On the Links

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 19

On the Links

(By "Baffy.")

AMERICAN MATCHES

GOLF CHAMPIONS IN MAKING

NEW ERA IN GOLF.

"Two letters I have just received are symptomatic of the- times in the world of golf not only in this country, but in America," states the well-known golf critic, G. W. Greenwood. "Sir. J. Rayner Batty, president of the Lancashire Union of Uolf Clubs, -writing from Manchester, says cjuite truly that there is 'a growing feeling that "the time is ripe for the formation of an . English Golf Union' on the lines of those already existing in Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. He adds: 'A union embracing all the County Unions in England (there are thirty of them) would prove a powerful factor in furthering th 0 best interests of tho game. The arranging of matches between North and South, and between England and Scotland, or Ireland or Wales, would come within its scope.' Mr. Batty is careful to state that his proposal suggests no antagonism to the Royal and Ancient Club, -which should remain in the capacity -of the M.'C.C of golf, managing the two British championships- and interpreting the :;ules of the game. It is certain that iiuch a union 'would make it possible to focus the opinions and desires of the enormously increased numbers of golfers in Kngland.' , The R. and A. themselves would, I imagine, welcome its formation, foV the reason that its isolation and its constitution precludes it from undertaking many duties which it ought not to be expected to perform. Oho o£ 'these is the collection of funds for the proper management of a great and universal game. We have a striking example of this, at our hands. America has invited us to send next "year, another team to compete for the Walker Cup. Not possessing a single 6d in tho shape of funds, wo are placed in the very undignified position of neither being able to accept nor to refuse the invitation. We fold our awns, and, like Mr. Micaw j her,- 'wait for something to turn up..Could anything be more humiliating for , a country that sent its pioneers of the game to the remotest corners of the earth'? What was our last experience? We appealed to the rank and file of golfers for the1 requisite funds to eriiblo Britain to send a team to the States. So meagre was tho response that the Championship Committee was saddled with a loss on the undertaking of £800, and in order to discharge their indebtedness they werq compelled to go cap in hand, like a troupe of beggars, soliciting alms. Not, only was the proceeding shameful, but it was insulting. Having been left in the lurch, no wonder the persons responsible shake their heads and in.effect say, 'Once bit, twice shy.' Obviously, this is an untenable position. Either golfers want to dispossess America of the Walker Cup, ami so re-estab-lish British golfing supremacy, or they i/do not. If they do, they must pay for the enterprise. And Mr. Batty's proposal- for the establishment of an Eng- ': lish Union "is the only wayj as a certain statesman of resilient qualities once said on another occasion, of 'searching their pockets.' With four powerful unions in existence—English, Scottish, Welsh, and : Irish—it would be a simple matter to make a levy upon all affiliated clubs. . From the supplicating method of the ] mendicant, the money would bo guther- ■. Ed in legitimately and automatically in the - twinkling of ah eye. Those clubs I failing to subscribe would be struck off. the roll like a defaulting solicitor. From other considerations as well, such as the | democratisation "of golf, wherein the golfer would be able to take a larger share in \ the management of the game, I welcome Mr. Batty's proposal. Views of golfers in tho matter are elicited and desired. Mr. Ernest Holderness has succeeded in his idea of forming a County Union for Surrey, so ons more body, distinct from St; Andrews, has come into corporate existence to provide for ; the wants and the aspirations of the golfer. In a letter I have received lie makes the point that the object of the organisation 'is the encouragement of the game of golf in the county. If as a qountry we are in danger of falling behind America in the world of golf, this . -is ascribed by some best qualified to ; judge to the fact tliat our young players jdo not get the same opportunities of ; playing in severe competition during the ■ period in which their game is developing as the young players of America do. They are, a3 a rule, not able to afford^ either the time or the expense of going to the big meetings in other parts of the country. The county championship, the club championship, the county matches, and other fixtures which it is hoped to arrange will provide them with this opportunity. Artisan players and clubs will be specially welcomed to these meetings.' Mr. Holderness points out that the object of the union is not only to benefit scratch players; it is also to afford opportunity, to all classes of players to meet together and to promote a feeling of unity and corporate spirit m. the county. And ho adds that he is authorised to Bay that "the Royal and Ancient Club and the Rules of Golf Committee welcome the formation of these county unions,, as they form responsible- bodies, representing the cluba in then- areas, Whom they can consult on points that arise in connection with the rules of golf and the general interest of tho game. It is certainly true to say, as Mr. Holderness mentions, that tha standard of British golf is steadily falling behind that of American K olf and tho only explanation that can be offered is that the United States, with its widespread network of championships and nrst-class tournaments, affords on portumties for training and development which are denied to our voune .golfers It is only necessary to mention the cases of Mr. Wethered, Mr. Tolley and Mr. Holderness, all three British champions, who, while they were at Oxford, constantly played against all the best-known golfers in team and oth er matches, to illustrate the enormops advantages accruing from experience and training. County unions will tend in the same direction, quite apart from the enhanced pleasure they will bring to the playing of golf by the multitude. Already twenty clubs have joined the Surrey Union, and it is an obligation of every self-respecting club in the county to follow suit and so make tho organisation perfectly united and allpowerful. The dawn of a new era in golf is in sight." . | "The fact that there do not appear tox be any champions in the making does not affect the general body of players so muuh as that there is no room for ; them to p!ay," says the "Referee" writ- «)•. "At present, in Sydney, there are only two championship courses. Rose i Bay and Kensington. rJ.he difficulty is ,to get the neeeasfcry length, of hole that :is sufficient—two-shot holes—and withI out Jilicm players will find it almost im--1 possible, however much they improve * their play, to become real champions. Concord is long enough so far as yards" I co, but except iv the ueiuoa proper jttie

