, and eschewing a "pull," we hit off for the "Far" hole. Here again one must be absolutely straight, for on the right are innumerable small hollows and hillocks, which will prevent the possibility of getting away a long second. The second stroke must be played to the right, to avoid a vast hidden bunker which gapes on the left for the unwary. The approach is difficult, and wants knowing, and the putting green is on a slope. This hole is a very good five, We now turn homewards, and climbing to the tee for the "Punchbowl," we get our first and only glimpse of the sea - that is, if the tide be in. If it is low water, nothing but a barren waste of sand stretches to the horizon, but the golfer can rest and refresh his eye with the magnificent panorama of the Welsh hills, rising beyond the waters of the Dee. The tee shot for the "Punchbowl" must be a long one, and, moreover, unless it carry the half-way ridge, it must be on the left, for on the face of the ridge are two nasty pocket-like bunkers, one behind the other, and to the right of them again is the abomination of desolation. Giving the pocket-bunkers a wide berth on the left, a fairish lie is probable, and the green can be reached with the second stroke. Should the ball pitch short, however, there is little likelihood of its getting over the second ridge, and it will most probably be found either in another bunker at its base, or in one of the small hard holes with which the ground is here honeycombed. If the player holes out here in five and is out - for this is the 9th hole - in forty, he has played very sound golf. Another long tee shot is required at the 10th hole, for unless the player carry well over the ridge, he will not be able to get home in two, and will most likely have a hanging lie in sandy ground. With a tee shot of sufficient length the hole presents no other difficulty, and it should be done in four.

The nth, or "Alps" hole, formerly made, with the present 10th, one of the longest holes on the course. It is now only a full drive, but it must be a good and straight one, and sufficiently high to carry the hill in front of the green. This is one of the prettiest holes to be found anywhere, and the putting green is beautiful and very true. A three is very useful at this hole.

The 12th hole - the "Hilbre" - is almost a repetition of the 10th. A straight drive and a long run up the flat to the green, will result in a four, but care must be taken not to overrun the hole, beyond which are rushes and a pool of water.

Only 80 or 90 yards lie between the tee and the next hole - the "Rushes" - but the intervening ground is rushes all the way, and terminates in a bunker, surmounted by a cop, directly behind which the hole is cut. A high shot with a pitching iron, played to fall as dead as possible, is required here, and if it comes off, a refreshing two may possibly be obtained.

If a player's score is going to be a good one, it ought at this point to be looking fairly healthy, for there is not much chance of his improving it in the remaining live holes. If he gets home in twenty-five he will have clone very well, for he will have his work cut out to avoid an occasional six, or even worse. They are all long holes, averaging 400 yards, and make a very punishing finish to the round.

Two long drives played right up the course, and without attempting to cross with the second shot, either the ditch on the right or the bunker in front, will take the player within a cleek or iron shot of the 14th, or "Field" hole. The approach should be played to the left of the hole, and the player ought to be content with a five. If he plays straight on the hole his ball will most likely be caught in the rushes in front of the green, or roll beyond into the ditch.

With a following wind it is possible to reach the green of the 15th, or "Lake" hole, in two strokes, but they must be rakers, and a five will not be amiss at this hole. There are some nasty lies to be had on the way, especially on the right, where the rabbits have a large settlement, and in the neighbourhood of the green. A tee shot played straight on the hole will have the best chance of good treatment, and will, besides, open the hole better than any other line.

The next hole - the "Dun" - is one of the most difficult holes on the course. It is now about 100 yards longer than it used to be, and whether they play their second strokes past the corner of the field, or more greatly daring, carry over it, straight for the green, players cannot reach the green in less than three strokes. The approach is very difficult, over a most deceptive bunker, with the hole so near it that it is almost impossible to avoid running past. This hole is an excellent five.

The 17th hole - the "Royal" - although a fair length, presents no special difficulties, and should be reached in two strokes, and holed in four.

The last hole is another long hole, and only with the wind behind is it at all easy to carry the bunker in front of the hole, with the second stroke. Here, however, there is plenty of room between the bunker and the hole, and with steady play the hole should be done in five strokes.

There can be no question that the course of the Royal Liverpool Club affords a magnificent test of golf. Here, as at all other championship courses, the long driver will gain many strokes in the round over his less powerful opponent, while at the same time there are plenty of opportunities for the display of dexterity with the use of the iron or mashie, at all distances, and for every variety of quarter stroke. Of course Hoylake has its weak points, like every other first-class green. It is the opinion of J. H.Taylor, twice open champion, that the soil is too hard, and it was at all events pretty generally agreed amongst the professionals at the open championship, that the course takes a deal of knowing. A great many of the holes are so placed, at the end of long, flat stretches, without any guide, half or three-quarter way, in the shape of a bunker or other hazard, to assist the eye, that the judging of distance accurately, is only possible after long experience, in all states of the weather.

Other weak points in the course are, the almost invariable punishment that overtakes a pulled ball and the almost complete immunity enjoyed by the heeled. At nearly every hole a ball, if only slightly pulled, will land either out of bounds or in a very bad country, while the heeled, and the badly heeled at that, will go skipping merrily along, over grassy slopes, to rest on good lies, and will never be out of bounds, except at the 1st and 16th holes. These things, of course, are unavoidable, owing to the surroundings and configuration of the ground, though they remain exasperating characteristics of Hoylake.

In spite of its length, which is practically equal to that of the other championship courses, Hoy-lake would appear, judging from the winning scores at the open championship competitions, to be a few strokes easier than either Prestwick, Sandwich, or St. Andrews, and from the point of view of difficulty, is apparently about the same as Muirfield. This is no doubt to be accounted for, by the fact that the carries from the tee, and throughout the green, have not the daunting aspect of those at Sandwich or the northern courses, and the consequences of mistakes are not here so appalling and irreparable. Yet, taking one thing with another, and in spite of all that may be said against it, the golfer will go far, before he finds a better green, or better fellows, than Hoylake and its players.