CLUB CHAMPIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 228, 26 September 1929, Page 20

CLUB CHAMPIONS.

a EVENTS OF THE WEEK. y{ PROGRESS AT MIDDLEMQRE. y~ " ■ BRINSDEN'S GOOD EFFORT. V 4 (By RUBBERCORE.)

Certainly the best recovery of the Midcllemore championships was Dr. Macky's afternoon round of 74, which can be considered to represent sterling golf for one of his handicap. A tricky cross wind encountered at the majority of holes caused scores to mount, while the heavy condition of the greens, due to the recent topdressing, also combined to upset calculations. On the whole, H. Plumley's performance was the most meritorious, his rounds being more even than those of any other competitor. R. Rainger's morning 75 can'be cited an excellent individual effort, as at that stage no one was conversant with the conditions being encountered. The play-off for the Burns Memorial Cup, which Plumley won, proved quite a thriller, and it is a travesty that Rainger should fail on the all-important putt, a department of the game in which he has few peers. Strangely enough, a missed short one was his downfall in the semi-final of the Thermal Cup at Rotorua, when opposed to Jack Goss. It was Plumley's magnificent second wood that really gave him possession of the cup, a shot which he is at any time likely to unearth. • I have seen him play several such shots in moments of stress. The probabilities are also that the slow greens were less upsetting to him than to the majority, as on fast surfaces he is very liable to hook short putts. Plumley has been several times conspicuous in tests for the cup, and his success is thoroughly deserved. Middlemore Championship. With a total of 101, E. L. Bartleet maintained his record for consistency. He has been in the forefront in numerous matches this season, and if the records be perused will be found to have been one of the most solid players in the club. It is a matter for satisfaction that he has decided to let his wrists function more in the execution of his shots. Apparently in the past he has been obsessed with the idea of curtailing his swing. Formerly the effect was an almost certain tendency to slice. He should now get the advantage of snap, with the result that his shots will carry on more directly, and, moreover, should be able to get through without the risk of body lunge. I£ would be akin to an old salt minus the smell of the sea were the name oi ~W. S. Ralph missing from a Middlemore championship. His name has figured—well, for more years than I care to remember, for time rolls on. His total of 162 is just one better than that of R. D. Wright, who has opposed him for the honours on more than one occasion. Wrights total is scarcely so good as was to be expected, as for one of his calibre the conditions did not present undue difficulties. Here one must pause, for the name of W. B. Colbeck does not appear. One would have hoped that the father of the championship list would have been conspicuous. There is recompense, however, that another old identity in D. MacCormick should occupy a safe place with a steadily earned total of 106. The club's recent acquisitions, i Dr. Coverdale and W. A. Donald, also! qualified safely, though the afternoon round of the latter was rather shaky. It is to be added, however, that a disability has caused him to play infrequently, otherwise he would almost certainly have occupied a better position, as he has probably more shots than anyone in the list. Taken right through, the qualified are a formidable lot, and it is safe to say that the winner of this; year's championship will have acquitted himself with credit. Of the juniors, F. I. Dawson, W. Wilson and V. Masters were most impressive, but as another round is to be played : comment can be stayed. The long-drawn four-ball reached finality when W. B. Colbeck and A. E. M. Rhind routed B. I

S. Finn and J. Hellaby. The event has caused widespread interest and brought forth sortie remarkable scoring. Not forgetting his partner, it maj be added that Rhind has played some sterling games, inspired no doubt by the knowledge and generalship of his confrere. All credit is due to the losing pair who put up several wonderful battles against combinations of recognised strength, and as comparatively long handicap performers their deeds will live. Waitemata Champion. Waitemata Club championship honours have gone to O'Connor, whose defeat of Porter left no doubt as to his superiority. For the most part the match was evenly contested. Porter's one up advantage in the morning crowning a steady round. In the second round O'Connor came into his own, and, playing really excellent golf soon placed the issue beyond doubt. It is satisfactory that two such consistent players should reach the final, though Porter, who is in old Waitemata identity, has scarcely shown such ability as his opponent. Several rounds of O'Connor's this season have been quite inspired, and it was one of his characteristic touches of brilliancy that gained him the laurels. So far as the juniors are concerned, at no stage was there any marked discrepancy in the holes separating the pair, though Downer had a slight advantage at the eighteenth. This advantage, however, he was destined to lose, and in negotiating the last hole safely, Duder turned a dormy position to a 2 up win. Down at Glendowie. Glendowie players could not grumble at their bill of fare, and with play-offs for various events, and an open day on Monday the links presented a busy scene. Saturday's four-ball was not productive of the sensational, though Woods and Steadman were quite satisfied with their 4 up, which was goad enough to ensure success from Ken Brookfield and D. H. Morrison. After an interesting tussle L. Harrison and P. White beat O. Wolfgramme and Upton in tne Canadian four-ball. Harrison failed to achieve dual honours for the day when G. K. Matheson worried him out of the bogey at the nineteenth. After a tie it will, I assume, be agreed the winner deserved his lot. Open day events saw E. L. Bartleet, the star performer, he being in fact something of a giant amongst the minnows. This remark is .in no way to be interpreted as a reflection. Indeed more of our class players should take part at events of the kind, as their presence is all for the good of the game. An old campaigner in I. Russell, played a fine round of 87 to win the medal handicap, R.'Edmonds, who later lost the-play off for the four-ball, filling second place.

