GOLF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 251, 16 July 1908, Page 4

GOLF.

(By Lenobe.) "Lonoro" will bo glad to receive from Secretaries of Clubs and others interested, Lists of Fixtures, lioports of Meetings, Matches and Competitions, .otc. Theso should bo addressed, "Lenore," Dominion Office, Wellington, and received by Wednesday' for insertion ' on tho following Saturday. DEATH OP OLD TOM MORRIS. Tlio naino of "Tho Grand Old Mail of Golf" was given to Tom Morris' by Sir. Andrew Carnegie, and as such ho was known not only to every golfer, but to every one tho wido world over, who had ever handled a club. His iiouso v/as literally on tho links of tho famous 'Royal and Ancient Club at St. Andrews, ■ for tho starting box was barely a, hundred yards from his door, whilo the eighteenth green was not quito half that .distance. The New Golf Club, of which Tom was an honorary member, stood within half a stone-throw of his own residence, and thither it was his custom to repair almost every day to have a chat with ono member or another about tho times that were gone. On Sunday, May 24, Okl Tom toddled aicng the Terrace as usual to tile-clubhouse, but alas it was to bo. his last visit there, for it would appear that onco in tho hall of tho Club ho ■ had mistaken a door, and fallen down a flight of stairs. Shortly afterwards his body was found at the foot of theso stairs, and although life was not then extinct, medi- : cai aid could do nothing, and ho died within an hour' in the hostpital to which he, had been conveyed. Tho causo of his death was severe concussion, and ho never regained consciousness after, the accident. Quito a gloom- was cast over tho golfing world, particularly at Sandwich tho following day when tho news of tho death passed around tho hundreds of golfers met there to decido tho amateur championship. But what at first was sympathetic regret w - as soori afterwards changed into something liko shock when tho tragic cause of tho old man's death was known in detail., For some years past' Old Tom had beenyin' indifferent* health, and a sdvero illness which attacked him in 1904 left-him much more frail, and, indeed, his .mental condition from-that year was somewhat impaired. In spite of this, however, ho was up till tho last still able to "daunder aboot," and even took : a personal interest in tho ladies' championship meeting, which was held over the _ links just tlio previous week. He., died in his eighty-eighth year, l and it is a matter'if universal regret that such a peaceful old man should havo met his end insuch a tragic manner. Tom was bom in June, 1821, in St. Andrews, ! and when only a child, golf, as ho afterwards said hiiriself, was tho pastimo of his youngest days. 1 . ,Tho trado of cabinet-, making had been cut out for him, but ho did not feel- cut out for it, and when a lad of fifteen ho becarao an apparontico to Allan Robertson, who wris not only a famous golf-, ball maker, but was tho game itself tlio James 'Braid 'of: his 'day. Tom stayed With Robertson till he was twenty-six, and by that tiino he had become such an expert at the gaino that lie could hold his ow.ii with almost all comers. It is impossiblo in tho space -availabjo hero to recall a tith'o of his achievements in tho golfing world. Suffice it to say. that besides winning many tournaments and matches, which havo now becomo historical, lie won tlio blue ribbon on four occasions, viz., IS6I, 1862, 1864, and 1867, lir theso days this,event was called tho Championship Belt Tournament,; and any : player gaining tlio honour three times in succession,, claimed tho Belt as his own.' It was Old Tom's ambition-' to attain this honour, but, although ho was' tho victor in 1861' and 1562, lie jusTfailed'" to retain tho Championship in 1863.- Tho Belt, -however,- was seemingly destined to come to tlio family, for after Old Tom von the,,Championship;f(y the fourth tiino in 180/,* his son,'young'Tom,"ent-dred the lists, and when the latter gained it in 1870 for tho third timo'm succession, and thus claimed tho Belt as his own, that was what Old Tom always spoke of as tlio proudest moment of his life. /- - : .. . ~ .9' c l. orn tacamo greenkcepcr' of inSr- re stiyick links,;-, where .lie remained until 186?. 