Going away to other links to play matches for one's club is by no means the least of the minor pleasures of being a golfer, for it carries one to many "lands unknown." The fascinations, too, of a new course are great and wonderful, especially during the first round when you are quite ignorant of the pitfalls that await the unwary. There is something so exhilarating in driving over carries of unknown breadth, and in taking one's iron to reach a blind, or hidden green, with several sandy obstacles between you and it. [Illustration: _MISS PASCOE._ (_Winner of the Championship, 1896._)] Of the five courses which have now been used for the Ladies Golf Union's Annual Championship Meeting, that of Gullane, in 1897, was by far the best and most difficult, Portrush being next in order. But before entering into further details it may be as well to give just a brief outline of the said "Ladies' Golf Union" and its origin. Early in 1893, the idea of such an institution was started, Dr. Laidlow Purves, Miss Issette Pearson and several Wimbledon members being the moving spirits in the scheme, ably backed up by such clubs as Ashdown Forest, Barnes, Eastbourne, East Sheen, Great Harrowden, Great Yarmouth, Lytham and St. Anne's, Minchinhampton, North Berwick, North Warwickshire, Portrush, Belfast, St. Andrew's, Southdown and Brighton, and Wimbledon. A large and influential meeting was held in London during the month of April, and it was then decided that an annual championship should be held, the winner of which was to receive a gold medal and be styled Lady Champion for the year, whilst a magnificent silver trophy was to pass into the possession of her club for the same period. Strangely enough the Lytham and St. Anne's Club had already thought of, and in fact advertised, a splendid £50 silver challenge cup, to be competed for annually over their links, the winner of which was to be styled champion. This handsome offer had been made before the golfing world was even aware that the subject of a Ladies' Union had been mooted. After some discussion the matter was amicably settled, by the delegate from the St. Anne's Club and the council, deciding to hold the first Championship over that course. The subscribers towards the magnificent cup include the clubs of St. Andrews, St. Anne's, Ashdown Forest, Blackheath, Cotswold, Royal Belfast, Royal Eastbourne, Southdown and Brighton, Minchinhampton, and Wimbledon. The 13th of June and three consecutive days were chosen for the event, and the following circular was issued to all the ladies' clubs throughout the United Kingdom: "The Ladies' Golf Union have decided that the Ladies' Golf Championship Competition, 1893, open to all lady golfers, members of any golf club, will take place at St. Anne's-on-the-Sea, Lancashire, on Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th June, when the trophy, value fifty guineas, and four medals will be competed for under the following conditions: