A match may consist of two or more players ; but no proficient at golf ever plays in one exceeding four, that number being allowed to be the most elegant and con venient. Each party has a hall, and the rule is, that at the beginning of a hole or game, the player may elevate his to what height he chooses for the convenience of striking, and this is done by means of a little sand or earth, and is called teeing ; but after the first stroke has been made, the ball must be played from the spot where it chances to lie. And whichsoever or the balls lies farthest back, or at the greatest distance from the hole to which the players are proceeding, must be always played till it get before the other.
Thus, suppose A and B to be engaged in a match. A plays off, and then 13. A's ball lies farthest behind, and therefore, by the rules of the game, he is obliged to play again. This is called playing one more, or the odds. But A misses his ball, or sends it only to so short a distance, that it is not yet so near the mark as B's. A must there fore play a third time, and this is called playing two more; and should it so happen, that even at this stroke he does not get his ball laid nearer to the hole than that of B, he must then play three more, and so on.
When B then plays, he is said to play one off three ; and if' he plays a second time in order to get before A's hall, lie is said to play one off two; and if a third time, one off one, or the like. Then whoever of the two plays first,
again plays the odds. But if when B played one off two, or one off three, A had been to play next, he would then have played two more, or three more, respectively. If the party consists of four, the rule is the same, except that the two partners on each side play alternately. If the ball be struck into the hole at the like, or an equal number of strokes on both sides, the hole is said to be halved, and goes for nothing.
To play this game will require more dexterity and prac tice than is commonly imagined. But an idea of its dif ficulty may be formed by considering the smallness of the object struck, compared with the largeness of the circle described in the swing round with the club; the accuracy required to keep the course, and to measure the force ap plied in such a manner as to avoid hazards and over-dri ving in the ball when approaching the end of the range ; also the judgment requisite to determine the most advan tageous club to be used in any given situation of the ball ; as well as the allowance to be made for the force and di rection of the wind, when there happens to be any, and the nature and inequalities of the ground. (x)