PULLS AND SLICES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 264, 1 July 1932, Page 2

PULLS AND SLICES

"The Foozler.")

GQLF NOTES "NGQKONUI" MACDONALD CUP FINAL TO BE PLAYED TO-MOREOW. GREENKEEPING RESEARCH.

(By

The unpleasant, cold wet weather conditions which prevailed during last week-end deterred may golfers from .competing in the Rotorua Golf Club's medal handicap played last Saturday. Those who did start, however, returned some excellent scores and no fewer than ten cards were returned of 72 or better. To a certain extent the increased handicaps were responsible for these low figures, but even without taking that into consideration the scores were good. The best scores were: — J. Speer, 93—22—' 71; K. Buddle, 80—9—71; E. H. Hill, 84—12—72 M. D. Carr, 78— 6 — 72; Spedding, Jr., 85 — 13 — 72; S. E. Carr, 76—4—72; H. Parata, 82— 10 — 72, N. Smith, 81 — 9 — 72; Dingle 87—15—72; F. Barker, 84—12—72. The semi-final of the "Ngokonui" Maedonald Cup knock-out competition was also played on Saturday afternoon. The two-lower-handicap players won the day, although their opponents were never far enough behind to call either game a certainty until the last stages. M. D. Carr defeated E. H. Hill, one up, and N. Smith defeated W. Kusabs, 4 and 2. T'he final will be played between M. D. Carr and N. Smith to-morrow, commencing at 1.5 p.m. i The competition match for to-mor- : row is a four-ball bogey handieap. The i players are to choose their own part- ' ners, opponents and times. A team from the Rotorua Club will visit Whakatane for a friendly interclub contest there on July 17. A card is posted on the board at the golfhouse and any golfer willing to make the trip is asked to put down his. name so that a team may be selected. Twenty players at least are required. Those who have reached the fourth round of the men's Kirk Windeyer Cup competition are as follows: — A. French, S. L. Paterson, W. T. Palces, Dr. Hay, W. Kusabs, F. W. Wilkie, H. Parata, M. D. Carr, K. Buddle, Col. Mellor, T. Kelly, E. La Trobe Hill, Dr.

Wallis, Spedding, Jr., R. C. Smith and S. Smith. This round has to be completed by July 25. Kirk-Windeyer History. The Kirk-Windeyer Cup, presented for competition between Australia and New Zealand by the late Mr. R. C. Kirk, president of the New Zealand Golf Council, and i\Ir. W. I , VJ i ideyer, of Sydney, was first played in Sydney in 1927, then being won by New Zealand. New South Wales won it at Wellington in 1928, and at Melbourne in 1929. New Zealand retrieved it at Shirley in 1930. No contest was held in 1931. The cup has fully fulfilled its purpose, of drawing together the golfers of both countries for the improvement of the game in both and it may do more. From the sharpness of the criticisms appearing in the Australian press on the failure of Victoria to put in a team, there is no doubt that interest in the fixture is keener than ever on the other side of the Tasman, and the cup may yet succeed in drawing fuller entries. If Queensland could put in a team, why not Tasmania? There is no doubt that the ideals of the late Mr. R. C. Kirk and his Australian friend Mr. Windeyer will be borne out in a closer association of all leading golfers in Australasia. Further than that, if Australian or New Zealand teams ever j ourney abroad in the future, to either Britain or America, it would be difficult to overlook the claims of the existing Kirk-Windeyer Cup members to inclusion, as they represent the blue ribbon of* the golf of their country. The Australian team which prevails over those of the other States, by process of elimination, is regarded as the cream of Australia, while New Zealand will always provide the best players available for this' classic event. Grass Research. There is now established at Palmerston North in addition to the many other research projects at this centre a scheme of greenkeeping research that has as its objective a full enquiry into the making and upkeep of all manner of playing greens and lawns and included in which is a comprehensive study and selection of fine-leaved grasses with a view to improving and growing for home use and for export fine lawn seeds unrivalled for type and quality. (It is hoped in these columns to- deal seriatim with the scheme now in operation at this centre and later to give to the public full in-

formation as it is gleaned in the course of the work. It is hard to estimate the value of the playground in the life of the community nor yet to assess the influence on the temperament and health of a people of pubfie and private gardens set in a background of green. Whatever line of outdoor sport one is a patron of the quality of the. turf in large measure makes the- game ; whatever the resign of a gardeia the lawn is' f undamental. This grassland country should have the most perfect playing greens and lawns in the world. They should be a feature to attract, a souree of admiration to every overseas visitor, an advertisement to the quality and type of New Zealand grown fine lawn seeds. Commereial research in fine lawn grasses is of the utmost importance in the definite bid that New Zealand is making to gain a world trade standing in the export of fine lawn seeds. In 1930-31 the export value of two species of fine lawn seed— New Zea- | land brown top and New Zealand Chewing's fescue — was well over £100, 000. Playing Greens. Playing greens, owing largely to the greens research activities of America and Great Britain,. are improving rapidly and each year the standard of excellence demanded for players. the world overbecomes higher. Improved typeS of the standard fine lawn seeds are being bred to cater for this demand. To meet that demand should be one of New Zealand's set projects. Competition to-day in the seed mar- i kets of the world is keen. Research stations in America, particularly, are to-day advocating a mode of greenmaking that bids fair to reduce considerably the demand for fine-lawn seeds. This method there advocated is the stolen method of green-making which is entirely a vegetative reproduction method where no seed is required. Great Britain has a fully equipped greenkeeping research station and while at the moment the research workers there are acclaiming New Zealand fine-lawn seeds, yet criticism is being levelled at our products and New Zealand must know in order to defend her trade and build for further trade just how far these methods and criticisms of other countries are justified and if justified, how best to put the position right. In other words, New Zealand workers must have first-hand information in all matters relating to the making and upkeep of fine lawns and greens. Therefore not only is greens research warranted in the cause of sport and for its aesthetic influence in the _ garden, but also to help make New Zealand a leading grower of fine-lawn seeds that meet the requirements of the ablest critics.