Poems on Golf. de Clark, Robert (Printer) - 1867

Edinburgh: Printed for Private Circulation, 1867. First edition, The Subscriber's edition. Small quarto, original green cloth, gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panel, all edges gilt, illustrated with wood-engraved head and tailpieces throughout. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Collected by members of the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society and printed for private circulation among the members. According to Murdoch, "The book is of the greatest importance because it brought attention to some of the earlier poems which, but for their appearance here, might not have survived." The poems to which Murdoch is referring are Mathison's "The Goff," Carnegie's "Golfiana," a new version of "The Golfer's Garland," some verses by James Ballantine, and the first appearance of "The Nine Holes of St. Andrews." The sonnets were written by 3 men: Robert Chambers, his son, Robert, Jr. (winner of the first open Amateur Tournament of 1858 and author of "A Few Rambling Remarks on Golf"), and Patric Proctor Alexander (a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club). Murdoch 129; D&M 960; D&J C12970.