Goffers and Colonel Bogey At Balmacewen

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 16

Goffers and Colonel Bogey At Balmacewen

THE question which la the present topic of Interest resolves round .' the , destinies . of Auckland's representatives—E. S. Douglas, the professional, who will play, over the ground of his 1913 open triumph, and Sloan Morpeth, present amateur " champion and one of Nature's real sportsmen. In 1913, E.S.i Douglas, practically an unknown ' player, 1 ' won his first open, whilst B. B. Wood won the amateur event. ' : . j Over 80- entries .have been received for this year's tourney, and all are New Zealand players. The visit of the Australian professionals has lapsed. Most notable absentees are E. J. Moss, the open champion, and A. D. S. Duncan, who has just returned from playIng m Australia. It is to be regretted that Moss cannot attend through indisposition. Some twenty professionals have entered, and added Interest will be taken m the appearance of E. S. Douglas. , He is going to put up a great , fight on the battle ground ,of his first big win. , -/ Since coming back to New Zealand he has' not played many rounds, but his. first appearance a few days after arriving m New Zealand, when he held Moss .at Middlemore to. one stroke (72 — 73), is sufficient to judge his present pjay. His new methods — close stance, toes pointed towards the hole m. his iron and mashie shots, with feet close together, added to his short clubs — will create Interest. Watching him play a few days ago, "Truth" was impressed with the stralghtness of his long shots, wood and iron, and his uncanny chip shots. He is a nuich fitter man now than when lie arrived and he will stand the strain of a hard-fought four rounds. His records at Home m competition with the world's best golfers on severe courses, and the experience derived from these matches, added to his great record In open events here, should install him into a position of favorite. He 1b a great golfer and will draw the galleries m Dunedin. Andy Shaw has a fine record this last three years. Mlramar, Rotorua, Ham-

THE OPEN WILL BE HARD,

But Douglas, Morpeth and Shaw Should Fight It Out

(From "N;Z. Truth's" Special Golf Correspondent.)

The best golf ers and all the rest will gather at Bahnacewen to-morrow when t?he New Zealand championships will open. There will be some debating at the nineteenth next week.

round) and given a good start, "Tosh" should make things merry.

/.•.•.*.»*•■?

SLOAN MORPETH der 300

Sound m every shot, 'it is a matter of the greens with him. ..

J. Mclntosh has all the shots to win the open, but he has had the misfortune of having one bad round m recent opens, and against" the hot field he will meet at Balmacewen, he will have to play all the rounds well to win. He is capable of cracking a record first

ilton.and Oamaru tournaments found him m first or second positions. This, stylish golfer, covering great distances from the tees, will find the course fairly easy, for him.

If his short game is as goo 4 as it was at Rotorua, then his _ score will be un-

R. Butters has been troubled with W a r afflictions lately which may interfere with his chances. He knows the course, the greens and the correct method of playing the holes, and is certain to finish well up the list. ; H. Blair finished m the first ten last year, but a full season of coaching- will not assist his play to improve.

DONALD GRANT

To these professionals will fall the burden of holding the honor against a strong amateur attack, which will be led by Sloan Morpeth.

The amateur champion is m great form at present and has been playing

phenomenal -golf J at Titirangi. Every other week he has been returning scores under'- 70.' .'. ' His colossal driving and Iron play should enable him to return low scores, as he is a brilliant' putter. ■■ If 'his driving is on the pin, then he and Douglas are going to put up • a great " fight to hold the open for. Auckland. T. H. Horton, that artist of iron play, is always dangerous. . " With as much confidence as Morpeth .on the greens, "Bill" would be there. But" then the open is 'won ''on' the ..green's, and Horton's putting is not a good bet. Dr. Ross, on his home course, will uphold the southland right well will he do so. A great fighter and a fine golfer, he is capable of par golf. But to win the open one' must not break, and Dr. Ross m the past has had some bad ones m the concluding rounds. Sime will let others know •he has been playing, but I like him. better later on next week. Donald Grant and E. Macfarlane will represent Shirley, and they are sure to finish well up, , though hardly good enough on recent form to win. J. Li. Black is- always to be reckoned with m the open, and he has a great record m the event. He has had opportunities for practice . lately and is playing well. A player who, can adapt his game to any condition of course, Black should finish m the first dozen. Of the younger players, one looks to H. A. Black and Rana Wagg for a surprise. Black has been improving rapidly m recent tournaments and Wagg was m a winning position last : open, only to crack up m the final rounds. That experience should have Its effect, and if m ; touoh with his clubs,, Wagg may be disputing the leading position this week-end. . The bogey of Balmacewen is 80 and the scratch score 74. Only four holeß are over 400' yards, but the, decided undulations of the course even up disWhen the ' final figures are "adjusted —given average conditions of play— the winning score should be about. 298, and "Truth" looks to Douglas, Shaw and Morpeth to be m the /leading positions. .