Golf.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 177, 13 August 1937, Page 15

Golf.

"Stymie.")

TOURNEYS AHEAD Their Value to the Player HASTINGS CLUB NOTES

(By

Aituost evcry golf club, whcther it is y. loading city club or a small coun* try club, -holds its annual tournament ikese days, and it can woll be asked what is tho value oi so many tournaluouts to tlie players. ' In the United States ' there is a reoognised circuit oi tournament occupying mpnths of travelljng and continuoua play, These tournaments are foliowed by tho leading profe^iouals of lk# eountry and can be elassed as almosfc - o^iduslvely prqfesglpnal, tlie money prizes running iatQ thousaud? of ppunds, In tfic winter months tlxerc is the grand circuit oi Calli'ornia, Mexico and the scuthern Stateg, and iji the summer months the northom States of the United States and Canada, where golf da impossible in winter, stage a big circuit oi tournamonts. Wo read of Anierican professionals playing up to 50 and 00 round s of toiirnajaent golf at an average of par or a little over per round. Th"e benefit to these professionalfe, of eourso, is, flrst oceupation in timi? vocation, and secondly reputation, a? beyond ono or two of the Iepding prige-wiimers few can hope to Lalance the budget covering months of travelliug expouses, entrance feel^and xncidentais, \ If a profe,?sional is predomineirtly suecesgful in theso touryuments hq is a-ssurqd of a luei'ative period in his vareer. His slylp and methods of play are quoted and copied. He gets pu'jlicity and a fotaining engagement with a leading elnb. Iri i'act, he" is on a similar plano to a -star at Hollywood, where frequently his aceomplishments are further commereialisecl,

Awtnoau Tournaweuts, Tho big tonmameniB in Aiuerica are very exaoting on health and conditiou, ospeqially taiung a heavy toll of nervous energy. A man has to study his diet and habits and digeipline his traiiy iug aa niucli as any atbleto in pthgr. iflprf active sports *tp heep in form. Hovrever, it ia the ordi.nary club ama' t6ur gpli'ev for whom teurnamOnts in New Zealand are- staged, for beyond tite open cUampionship and oue or two smaller evenfcs tliere is nothing in the nature vt a circuit pf tournaments for profejwionals. In comparisoa with Awerica, our tournaments are mere in the nature of a local flower ehow. We have, a few prize blooms/but the majority of cQnipqtitors are. in _the cominon gardcn variety- aa regards theiv golfiag aceomplishments. It is this plags that provides the fields and the funds which are necessary to carry out Qur tournaments, and thq various competitions are in reality swcepstakes of tho entrance fees with trophies for the winners, The benefiis to the players themselves are the exercise and the enjoyment they derivo from having soveral days' continuous partiejpation in their favoured Une of sport, "with poasibly the added thrill of walkiyg up and receiving tho reward for a good round of pluy to the accompanimeut of the plaudits of their friehdly opponCnts. Hivaiuable Experlence. ifer the youug player coming on in his game a tournament or two a year is invaluable. Jtle is put on his mettle to produce his best play in cpmpetitiou - with golicrs -of similar status but probably of mere expericnce and higher skill.' He gets the benefit of scvcral days' continuous play ua opposod to an odd game or two each weels, uud can proilt by hia own crrors in one xouad by eliminating them from the ncxt. In fsct, he can treat a tournament as a conti.uuous lesson and by a construetxve policy lift his golf into a liighcr plane, To tho old stagers no advice is perhapg necossary, but to the younger players etarting oif on thoir flrst round of tournaments a word of advice may uot be out of place. C'ommence easily and play woll within yourself. J3y this is meant, do not force to out-drive an opponent,; do not worry over a ehot ^one wrong, It is bettor to over-elub 'hau under-club; thon you can mako an ;asy rythmic stroke that will keep on 3ii the line and up to the objective raiher than press to get distance with a ivcaker club, The forcing wiii in all probability spoil the shot conipletely jy -hooluug, slicing or srnotlierixig it. lf playing in a medal round or oQgoy mutch, do not worry whnt your jpponeut for tho uipmont is doingj ho is only oue of tlie flild which it is your rcal objective to beat. Theroforo it is good policy to ignoro hia play almost cutirely and play your own game. Play Your Own Crame. "Watching ua oi>poiioijt closeJy and tahing tho suiuo club us ho uses I'or a .•crLain shot only lcatls you intu errors. if he gets iiito trouble, there is tho wychological oil'oct upoa yourself; furyou oi ro nc- er suro of V'haf itrciigtk he puts iuto his shots." Choo-:o ,Jm club you kuow will get you the livstunee, and play your own game. i.'Oii 'fc etrivo for dislan.ee that is bo)*ond tho particular club yoli aro using. f. you havo to uso two shots to get u ^ertain distance, or to tho groeu, chooso ihe two clubs that will get you thcro .n easc and safety. A No, 2 iron and a na^hie will get you the sume disance as a driver and a niblick. Around tho greens, aim for tho pia ,ith your .ruu-up or chip shots, which-•-ver suite you best. Don't uao a nib. k,ick because tlie othcr man does so, Use your own judgmont, and, if . you aro aurer with a runup shot, vsq your mashi,e ' or an iron, Try to lay your rua-ups, whother from on or ofl! the green, dead. Eemomber that, all other phases of the game being equal, it is on the .greens that the games are won or losfc, Forthcoming Tournaments. (Men.) B»y of Plenty (Gisborne, August '24. 25. 36. ' ■ Hastings Golf Club, Augusl 'JG. 27, m i -