ON THE LINKS Pavilion Gossip

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 20, 14 April 1927, Page 11

ON THE LINKS Pavilion Gossip

(By

E. C. ROBIESON.)

FIXTURES 4 P ril 16-19. —Easter tournament and pro- ' F vimial championships at Middlemore. April H*.—Ladies’ medal at One Tree Hill. April 20. —Indies' medal, Glendowie. laprll 21-23. —Invitation, mens tournament, at Hamilton. April 23.—Ladies’ medal, Glendowie. April 23.—Bogey handicap at Glendowie. ADril 23.— Closing day entries foursome match play. Middlemore. April 23. —Opening day, mixed foursomes at One Tree Hill. ADril 30.—Medal competition, Middlemore. April 30. —Titirangi opening, followed by dinner, social and dance. May 16. —British ladies' championship. May 23-2 S amateur at Hoylake. June 14-16. —American open. July 11-15. —British open at St. Andrew’s. LOCAL EVENTS PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP VERY LARGE ENTRY Kven If the provincial championship at SUddlemore durinK the coming week-end comes without the leading players having given any demonstration, during competitions, of their form, there arc evidently enough players who consider they have a chance, for the entry totals 9J, and two tees will be used for starting them away. This entry constitutes a total of 24 more than last year, and it will be interesting to see how the officials fare la dealing with them, generally ah entry of 90 is the full capacity that can he dealt with with any degree of efficiency, and the position in Auckland is rapidly reaching a stage where a second tournament is necessary to rope with the lower handicap players. This would be no new innovation, gome of tlie Southern clubs have had to restrict their entries to an eight handicap or lower —excepting club members. Of the leading players in the tournament Rex George returned the only respectable card I have seen, but by the time play starts the law rankers are usually fairly well ready for it. Middlemore is in excellent order, and the cleaning up of the rough should facilitate the play and prevent a great many of the usual hold-ups. RECORD EQUALLED y Flaying at Midlemore on Tuesday Afternoon Miss E. Culling equalled the \course record for ladies held by Miss i]’ayton, with a score of 77. Miss Culling has reduced from 6 to 3 during the past week or two. and is playing Jvery well indeed. Her card on Tuesday read: — 1 Out—s. 5, 3. 5. 4. 5,3, 4, 6 . . 40 In—3, 4,4, 3,4, 6,5, 4, 4 . . 37 77 > Two sixes in such a card best 'indicate the excellence of the remainder of Ibo round. WEEK-END SCORES r ~ Week-end golf provided no sensational scores, in fact, the best cards produced were on a parity with bogey. The best card returned was 9 up in a four-ball best-ball scramble at Titirangi, the players winning easily. They %«re R. McCrystal and H. L. Robson. EASTER TOURNAMENT DRAW FOR SATURDAY An increased entry has been received for the Master tournament and provin- • ial championship at Middlemore. The draw has been announced as folows:— Starting at the first tee.—H. I'lumley and N. Louisstm, 8.30 a.m.; L. W. Delph and .1. S. Whyte. 