GOLF NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22509, 17 September 1938, Page 23

GOLF NOTES

DECISIVE WIN FOR

COMBINED TEAM

(WOODWARD CUP MATCHES

IN FINAL STAGE

iliUB CHAMPIONSHIP DECIDED

AT TEMPLETON

(By THE RABBIT.)

The leading men •of the combined North Canterbury clubs proved too strong for the Christchurch Club's leaders in the annual match at Shirley last week-end. losing only one of the first five singles matches and winning the first two fourball matches. The -unavoidable absence of C. J. Ward, A. B Blank, C. Holdsworth, and H. W. Macfarlane undoubtedly had a weakening effect on the home team, but the visitors were also without their leading player, and Canterbury champion : j. D. Galloway. Although the Christchurch Club had « runaway victory last year by 21 games to nine, these contests have always been very even, the previous two Snatches having been drawn. Old stalwarts such as E. J. Pumphrey, L. A. SSuMm, H- Godby, D. H. Butcher, and C. A. Seymour, who were always relied upon to carry their team to victory, found their young opponents too strong in the singles. Benefit from the inter-club pennant matches is already evident in the play of many of those who competed last week-end, and the inauguration of these matches seems to be the cure lor the steadily degenerating standard of play in Christchurch. •Si the top fourball match between j W. Jackson (Avondale). E.O. Heney (Rangiora). and E. J. Pumphrey and iFw. Simes, Heney was rarely called upon to help his young partner, who covered the first nine holes in_34, and returned in 39 to card a 73. The.visitors were 4 up at the turn, and after halving the next five holes lost Farthest South to.the local men; but finished the match by winning the sixteenth. Pumphrey and Simes performed gallantly in their position of leaders in the absence of the club's spearheads, Ward and Blank. Both of the top singles were evenly contested, Pumphrey losing to Jackson at the seventeenth, and Simes beating Heney also on the seventeenth green. In the opinion of one of the four, the finest shot he had seen for a long time was Simes s second shot to the eleventh green. Simes's drive finished in the rough on the left-hand side of the fairway, from where he played a superb No. 4 iron to-within six inches of the flag. The increasing strength of the district clubs is a problem to which the .Christchurch Club, in tUis annual nature, will have to give serious consider--3 l0D " A (Boys* Championship From time to time various writers have advocated the inauguration of a boys' championship in New Zealand. Much has.been written but little has been accomplished. The excellent results obtained from the boys' Sfonship in England are now. obvious, ames Bruen. Ihe boy champion of 1936, led the British Walker Cup team .to&victory against the United States this season, with Hector -Thomsonrboy champion of, 1931, second .to him. Thomson won the British' amateur championship in 1936. Their brilliant . play undoubtedly inspired the other members of the British team on to victory. These are not just individual ' successes in senior golf attained by boy champions or boy internationals. J. F. Pennink, winner of the English amateur championship for the last two years, is a further example. There is also John Langley, recently awarded his cricket "blue'* at Cambridge, and -a member of the British Walker Cup team when still boy champion. The fine record of these young players proves that the youth of the country 'when' given encouragement will develop their game to the highest standard. The time is now opportune for something to be done in the Dominion, and the New Zealand Golf Council should be approached with a view to promoting a boys' championship.* Financial difficulties may. arise; but the strong financial position of the Golf Council should be able to overcome this difficulty, provided, of course, the parent body can arouse enough enthusiasm. The* "Stroke-Saver*'

With the warmer weather coming on courses are gradually getting faster, and different types of shots are being called for. Winter conditions have

compelled players to use their lofted clubs to overcome the difficulty of slow approaches for their shots: into the green./ The change, in conditions, nevertheless, will 'not induce a great number to vary their methods of approaching. There are,' of course, occasions when a sand bunker or a hazard guards.the green and a lofted shot is necessary; but when the route to the hole is devoid of traps and the ground is fairly level, the pitch-»nd-run shot is undoubtedly simpler. It is difficult to understand why so many players prefer to play a high pitch-shot in preference to the safer pitch-and-run shotJ ' ■:"■■' ■■'•' ■■■- • - ■■-■■ ■

There are two very good" reasons why the pitch-and-run shot should be Played when the occasion arises—first, because it is easier to pjay than the high pitch; and, second, because a poorly-played pitch-and-run shot of the half-topped variety often turns, out. well, while the attempted high-pitch shot that goes on its way after being half-topped seldom finishes near its gpaL In other words, a pitch-and-run can be half-topped and still. bring about good results, but no good results ever come from a poorly-played lofted . shot. The Woodward Cup

The Woodward Cup pennant competition will be brought to a close this week-end with matches on the Temple- * ton and Russley courses. Russley 'is in the lead from Harewood, Templeton, and Avondale, and as Avondale is. - - occupied with its club championships it will have to default to Kaiapoi, and at the same time be out of the running for the' position of runner-up in the competition. With Avondale not competing the position of runner-up will be decided on the Harewood-Temple-; ton game at Templeton. Russley is Playing Rangiora on its own course and. should be assured of a win; but - "•pause of the irregular manner in which golf matches are so often decided it is quite possible that Rangiora might give the competition a very in-, wresting finish. The field day at Waitikiri, which was originally set down for October 2, nas been changed to September 25. Templeton Club Championship • • . J - A. Higgs justified the excellent standard of his play throughout the . season when he defeated B. T. Connell w the final of the Templeton Club's • Championship last week-end by 10 up and 9 to play. This is the third suc-J-««ive match in. the championship which Higgs has >ybn by that score. The play- in the morning was inclined •o-be ragged, poor putting being the cause.

Connell’s experience in foremost championship events is not extensive ■nd .nervousness bir- his part in. the . few holes of the match gave Tiim b.f httle confidence to produce the! figures J which carried him through the earlier %- rounds. , Although his opponent stood 'f' "-up at lunch-time Connell made a ,„Vahant attempt to reduce the lead, V’ 1 f»d after winning the nineteenth hole ■SerH; appeared that he might >. extend

Higgs, but Higgs's figures for the remaining holes left no gap for a. recovery. The ; putting in the afternoon was greatly "improved, Connell holing several longish putts early in the round. Connell is a young player of much promise and better things will be heard of him. ' Extenrive Programme

The Harewood Club has an extensive open tournament programme set out for the remainder of the season. The North Canterbury championship meeting, which will be held in the first week-end in October, has always attracted the best of Christchurch amateurs as well as having a competition for the longer handicap players. E. O. Heney, who won the championship event last year from a first-class field, needed a par-breaking 73 in .the afternoon to earn him the title. Also contained, in the programme is the scratch ~ teams' championship.- the honour for which: is always evenly contested by the clubs in and around Christchurch. The is at present held by Harewood. - ■*--. The' South Island amateur • championships are scheduled for Labour week-end and will probably be attended by jnany of the prominent am»-, lams j» tha South UhotV