When Scotland gave to England the rather dubious blessing of her Scottish kings, she gave therewith a gift which was an undoubted boon the game of golf. For very many years England was more blind to the merits of the game than of the Stuarts. The Scottish Court, taking its country leisure at Greenwich, recreated itself for the toils of government by playing golf on Black heath. If Blackheath was as flinty then as it is today, that fact may partly excuse and explain their governing so badly.