From Our @va Correspondent Edinburgh, Aug. 2. 'A new chapter in the history of North Berwick is foreshadowed by the decision of its Town Council to. become the owners of the world j famous West Links. Every one who plays the Royal and Ancient game has heard of North Berwick, and anything, therefore, that affects the. welfare of the stretch of sand dunes at the mouth of the} Firth of Forth is not by any means. a merely local matter. North Berwick was placed among -he Royal Burghs in 1373, but no one can date the year when golf was. first played by its townsman. Six or) seven holes made up the course in} those early days. Nature had id big hand in the development the burgh and its links during the situation and the character of the later years of last century. me ground were among the very best. Tt might be said of it, as Old Tom said of St. Andrews, that Providence intended it for a _golf course. The townsman—quickly recognized its value and "golf became their Efe blood." At. first only holidaymakers were attracted, but in later years it has become to an extraordinary degree a resort of Lociety. No} comes figures oftener in the pictorial an fashion journals, and in the season it attracts Royalty, members of the pera figures in all the higher ili Ministers of State and walks of life. an interesting venture in muni-The purchase of the links will be cipal control, and in some respects of unusual delicacy. Changes are inevitable. A ballot at the starting box is a possibility; the promotion of big scale tournaments is another. But these matters would require careful handling. In the height of the season a great procession of players starts off, there is no strict schedule to work upon and in many cases the golf is a social medium rather 5 years, North Berwick has gather: serious pastime. In the course a
envy of neighbouring resorts, an to itself a clientele that is the it will be civic prudence not to break such @ lucrative seasonable annexion.
No tournament has been held on the West Links since that of 1895, which was won by Sandy Herd. The course suggests difficulties on account of its peculiar narrowness for the control a great crowds. For the player there is no more interesting ani one hitting. Its beautiful greens ativel, ort in these day: and its variety are a perennial attraction. As for q tournament tirely different matter. If an and a huge gallery, that is an bie when these famous links, therefore, come into possession of the Town Council, they will provide a severe test of municipal tact and management.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.