st time I ever took
my clubs out on American soil, on the course of the Lawrence Harbour
Country Club, I reduced the record for the nine holes (held by Willie
Dunn) from forty-one to forty. Yet the weather was so bad just then,
and the clay greens were in such a state of puddle, that temporary
greens had to be made on the fairway. I won my first match by nine up
with eight to play. On one or two occasions I was obliged to beat the
record in order to win my game. Thus, when playing on the Wheaton links
at Chicago, Will Smith was three up on me at one time, but by beating
the links record I won at the finish by two up with one to play. This
was one of the very toughest struggles I had over there.

There was no mistaking the enthusiasm of the American spectators. They
came to the matches in great crowds--always a large proportion of
ladies--and they seemed bent on learning all that they could from the
play. Everybody seemed to be trying to practise my grip. All kinds of
theories were invented to account for the manner in which my shots came
off. On one occasion, after I had got in a good one with a cleek, an
excited spectator jumped the ropes, ran up to a friend of mine and
screamed, "Say, which arm did he do that with?" I looked to see if all
my arms and legs were intact, or if there was anything that appeared
unusual about them. I discovered afterwards that by "arm" he meant
"club." Many places of business were closed for the afternoon when I was
playing in certain districts, and on one occasion the Stock Exchange did
so. A letter to one of the papers, concerning the extraordinary manner
in which America was taking the golf fever, contained these
sentences:--"I went into a leading business house to-day and found the
three partners of the firm in a violent discussion. As I thought they
were talking business I concluded that my presence was unnecessary, and
started to edge away. Suddenly I noticed the head of the firm rush into
his office and rush out again with a cane. As the words were heated I
was just about to interfere when I saw a weapon appear on the scene, but
the head partner wasn't looking for blood. Instead of hitting anyone he
swiped the cane along the ground, and then I heard the words--'This is
how Vardon holds it.' I wanted to make an appointment with one of the
partners, but he told me that he wouldn't be in. However, I guess I'll
meet him, because I'm going out to Dixie myself." The professionals and
the g