ON THE LINKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 72, 16 June 1927, Page 14

ON THE LINKS

(By

E. C. ROBIESON.)

FIXTURES Saturday, June 18 Middlemore.—Captain's prize tourney commences (handicap match play). Titirangi.—Third round Gardner Cup and Rendell vase in conjunction. One Tree Hill.—Flag match (post entries). Glendowie.—Captain’s match. Pupuke.—Second round, championships. Glendowie Ladies.—Second round, match play tourney. lVaitemata.—First year and other members stroke competitions. Tuesday, June 21 One Tree Hill Ladies.—Second round, eclectic match. Middlemore.—President’s match play, bogey, seniors to play with juniors. Wednesday, June 22 Glendowie Ladies: Third round, match play tourney. Thursday, June 23 Titirangi Ladies.—First round eclectic match. OTHER EVENTS June 14 and 17.—Auckland Ladies’ Provincial championships. July 21-23. —Hutt championship tournament. September 2 to 10.—New Zealand men’s championships at Hamilton. Week preceding, New Zealand championships; Manawatu tournament. September 24-27.—Glendowie open tournament. September 27-30.—Napier tournament. September 29.—New Zealand ladies’ championships at Palmerston North. October 13-15, —Hamilton tournament.

MAUNGAKIEKIE LADIES’ CLUB

Following is the draw for the final round of the eclectic match for C grade players, to be played by members of the Maungakiekie Ladies’ Golf Club at the One Tree Hill links to-morrow, commencing at 11 a.m.—Mrs. Hardy v. Mrs. l-lenry. Miss Schnauer v. Miss Creamer; Miss Roynane v. Miss Easdown, Miss Thompson v. Mrs. Hardley, Mrs. Smith v. Mrs. Baird; Mrs. Moore-Jones v. Mrs. Choyce, Miss I. H. Jones v. Miss Gallagher, Mrs. Reid v. Mrs. Paterson, Mrs. Gyllies v. Mrs. Frater, Miss Reid v. Mrs. Joplin, Miss Ewen v. Miss Moody, Mrs. Blaikie v. Miss Clarke, Miss Rutherford v. Miss Robson.

BATTLE OF SEXES

MEN V. WOMEN ANNUAL BRITISH MATCH The annual match between the ladies and men at Stoke Poges in May resulted in a tie of seven matches each, but it was only as a result of superiority in the singles that the men saved themselves from disaster. The feature of the day was the play of Miss Mollie Gourlay, the English native champion. She met Cyril Tolley in the singles and defeated her redoubtable opponent on the last green, while in the foursomes, associated with Mile. Simone de la Chaume, the young French lady champion, she played a big part in the defeat of Tolley and Eustace Storey, the old Cantab. Major Charles Hezlet, the Irish open champion, found the task of giving Mile, de la Chaume nine strokes a task much beyond his capabilities. The little French girl was putting brilliantly all the way round, and she was never in danger of defeat. The only other singles victory obtained by the ladies was that of Mrs. Cautley, who was much superior to W. L. Hope, the Walker Cup player, while Mrs. Watson and Miss Wood, the two Scottish ladies, won their foursomes match against Hezlet and R. H. de Montmorency. Miss Hunnewell and Mrs. P. Garon and Mrs. Mcßeth and Miss Janet Jackson, the Irish lady, were also successful in their matches.

SPECTATOR’S CLAIM

BLOW ON THE FACE COSTS DEMONSTRATOR £l5O An interesting case was decided in London recently. Reporting it, the “Sporting Times” says;— The circumstances in which a demonstration of a golf stroke resulted in a spectator being injured were told to Mr. Justice Swift and a common jury in the King’s Bench Division. The plaintiff in the action was Miss Cleghorn, and she sued Miss C. M. Oldham, aged 21, for damages for alleged negligence. It was alleged that, on the West Runton course, Miss Oldham was demonstrating a drive to Miss Cleghorn’s brother, and in the followthrough Miss Cleghorn was struck on the face and the cheek-bone fractured. The jury found that there had been negligence on the part of Miss Oldham, that there had been no negligence on the part of Miss Cleghorn, and that Miss Cleghorn, in going on to the course as a spectator, did not take the risk of such an accident. The jury awarded £l5O damages. Legal argument was then heard, and in delivering judgment on the lines of the jury’s finding, the judge said he could very well see that in many incidents in the course of games—as in incidents occurring in the ordinary run of life —people must take the brunt of them, but if a person were brought before the court and negligence were proved against him, there was no reason why he should be excused because the transaction was a game and not business or work.

A golf ball might be driven without any negligence on the driver’s part, and a spectator or player might be struck, but that was the risk he must take.

In this case he was of the opinion that Miss Cleghorn did not expect to take the risk of the accident, and the jury was entitled to conclude, as it did, that the accident was due to Miss Oldham’s negligence.

