Beschreibung:

Title: Rules of Machrihanish Golf Club Comprising Rules of the Club and Rules for the Game of Golf as Played on Machrihanish Links Author: Place: [Edinburgh] Publisher: [The Golf Agency] Date: 1909 Description: 84 pp. including index. 7.5x10 cm (3x4") original red cloth, lettered in gilt. Rare rule book, signed by Duncan Colville Jr., dated 1909 in ink on the front free endpaper, along with his rubberstamped name. On verso of the front free endpaper is a full page of hand-written notes about rules, likely in Colville's hand, which appear to be notes from a 1909 rules/membership meeting. Much of the notes pertain to fees and to the 20 year lease that the Club had until 1903, when the lease went up to 110 pounds. A few lines extend onto the title page, and among the more curious rules noted is this one: "The players may not injure or molest the cattle or other livestock on the links." Duncan Colville is from one of the founding families of the Machrihanish, and his name is listed on the 1895-96 List of Members also offered in this auction. The last page of hand-written notes taken by Colville are at the rear of the volume, and pertain to ladies golf, including very specific details about what time of day on Saturday that ladies are allowed to play, and now members of the club are allowed to play for free. This represents the important turning point in allowing ladies to play freely (well, not quite in 1909) on the links alongside men. Changes in the policy towards women golfers began back in the 1880's, and in a pivotal move, in 1907 the Club invited the Scottish Ladies to hold their championship at Machrihanish, an invitation they accepted in 1909. Lot Amendments Condition: A few tiny ink stains to covers and faint stain to spine head; contents are near fine; binding is very good. Item number: 255003