BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 213
placed.’ These are usually carried by a boy denominated a cadie;’ and the
players are generally preceded by a runner, or foremdie, to observe the ball, so
that no time may be lost in discovering it. Bets of a novel nature, which set
the ordinary routine of the game entirely aside, are occasionally undertaken by
the more athletic. An amusing and dacult feat, sometimes attempted from
Bruntsfield Links, is that of driving the ball to the top of Arthur’s Seat I’
In this fatiguing undertaking, being a species of steeple chase, over hedges and
ditches, the parties are usually followed by bottle-holders and other attendants,
denoting the excessive exertion required.
In 1798 bets were taken in the Burgess Golfing Society, that no two
members could be found capable of driving a ball over the spire of St, Giles’s
steeple. The late Xlr. Sceales of Leith, and Mr. Smellie, printer, were
selected to perform this formidable undertaking. They were allowed to use six
balls each. The balls passed considerably higher than the weathercock, and
were found nearly opposite the Advocate’s Close. The bet was decided early
in the morning in case of accident, the parties taking their station at the southeast
corner of the Parliament Square. The feat is described as one of easy
performance. was obtained by a barrel stave, suitably
fixed ; and the height of the steeple, which is one hundred and sixty-one feet,
together with the distance from the base of the Church, were found to be much
less than a good stroke of the club.
When confined to its proper limits, the game of golf is one of moderate
exercise, and excellently calculated for healthful recreation, In the west of Scotland
it is comparatively unknown.6 One cause for this may be the want of
Commons, or Links, sufficiently large for the pastime to be pursued to advantage.
In Glasgow a golf club was formed some time ago ; but we understand
the members were under the necessity of breaking up, in consequence of having
been prohibited the use of the green, part of which is preserved with great care
for the purposes of bleaching. In Stirling two or three golfers may occasionally
be seen playing in the King’s Park, but the game has evidently ceased to be
The cadies, though generally boys, are in some instances professional players who continue the
occupation in addition to some other calling. They are for the most part very skilful players, having
a thorough knowledge of the game, which makes their services the more valuable, from tbe judicious
advice they are capable of affording the player whose clubs they carry.
8 This does not appear to have been attempted prior to the period when Hugo h o t wrote his
History of Edinburgh. In a critical note on the letters of Topham, who wrote in 1775, h o t
remarks that the author “has been pleased to make the top of Arthur’s Seat, and those of the other
hills in the neishbourhood of Edinburgh, fields for the game of the golf. This observation is still
more unfortunate than the general train of his remarks. Were a person to play a ball from the top
of Arthur’s Seat, he would probably have to walk upwards of half a mile before he could touch it
again ; and we will venture to say, that the w?wk art of man could not play ths Wl back agaim.’’
This, however, has actually been done.
For a bet a
ball waa driven, aome yeam ago, by Mr. Donald M‘Lean, W.S., over Mdville’s Monument, in St.
Andrew Square.
4 This remark does not apply now-Prestwick Linka, in Aphim, King one of the beat and moat
f a ~ o u r i kfi elds for the game in Scotland.
The required elevation
1 By the rules of the game (with certain exceptions) the ball must be struck where it lies.
The elevation waa taken by Mr. Laidlaw, teacher of Mathematies in Edinburgh.
ED. 1877.
21 4 B I0 GRAPH I CA L SI< ET C HE S.
popular there. An attempt was at one time very injudiciously made to stop the
players by the tacksman, but ineffectually. About Edinburgh, Musselburgh,
Perth, St. Andrews, and other districts, where no restraints exist, golf maintains a
decided superiority, and seems at the present time to be followed with new spirit.
Indeed the game was never more popular. In addition to the old Clubs in the
districts already mentioned, another was some time ago established at North
Berwick, the meetings of which are numerously attended. St. Andrews, however,
has been denominated the Doncaster of golfing. A great many of the
nobility and gentry of the neighbouring counties are members of the Club, which
bears the name of the tutelar Saint, and the autumn meeting may be said to
continue for a week, during which the crack players from all quarters of the
country have an opportunity of pitting their strength and skill against each
other. On these occasions the Links, crowded with players and spectators, present
a gay and animated scene. Two medals are played for-the one belonging to
the Club, and the other a gift of King William the Fourth-which latter was
competed for at the meeting in 1537 for the first time, and attracted a very
great assemblage of the best golfers. At the ordinaries in the evening, the
parties “ fight their battles o’er again,” and new matches are entered into. The
day on which the King’s medal was played for terminated with a ball, given by
the Club, which was numerously and fashionably attended. In London a society
of golfers still exists, principally composed, we believe, of Scotsmen, called the
“ Blackheath Golf Club,” which was established prior to the year 1745.’
I
ALEXAXDEMR ‘KELLARt,h e “ Cock 0’ the Green”-whom the Print represents
as abofit to strike the ball-was probably one of the most enthusiastic golfplayers
that ever handled a clnb. When the weather would at all permit, he
generally spent the whole day on Bruntsfield Links ; and he was frequently to
be found engaged at the “ short holes ” by lamp light. Even in winter, if the
snow was sufficiently frozen, he might be seen enjoying his favourite exercise
alone, or with any one he could persuade to join him in the pastime. M‘Kellar
thus became well known in the neighbourhood of the green ; and his almost
insane devotion to golf was a matter of much amusement to his acquaintances.
So thoroughly did he enter into the spirit of the game, that every other
consideration seemed obliterated for the time. By the la’ Harry,” or “By
gracious, this won’t go for nothing!” he would exclaim involuntarily, as he
endeavoured to ply his club with scientific skill ; and when victory chanced to
crown his exertions, he used to give way to his joy for a second or two by dancing
round the golf hole. M‘Kellar, however, was not a member of any of the
Clubs ; and, notwithstanding his incessant practice, he was by no means considered
a dexterous player. This is accounted for by the circumstance of his
having been far advanced in years before he had an opportunity of gaining a
1 For the best and most recent account of this game, see “ Golf : A Royal and Ancient Game,”
with Illustrations. Edinburgh : R. & R. Clark. 1875.