English fiction -- 20th century; Humorous stories, English; Short stories, English
"Oh," she said, "but that's just what we do."
AT PLAY
TEN AND EIGHT
The only event of importance last week was my victory over Henry by
ten and eight. If you don't want to hear about that, then I shall
have to pass on to you a few facts about his motor bicycle. You'd
rather have the other? I thought so.
The difference between Henry and me is that he is what I should call
a good golfer, and I am what everybody else calls a bad golfer. In
consequence of this he insults me with offers of bisques.
"I'll have ten this time," I said, as we walked to the tee.
"Better have twelve. I beat you with eleven yesterday."
"Thank you," I said haughtily, "I will have ten." It is true that he
beat me last time, but then owing to bad management on my part I had
nine bisques left at the moment of defeat simply eating their heads
off.
Henry teed up and drove a "Pink Spot" out of sight. Henry swears by
the "Pink Spot" if there is anything of a wind. I use either a "Quo
Vadis," which is splendid for going out of bounds, or an "Ostrich,"
which has a wonderful way of burying itself in the sand. I followed
him to the green at my leisure.
"Five," said Henry.
"Seven," said I; "and if I take three bisques it's my hole."
"You must only take one at a time," protested Henry.
"Why? There's nothing in Wisden or Baedeker about it. Besides, I
will only take one at a time if it makes it easier for you. I take
one and that brings me down to six, and then another one and that
brings me down to five, and then another one and that brings me down
to four. There! And as you did the hole in five, I win."
"Well, of course, if you like to waste them all at the start--"
"I'm not wasting them, I'm creating a moral effect. Behold, I have
won the first hole; let us be photographed together."
Henry went to the next tee slightly ruffled and topped his ball into
the road. I had kept mine well this side of it and won in four to
five.
"I shan't take any bisques here," I said. "Two up."
At the third tee my "Quo Vadis" darted off suddenly to the left and
tried to climb the hill. I headed it off and gave it a nasty dent
from behind when it wasn't looking, and with my next shot started it
rolling down the mountains with ever-increasing velocity. Not until
it was within a foot of the pin did it condescend to stop. Henry,
who had reached the green with his drive and had taken one putt too
many, halved the hole in four. I took a bisque and was three up.
The fourth hole was prettily played by both of us, and with two
bisques I had it absolutely stiff. Unnerved by this Henry went all
out at the fifth and tried to carry the stream in two. Unfortunately
(I mean unfortunately for him) the stream was six inches too broad
in the particular place at which he tried to carry it. My own view
is that he should either have chosen another place or else have got
a narrower stream from somewhere. As it was I won in an uneventful
six, and took with a bisque the short hole which followed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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