GOLF

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 300, 13 September 1920, Page 6

GOLF

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS..' By Telegraph—Press Association. Hamilton, September 12. The spot on which the New Zealand golf championships are being held this year was a Baiidy rabbit warren of one hundred acres on the banks of the Wai kato Biverin 1911. The Eenius and pertinacity of ouo man, Harry Gillies, con verted it into one of tho finest and moßt testing, though not the most spectacular courses in Australasia. Gillies's enterprise served a dual purpose, and demonstrated not only how beggarly, tree-stunted waste can be converted into a golfer's paradise, but how similar areas all over the country can be manipulated into smiling pas-ture-lands, capable of carrying fiockß and herds. Against the advice of experts, and in spite of the scepticism and incredulity of his friends, the experiment was persevered with, the Btunted ti-treo and hinau torn out, and the whole surface ploughed. In August, 1912. a liberal crop of mustard, with a heavy crop of manure, was sown, and when, in- December, the mustard came into flower Mr. Gillies ploughed the whole lot in. In January he gave it a dressing of a hundredweight cf kainit to the acre, and in February sowed chewings fescue, Danthonia, Bheep's fescue, and agrostis alba. In 1912 Arthur Duncan helped Gillies to la? out the course. Tho grass came through in a very meagrely manner at first, and two years after it had been sown a friend of Gillies s, standing on the fairway of the third hole, said: "If vou live to be as old as Methusaleh and'spend all the money of Midas, you will never get a sole of grass here. lms spot, liko the whole, links, is now one beautiful carpet from end to end. Although the absence of rain for several weeks haß thwarted tho growth of rprmg graßß and militated. against the usual perfect smoothness of the putting greens, the fairways are manured every season, and are kept close cropped with a motor mower. They are so Binooth that rarely a golf player is unable to find a teed-up lie " and so tough with deep-seated grass that it is difficult to scar them. Tho visiting golfers arc now all here, and somo excellent rounds have been put in by both amateurs and .professionals. During the week, J. Kirkwood. the Australian professional, sustained his reputation as a young man wilhva- modest, attractive demeaour. His worst round in practice has been 75. and his best 73. This., on a course of 6407 yards, with narrow fairways thoroughly well guarded, is a fine performance. 'Kirkwood neither smokes nor drinks alcohol nor tea. He says a man in his occupation has to keep thorougnly fit and in trainine. Bast, the Concord professional, who accompanies him, is very little his inferior in a medal round. It is hoped that Douglas, the Miramar professional, or Clements, of Manawatu, may be able to extend the visitors In the coming teats. W. M'Ewan. Wellington, is playing exceptionally well, but the fact (hat keen watchers are prepared to lav Kirkwood ngaiiißt the field to any amount indicates the impression ho has created, although it is certainly a tall order. Unfortunately Kapi Tareha, of whom a (treat deal was expected on account of his recent performances, became slightly indisposed, and hurried away home after a short Bojourn here. Arthur Duncan seems to bo playing somcthinrr near his old form. R. Korneth. Dr. Bow, Kcx Gcore<\ and H. B. Lusk have put up some excellent rounds, but CrosßC, last year's winner, has not been seen to full advantage in practice, tho narrow fairways testing the accurancy of this hard hitler.