st them, but an "American
invasion" is threatened, and then we shall see what we shall see.

The chief reason why it is difficult to feel optimistic about the
prospects of amateur golf in this country is because the rising
generation, upon whom we must depend for our future champions, do not
take sufficient pains to make themselves masters of the game. They are
too haphazard in learning it. The beginners on our side are too apt to
say to themselves, "I will go and teach myself to hit a ball first, and
then I will take a lesson," which is, of course, entirely wrong. Then
one of their friends tells them to do a certain stroke in one way, and
another tells them the opposite, and thus at the end of six months they
have got into such a thoroughly bad style that it is the most difficult
task in the world for a professional to set them right. Those who have
the future of British golf at heart cannot afford to disregard or wink
at these vagaries on the part of beginners, on whom we depend to
constitute the national system in coming years. Now the national system
of America is altogether different. They are not haphazard there. They
seem to take a deeper interest in the game and its science, and they
never think of trying to learn it by the chance methods which are so
much in favour with us. They take the game with the utmost seriousness
from the very beginning, and obtain the very best advice that they can.
The professionals never have a minute to spare, and their
engagement-books are constantly filled up for three weeks in advance, so
that without that length of notice nobody stands a chance of getting a
lesson for love or money. That is the way in which the people of America
are learning to play golf, and it is the proper way. It is slow but it
is very sure; and unless I am very much mistaken, there will in the
future be other players coming across the Atlantic to take part in our
championships who will be as great as Travis if not greater, and if we
on our part do not forthwith begin to take our golf more seriously it
may be a sad day for us when they do come.

As I have said, American golf was only just budding when I made my tour
through the country in 1900; but nevertheless I found that tour
extremely interesting and enjoyable, and everywhere I was given the
heartiest and most enthusiastic reception. Nobody even begrudged me the
American Championship which I brought back with me, and nobody made any
unkind criticisms of