This, then, is the first principle to observe in selecting distances: Place your holes so far apart that, with only one or two exceptions, they can be reached in one, two or three full shots. As you will see by the diagram and figures, there are two holes at St. Andrews which may be reached easily in one stroke, two which may be reached in one and a little more; twelve that require two good shots, and two that can only be reached by the average good player in three; and after all, you cannot improve upon that as a basis for imitation.

Other Courses

Prestwick not being laid out as St. Andrews is, with parallel courses out and in, has a different arrangement. There is only one short hole - the second - of the regulation type. The fifth and the seventh are both short in the sense that they can be reached in one stroke, but on calm days they call for the use of a wooden club. There are two holes of the objectionable length, the sixteenth and the eighteenth, both of which need only a drive and a very short approach. But there is this to be said in their favor, that a really long driver may get within putting distance off the tee, and in the case of the sixteenth, there are several bunkers to be avoided, so that a good drive is really very necessary. A course of this nature has not the uniform perfection of St. Andrews, for its three short holes occur on the outward journey, making the first half round easier than the second. On the other hand, there is this objection to the St. Andrews course, that the short, easy holes come in succession instead of being dispersed over the round. Sandwich is rather like Prestwick, except that the hazards are even more formidable. There are two short holes in the first half round which may be reached in one stroke. These are the sixth and the eighth - perhaps the best short holes in existence except for the fact that they are both blind holes. The eighth hole resembles the fifth at Prestwick in that it usually entails the use of a driver to surmount the tremendous bunker, which is well named Hades. Besides these short holes there are two, the third and the fifth, which may very nearly be reached in one good drive, and the second only requires a short approach; so that the outward journey is comparatively easy from the point of view of distance. The length of the carries, however, makes up for the deficiency in the total distance, and only very excellent play will account for a score below forty for the first nine holes. In the second half round there are two easy holes, the eleventh and the sixteenth, but the rest are long enough to balance the shortness of the first nine, and it is almost as easy to go below forty for the first half round as it is to improve upon forty-five for the second.

It is better, perhaps, if possible, to distribute your distances evenly between the two half rounds, but the natural lie of the ground must be considered as well, and I doubt very much whether the present course at Sandwich could be improved upon anywhere in the world. The turf upon some of the courses in the west of Scotland is better, and the distances at St. Andrews are more perfect. But there is something about the enormous hazards and the constant variety of the great South of England course which makes it a source of infinite joy to the good player, even if it is less popular among the weaker brethren.

In laying out an eighteen-hole course you may imitate any one of these three links with advantage. For a nine-hole course, take St. Andrews and copy either the outward or the inward holes; there is very little difference between them in point of length; only you will have to alter the arrangementof your holes so as not to have the three shortest in succession.

The Improvement Of The Ground

When once your distances are settled, you may set to work upon the ground itself.

Hazards may be inserted at any time, and it is rather a mistake to cut up the ground hurriedly before you know exactly where your bunkers are required.

Rolling

Your first object should be to get the turf all through the course in perfect condition. If your land has been lying fallow for several years, your grass is probably sufficiently strong to stand a heavy steam roller. You will find it less expensive to invest in the machine at once rather than waste time and money in working with a horse roller, which, in wet weather, does almost as much harm as it does good. Seaside courses and those which are situated in temperate climates, hardly require such drastic treatment. But on most of the inland courses of America which suffer from the severe frosts in winter, a steam roller will be found invaluable. From three to five tons is the best weight, and the width of the roller should be as great as possible. Roll the whole course as soon as the frost is fairly out of the ground, but beware against repeating the process too often. One good rolling in the spring ought to last a whole season.

Grass Cutting

As soon as your grass begins to grow you will find it impossible to keep it under control, if your soil is at all rich, without the help of a mowing machine. Most courses must be shaved close at least once a week during the early summer months, and that entails a considerable amount of labor. But there is no other way of meeting the difficulty. Of all faults in a links there is none more aggravating and more conducive to the ruin of the game than long grass in the regular course. It is only excusable in front of the tee to punish a topped drive, and even there it should be kept short enough to avoid a waste of time in looking for balls. Sheep are often recommended for the purpose of keeping the grass down; but no quantity of them will have a visible effect on an inland course in June, provided that your grass is in a healthy condition. And sheep are such a nuisance in other ways that it is better to give them up entirely, and rely upon your lawn mowers. Possibly you may lose thereby in the matter of revenue, but it must always be remembered that golf and husbandry are distinct pursuits. The Putting If your turf must be in perfect Greens. condition through the ordinary course, much more must your putting greens be flawless. If possible they should be made out of the original sod, with all the natural undulations intact. In many cases, however, it is necessary to relay them with fresh turf; and if that is done, great care should be exercised in order that they may not be absolutely flat and square. Nothing adds so much to the enjoyment of the game as a certain variety in the shape and contour of the different greens. Some should be on high ground, others in hollows. A few should be on the side of hills, provided that the slope is very gentle; an occasional plateau may be selected, but in that case the green should not be too small. In size they should vary, but they should never have a radius of less than forty feet.