The first difficulty that presents itself to any one who desires to learn to play the game of golf is the choice of clubs and balls. In the older days this was a much simpler matter than it is now: the number of clubs was then limited; there was a plentiful supply of good material for their manufacture, and there were only a few makers, all of whom had a thorough knowledge of their business. It was therefore unlikely that a purchaser, however little knowledge he had of the subject, would be put in possession of worthless clubs. He had only to go to any clubmakcr, state what he desired - the extent of his purchase being regulated by the length of his purse, - and he was tolerably certain of getting good value for his money. Nowadays all this is entirely changed. Clubs are placed on the market by numberless makers, many of whom have but a limited knowledge of the game or of what is required to play it properly; good, well-seasoned wood is difficult to get, and is expensive, so that temptations are placed in the way of makers to manufacture clubs out of inferior material. Numberless patent clubs, many of them contrived more to create than to supply wants, and other so-called requisites for the game, are put into the hands of the inexperienced, rendering it more difficult now than formerly for those who are beginning to play golf to get a really serviceable set of clubs. The best recommendation that can be given is - see that only clubs of some maker of standing and reputation are obtained, and, if it be at all possible, buy direct from the maker. Sometimes clubs are offered for sale at prices considerably lower than what clubmakers usually charge, but one ought not to allow himself to be led away by the idea of getting a cheaper article. It is not possible to produce a really good, well-finished club for a less price than that now charged by the best makers; and it must be borne in mind that in clubs, possibly more than in anything else, the cheapest may in the end be the dearest. A practised eye and hand can have little difficulty in selecting a good club, but to the inexperienced all clubs seem more or less the same. It is the skill in selecting and shaping the wood, and the workmanship in putting together the parts, that make the difference between good and bad.

Fig 1. - A Wooden Club.

A, the whole club; B, the 'sole'; C, back view of the head; a, the head; b, the shaft; c, the'scare,' or part where head and shaft are fastened and bound together; d, the leather grip or handle; e, the neck; f, the heel; g, the toe or nose; h, the face; i, the sole; k, the bone; l, the lead.

The illustrations, Figs. 1 and 2, on pages 18 and 20 respectively, show the different parts of a wooden and an iron club.

Fig. 2. - An Iron Club.

A, the whole club; B, the head - front view; a, the head; b, the shaft; c, the leather grip or handle; d, the heel; e, the toe or nose; f, the face; g, the socket or hose; h, the blade.

After giving a list of the clubs ordinarily used, and describing the various purposes for which they are intended, some hints will be given with the view of aiding in their selection.

The principal clubs are the following, viz.: - Driver, Brassy-niblick, Putter, Cleek, Iron, Mashie, and Iron-niblick. Of these the first three are made entirely of wood - wooden clubs, - and the remainder have iron heads - iron clubs.

Besides those enumerated in the foregoing list, the following clubs are frequently used; and, though not generally forming part of the indispensable equipment of a golfer, one or more of them is usually to be found included in a set. They are: - Spoons, Driving-cleek, Driving-mashie, Putting-cleek, Putting-iron, and metal Putter, Driving-putter, Driving-iron, and Lofting-iron. All of these, except the Spoons and Driving-putter, have iron or metal heads.

Until about ten years ago all clubs were made with straight faces, although no doubt they were sometimes made with more or less hook to suit the fancy of players. In the year 1884 the idea occurred to me of trying a club with a convex instead of the usual straight face, and having made such a club, I played with it during that and the subsequent years - in fact, I played with it at the Open Championship of 1885. It may be of interest if the principle of this club, which from its shape has been named 'the bulger,'is shortly explained. In playing with straight-faced clubs it is found that if the ball be struck with the heel of the club it will fly, not in a straight line, but curving towards the right of the player; while if struck with the toe of the club it will curve towards the left. The convex face of the bulger is intended to count cruet the effect of hitting off the heel or toe, and ensure straight flight. It must be kept in mind, however, that the bulger does not counteract deviation in flight caused by slicing or pulling, and indeed, a ball sliced with a Bulger will travel with far more curve than if sliced with a straight-faced club. As time has gone on it has been found desirable to somewhat modify the shape of the heads, which are now made with rather less convexity or bulge than was customary a few years ago. Bulgers have been received by golfers with great favour, and their popularity has gone on increasing by leaps and bounds; they have very largely supplanted straight-faced clubs, and it is hardly possible to cite better evidence than this as to their good qualities. All wooden driving-clubs - drivers, spoons, brassy-spoons, and brassy-niblicks - are now usually made with bulger heads; but bulger putters, although occasionally made, are less frequently seen, and are, in fact, seldom used. The bulger principle is as yet practically confined to wooden clubs: for although bulger cleeks and irons have been made, they are not in general use, and do not appear to meet with the approval of players.