The Smaller Clubs. Sandel played excellently to annex the Taumarunui championship. Sandel is no stranger to Aucklanders, having been present at local tournaments. He can generally he depended upon to record steady figures. The Rocky Downs championship reposes in F. W. Hutchison, who defeated N. W. Wallace at the sixteenth. On his play Hutchison fully earned the title. The Thames title is not yet decided, Hetherington meeting Mead in the final. Mead's win over Ellary was of such magnitude that he appears a dangerous opponent. At Favona, Croxson's 76, though easily the best gross

score, was not equal to gathering the day's honours, E. Henton's card of 94—18—66, outstripping other rivals. In other cir- ' cumstances C. F. Jones' net 6S might ordinarily have been sufficient for success. A team from Middlemore also tried conclusions with Favona, and this probably is the best description of what ! followed. Several names, new to me, 'appear in the Favona side, Which was weakened by the absence of A. Eustace, H. J. Levy and McCrory, but notwithstanding, Middlemore was treated to a sound beating. Favona is an able side on its native heath. I The Maungakiekie Title. I So much has appeared in regard to H. Brinsden's defeat of T. A. Goulding - in the Maungakiekie championship that it will suffice if the general features be touched on. There can be no doubt where the match was won, it being simply Brinsden's capacity to hole putts that gained him the title. It 'can be said that Goulding outplayed his less experienced rival through the green; in fact there are few locally who are the equal of Goulding till the green is j reached. Here, however, he is prone ,to slip strokes. A factor in Brinsden's | favour was the considerable amount of ' match play he has recently indulged in. Against Morrice, at Rotorua, he evidenced he was not likdy to appear to disadvantage in a tightly contested game. Morever for the best part of a week prior to the final he afforded Arthur Duncan very considerable difficulty on an allowanco of three strokes a round over the Rotorua course. In fact had I been by instinct a gambler, knowing the slippery condition of the Titirangi greens, I should have banked on his chancer. Even though he putted abominably (the description is fitting). Goulding was continually in the ascendancy and I consider would have won if he had been equal to the putts required of him at twelfth and thirteenth holes in the afternoon round. The little "if," however, has a singular significance; he wasn't, and away flitted opportunity. Brinsden celebrated these let-offs by. holing a glorious putt for two at the short fourteenth and taking advantage of Goulding's skied drive at "Temptation" assumed the lead. Brinsden holed another splendid putt at the sixteenth, but Goulding was equal to the occasion, running down a nice putt to halve in four. The seventeenth, or thirty-fifth, saw Brinsden's second near the edge of the green and Goulding's catch the bunker guarding the left approach. Goulding recovered magnificently to within three feet of the pin, Brinsden being about four feet away. Opportunity went begging when each missed his putt, but Goulding made amends in negotiating a seven-footer at the eighteenth to square the match. Both were a little timid in approaching the hole at the 37th, a half in five resulting. The end came at th<} next hole, where Goulding looked up on a niblick shot and found the bunker. Brinsden is to be congratulated for his splendid win, as from the point of view of experience he is much of a novice. It is only a few seasons ago that we gained considerable amusement at his pranks and keenness during odd moments off the tennis courts. To have won his club championship in so brief a period is something of a record, being a fitting reward for the amount of golfing ability he haa crammed into his system in so short a time. As for Goulding, he lives to fight another day and I would add that were he free to get even a little practice would give adherents of the game a better insight into his, true capabilities.

The New Zealand Event. The forthcoming New Zealand championship event is causing many conjectures. From a general review of the game throughout the Dominion I should say there is an excellent chance of the open title reposing in the North. . By this I mean through the combined efforts of E. J. Moss, Sloan Morpeth and E. S. Douglas. In the recent exhibition match Moss' shots to the pin were a revelation, while his general control was almost uncanny. He is pivoting perfectly and playing as well as ever he has done. Douglas has been to considerable trouble to get on good terms with his game, and those knowing his characteristic finishing touches in bi" golf are quietly confident that he will make a bold showing. Though Morpeth was not impressive at One Tree Hill no fears need be entertained as regards his form, as at Titirangi prior to departing for Wanganui he played the first half in 34, which included a six at the short eighth. His scope is such that he is sure to figure well in the open, and moreover the fast and true greens will respond to his sweeping touch putt. It is only in the fast greens and short putts that I entertain fears as regards Moss, as the champion is a little prone to wish his short ones in. In putting it is fatal to have one's wishbone where one's backbone ought to be.