SHAKESPEARE

ON GOLF

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The Golf Museum

United States Golf Association

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ft.OTTO

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SHAKESPEARE

ON GOLF

With Special Reference to

ST. ANDREWS LINKS

EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS1885

EDINIIUKCJJ! :T. AND A. CONSTABLE, PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY.

PREFACE.

ALL the world knows that Shakespeare was its

one universal genius; but probably few have as

yet realised the extraordinary range of his know-

ledge, or the extent of his acquaintance with detail.

From his familiarity with every practical pursuit,

lie is by some supposed to have been a lawyer,

by others a doctor, again a sailor, a schoolmaster,

a soldier, a printer, an apothecary, a gipsy, a

spiritualist. These are, however, but trivial guesses ;

and it is not only in secondary matters—such as

History, Philosophy, Science, or Politics supply—

that his marvellous knowledge is seen; but also

in the far more important sphere of human interest,

which relates to the sports and relaxations of the race.

Probably no one—not Gervinus or Schmidt,

iv Preface.

Cowden-Clarke or even the Bishop of St. Andrews

—has ever yet surmised that Shakespeare was a

golfer! Proof, however, is abundant that he was

not only a distinguished Player, acquainted with all

the hazards of the game, but that he knew every

peculiarity of the St. Andrews Links, — that he had

experience of all the bunkers, that he was familiar

with ' Walkinshaw ' and ' the Elysian Fields,' that

he sometimes drove into the Burn, that he once did

the Long Hole in three, and that his shortest score

was 82.

It is more than probable that when he visited

Scotland as a strolling player, and went to Glammis,

Dunsinane, and Forres, collecting material for

Macbeth, he also spent some time in the ancient

Scottish Capital, and solaced himself, after his labours

as a playwright and an actor, by an occasional

round of the Links.

Preface. v

His familiarity with the old City by the Sea,

his allusions to its Castle, with its ' coigns of

vantage,' and its ' temple-haunting martlets '—

* This castle hath a pleasant seat,'

etc., etc., are well known to every reader of the Plays.References no less apposite to St. Rule, St. Salvator,and St. Leonards, to the Cathedral, the Priory, andthe Colleges, are scattered throughout the tragediesand comedies.. It will therefore surprise no one tobe told that upwards of one hundred allusions to thenoble game, are to be found in Shakespeare, andthat he prized Golf more than Archery or Tennis orFalconry or Hunting.

It is unquestionable that the Game of Golf is amirror of the chief incidents and accidents of life;that from the opening tee-shot to the final putt it isa picture of human experience : and, while it may bedisputed whether lo be a good golfer is necessarily to

vi Preface.

be a good fellow, every golfing community knows

that the play reveals the man, in a very remarkable

manner. Hence it was inevitable that as soon as

Shakespeare crossed the Border he should take to

the game, and love it, both for its own sake, and

for what it reveals of human nature.

What follows is a mere selection of our Dramatist's

allusions to the Green, with its incidents and

adventures.

May 188s.

SHAKESPEARE ON GOLF.(With special referenca to St. Andrews Links.)

I. On the game in general.^

' Certain issues strokes must arbitrate.'

MACBETH, V, 4 .

II. Two players meeting by accident.

(First.) ' Then, shall we have a match ? '

ALL'S WELL, v. 3.

(Second.) ' I'll make sport with thee.'

ALL'S WELL, v. 3.

in. A remarkably long drive from the tee.' A hit: a very palpable hit.'

HAMLET, v. 2.

Shakespeare on Golf.

IV. A second long drive, landing on the green.' Another hit! what say you ?'

HAMLET, V. 2.

(His opponent.) ' He shot a fine shoot.'2 HENRY IV. iii. 2.

V. Driving past the green.

' You have shot over.'HENRY V. iii. 7-

VI. Putting too keenly on a smooth green.

(1) 'We may outrun

By violent swiftness that which we run at,And lose by over-running.'

HENRY VIII. i. i.

(2) ' Too swift arrives as tardy as too slowROMEO AND JULIET, ii. 6.

Shakespeare on Golf.

vn. Like, as we lie.

' Like doth quit like, and measure still formeasure.'

MEASURE FOR MEASURE, V. I .

VIII. Winning one- "hole by a steal, and losing thenext two.

' Didst thou never hearThat things ill got had ever bad success ? '

3 HENRY vi. ii. 2.

ix. Pressing.

' Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.'LEAR, i. 4 .

x. After missing a short putt, and still thinking

about it, one misses the next tee-stroke.

' To mourn a mischief that is past and gone

Is the next way to draw new mischief on.'

OTHELLO, i. 3.

i o Shakespeare on Golf.

XI. Tailing the eye off the ball.

' Oft the eye deceives, the mind being troubled.'

POEMS.

XII. Lofting over one hazard, and going intoanother.

' Vaulting ambition . . . o'erleaps itself,

And falls on the other side.'

MACBETH, i. 7 .

xnr. You have the Honor.' Will you shog off? '

HENRY V. ii. I .

xiv. A caddy in the way.' Stand aside, good bearer.'

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, iv. 1.

Shakespeare on Golf. 11

xv. Wild driving on a gusty day.1 Still, still, far wide.'

LEAR, IV. 7.

xvi. A low-flying ball hit straight against the wind.' He knows the game : how true he keeps the

wind!'3 HENRY VI. iii. 2.

XVII. Playing from the tee opposite Walkinshaw, and

going into the bunker.

' How oft the sight of means ill deeds to doMakes deeds ill done! '

KING JOHN, iv. 2 .

xviii. In a bad bunker.' Ham. Whose grave 's this ?

Clown. Mine, sir.Ham. I think it be thine, indeed ; for thou liust

in't.'HAMLET, V. I .

12 Shakespeare on Golf.

Xix. Playing out of a bunker in dry weather, and

sending the ball deeper into the sand.

' Out of the smoke, into the smother.'

AS YOU LIKE IT, i. 2.

XX. Seeing a ball played to the very edge of a

bunker.

' To the extreme edge of hazard.'

ALL'S WELL, iii. 3.

xxi. To a player who escapes many hazards.

(His opponent.) ' Was there ever man hadsuch luck.'

CYMBELINE, ii. I .

(Hispartner.) 'As if that luck in very spite ofcunning bade him win. all.'

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, V. 5.

Sluikespeare on Golf. 13

xxu. After taking a good shot out of a bunker, into

which a weak shot of your partner sent

you.

' I am clear from his misdeed.'

3 HENRY vi. iii. 3.

xxm. When a player on the other side has wade an

unexpectedly good stroke.

(His partner.) ' O, it is excellent

To have a giant's strength : '

(His opponent.) ' But it is tyrannous

To use it like a giant.'

MEASURE FOR MEASURE, ii. 2.

i xxrv. In a bad place, (e.g. the ball lying in a cup).

(To the caddy) ' Give me the iron, I say.'

KING JOHN, iv. I .

14 Shakespeare on Golf.

xxv. To a player who uses his iron in grass, when

he might have used wood.

' You spare your spoons.'

HENRY VIII. V. 2.

{The reply.)

' I have not much skill in grass.'

ALL'S WELL, iv. 5.

xxvi. To partner, on seeing opponent cut the turf

with his iron.

' They hit the ground they step on.'TITUS ANDRONICUS, iii. 4 .

XXVII. To one's partner, who has the tetter of two

approaches to the green.

' We have the advantage of the ground.'

CYMBELINE, V. 2.

Shakespeare on Golf. 15

XXVIII. On a rough putting green.' Uneven is the course, I like it not.'

ROMEO AND JULIET, IV. I .

xxix. On a level pulling green.

' Methinks the ground is even.'

LEAR, iv. 6.

xxx. Losing a stroke, through want of confidence.

' Our doubts are traitors,

And make us lose the good we oft might win.'

MEASURE FOR MEASURE, ! 5 .

xxxi. Missing a putt, within twelve inches of the

hole, after your opponent has chaffed you.

'Ill deeds are doubled with an evil word.'

COMEDY OF ERRORS, 111. 2.

16 Shakespeare on Golf.

XXXII. Two long putts, and the hole halved.

(After the first pull.) ' All is on the hazard.'

JULIUS CESAR, V. i.

(After the second putt.) ' Marvellous well shot, for

they both did hit it.'LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, iv. i.

xxxin. A vigorous stroke, but only topping the ball.

' Ant. What a blow was there given !Seb. An it had not fallen flat-long.'

TEMPEST, ii. i.

xxxiv. Missing the globe.' Nothing •will come of notliing.'

LEAR, i. I .

xxxv. Before making the approach-stroke to a hole.