WORDS FALL SHORT

When the ball is poising highly on the tee, And ye golfer aimeth at it carefully; When a muffled thud resounds, As the yielding earth he pounds, Then the air becometh azure instantly. When the ball within a lofty bunker lies. And ye golfer to dislodge it vainly tries; When he picks it up, all gashed. And his record hopes are smashed, Words can never frame the thoughts that then arise. When the ball, perchance, rests fairly on the grass, And ye golfer at it makes a vicious pass; When he misses it entire— Good St. Peter must require A shorthand man to catch it all, alas! When the ball rests quite serenely in a 1 shrub. And ye golfer seeks to smite it with his club; When he's broken three or more—• Psalms and hymns he forth doth pour As the moisture from his temples he doth rub. When the ball Is floating calmly in a pool, And ye golfer seeks it with his lofting tool; When he finds it not—instead Sends a shower about his head; Listen! Who would think he taught in

When the ball reposes close beside the hole. And ye golfer aims to send it in its goal; When too hard he hits it, and It rolls far—you’ll understand Why there’s very little chance to save his soul!

MOSS AND SHAW

ATTACK ON KIRK CUP OTHER LIKELY COMBINATIONS I have been advised that Moss and Shaw, the former professional at Middlemore, and the latter now attached to Waiohiki (Napier), have decided to combine in an attack on the Kirk Cup for the New Zealand championship foursomes, to be played at Hamilton just prior to the New Zealand championships. It is not necessary to add that such a combination is an extremely formidable one, and will have a very excellent chance of first holding the cup, which is an entirely new one, presented for this competition by Mr. R. C. Kirk, president of the New Zealand Golf Council. It is also probable that H. B. Lusk and R. M. George will join forces in an attempt to keep the cup in the amateur ranks.

T. Goulding will also be a competitor though his partner has not yet been announced.

Sloan Morpeth will possibly play with Norrie Bell, and will prove formidable, both being excellent players and knowing the links to the last blade of grass.

Recent performances stamp some of the players mentioned as likely to be to the forefront when it comes to the time of the championships. Moss this week, playing with Western, Miss Culling and Miss Chrystall, was round Middlemore in 70 and

Lusk is maintaining a lot of the form that saw him establish a remarkable record at Rotorua a few weeks ago, and his recent rounds at Middlemore hare included ?4 and 71. Morpeth has been playing some excellent golf at Hamilton, including a 70 and a 71, and his showing at Middlemore last Saturday, in conjunction with Bell was excellent. He did a 76 against Wright, coming home in 34. Morpeth and Bell between them w r ere i e J. el t° the 14th against Lusk there WriEht ' and flnished the match

BRILLIANT SCORES

THE AUSTRALIAN VISIT

The brilliancy of the scoring that S th!l ei Lr Clone -, ln Sydney by members °f *l -N ew Zealand team, and the standard of golf that is required to put ; any °" e „j n ‘he running there, is best indicated when the following card of . C 2r Ur^ e ls . cons idered, remembering that Horton in being defeated by Bus* r ° n H A ‘“I. 1 gainst 70, and that the length at Middlemore is !> 967 L a 7v,' S \ an ? ii 4 Ti tirangi 5,793. Tile card ? tha t of the Rose Bay course where played^— ° IPal matches have been

First Half Second Half N i°- Y ;lf; Bogey. No. Yds. Bogey. 1 •• •• JO4 4 iO .... 369 4 | " ill slt .... 400 5 i ■■■■ 111 3 12 .... 382 5 4 •• •■ «0 5 13 .. .. 4SO 5 5 .. .. .;,66 5 34 .. .. 196 •? ? •• •• l 15 .. :: 425 5 7 •• ;>26 5 IS .. .. 571 5 S .. .. 265 4 17 .. .. 221 3 9 .. .. 386 5 IS .. .. 387 5 3431 39 2974 To In addition to this the course is much more heavily bunkered than anything we have in New Zealand

POINTS FROM EXPERTS

THE DIVOT divn^tS, 1 /If f 5 often told a bout the divot that he takes with the iron that ™ any set the idea they must take this divot—that is, that they must make it a definite part of the swing to make the club head dig into the ground and bite out a piece of turf. In a way, it is a mistake to tell the average golfer to take a divot. Instead, he should be told how to execute the shot, and the divot, will take care of itself. Definitely trying to take a divot with the swing of the club will, except in rare instances, cause the shot to go wrong. The divot is automatic in its taking, and when the swing is properly executed the player will chip out the divot without being conscious of it. Always swing to bit the ball; never swing with the idea of intentionally making the clubhead take a divot. Fundamentals W hat are the four or five fundamental principles on which all the professionals agree? I—The overlapping grip is generally endorsed by all professionals. 2—The square stance for all full shots, and the slight open stance for short shots. 3 The firm left arm and the compactness of the elbows close to the body. 4 The open face at the top of the swing and the full horizontal in back swing, in place of a three-quarter stroke for all wood shots. All professionals agree on these fundamentals. —Cyril Walker.

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

NEWCASTLE, Ireland. May 16. Miss Cecil Leitch, world-famous British woman golfer, was struck by lightning while watching the play in the British women's open golf championship here to-day. It is not believed that her injuries will prove serious. Miss Leitch was given medical treatment after being assisted from the course. Miss Leitch, the present open champion, who is not defending her title, was watching the matches, when, at the sixteenth green, an umbrella in her left hand was hit by lightning. The hand and entire left arm stiffened and became intensely painful.