8.34 a.m.; J. P. Aldred and L. J. Croxson, 8.38 a.m.; H. Tidmarsh and R. McCrystall, 8.42 a.m.; F. J. Western and (}. F. Foote, 8.45 a.m.; H. W. Tidmarsh and T. A. Uoulding, 8.50 a.m.; K. L. Bart lee t. and M. Mc-Beath, 8.54 a.m.; J. M. Hussey and R. M. George. 8.58 a.m. R. O. Gardner and IT. T. Gillies, 0.2 a.m.; H. B. busk and W. S. Ralph, 9.6 a m.; H. 1,. Rees and J. N. Hunter, 0.10 a.m.; O. F. Colbeck and R. Rainger, 9.14 am.; R. D. Wright and C. A. Bowen, 918 a.m.; W. B. Colbeck and W. N. Abbott, 9.22 a.m.; D. MacCormlek and R. Falrburn, 9.26 a.m. , F. Trice and R. J. Hamilton, 0.30 a.m.; W. Brander and H. F. Buckley, 9.34 a.m.; I. G. Mackenzie and W. G. Brosnahan, 9.38 a.m.; L. B. Campbell anti A. M. Goulding, 0.42 a.m.; J. B. busk and W. L. Donohue, 9.46 a.m.; A. WalTer and F. J. Reehan, 0.50 a.m.; T. G. Kissling and A. bambe, 9.54 a.m.; C. B. Wake and C. I. Nathan, 0.58 a.m. A. W. Gillies and H. b. Robson, 10.2 *.m.: Wiggins and P. T. Upton, 10.6 a.m.; H. Horton and A. I. Johns, 10.10 a.m.; berrard and A. H. Magson. 10.14 a.m.; T>. Coyle and S. Hunter, 10. IS a.m.: < ■ F. Gardner and R. F. Johnston, 10.22 mm.; P. H. Upton and B. C. Haggitt, 10.26 «.tn. H. A. Joyce and J. M. Hock in, 10.30 a.m.; S. C. Hodges and E. B. Brown, 10.34 a.m.; B. C. Hart and C. J. Johnson, 10.38 a.m.; J. O. Lilly and H. Henderson, 10.42 a.m.; P. Kirwan and A. Tyson, 10.4 b mm.; G. F. Payne and J. McK. Wilson, 10.50 a.m.; T. J. Lallv and W. A. Phillips, 10.54 a.m.: J. M. Stokes and R. M. Tolhurst, 10.58 a.m.; H. J. Short and G. C. Kissling, 11 a.m. „ Starting at the ninth tee.—H. D. Robert non and S. C. Western, 9 a.m.; V. M . Wilson and T. Clark, 9.4 a.m.; G. L. Taylor and D. Poison, 9.8 a.m.; J. F. F.wen and F. C. Bradley, 9.12 a.m.; J. Tv. Lusk and P. C. Savage, 0.16 a.m.; A. F.. Ttobin»on and H T Merritt. 0.20 a.m.: E. Griffiths and B. C. Jacobs, 9.24 a.m. ACROSS AMERICA Hoe Graham, a 21-year-old golfer, Mobile, U.H.A.. hopes to drive a golf ball from Mobile, the northernmost Point in the Gulf of Mexico, to a movie studio in Los Angeles. Cal., so that he will nearly traverse the United Wtates. He said that he has completed plans to start from the first tee of the Mobile Country Club and club his way to the coast. George (Happy) Kirby, 19. said he would accompany Doe as his caddy. In anticipation of the trip Graham said he had figured it out that he could make it in five months, out that he would keep going if it took ‘be veal's. Calculating 6,160,000 yards os the dial to Lios Angeles, Graham estimates that 1,500,000 strokes Viould be required. I SEVENTY-SIX HOLE TIE There was a remarkable result to the eighteen-hole final round of the ladies’ challenge cup competition on the Royston golf course in England recently, for seventy-six holes were necessary before Miss Boyce, with a handicap of 11, beat Mrs. Goodale, handicapped at 7, by 3 and 8. In tue original eighteen-hole competition the players were all-square at the end A further eighteen holes produced a like result. On the following day a third eighteen holes were attempted without the breaking of the • an< l it- was not until another •ughteen holes were played that a vera&LVff&s flnaly reached.