' And would I might be dead.'TWO GENTLEMEN, iv. 4 .

Shakespeare on Golf. \ 7

xxxvi. After the stroke.

(Opponent.) ' Is he dead ? 'M12RRY WIVES, i i . 3 .

(Partner.)

' Dead, I think.'MUCH ADO, iv. I .

(Caddy.) ' I say he's dead; I'll swear't.'

(A rejoinder.)

'Not dead, not yet quite dead.'

OTHELLO, V. 2 .

(The reply.)

'Av, but he is dead.'

3 HENRY VI. ii. 1.

18 Shakespeare on Golf,

xxxvn. The player who has given a stimie lo his

opponent.

' All ports I '11 bar.'

KING LEAR, ii. I .

xxxvin. To his opponent, who has failed to hole out

because of the stimie.

' Purpose so barr'd, it follows,

Nothing is done to purpose.'

CORIOLANUS, iii. I ,

xxxix. A dead stimie ; the player trying to loft over

his opponent's ball.

' Our fortune lies upon this jump.'

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, iii. 8.

XL. All square at the turn.

' What's to come is still unsure.'

TWELFTH NIGHT, ii. 3.

Shakespeare on Golf. 19

XLI. Five holes tip at the turn, with change of

luck coming home.

' Goodness, growing to a pleurisy.

Dies in his own too-much.'

HAMLET, IV. 7.

XNI. Losing hole after bole continuously.

' One woe doth tread upon another's heel,

So fast they follow.'

HAMLET, iv. 7.

XLIII. Unlucky strokes, and a succession of disasters.

' The world is full of rubs,

And thus my fortune runs against the bias.'

RICHARD II. iii. 4 .

2O Shakespeare on Golf.

XNV. To partner at the turn, who is playing a

losing game.

' Let mischance be slave to patience.'

ROMEO AND JULIET, V. 3 .

XLV. Dannie.

(1) ' The task is done, and we may sleep.'

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, IV. 1 2 .

(2) ' We doubt not now

But every rub is smoothed on our way.'

HENRY v. ii. 2,

(3) 'To sleep,

No more ; and, by a sleep, to say we end

The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to.'HAMLET, Hi. 1.

Sliakespeare on Golf. 21

XLVI. Taking the last hole in three.

' The daintiest last, to make the end

most sweet.'RICHARD II. i. 3.

XLVII. Winning a bye, after losing the match.

' That comfort comes too late ;

'Tis like a pardon after execution.'

HENRY VIII. iv. 2.

XLVIII. At the close of a match, when your opponent

1ms played well, and healen you.

'The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done.'ROMEO AND JULIET, i. 4.

!22 Shakespeare on Golf.i

XLIX. The winner, after a stiff match.

(i.) ' The harder matched, the greater victory.'

3 HENRY vi. v. 2.

(2.) ' A victory is twice itself, when the achieverbrings home full numbers.'

MUCH ADO, i. i.

L. The loser—

' What foul play had we ' !

TEMPEST, i. 2.

Li. His victorious antagonist—

' And I would call it fair play.'

TEMPEST, V. I .

LII. A rejoinder.

' That's all one, our play is done.'

TWELFTH NIGHT, V. I .

Shakespeare on Golf.

Lin. A second rejoinder.

' One man in his time plays many parts.'

AS YOU LIKE IT, ii. J.

uv. To the player who is bumptious, and loses his

temper.

' A poor player that struts and frets.'

MACBETH, V. 5 .

LV. A reminiscence of the old days of Allan Robertson,

and Tommy Morris.

' There be players that I have seen play.'

HAMLET, iii. 2.

LVI. A halved match.

' Half won is match well made,'

ALL'S WELL, iv. 3.

24 Shakespeare on Golf,

I.VII. To one out of humour with himself through badplay.

' 'Tis fond to wail inevitable strokes,As 'tis to laugh at them.'

CORIOLANUS, IV. I .

LVIII. Tlie defeated player.(i) ' Things without all remedy

Should be without regard.'

MACBETH, iii. 2 .

(3) ' Let us not burden our remembrances withA heaviness that's gone.'

TEMPEST, v. 1.

UX. Both players.' Things won are done, joy's soul lies in

the doing.'

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, i. 2 .

LX. Mollo for Use. player who is always on the UnM.' No day without :i deed to crown it.'

HAMLET, V. 4 .