1 when ho returned to'St.'Andrews in a S 'T., l'«A? pa ' c i. ty >' Potion which'ho', held until 190-1. On his 'retirement in that year from active ditties, ..ho. \yas appointed honorary greenkeepor. In his-day people used-to speak almost in tones of awo of his ability .and resource a golfer, and ono story may suffice <ns. bearing - this - out. Tho occasion ; "'as an important match with Park' over tho -i Dunbar course ' in 1862, Park being at that time in tho front rank of players.. Park lost, and someone afterwards asked him how lie had boon defeated. Park was hurt at tho question, and replied: "Hoo did A' loss! . lido could..A'- won-?. Ho.'drave into tho sea, saw ,his ba' teed on a muckle wave; waded in tae his "knees and played in oot and laid it deed at the hole." It is easy to understand that as ho was a, champion when •a. young player, and won two open tournaments when ho was sixty years of age, thoro are outstanding events in such a long career ,far too numerous even to refer to here. Ho was a sportsman in overy-senso which tho term" •implies, and so was endeared to many thousands of people. For. many years to como golfers at .Homo-will miss -tho gonial presence of old -Tom Morris, tho Nestor of ■golf.:. . The following is a list of fixtures of the iHutt Golf Club:— July 18—Match v. Otaki at Hutt. I July 25.—Silver Button Competition. ■Medal play. ■ August I—Match v. Wellington,' at Hutt. August B—Silver8 —Silver Button Compotition. Bogey. j August 15 —Match v. Feathorston, -at Hutt. ; August 22—Match V. Otaki, at Otaki. ' August 1 29—Silver Button Competition. Medal play. ■ September s—Mixed.Foursome. ; September 12—Match v. Wellington, at Silverstream. , September 19—Silver Button- Compotition. Bogey. September 26-r-Finalo. , New Zealand golfers, and particularly those in Wellington, are naturally sorry to .hear that thoir crack golfer Duncan, of tho Wellington Club, has been defeated in tho Australian championship. But what a fight .lie seems to have made of : it, and- what a sterling golfer his victor is? Mr.-'Duncan liad tho misfortuno to meet in tho first round Scott, tho present holder. This competition is by matches, each match' consisting of thirty-six holes.- Duncan seems to havo started the, second eighteen holes three down j but so'tough was the contest' that tho match was fill square at the. finish. .- Many golfers maintain, that tlio present rulo isia bad ono—viz., that if tho match stands . all squaro at tho finish the players shall continue it until one-of them.wins a hole. Tlioy argue that after a' keen Gtrugglo (as this ' onb./was, for example) of thirty-six holes, it is ihardly fair that one hole should, after : all, be deemed enough to settle the whole issifft. Tho least bit of bad luck—for example", a bad , lie i off a good stroke—would put victory be- , yond tho palo of tlio unlucky player. However, bo that as it may, Duncan sot up' a splendid ganio, and carried tlio match to the; thirty-seventh green before being compelled to cry, "Hold, enough!" Mr. Scott fell ;in the succeeding round of . the competition, and in. this fact "Lonoro" reads a furtjior compliment to Mr. Duncan. There is no intention to disparage Mr. I'oarse's play in ' thus defeating Mr. Duncan's conqueror—on -tho contrary, thoro is room for congratulation which is now tendered, and tho form . shoiv)i. by. Mr. .Pcarso when ho .won .tho. competition on Saturday last, shows, him to bo, a pliyer of class. Still, from all accounts, to.lnjiid, Mr. l'earso found Mr. Scott off his, game, and in this-respect "Lennre'-'thinks Mr.; Dun am is to bo congratulated (or blamed), for l'othing can bo more safe to this, that the Scott-Duncan match was won by tlio former .-it too high a price, and that both iplayers afterwards suffered from tho, soverij tension of the ordeal which they-, had passed-.through. - Doubtless, it was to this. cause that, Mr. Scott's olf-colour farm is' to be (attributed.

I . • . ——- . Eveijr mate is trying to malic .1 ball tlint will k'ep its shape and not burst or crack after doing a few rounds; tlio lied Dot S'jo- ' fossion-il i 3 tho ball that will give you 'ha boat. sutisJaotion,. and will . improvo your clay. I ■ CJtfiQ