GOLF NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22521, 1 October 1938, Page 23

GOLF NOTES

SUCCESSFUL DAY AT WAITIKIRI THIRD major title to terrier INTERPROVINCIAL match at OAMARU (By THE RABBIT.)

More than 60 players took part in the field organised by the Woodward Cup inter-club pennant competition committee at Waitikiri last weekend With most of the players who had taken part in the competition and a team from the Christchurch Club, the field was one of the best that has ever ®„embled for a local open tournament. 8 excellent condition of the course did not help to make good _ scoring. The reason for the poor scoring was Probably that the course was playing very long, and another factor to be Considered j s the number of par 4 holes at which two full shots are ' necessary to reach the green. Last week-end was the first occasion on whkhX complete course of 18 holes had been used for a competition, and considering it was only laid down 12 months ago. its condition was remarkable. A. 3 r' and M. R. Blank won I the morning event, a four-ball bogey 'with a score of 3 up, their local knowledge aiding them considerably. The ; Canadian foursome bogey inl teei afternoon was won by I. B. Cromb and A. Tc Nicholson. This pair combined well.'and long driving by Cromb left U a ny easy shots for the young Russmany players were further entertained at dinner, after which the I Woodward Cup was presented. Mr A. IB Blank was in the chair. In proposlin'g the toast of Mr L. A, Woodward, the donor of the cup, the chairman mentioned the necessity for match play in Christchurch, and was of the opinion that no better way could be found to improve the standard of play than the inauguration of the inter-club pennant matches. He said that more of this type of competition would bring out the best in the promising talent that the Dominion possesses, and in a few years New Zealand would be taking its position in golf with the leading countries of the world. .■i In his reply, Mr Woodward said How pleasing it was to see that the competition for the cup _ he had presehted was going to bring about an improved standard of play. He said that the cost of playing the game should be reduced so that many more, working people would be able to play it -There, was a, very large tract ,of practically waste land . round - the Marshland and Brooklands district, similar to the country of Waitikiri, that could be used for building courses, sidil ,Mr Woodward, and an influx of players on these courses would warrant a municipal bus service and would be a great benefit in many ways, especially in the improvement of health.

Perrier’s Third Crown James Perrier, the young New South Wales amateur, recently added another crown to his season’s distinguished list ol the Australian open and amateur titles, by carrying off the New South Wales amateur championship, easily beating D. Davies in the final by 8 up and 6 to play. This is an amazing performance, and proves that Perrier is one of the greatest • amateurs of all time.

A well-known Christchurch player had a round with Ferrier while on a trip to Sydney last year, and was greatly impressed by the champion’s method of play. Ferrier possesses a club which Is between a number 6 and a number 7 iron. His dexterity with this club is the factor that makes his play so effective. The shots he plays ;with it are tossed well up into the air, and are invariably dead on the flag with a maximum of three or four yards’ run. As with most players, the putts must be falling to enable Ferrier ter score well, and when he is holing those 11 and 12-feet putts he is capable ; of shooting astounding figures. This . was evidenced two years ago in the New South Wales open championship when he carded an astonishingly low 62 in the final round to rob Sam Rich- - afdson of the title by a small margin. He expressed regret at not being able to hit a long iron shot as well' as his other shots; but the visitor could not see the necessity for such a shot, as Ferrier’s terrific hitting never left him far from a green.

. Interprovincial Match Next week-end the annual interprovincial match between the CanterburyWestland and Otago-Southland teams will take place on the North Otago Club’s course at Oamaru. Oamaru was selected as the venue by mutual agreement between the two sides, and a probable reason for the decision was an attempt to foster the game in North .Otago, and to give the local players the pleasure of seeing the best of the various provinces in action. From matches of this description the only results possible are beneficial.

Canterbury-Westland will field its strongest team available, the only local notable absentee from the list being the Canterbury champion, J. D. Galloway, of Rangiora. The side is mainly composed of young players who have proved themselves in various tournaments during the last two years. The first match between the two sides was Played at Shirley last year, and snowed a marked superiority on the part of the Canterbury players. This year, however, Otago will make a bold attempt to reverse last year’s result, ctago has many promising young Players—in fact, more than any other province in the Dominion. The policy of- the Otago Club makes conditions fl sy , y° un S players, and is an example that should be followed by other metropolitan clubs.

Good Scoring at Rawhiti ‘ B Th e first qualifying round for the . Rawhiti Club’s championship last v week-end once again gave A. C. Freer oorn an opportunity to emphasise that ne is steadily elevating himself into IS®. top rank of Christchurch players. - . AiUs .Player has been most prominent « club competitions throughout the season, and must be favourite for the cnampionship. Open tournament experience would improve Freeborn’s game considerably, and this exoeri- . ence is necessary if. first-class honours : are desired. : . There were several good scores, how- , ~ ver . a *?d a noticeable feature at , nawmti is the steady improvement of .I? man y cf the club’s longer handij Players. While the course is short I ana low scoring is looked for. the : r« S are th ere > nevertheless, week : *ner week, proving conclusively that players have a more than pass*hg interest in their gams

Length—ls It Worth While? that so many of the ’ professionals employ some of the overlapping grip wity such success, it is difficult to tmder.r,»«nd why so few amateurs copy this. I; 2°°d example. There is no tl ? at the overlapping grip givfes T; 21* r -® ater accur acy which is so neces-. a player wishes to reach the *u t- Youn S amateurs have said the overlapping grip does not en-

able them to get sufficient length, and. employ other tactics to get an occasional long drive. They appear only too willing to sacrifice that greater accuracy which has made so many champions and is the method of play so openly advocated by the two oi i “masters” Harry Vardour and J. H. Taylor. That the youngsters pursue the unorthodox method probably explains the present lack, of sustained accuracy in the amateur ranks. There are rounds when their drives are ail long and straight; but there are many others when the drives are in every direction. If these days were averaged out it would be- found that the average drive is no longer than that of the medium-length driver. In glancing over the list of winners of the British amateur championship it is most evident that long-hitting amateurs have been singularly unsuccessful There are only two winners who could be.classed as really longhitters, namely Cyril Tolley and the American, Lawson Little. Little is recognised as one of the longest hitters -in the world; and by combining his powers of “shot-making” with his hitting, he placed himself at the top of the amateurs. Very f«w amateurs, however, have got Little’s ability; and they should consider the necessity for developing a stylish habit which would keep them in the limelight. The continued success of a player depends mainly upon the methods upon which his style is founded. The player who has moulded his style upon sound principles will keep up his form year after year and, 1 moreover, will - keep it up without 1 the necessity of continued practice.