ground is so hard that the length is not I so long as the card shows. Moreover, ' on- an inland course the conditions are i very dissimilar to those of the two metropolitan clubs. There .is a number of smull courses being constructed, such as Koseville, Mosman, Beecroft, Springwood, and Penrith. These will relieve a lot of congestion, especially' Roseville and Mosman, but the links -will be too short to provide a real tast of the'game; The Manly clubhouse has been started. The site is near the road on the- old eleventh, now the fourteenth. The fourtoenth\tee'will be useless when the clubhouse is completed, so that the hole will have to be greatly shortened, which.will make the first hole a short one, and the impression seems to be that the first hole should be a long one. There is talk of reconstructing the course again and making it quite 6000 yards in length. Tnis, it is said, can easily be done by bringing into use the land which is available in the vicinity of the third hole. Anyway with men like Messrs. Apperly and Sturrock available a-s architects, there need not be any cause to worry, for they have done so well in laying out the present course that they may be relied on to alter it as occasion warrants. The course is ideal for Summer weather, for it ;stands drought remarkably well.' It is hardly understandable how it maintains its condition, considering that possibly more people play over it than any. other. It would be safe to say quite double the number. The coming season will see the same playere contesting for championship honour. Mr.. F. G. Murdoch is going to England on business, and it appears doubtful whether he will find the time to play in the championship. If he-does he * certainly will be unable to get sufficient practice to do himself justice. It would have been interesting to read what the experts thought of his style,, but for the fact that the comments of Mr. Hilton, which appeared in the last issue of "The Referee," about Mr. Whitton seem curious to say the least of them. Mr. Whitton, like all Australian players, used to feather, according to the theory Vardon preached, but did not practise. No doubt to English eyes this would seem .curious, I but to say that Mr. Wiiitton had a j rough hewn style just as Bay and Braid] have is curious. To my mind he is the I most polished golfer in Australia, so goodness knows what Mr. Hilton would think of the other players. Possibly Mr. Whitton has altered considerably since he was in England, for I have not noticed the head being taken back with the club. I cannot see a single player with any chance of being in the charm- J ed circle to play off by match play in the championship other than those of I last year, unless it is Dr. Hunter, which is rather an alarming thought, that is, if there is any virtue in having good golfers." ._ ' ' AMERICAN MATCHES. During the present week the Californian open championship is being decided at the Los Angeles Country Club. Sev-enty-two holes are being played for the championship. A purse of two thousand dollars- is offered in prizes ranging from six hundred and a gold medal for the winner, down to fifty for the eighth. Amateurs are limited to those with a, "handicap of ten or lower. The first eighteen holes wero played last Sunday, followed by eighteen on the Monday.' The sixtyfour players , with the lowest scores of the 36 holes were then entitled to play the fiiiul 36 holes on Tuesday. At the time of the last American mail, a yery fine field was anticipated. Arthur Havers, British open champion, and James Ockcnden, French open champion, were entered, and were then in America. Joe Kirkwood;, who held tho title last year was there to'defend it. Arthur I Ham, late of