Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1910 — GOLF LINKS OF THE FAR EAST. [ARTICLE]

GOLF LINKS OF THE FAR EAST.

Hasarda Are Often Chinese Graves or Stray Cabbage Patches. ' The chief hazards on the links of Tientsin are of a somewhat gruesome character since they consist of the graves of deceased Chinamen. The modern golfing architect is in favor of mounds as hazards and he might glean some ideas from the graves at Tientsin. “So and So’s grave” has been, time out of mind, a favorite name for some banker of particularly infamous reputation in this country, but it has never borne so literal a meaning as it might in China, says a writer in Fry’s Magazine. As to the Chinese caddie, the Chinaman, we are told, does not understand golf at all. Perhaps he sees a game in its proper light, two middleaged persons becoming absurdly heated over a trumpery little ball. At any rate, his one aim is to get done with the round and receive his fee, and he patiently inquires of his employer at intervals how long he proposes to follow the little white ball. The golf course at Pekin is also on a flat plane and, as Tientsin, the plain is muddy. It lies close to the Antung gate and to get there from the European quarter necessitates a long and dusty journey by pony or rickshaw. As at Tientsin, hazards have a disconcel ting way of springing up like mushrooms in the night. They are, however, of a less horrible character, although possibly more difficult to play out of since they consist, not of graves, but of cabbage gardens,, which the Chinaman plants at hft own sweet will in the same rapid and light-hearted way. Thus the character of the course changes from day to day in a way calculated to dispel monotony and a golfer who has carefully placed his tee shot in such a way as to get a dear run up to the hole finds himself

confronted instead with a most difficult pitch over cabbages. The difficulties of the situation are enhanced at Pekin by the fact that the golfer is only allowed to play on condition that he does not disturb the cabbage patches. “Golf is not agriculture,” so it has been written of those who tear vast and hideous divots from shrinking turf. It Is held to be true at Pekin and the native agriculturalist will have the law on you if you interfere .with the fruits of his industry. Cabbage patches are strictly out of bounds. Other hazards of a less transitory character are camel roads, which traverse the links from the mountains. Along these roads there come, in addition to camels, great droves of ponies, which the Mongolians bring down to sell in Pekin. Yet another possible incident of Pekinese golf is the dust storm, which Is a terrible infliction. When the dust storm arises, which it dees with abominable suddenness, the game stops and.the players mgke for ditches and trepohes, or cower behind mud walls. The stern rule which disqualifies those who shelter during a lu idal round is presumably suspended at Pekin in regard to dust storms.