GOLF

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21411, 1 March 1935, Page 6

GOLF

❖ NOTES OF THE DAY [By "LOFTER."] The official opening of the Christchurch Ladies' Golf Club, 1935 season, will take place on the Shirley links en Wednesday, March 13. Golf ratings have become fashionable in recent years. Recently A. W. Tillinghast, editor of "Golf Illustrated" (New York) in an article entitled "The Year's Rating of American Golfers," placed prominent American golfers in the following order:—Amateur: 1 W. Lawson Little, 2 G. Dunlop, 3 J. Goodman, 4 J. Fischer, 5 G. Moreland, 6 W. Turnesa, 7 C. Yates, 8 S. Campbell; 9 F. Ouimct, 10 J. Westland, 11 B. Jacobson, 12 C. Seaver. 'Women: 1 Miss V. van Wie, 2 Mrs Glenna Collett Vare, 3 Mrs L. Cheney, 4 Miss M. Orcutt, 5 Miss C. Glutting, 6 Mrs O. Hill, 7 Miss D. Traung, 8 Miss L. Robinson.

Professional: 1 Runyan, 2 Dutra, 3 Macdonald Smith, 4 Wood, 5 Sarazen, (i Laffocn, 7 Cooper, 8 McFarlane, 9 Armcur, 10 Diegel, 11 Cox, and 12 Shute. A Melbourne critic ranks Australian golfers in the following order:—Amateurs: 1 J. Ferrier, 2 T. S. McKay, 3 H. L. Williams, 4 M. J. Ryan, 5 H. W. Hattersley, 6 W. S. Rymill. Women: 1 Miss Joan Hammond, 2 Miss Mona MacLeod, 3 Mrs T. S. McKay (nee Miss Odette Lefevre), 4 Mrs Sloan Morpeth, 5 Mrs C. Robinson, (i Miss Shirley Tolhurst. Professionals: 1 W. J. Boiger, 2 V. Richardson, 3 E. Naismith, 4 M. L. Kelly, 5 R. Stewart. A mixed four-ball bogey competition for the A. E. G. Rhodes challenge bowl will mark the official opening of the 1935 season at Shirley on Saturday, March 9. Players will arrange their own partners, opponents, and starling times.

What constitutes an excellent links? a correspondent, asks. According to a recognised authority. Dr. Mackenzie, "Many people consider that the test of a good golf course is whether or not the record is high. I am often informed that a golf course is firstclass because no one has ever broken seventy. The test of a good golf course is one where the average score is h : gh, but the record score extremely low." Discussing this topic, T. Riggs Miller, an American golf architect, wrote in a recent issue of "Golf in Australia":—"A good links should be a test of good play; it must be artistic and interesting. It should be built around the scratch player, but should be equally interesting to the long handicap man. Every hole should require Ihe drive to be placed in order that the second shot may be played to advantage. They should have character and individuality. The fullest advantage should be taken of strongly marked features of the course, but several good holes should not be sacrificed for one superlative one. A ridge lake, or stream should be driven diagonally. Dog-leg holes are excel-

lent features, a good tost of golf, and tend to lengthen the course." With a creditable aggregate of 299 and a margin of 13 strokes G. T. Alley had an easy win in the summer championship at Russlcy over the weekend. A feature of his play is his excellent long game. To judge from his recent form he should be prominent in the Canterbury amateur championship, to be decided at Shirley on Apr;l 20 and 22. The problem of "lest" golf balls on municipal golf courses was dealt with lately by Mr J. G. Mackenzie. Director of Parks and Reserves. Wellington, in a report on the formation and maintenance of a municipal golf course. Thu-<: "There is one small matter that is always a source of annoyance on a municipal golf course (which the public have a perfect right to frequent at their leisure); it is the stealing of golf balls. The remedy for this is in the hands of the players. If the purchase of balls from industrious small boys is discouraged or discontinued altogether, the number of balls that cannot be found will be very much less by the time the player comes into view, after driving over a hill, and innocentlooking boys and men arc in the vicinity for health purposes." From a glance at the annual report of the committee in charge of the municipal links at New Brighton, it is evident that golf is increasing in favour at New Brighton, and that the year has been very profitable. The statement of accounts up to February 1 1935. shows that receipts were £919 and that expenditure totalled £.605, leaving a credit balance of £314. Green fees alone brought in £360, and subscriptions from players on a yearly basis £461. Largely owing to the efforts of P. Cormick. formerly of Shirley, the municipal'course has been in excellent condition through the summer. It is expected that an up-to-date watering system will be installed shortly. A recent acquisition to St. Clair (Dunedin) is N. Fuller, a stylish young professional, who commenced duties last week. He finished fifth in the New Zealand Open championship last year, and when in the employ of the council of the New Zealand Golf Association earned much praise from North Island country golf clubs for his excellent coaching. Playing golf reminiscent of his best days, R. H. Wethered was successful in the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society's annual tournament for the president's putter, at Rye, Sussex, recently. After several easy wins in the earlier stages Wethered beat A. J. Evans 3 and 2 in the final, the approximate scores being: Wethered 68 for 17 holes, Evans 72 for 17 holes.

