COUNTY golf, I regret to say, appears only too likely to die a more or less natural death, though why there should be such a want of interest in it I quite fail to see. Many of those with whom I have talked the matter over have expressed an opinion that the time is not yet ripe, but personally I cannot agree with them. There is no time like the present; and with the widespread interest in the game displayed throughout the whole of the country, it is more than strange to me that county games should have been allowed almost entirely to lapse, and the pastime to languish simply because of neglect to make the best use of opportunities for their development.

My firm belief is that, provided a few enthusiastic spirits could be induced to move in the matter, county golf would eventually rank only second to cricket and football ; and the benefit such a progressive step would confer upon the all-round game, as distinguished from that of the individual, would be great and far-reaching in its effect.

The idea of county golf would be that central associations should be formed in each county, to which it would be necessary that each club should become affiliated; this accomplished, a series of inter-club matches might be played, and once the best men from each club became known, the county team might be formed without further delay, and a "round" of matches could be played. The whole of the kingdom might be split up into groups, the champion of the one to play the champion of the other, until the whole were reduced to the pair who would have to contest the final.

The Rugby Football County Championship and its method of working might serve as a guide to the procedure; and could this idea be once fairly considered, I imagine there would be very little fear concerning the ultimate success of the scheme.

In many ways this system of county golf would tend to elevate the class of game. The primary aim of each county would be to become champions of their particular group, but the fact must not be overlooked that club golf would be assisted in an equally efficient manner.

The series of preliminary games it would be necessary to decide before the best players could be selected would afford the members of even the smallest and poorest club a chance. If there happened to be any latent talent the competition would tend to bring it to the front, while a system of playing home and home matches would influence the game all round.

To perform upon different courses is an education for any man. He is brought under variable conditions, and the difficulties to be overcome are calculated to do him a great amount of good. He learns what becomes necessary in order to adapt his play to circumstances, and a strange course, as experience is gained, rapidly loses its terrors for the novice.

Quite as important, too, is the fact that he is meeting probably better and more experienced players than himself. He watches their play, observes how they extricate themselves from difficult positions, and, in attempting to imitate them, gains both in power and the knowledge of how to best apply it.

By these series of inter-club matches men would also be encouraged to play with a definite aim or purpose in view. It would tend to weld the best and poorest golfers together, and encourage the only moderate performer to go on with his practice, in the confident hope that at a no very distant date he will be capable of holding his own in practically any company.

When the time of the County Championship proper arrived for decision, a combined team of amateurs and professionals might readily be played. The respective numerical strengths of the sides would naturally depend upon the number of clubs included within the confines of the county, but even a team of three amateurs and a similar number of professionals would be sufficient.

This fact of a combined team being played would also strengthen the positions of both departments of the game; while the effort to attain the championship of a county would be an honour calculated to bring out the strongest and finest points of all those engaged.

Then, after the County Championship, why not international games, to be contested by combined teams of amateurs and professionals drawn from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland ? We have seen what the football internationals under both codes have done for that particular branch of sport. International golf has been tried at Hoylake, but with purely amateur teams. Why should not a composite side be successful?

Many times has this idea been mooted, but still little has been done to advance it to any extent. Yet the fact remains that with selected internationalists, amateur and professional, men would be brought out of their shells, for many a player, not ambitious enough to go in seriously for a Championship, amateur or open, would be inclined to accept his chance of gaining an international cap, badge, or medal.

Such a series of Championships as I have attempted to enumerate would tend to encourage the love of the game amongst the masses, and in the future we need not fear meeting the best teams from America, Australia, or South Africa. There are practically endless possibilities in this idea. As the game advances in the countries across the seas, so will the opportunities for the meetings of teams increase. We have rifle teams from Canada and the States; we would equally welcome the idea of a competition with a team of golfers.

I should like to add just a few brief words about purely club golf. The introduction of Colonel Bogey quite revolutionised the game as played in club circles, but it might be better were more inter-club matches to be played. Were this done, greater esprit de corps would be engendered, the spirit of emulation would be aroused, and additional interest would attach itself to the doings of the respective clubs. This being so, I fancy the latter organisations would foster the idea were it once placed fairly before them for consideration.

A big professional tournament is at present the most certain method of attracting notice and popularity to a club, new or old. But this scheme of tournaments is faced by one great drawback, and that is the question of expense. Only the wealthiest clubs can afford to run a big tournament, but inter-club competitions are within the compass of one and all, even of the weakest.