say at once, in reply to a question that I am
often asked, and which perhaps my present readers may themselves be
inclined to put, that I have never in my life taken a single golfing
lesson from anyone, and that whatever style I may possess is purely the
result of watching others play and copying them when I thought they made
a stroke in a particularly easy and satisfactory manner. It was my habit
for very many years after these early days, until in fact I had won the
Open Championship, to study the methods of good golfers in this way, and
there are few from whom one is not able to learn something. I cannot say
that the play of any one man particularly impressed me; I cannot point
to any player, past or present, and declare that I modelled my style on
his. It seemed to me that I took a little from one and a little from
another until my swing was a composition of the swings of several
players, and my approach shots likewise were of a very mixed parentage.
Of course when I took a hint from the play of anyone I had been watching
it required much subsequent practice properly to weld it into my own
system; but I think that this close watching of good players, and the
borrowing from their styles of all information that you think is good,
and then constantly practising the new idea yourself, is an excellent
method of improving your golf, though I do not recommend it as the sole
method of learning, despite the success which I personally have
achieved. However, this is a matter for later consideration.

As we were such a large family and my father's means were very limited,
there was the necessity which is common in such cases for all of the
boys to turn out early in life and do something towards helping the
others, and accordingly I went to work when I was thirteen. Some time
afterwards I became gardener to the late Major Spofforth of Beauview,
who was himself a very keen golfer, and who occasionally gave me some of
his old clubs. Now and then, when he was in want of a partner, he used
to take me out to play with him, and I shall never forget the words he
spoke to me one day after we had played one of these matches. "Henry, my
boy," he said, "take my advice, and never give up golf. It may be very
useful to you some day." Certainly his words came true. I can only
remember about these games that I was in the habit of getting very
nervous over them, much more so than I did later on when I played
matches of far more consequence. I j