The second round of the Bruntsfield medal was played on Balmacewan links on Saturday afternoon. The recent rain had slowed up the greens, and the approach shots could be pitched up more firmly than under the fiery conditions which have prevailed for some months. The winner of the medal was T. B. Ferguson (who won last year). With two steady rounds of 74 he finished one stroke ahead of W. G. Wight. The best round on Saturday was done by K. Ross with 70, but as he had taken 10 more than this on the first round he had to be content with third place. The leading aggregates were returned by: Ist 2nd ToRd. Rd. tal. T. B. Ferguson ..74 74 148 W. G. Wight ..74 75 149 K. Ross ..80 70 150 S. E. Field ..80 74 154 J. A. Scouller ..79 75 154 J. R. Laidlaw ..79 76 155 A. G. Sime ..79 80 159 A putter "to make play easier" has been invented by an English professional. J. Fernihough, of Manchester, who got the idea from iron piping, and made an experimental putter with this material for the head. So successful were his efforts that he produced a first-class club on these lines. The head is cylindrical like piping about an inch in diameter, with a flat striking surface of about gin, set at an angle for top spin, no matter how the ball is hit. Three features of the club are (1) it eliminates "staffing"; (2) head-lifting penalties are overcome by the round surface which imparts top spin to the ball; (3) the heavy weighted toe gives lateral balance which ensures the faces going through straight. In a stroke competition played on Saturday by the Hutt Golf Club, H. RawJinson. 82—12—70. and W. H. Lees, jun., 85—15—70, tied and will play off. The next best score was that of J.

L Black, 77—1—76. A bogey competition was won by G. C. Phillips (11), 2 up. B. M. Silk (scr), all square, and'w. G. Fisher (2), 1 down, were the next best scorers. Bryan Silk, New Zealand amateur champion, has joined the Hutt Club. _ A mixed foursome played by the Wellington Golf Club, Heretaunga. during the week-end, for the captain's prize, was won by Miss J. Peacock and M. Watson, all square. Though admittedly, the recent rains have been very beneficial locally to the greens and fairways, it would seem —if one may judge from present conditions —a question whether it would not prove advantageous if several local golf courses were closed for repairs, top-dressing, and seeding operations, for perhaps two weeks. An alternative suggestion is the use of temporary greens during this period. Either plan would doubtless enable golf courses to receive the maximum benefit in this direction, thus counteracting to some extent the effects of the drought. After last year's drought in Scotland it was considered necessary to close St. Andrews for several weeks.

The annual competition for the Simes and Bascand challenge cups will be held over the links of the Hanmer Springs Golf Club on Saturday, March 30. The tourney will commence on Friday, March 29, when play will take the form of an 18 holes bogey competition. On Saturday, March 30, a handicap medal foursome over 39 holes, three rounds of 13 holes with intervals between rounds will decide the Simes Cup. The Bascand Cup event will be played concurrently with the Simes Cup, and will be awarded to the pair returning the best gross score over 39 holes. Entries will be received by the secretary of the Hanmer Club not later than March 28. Concerning putters, it is well known I have a strong preference for the aluminium variety, wrote James Braid in "Advance Golf," and except for the man who is a genius on the green, 1 think they are the best and the safest, chiefly because I consider that the broad sole helps to steady the body, and because nine men out of 10 swing easily with an aluminium while they are inclined to hit and nip their putts when playing with a putting cleek. The latter is the better on a rough green, as the ball does not run so close down as when played with the aluminium club. A caddlie named James Finegan, employed on the Baltray links of the County Louth Golf Club, was awarded £2OO damages at Drogheda Court recently, for personal injuries received when a ball hit him in the eye. He sued the trustees of the club and one of the players, Mr Nicholas McEvoy, of Dublin, whose ball it was that struck him, 'but the damages were awarded against the golf club alone. The caddie said he noticed some people on the sixth tee when he was leaving the tenth green, but he did not think there was any danger. Medical evidence was given that the boy's eye looked normal, but he now had only one-sixth of his normal vision of the right eye. Mr J. Daley, for whom Finegan was caddying, said the ball was a badly "hooked" shot. He threw himself on the ground and his companions also stooped, but the caddie was struck. A hooked shot could be played by anyone. Even R. T. Jones could do it, he added. Mr McEvoy's caddie said they all shouted "lore" and the players on the eleventh tee stooped, but the caddie did not. Mr McEvoy said he was a good golfer with an handicap of 12, but his drive .on this occasion was badly pulled. The jury found that Mr McEvoy was not negligent but that the golf club was. and they assessed damages at £2OO. Judgment was entered accordingly. Notice of appeal was given. RICHMOND HILL CLUB The twenty-fifth annual general meeting of the Richmond Hill Golf Club was held in the Sumner Borough Council chambers last evening, when there was a good attendance of members. In the unavoidable absence of the president, Mr V. E. Hamilton, the captain, Mr J. S. B. Bruges, was in the chair.

The chairman referred to the death of two life members. Messrs George Humphreys and J. M. B. Crawford. The club had suffered an incalculable Joss in the death of these two men. and the success of the club had been in large measure due to their efforts. A motion of sympathy was passed with the relatives, members standing. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the chairman referred to the excellent condition of the course. He said that had it not been for the water supply members would not have been able to play at all. The greens were in first-class condition, and this in large measure was due to the work of the greens committee. Invaluable work had also been done by Mr E. T. Salvesen, while the greenkeeper, Mr Maynard. had worked long hours. He referred to the fact that the club would celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary this year, and he thought that some special event should be arranged to commerorate the jubilee. The financial position of the club was sound, he said, and £BO had been paid off the water supply scheme. There had been a difference of income over expenditure of £6. This amount had since been made up by the collection of outstanding subscriptions. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr V. E. Hamilton; vice-presidents, Messrs F. J. Glackin, F. J. Pender, and W. J. Sim; captain, Mr R. H. Booth; secretary, Mr R. H. T. Hamilton; treasurer, Mr S. P. Dalton; captain, Messrs J. D. Lawrence, J. S. B. Bruges, E. T. Salvesen, C. A. Rattray, H. L. Whiteman, A. A. Cheshire; auditors, Messrs F. J. Glackin, jun., and R. D. Glackin. A vote of thanks was passed to the greenkeeper for his excellent work during the year. Reference was made to the jubilee celebrations of the club. The chair r man said that to the best of his knowledge there were only two older clubs in Canterbury. -Various schemes were advanced to celebrate the event, and it was decided to leave the matter to the incoming committee. Considerable discussion occurred on the question of liability for accident on the links. The advisability of obtaining cover was left to the incoming committee. It was moved as a recommendation that the opening day be fixed for March 23.

Recommendations made,, to the incoming committee included the holding of working bees, commencing this week-end, and that additional stroke matches be included in the programme. WAIMAIRI BEACH CLUB ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Waimairi Beach Golf Club was held last evening, Mr A. R. Blank presiding over a fair attendance. The chairman said that the season for the club had been a very happy and successful one, owing largely to the great enthusiasm displayed by members. The membership had increased and the finances of the club were sound. The course had improved greatly without a great amount of attention. The club was fortunate in that the course needed no watering scheme, provided that the correct levels were obtained. Mr Blank paid a tribute to the very strong ladies' committee; their initiative had been exceptional. In presenting the statement oi accounts, the chairman announced that ;he excess of income over expendi-

ture for the year was £59 18s 3d. The club was in debt £l6o*, but this should disappear during the ensuing year. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following officers were elected: President, Mr A. R. Blank; vice-presi-dents, Messrs H. L. Bowker, J. P. Whatman, and J. A. Wilson; captain, Mr R. J. G. Collins; honorary secretary, Mr B. M. Lake; assistant hon. secretary, Mr D. B. L. Bowker; honorary treasurer, Mr W. Russell; committee, Messrs J. Greenslade, A. H. Henry, R. H. Lake, S. Morris, S. J. Russell, and J. Royds; ladies' captain, Mrs J. P. Whatman; ladies' secretary, Miss S. James; ladies' committee, Mesdames S. Russell, R. J. G. Collins, W. H. Smith, and H. F. A. Roberts, Misses B. Stock and C. Graham; honorary auditor, Mr F. Nicholls.

It was decided that opening day be March 17, and that a post-entry, mixed match take place on March 10. It was decided to award an honorarium to the hon. secretary, Mr B. M. Lake, in recognition of his valuable services to the club. There was considerable discussion about Mr R. J. G. Collins's motion that the golf club be no longer associated with the Waimairi Surf and Life-Saving Club. The motion was finally carried. To provide for members of the golf club who wished, to continue their membership with the surf club, a sum of £lO 10s was voted to the club. Mr A. H. Henry, in moving that the subscription of the club be increased by 10s, spoke of the imminent heavy strain on the finances of the club owing to the need of a new mower, an increase in wages of the ground staff, and improvement of tees. After considerable discussion, an amendment was carried that the increase be only ss.

The subscriptions are thus now £2 7s for men and £1 12s for women, if paid by April 30. TEMPLETON COUNTRY CLUB The competitions this week-end will be a bogey match, open to men and women members, commencing at 9 a.m. Players are to arrange own opponents and starting times. The fourth annual meeting of members will be held in the Islington Hall at 7.45 p.m. on Monday next, March 4. Prior to the annual meeting there will be the distribution of prizes won during the last season. HANMER SPRINGS CLUB The following is the draw for the first round of the Lodge Cup, to be played on March 3:—Miss Penney

plays H. J. Peek, A. Held clays N. Egan, T. Menzies plays D. Roach, D. M. Lewis plays J. Manson, A. J. Lahmert plays E. Rutherford, Miss E. Parsons plays R. Kennedy, D. Stark plays Mrs Cross, Mrs Ross plays Miss James, E. W. Carter plays Miss Melbom, R. O'Loughlin plays F. Malaquin, D. Stavert plays P. Cross, E. N. Smith plays J. Ponton, Mrs Tovey plays Miss Sutherland, C. Lahmert plays Miss Henshaw, B. P. Moodie plays marker. RUSSLEY LADIES' CLUB A flag match will be played by the Russley Ladies' Club next Thursday, players to arrange their own partners.