Tradition reports that when the duke lived in Holyrood House he had on
one occasion a discussion with two English noblemen as to the native
country of golf; his Royal Highness asserting that it was peculiar to
Scotland, while they as pertinaciously insisted that it was an English
game as well. Assuredly, whatever may have been the case in those days,
it is not now an English game in the proper sense of the words, seeing
that it is only played to the south of the Tweed by a few fraternities
of Scotsmen, who have acquired it in their own country in youth.
However this may be, the two English nobles proposed, good-humouredly,
to prove its English character by taking up the duke in a match to be
played on Leith Links. James, glad of an opportunity to make popularity
in Scotland, in however small a way, accepted the challenge, and sought
for the best partner he could find. By an association not at this day
surprising to those who practise the game, the heir-presumptive of
the British throne played in concert with a poor shoemaker named John
Paterson, the worthy descendant of a long line of illustrious golfers.
If the two southrons were, as might be expected, inexperienced in the
game, they had no chance against a pair, one member of which was a
good player. So the duke got the best of the practical argument; and
Paterson’s merits were rewarded by a gift of the sum played for. The
story goes on to say that John was thus enabled to build a somewhat
stylish house for himself in the Canongate, on the top of which, being
a Scotsman, and having of course a pedigree, he clapped the Paterson
arms—three pelicans vulned; on a chief three mullets; crest, a dexter
hand grasping a golf-club; together with the motto—dear to all
golfers—FAR AND SURE.
It must be admitted there is some uncertainty about this tale. The
house, the inscriptions, and arms only indicate that Paterson built
the house after being a victor at golf, and that Pitcairn had a hand
in decorating it. One might even see, in the fact of the epigram, as
if a gentleman wit were indulging in a jest at the expense of some
simple plebeian, who held all notoriety honourable. It might have
been expected that if Paterson had been enriched by a match in which
he was connected with the Duke of York, a Jacobite like Pitcairn
would have made distinct allusion to the circumstance. The tradition,
nevertheless, seems too curious to be entirely overlooked, and the
reader may therefore take it at its worth.