What next? England has put the ban on the plus fours, and they are slated to go the way of other freak styles. It is true that the baggy trousers have been overdone, and modification is planned. Loud sweaters with hose to match are not favoured by the smart dresser any more. There are always golfers who must be seen and heard on the links, however, and we wonder what the fashion experts are planning for this class.

A SPECIAL TOURNAMENT “DEVILS’* AND “MUGS’* AT HAMILTON Whether Mr. H. T. Gillies, of Hamilton. is a member of the brotherhood of Devil’s Spawn, and is breaking away and forming a new party I do not know, but he has arranged a tournament for the. “Devil’s Own,” and other honest men including “mugs” and “lawyers” for the end of next week, which should prove a very popular function. It will be held at Hamilton on April 21, 22 and 23. Mr. Gillies hopes it will be a meeting of golf pals, and will fill iYi the end of the week following Easter, when there are no other tournaments —and no local race meetings. The use of St. Andrew’s course has been granted, and any profits will go to course improvements. The events will be: Thursday. —36-hole medal, to qualify sixteen players for the “Devil’s own,” and 16 for the “mug’s own” (match play on handicap). The “lawyer’s own” will be played in conjunction, a 36-hole aggregate open to judges downwards. Friday. —First and second rounds of “Devil’s own” and “mug’s own” and two bogey competitions. Evening: Dinner. Saturday. —Semi-finals and finals, and fbur-ball best-ball. HOLE IN ONE IT. T. Gould, a member of the Pupuke Club, holed out in one at this club last week-end, the hole being the seventh, known as the “ upshot,” and measures 175yds. It is now some years since a player made himself liable for the usual penalty at Pupuke. The Maungakiekie Club has decided that no play will be allowed on either Titirangi or One Tree Hill links on Anzao Day until after 1 p.m.

GOLF STANDARDS ' INFLUENCE OF PRACTICE BRITISH OR AMERICAN METHODS Two weeks ago I published an item credited to Jess Sweetser, an American who at present holds the British Amateur title. I think J. H. Taylor’s reply worth quoting, any matter pertaining to the floggings the Americans have administered to British players in recent years being of interest. Taylor says:— “It was with keen interest that I read the statement of Sweetser, in which he said that the general average of play is higher in this country (Britain) than in his own, but admits that the playing ability of a few American stars is ahead of that held by any one produced by us. I believe he is as right in the first part as in the second. The amateur champion also states that the average American player does not practice any more diligently than his brother on this side. “His words are gratifying to British hearers and calculated to restore that sense of pride which was ours before America proved her great golfing strength. But it carries a sting in its tail that is undoubtedly true. I am, however, inclined to doubt his premise concerning the practice of the average American as compared with that of the Britisher, and will quote his own performance to refute it. When Herd and I were at Siwanoy in August, 1922, he was fnentioned to us as a great possibility for championship honours. We were told that after business in New York City Mr. Sweetser would rush off to the links and put in a solid two hours’ practice with any number of balls and a solitary caddie. “ We had occular demonstration that this was no mere boast. In the evening of tfce day when we had a couple of rouifcs previous to our match against Sarazen and Tommy Kerrigan, which we lost, we saw Sweetser hitting away a multitude of balls with a caddie

in the offing. I remarked at the time that anv player who had the courage to do this sort of thing evening after evening deserved all the successes that might be coming his way. After events have fully proved that Mr. Sweetser attained the honours his pertinacity deserved. . .. “I had sorrowfully to admit that the British amateur had yet to be born who would subject himself to such a Spartan method of improving his play or even a British professional. “ This leads to the question as to whether intensive practice such as this is of real and permanent benefit. Personally I have never had the heart or the determination to indulge in any such prolonged bouts of practice. In fact when I am in what I am pleased to consider my best form, I find it beneficial to lay off and take things easily, fearful lest the keen edge of expectancy be blunted. Certainly, I loathe and abhor any sort of practice whatever, feeling that the good shots I might make will be entirely wasted, and will refuse to be reproduced when stern necessity arises. I cling to the idea that a good shot can only be produced when my mind is tuned up for the occasion. •• Mr. Walter Travis once said, 4 Practice is but little use except it be competitive.’ and I whole-heartedly agree. But I make this qualification, that until a player reaches a certain standard of excellence, constant practice is most beneficial. He or she must practice until the knowledge be gained to enable them to discriminate between the good and the nearly so. to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, and when this is attained, which takes rears to accomplish, it matters little whether orgies of practice be indulged in or not. “I am aware of propagating a dangerous doctrine when saying this, as it seems to reflect upon the British character of thoroughness. But I may be entirelv wrong. Certainly. I appear to be so when it is realised that America has reached her proud position, despite Sweetser’* denial, by dint of hard and continuous practice. Perhaps Sweetser was only pulling the British legj ”