Over the years he became acknowledged as one of the best essayists in Britain and the first man to describe golf in immaculate prose, often with touches of humour. His weekly articles in the London Times revealed a prodigious memory for literature in general and great appreciation of all aspects of golf. He would quote an apt passage from Charles Dickens, of whom he was a leading authority, both in articles and reports of tournaments and matches. Such was his wide horizon, he was later to be the Editor of the renowned Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. His articles were enjoyed by nearly as many non-golfers as players of the game.

No mean player himself, he reached the semi-finals of the British Amateur Championship in 1909 and 1922 and won numerous amateur tournaments. He played in the first Walker Cup match at the National, Long Island, New York in 1922. Accompanying the team as Times correspondent, the Captain, Robert Harris, fell ill and Darwin took his place in the side both as player and Captain. Partnering Cyril Tolley in the 36-hole Scotch Foursomes, they were heavily defeated by Francis Ouimet and Jesse Guilford, but he was one of three British winners in the singles, beating W.C. Fownes, Jr., the US Captain, by 3 and 1.

He was golf correspondent of the Times for 46 years from 1907. Always writing anonymously as "Our Golf Correspondent", it was not until some years after he retired that the paper began to name its writers. Yet he was so well-known that many readers were aware of his identity. His mellifluous style was easily recognized. Indeed when the Editor required a report of an event of special interest or a light hearted leader, Darwin was often invited to produce it.

He wrote many books, mostly about golf, some of them collections of his articles in the Times and Country Life, a sporting magazine for which he contributed a weekly golf article for over fifty years. No man has left a greater literary legacy to golf. Very few have approached his standard; perhaps Herbert Warren Wind and Henry Longhurst have come closest to it. Some of Darwin's earlier works are collectors' pieces, selling for more than $1000 each in the market. Fortunate is the man who has a complete set of his works.

It was not only in golf literature that he was prominent. At the Royal and Ancient he was Chairman of the Rules of Golf Committee and in 1934 Captain of the Club. He was a member or honorary member of numerous well-known clubs, of which his favourites were St. Andrews, Hoylake, Rye, Woking and Aberdovey in Wales, where he regularly spent his summer holiday.

His style was the envy of other correspondents. In the torrid atmosphere of the press tent or the chatter of a club house he could run off a report in rapid time without hesitation and with seldom a word altered. He would not relate any part of a tournament which he had not witnessed himself: if he did, it was always "a kind friend told me that ..." He seemed to have a sixth sense which ensured he was at the right place at the crucial moment.

Golfing history he revered, as he did famous players and events; indeed he took part in some himself. His only other visit to the USA was in 1913 when he actually marked the card of Francis Ouimet when he beat Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the famous play-off at The Country Club, Brookline. The framed card with his signature is to be seen there today.

He was always modest about himself when he had to report one of his successes. Typical is his passage about the Worplesdon Mixed Foursomes in his Golf Between Two Wars. It was a top-class event in which Joyce Wethered, the greatest lady golfer of her time, was in the winning pair on eight occasions with seven different partners. He lists six of them and describes the seventh as "an elderly gentleman whose name for the moment escapes me". He had won the event playing with her in 1933 when he was 57.