t hole is one that stretches for 500 to 530
yards, three fine shots being wanted. For holes of much greater length
than this I have no fancy. Perhaps no serious objection can be laid
against an occasional hole of 550 yards length, but what is really
gained by such long journeys? Certainly the true skill of the golfer is
not being more severely tested. When we come to such monstrosities as
holes of 600 yards in length, it is time to call out "Enough!" for by
this time we have descended to slogging pure and simple, and the hard
field work at which an agricultural labourer would have the right to
grumble. So I repeat that the best hole for golfing is that good
two-shotter which takes the ball from the tee to the green in two
well-played strokes without any actual pressing. As for total length, it
should be borne in mind that a links over 6000 yards long is considered
a long one, and that there are championship greens, Prestwick and
Muirfield, which are (or were until quite recently; there is a tendency
to stretch everywhere since the rubber-cored ball became predominant)
shorter than 6000 yards.

In making the plan of the course, a point of interest and importance to
decide upon is the direction in which the holes shall be played. Some
golfers prefer that the first and succeeding holes shall lie to the
right of the starting-point, while others like best to go out on the
left-hand side, that is, to play round the course in the same direction
as that pursued by the hands of a clock. It is largely a matter of
fancy, but personally my choice is for going out to the left because I
think in this case the holes are generally more difficult, and the
boundary usually being near to the left, constant precautions must be
taken against pulling. Another matter particularly to be remembered is
that the first tee and the last green should be close together, and
neither of them more distant from the club-house than is necessary. A
wide separation of these points always seems to be contrary to the
proper order of things.

And now we come to the perplexing problem of bunkers and where to place
them, and in this connection I would remark that it would be well not to
regard the lengths of the holes, as so far arranged, as final and
irrevocable, and not to establish permanent teeing grounds accordingly,
for it must necessarily happen, as the bunkers come to be formed on the
course, and more trial rounds are played, that one's ideas will under