A Diary of Sport SUNNY DAYS FOR GOLF

Southland Times, Issue 24228, 11 September 1940, Page 9

A Diary of Sport SUNNY DAYS FOR GOLF

Saturday’s Matches QUALIFYING ROUNDS THIS WEEK By PAR Two days of bright sunshine were enjoyed by golfers last week-end, and although there was a light easterly wind on Saturday it was not strong enough to prove troublesome. The course at Otatara is now in such good order that it was decided on Saturday to discontinue placing the ball. Qualifying rounds will, be played at Otatara and Queen’s Park on Saturday next and will be completed the following Saturday. Both clubs have abandoned their championships for the duration of the war, 5 but competitions on championship lines—with qualifying rounds and match play—will be conducted in the usual grades. This year’s competition at the Park will be known as the 1940 Plate; no special name has been given to that at Otatara. Special trophies, to take the place of the championship cups, will no doubt be provided for these events. Keen tussles for places in the qualifying lists can be expected and there are sure to be some good matches later. The instructive films which the New Zealand Golf Association recently acquired are meeting with the favour of clubs. Mr W. M. Horton reported to the monthly meeting of the New Zealand Golf Council last week on the successful tour he had made with the films to the clubs in the nothern portion of the North Island, and he submitted a suggested itinerary of the South Island. This was approved, and will begin on September 23 at Blenheim, after the films have been shown at certain centres in the Wellington province. The Invercargill Golf Club has been in touch with the association about these films and has been advised that they will be shown here early in October.

TOP DOGS AT OTATARA The new Top Dogs at Otatara are A. T. Walsh and E. H. Smith, who defeated B. J. Smith and A. H. Broad by one hole in the final. Walsh was receiving 15 strokes from B. J. Smith and his partner 17, while Broad had 5. Even with that big handicap against them it was thought that B. J. Smith and Broad would be'too good for their opponents, but E. H. Smith made it very hard for them by getting bogey figures at seven holes, at each of which he had a stroke. The winners took the lead at the start and managed to keep their noses in front all the way. They were dormy one and with the aid of a stroke halved the last hole. Both were warmly congratulated on their performance in coming through a long drawn-out competition unbeaten. Excellent form has been shown lately by F. H. Hughes, the Invercargill Club’s secretary, who touched a new “low” in the four-ball Stableford match at Otatara last Saturday by equalling the standard scratch score of 74. The previous Saturday he was round in 78. He contributed 36 of the 52 points scored by him and his partner, A. H. J. Wyatt, in the Stableford match. On at least half a dozen greens Hughes had merely to tap the ball a few inches to get his bogey figures. His card was as follows:— Out—4 4 5 3 4 4 4 5 4—37 In—3 4366343 5—37—74

It was a fine round marred only by the two 6’s at holes where he should have been able to get s’s easily. With a combined handicap of 16 Hughes and Wyatt had a total of 68 points, which was just good enough to win, as W. F. Poff and B. W. Hewat had an aggregate of 67. The latter’s game has greatly improved and on Saturday he had one of his best rounds of the season. Both first and second pairs scored the same number of points, 52, the winners having an advantage of one in handicap. No other pairs scored as many points off the club. Close up in third place were W. Buchan and D. F. Davis, whose total was 65.

With an excellent round of 79, H. Edginton won the bogey handicap at Queen’s Park on Saturday. He was one down on bogey and finished just ahead of the improving E. R. Barnett, who was two down. D. W. Cochrane was also going well, and although he broke 80 he could not do better than three down. N. E. Shaw, who enjoyed a handicap of 22, went round in 88, but although he had a net 66 he was only one up on bogey. That was much better than anyone else in the B grade could do. E. H. Bray, who was one down, had the next best card. REILLY’S BRILLIANT ROUND Though a wrenched shoulder prevented him from taking part in the match between the Hutt and Masterton clubs only a fortnight previously, Bert Reilly apparently made a speedy recovery. Judging by the way he reeled off par-shattering figures lately over the tricky Hutt course he is again in top foiTn. In a round of 67 he had 11 bogeys and seven birdies. Only on one occasion has this figure been bettered, A. J. Shaw having recorded a 65 during the summer two seasons ago. T. W. Lynch, of the Timaru Golf Club, must be’able to lay claim to being one of the best golfers for his age in New Zealand. He is 77 years old and is capable of playing to his handicap of nine. In spite of his years he is as straight as the proverbial ramrod for over 6ft. The playing of 36 holes is a mere trifle to him. .In a recent match he returned 79—nine over bogey for the Highfield course, which is recognized as one of the stiffest in New Zealand, bogey having been reduced from 72 to 70. Tom Lynch, junior, will be remembered as a dashing All Black wingthreequarter of some years back. FERRIER’S DISQUALIFICATION

Commenting on his disqualification from the American amateur championship because he had written a book, "Jim Ferrier’s Golf Shots,” Ferrier said he knew the rule perfectly. It was to the effect that an amateur golfer could not write articles intended as instruction. “Anyone who tried to copy my golf shots,” said Ferrier, “would have lots of trouble. My shots are all unorthodox. I have a dip in my swing, which I have never seen duplicated, and I point out that all my writing, and all I have ever tried to do, is to explain how I play golf—not how it should be done. The United States Golf Association informed me that 'some of my writings in Australia overstepped the bounds of the amateur golfer. Apparently it took exception to my book. I cannot argue its decision, but it must have known about my writing for a long time. I have been at it for five years or more, and neither in England nor Australia, where the rule about journalism is the same as in ' the United States, has my entry ever been questioned.”, Ferrier said he had received the final notice of his disqualification late in the afternoon. “Naturally, I am disappointed,” he continued, “and I cannot see why they had i to wait to the very last minute to do this. I came 11,000 miles at my'own ex-1

pense to play in the amateur and open championships, and this is a shock. I have built up my game especially for the national amateur. I think that my chances were very good. Perhaps they were too good.” AUSTRALIAN COMMENT

Australian Golf Union members refused to comment on the decision, but a former president of the New South Wales Council, Mr F. H. Greaves, said he had never heard any official complaint about the amateur status of Ferrier. “He is the amateur champion of Australia, and went to America as such,” he continued. “I did not know he had published a book, but I understand the book did not appear until after he had left Australia. Consequently, his status after the publication of the book was never raised here.” “If Jim had been less of a class golfer, the situation would never have arisen,” said Mr J. B. Ferrier, father of the Australian champion. “It appears as if the Americans have taken the point that Jim has to be barred because he might win the title. The title has not been won by an outsider since Harold H. Hilton (England) won it in 1911. I cannot understand why the United States Golf Association took action at this late hour. His book had been in America more than two months. Why did they not bar him before?” CHAMPION CHANGES STATUS After defending his title this month Marvin (“Bud”) Ward, the American amateur champion, will turn “business man golfer.” Now secretary of a sporting body in Spokane (Washington), he has all the time off he desires to play golf, but under his new status he will take any prize-money he wins. Ward’s departure to the professional ranks will rob golf of its best amateur since Bobby Jones retired in 1930. He has been 'the only amateur in recent years capable of keeping pace with the best professionals in open events. His competitive record is impressive. Apart from notable successes in. amateur events he has beaten several strong professional fields over 72 holes of stroke play. He is a slashing player and hits every ball hard. Ability to make sensational recoveries from difficult positions makes him a gallery-pleaser. He is deadly on and round the greens. This accuracy in his short game was exemplified by his win in the Pacific North-western open championship recently, with a total of 271 for 72 holes, nine strokes below par. An average of only 30 putts a round for the four rounds was a title-winning factor.