GOLF TRIALS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1933, Page 6

GOLF TRIALS

SNAKES AND MAGPIES CANBERRA LINKS INCIDENTS With the coming of spring to Call-* bo va snakes have made their appeal - ar.ee and magpies have resumed the pugnacious habits for which at this time of the year they have won a. bad reputation. On a recent morning a golfer, who was playing in a. match on the Acton course between two teams of pressmen, noticed ,as lie was approaching the fourth tee that his dog was barking savagely in tlie “rough” a few. yards away. With his driver in his hand, tlie golfer and his partner made a sear ch and found that the dog with bristling back was bailing up a large brown snake, the head of which, a foot above tlie ground, was striking at the dog. Several accurately placed strokes with the golf club killed tile snake, which measured more than 4ft. in length. It was placed 011 the tee, and the effect it had on the nerves of other participants in the match as they walked up to drive off was blamed for many bad shots.

Several magpies, old offenders, have attacked golfers 011 the Royal Canberra course. One at the tenth tee makes a habit of - swooping on players as they arc about, to dr’lye off; it invariably makes a - double attack—a dart from the rear: at first, after which it rises almost perpendicularly, and then drops with snapping beak on its victim, ,wlio, by this ~ti}iie, is usually waving his club around bis head for defence. Thqugh so far no one lias been actually struck by the bird, it also is blamed for bad golf strokes. Another magpie swoops on players from a willow tree on the 14th fairway. A well-known civil servant, in the act of striking the ball was heard from a great distance to make wild exclamations. Other players looking around I noticed that the ball, mishit, had gpne into the rough The golfer, explained subsequently that as lie was at the top of his swing the magpie swooped upon him. These two magpies have been on the course for several years, and they always make their attacks—only at this time of the year—from the same places. This is the breeding season.