THE LADY GOLF CHAMPION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 596, 26 August 1909, Page 3

THE LADY GOLF CHAMPION.

PEN PICTURE OF MRS BEVAN

(Br B B)

I.' never could: see much difference betweena man: and a woman, oxccpt that. ono's a' man and the other s a.woman. .There are no qualities; : bf..-;;chkiracter/-that:"-woman,; (can. possess tliat aro jiot.equally meritorious- in-a. man, and whpn -a woman is content to remam- the work' of Gorl,. and never strides to '6bliteM.te;.Gbd's-,'boautifu'l'.-.cbiriplute''':W,oik': J bs' i i becoming-: a Xvovk of "art,- - she will play.-; gaiiies. • that: do not require.'great physical exertion Hucb'.a.iwohiah'-is'Mrs'. Annie Bevan, ot Otaki,. who has just won tho Mrs. Bevau has only seen 2'2 summers,' is the. daughter ot Mr. A. Winterburn,; ami was bofir in'Otaki.-:. She took up golf about four ye'afs ago, ;and for, the last; two ycars has been lady> cnampion of Otaki, and for- two years, in succession lias won- tho Manawatu •Clip.;'v'j'lietbest.. playei's;: have ■ Itpldv;Usj')tßat" our'lmks.are so varied that they bring: every known:'golfing ; stroke-in to^' v der,;".then-''patiiv;e' < slio'uld :pr,oduceVjt;;6ha'm,pion where: the-conditions .are, so favourabloi Ever - sinco'' last year -we,.have confidently looked -forward torrtlrs. Bevan ( wjnmng' the cllampionship;. and sho was sentiaway .to l'almerston with never a-fe(lr iu: tho .heart of one | of -: bTit/that'.-'sheV ; Wouljv.br fng^ : ; p.onship back • Last ; year, :when the Otaki 'Club: played,:a Wellington team,:.the, 'Wellington „:ladies looked -on in amaze at Mrsi Bevan's jplay, and described ■it as being '"with all • doni' of a man." Mrs: Sevan tees .her ball, -than is"usual -with a worniin, gently swings, her driver-back, bei 1 keen, browii eyes riveted on the ball, tlien, with tremendous', fofcei the club comes through,:,right through,.ahd the ball'skims, ilito' tne-air, like :a.swallow, landing .160 yards: away straight 'in the direction of the-holoj the' champion, meanwhile, standing watching- the ball,• with her.'feet still gripping the ground; her club' wfell-over h'eri left ..shoulder, atid.- her- body '-gracefully poised; - and ak it. were r in the 1 direction of'tho: ball.- The -next *brass6y-. This is takeu' with less ;back -swing- and- less finish over the shoulderpbut the:ball carries. Iqw and: long.. ■ The approach shot with. ,the nlashey. is ; a . beautitul- run' up , with; the wrists,- the club just :leavmg<its mark on the ■ pore the green, l often'only 6np,Vtot Mrs. ?Beven is alwavs "up," and the ball .gets its chance, for' the-hile: " ,Tlie belongs to nobody-,but herself.-'Worso-players have tried to teach her, but her salvation has' i been -in-" the- fact ■: that ,sbe has ulways. ,re-; verted '.back.-to : her own . natural style, and; that cap only be described aa graceful,- and' iat all, times effective., ■ She has no ''nerves." She forgets .everything exfcept the little ball: —never taking her eyes oft until,holed- ouji. ; The-Good, play of her opponent—no matter : how brilliant—does, not nonplus her; she' is. •never beaten until the game is, finished'j- aid' never contemplates a win until the opponent

is beaten.. , This young golfer will be heard of in much greater things than New Zoaland champion-. ship's- 1 links are, to'her; the ideal of excellence; she knows; evefy -rush bush, bunker/ditchj, fence, 'hazard, overy hole, its distance and >IC3 -possibilities, and woe\botuie the» woman, op even many mon,, who -think;that they can put her,.dottn,at.Othki. -The "links arc always dry, the,, lying: is • goody tliti turf 13 rsprinfjy, and only the bad shot infcurs' punishment. The country is picturesque, and from some of - the tees Lgmolit can bp seen' standing out like a hugo .egg .tgairist .tho; sky ; lLpo; the South .Island, is in view;, and the' -stretches out, like •a silver'rjbbon clear, away until lost, on the horizon towards Australia. , . L , _ , - MrS.'Bevan -is always , at -home, and .any lady who comes; along can get a game" with this kindly,- generous, good-tempered .golfing fgirl:,'. and l she will make you welcomo . with. Otaki'hospitality. Why not come? . We will all make you wckome. : ::.v