NOTES ON THE PLAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1882, 16 October 1913, Page 5

NOTES ON THE PLAY.

(By Telegraph — Special Correspondent.) Dunedin, October 15. To-day tho conditions for play wero all that could be desired. Tho sun was quickly dryii)g up tho course, while there was onlj. a Droath of wind. Tlio professionals led tlio way with their matches, and the golf was, in two matches, brilliant. Several surprises cropped up. in tho amateur games, though tho top men woro not hard pushed. Several of the players who were playing tho greens well yesterday went clean off their gamo to-day, tho greens being faster, and made but poor shows.

Clements was first off the too, and going out never made a mistake. He reached the turn in 37. Coming home ho started off with a 3 and two 4's, and beat Stewart heavily. Stewart's short game was very weak. D. Hood had the lead of Milliner all the way, and by steady golf won by up and 3 to play. There were no holes s in this match of the brilliant order. :

F. Hood and Simpson took a gallery with them, and those fortunate enough to follow thorn witnessed somo great golf. Tho first two holes were halved, and then Hood, playing beautiful golf, did tho next seven holes in 4,' and reached tho turn in 38. Simpson took 41, thus being 3 ■ down. Tlio tenth they both did in 3, and the next 3 holes were halved ill bogy, leaving Simpson 3 down and sto play. A great putt on the next by Simpson won him the hole- The 15th went to Simpson in a perfect 3, and 110 followed this up by a great drive on to the greon at the next, and a half resulted. The 17th was also halved. ' Going to tho last, Simpson was 1 down. He, however, sent a two-yard putt bang at the back of the hole and won it. Simpson's figures for the last five holes woro 4, 3, 3, 4, 3. Both players were round in 77. At the 19th both were putting for 4; Simpson just missed the holo and laid Hood a half stymie. Hoot? tried to rush it, slipped past, missed the return, and lost tho match, after a great struggle, by 1 hole.

M'Ewan won the first 2 holes in his match with Watt, but by. playing the next 4 holes in 3, 4, 2, 4, Watt became 1 up. A visit to a bunker lost liirn tho 9th. Tho next two woro halved, and Watt won the 10th, turning 1 up, the scores being 38 each. The 10th was, halyed in 3. The lltli, a bogy 6, was won by Watt in s—after5 —after losing a stroke in a ditch 110 holed a 30-yard approach. The next 2 were halved. Watt won the next in 4, M'Ewan being in tho rough. Both woro on the green at the 15th in 1,. Watt missing a 2-foot putt for a 2. M'Ewan, with the aid of a beautiful drive, won tho 16th, and was then 2 down. The 17th was halved in a wellplayed 4. Watt eventually won 2 up and Ito play. 'VTatt' Sad a bogy 3 to finish in 35.

A. D. S. Duncan and Cuthbertson, with a big gallery following them, halved the first 2 holes. Duncan 1 won tlio next in a perfect 3. A duffed inashio shot lost him the 4th. but ho won the next in 4 and the 7th with a brilliant 3. At tho turn 110 was 3 up, going out in 39. The next 2 wero played in bogy, but sociieting with' tlio mashie at the short 12th, Duncan lost tho hole, and a fine 4 at tho 13th was followed by a bad 6 at the next, caused by 2 shots to get out of the rough. Cuthbertson picked up at the next 2 holes, and Duncan, finishing with three brilliant 3's, won by 3 up and 3 to play. His score for the round was 78. His 'ong game was oxcelient. Cuthbertson played good uphill golf, but Duncan finished too well for him.

, Hood .was matched against Goss and soon held a good lead by improved putting. Steady play got him out in 39, and he turned 2 up. Coming in he played with great confidence and never gave Goss a chance, finishing with a round of 75.

K. S. Duncan was playing brilliant golf against P. C. Wright, and got to tlio turn in 38. He drovo out of bounds twice coming home, and took 41, but 110 won his match several holes from home. Ross, Auckland, causod a surprise by beating Kidston by 2 up and 1 to. play. Kidston was not putting too well, while Ross got all the long holes in 4. Kidston had a chance coming home, biit let it slip by faulty play with his mashie at the 17th, and lost the holo and the match.

Forbes had to fight hard to beat Stronach who was running up in deadly fashion. This match was only decided on the home green.

H. C. Smith, an ex-champion, is getting into form and played a. fine game to-day. Two penalty strokes spoilt a fine card, but lie finished in 78.

Drake, a player who drives a very long ball, was another surprise packet; lie defeated Smith, who wont off his short gaino.

Taylor again was playing sound golf and went out in 39.. Coming in ho never made a mistake and was 1 wider 4 for the coming in half at tile 17th.

Dr. Ross beat R. Rutherford badly, and it will take a first-class player to beat him. With his local knowledge and good play he .lias a lot in his favour. Ho went out in 39, and was 1 up. Faultless play coming in brought him in an oasy winner. His coming in soore until the match finished was 4,5,3,4,5,3. Basil Smith, who is recovering from an illness, nearly got into his form today, and was only 2 over 4 when ho beat his partner. . Wright, last year's runner-up, did not produce his best form to-day, and had a narrow oscapo from defeat. Going out his short game was faulty, and ho was all squaro at the turn. His play was very poor, coming homo, but a 4 at the seventeenth made him 1 up. Ho played the eighteenth badly, and Fisher had a yard putt to squaro the maich; this, however, he missed, and Wright won by 1 up. To-morrow A. Duncan meets H. C. Smith. Another good match will be between Dr. Ross and H. Wright. . In the afternoon a strong wind sprang up, and scoring was harder. Taylor (Miramar) mid Goss (Wangaimi) tied for the Bogy Handicap, both players playing fine golf. They camo homo in 3(5 each. In the same match A. Duncan, owing 2, finished all square. The short third hole cost him 7 on account of an unplayable lio and Hp finjshod m Jh