Heretaunga, was due to make his debut in American competitive golf at the tournament. Another . very important tournament, due to be played about this time, was very much in tho air. at the time the mail left. This was the Northern Califorhian open cliampionship, usually played once every two years. The difficulty was to find a club willing to open its course to the tournament. The Del Monte Club had offered its course, and the feeling was that this would' suit everyone concerned. The desire was to hold the tournament while so many fine golfers were in the country. Some important fixtures wero then in view. Havers and Ockenden were matched j against Sarazen and John Black, the winner and runner up of the previous year's national" open. Sarazen is also to meet Havers. It was contemplated matching Kirltwood and , Mac Donald Smith against' Havers and Ockenden. In a match that. had been played Harold Clark, the Sa.n Francisco Club's professional, and Jack Neville, beat Mac Donald Smith and Joe Kirkwood, one up. Par is 71, and the individual scores were • Clark 71, Neville 73, Smith 70, Kirkwood 75. _ Los Angeles has unusual strength in its amateur golfers, and another match' proposed was v a quartette each, amateurs v. professionals. Hay, C. 'Chapman, in the "San Francisco Chronicle." put up the following teams; AmateurDr. Paul Hunter, F. Wright, Jun., Willie Hunter, and George yon Elm- professional : Havers, Ockenden, Sarazen and Kirkwood. The professional team would be one of the strongest that could possibly be arranged, but Mr. Chapman stated: "The amateurs would have a fair chance of victory. It is a fact that the amateur team named could stand up against any other four amateurs' in America or Great Britain." The four strongest amateurs'in the country for 1923 are Bobby Jonas, 'Chick Evans, Max R. Marston, and Jesse Sweetser. Havers and Ockenden have sent in their entries for the California open championship, to be played at the Los Angeles Country Club, 13th to 16th January. - Joe Kirkwood will certainly be oil hand to defend .his title which he won at the San Francisco Golt and Country Club last January after a tie with Mac Donald Smith. "Mac " who is playing more brilliant and consistent golf than ever before in his career .will also be among those present and j believe, will start favourite for the championship. It is said that Sarazen will arrive m the south shortly. Besides his engagements he is engaged to be married to a moving picture actress and. is also contemplating other serious work around the Hollywood st"dlo?v NeiUier Hagen nor Hutchison will visit California this winter. Haeen has accepted an engagement at St Petersburg, Fla., and Hutchison is already at vfork in the Bahamas. Some time ago it was reported that Cruickshank and Harry Hampton had formed a combination to tour California in a series of exhibition matches. :These combinations are formed easily enough in the East, but it is a very different matter to secure matches. Clubs do not seem particularly enthusiastic in booking engagements for professional exhibition matches—at all events until the stars are on the ground. The truth probably is that we had somewhat of a surfeit of such matches here last winter, and that most golfers are "fed up" with exhibition golf and prefer to play themselves. However there is no doubt that the first club in this district to I book a match engaging Hiivers .and Ockendon against Kirkwood and /JacDohald Smith would be sur6 of a remunerative "gate."

London's largest pumping station is io be erected at tho Metropolitan Wafer Board's huge reservoir at Littleton.- Tho building will cover an area of over 20,00 square feel, ontl 120 teas of uoal will be coiuuaisd .pverjr dv