Certainly, the north as a whole showed more quality in its game. Frequent matches with the other side of the Tweed would act most beneficially on our style and form. There was universal satisfaction over Miss E. C. Orr's win, and the capable and light-hearted way she achieved her victory.

Other champions are Miss Lena Thomson, Ireland - - whom we have already mentioned - and Miss Hoyt, America, a young player from the Shinnecock Hills Club. Holland has also its championship, held by Miss Daisy de Brienen, a remarkably long and powerful driver. It is extremely difficult to obtain reliable information on woman's play abroad, and in the colonies, without having visited the links and seen the players. From what I have heard, I should imagine our scratch ladies could give the best players out of the British Isles, a third, but I have not sufficient data to form a decided opinion.

The Ladies' Golf Union, instituted 1893, was formed, among other reasons - (1) to promote the interests of the game of golf; (2) to obtain an uniformity of the rules of the game by establishing a representative legislative authority; (3) to establish an uniform system of handicapping; (4) to act as a tribunal and court of reference on points of uncertainty; (5) to arrange the Annual Championship Competition, and obtain the funds necessary for that purpose. All clubs on admission pay an entrance fee and yearly subscription, and are represented by a delegate at the meetings. The associated clubs now number twenty-seven. The bye-laws of the Union are: - 1. In inter-club matches the minimum number of teams shall be eight for clubs of over 500 members, and six for clubs of 50 and under. 2. In inter-club matches each match won shall count two, in addition to the number of holes up.

THE LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP CUP.

This last is certainly an innovation, and was introduced to prevent jockeying a team; ladies having more faith in rule, than in honour, as a guard against abuses in sport. The Union has a President, Vice-Presidents, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, and Hon. Auditor. What it sadly wants are a few old, first-class golfers, who, knowing all about the game from early childhood, would have an innate reverence and respect for its rules, customs, and traditions; and thus might be enabled to lead and control the well-intentioned but ignorant energy which would make a rule for every imaginable evil. It is always well when legislating to consider whether the new measure is an improvement on the former fault, or whether it has not attendant ills greater than the old. Our sex is more influenced by emotion than by motive; therefore let us proceed warily, when we try to improve on the honourable usages of the Royal and Ancient game!

Women do not waste their time on golf literature. The beauty of a first edition of Clark is unknown to them. You must not ask them if the first volume wholly dedicated to the ancient game be in prose or verse. I fancy only two ladies bought the Rev. John Kerr's lovely book on "Golf in East Lothian," though its price is not prohibitive. Mr. Horace Hutchinson is recognised by our sex in his character of golf litterateur, solely because, seven years ago, he had the temerity to challenge its driving capacities; and while tabooing its presence on the long links, generously welcomed it to a Jews' quarter ! Out of gratitude for this invitation, and also perhaps because they never understand the Badminton Book on golf, ladies speak of him as "that man who writes." No, women do not invest half-crowns in professionals or books, yet, if a friend be interviewed on the links, they may buy the sixpenny apotheosis of her swing, including portrait in evening dress! But such things as the opening of new courses, professional matches, and information conveyed by "Tee Shots," can they not be read at the club for nothing? Is this, perhaps, the reason why the literature of ladies' golf has yet to be written ? The author waits for readers. Some witty and original verses appear from time to time in "Golf," signed "Rose Champion de Crespigny," and of late years the Golfing Annual has included a paper by a lady golfer, so has the "Golfer's Guide." The Badminton Magazine has two papers by Mrs. Mackern, and Hearth and Home in 1896 published a special number to which women contributed. An hour's reading would finish, however, all that has been written on golf by our sex. The Annual of the Ladies' Golf Union is an official compilation of the society's regulations and meetings, with a list of the clubs and their members' names and addresses. It also contains reprints from sporting periodicals, but though a useful little work, is too much on the lines of a directory to be called literature. Yet if little be written much is reported. From the naivete and boldness of her remarks, the golf paragraphist on a Ladies' paper must possess a considerable handicap. Her unvarying admiration for new players and new links is exhaustless. To report a ladies' prize meeting à l'ordinaire, take a pound and a half of superlatives and mix in nine or ten good-sized personal compliments (open soapy ones preferred), sprinkle liberally with mistakes re score and quality of play, and colour with enthusiastic description of the pots won by the lucky hunters!

I have been asked to say a few words on the golf of the future. The links, as we have seen, are gradually assuming the character of the long courses, and we may observe a tendency to drive further with wood and iron. Thus we find the makings of a first-class game increasingly common among young players subjected to favourable conditions. These will drive much longer balls, be stronger with irons, play with more intuition and judgment than is done now. As woman increases her range of sport, the smaller golf competitions will decrease, while the championship will assume its full importance. Women will go to these meetings to golf, not to amuse themselves or others! The spirit of sport, which is the love of a thing for its own sake, unconditioned by personal advantage or pleasure, will gradually effect an improvement in everything connected with the game. The older players will have holed out, the younger, possessed of better physique and more sportsmanlike education, will develop to the utmost extent their capabilities for a pastime, where strength and force are not the chief essentials. The play of golfers like the Misses Orr, with the increasing prevalence of all conditions favourable to woman's athletic development, seems to justify the idea that the golfers of the future will have no short links, and though competing among themselves for championship honours, may use the long course with man, as they share with him the same lawn tennis court and hunting field.