Open Meeting Now Only a Month Away

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 114, 4 August 1927, Page 9

Open Meeting Now Only a Month Away

Very Few Players Have Indicated Recent Form HAMILTON HISTORY vh7, hOUKh the Ne ' v Zealand ebarapionahips commence at Hamilton at the end of the month there has been so far, noticeably little publicity about the prospects and the Southern writers have had little to say about the way their players are performing. Before attacking the subject let me introduce some notes on the happenings at and since the championships \\ ere last played in Hamilton, in September, 1920. Some players will remember, and some will not, that in 1 year the °Pen title was carried olt by J. H. Kirkwood with 304, his rounds being 72, 78, 78, 76, and he was the only player in the tournament that could keep all his cards under SO. Apart from his score, however, Kirkwood does not interest us very much, meaning that there were several other players at the 1920 meeting who are of more direct interest. Sloan Morpeth, new secretary of the Titirangi Club, tied for second place with Last, an Australian professional, their aggregates being 11 strokes behind Kirkwood. Morpeth, who will be a competitor again this year, had rounds of 75, 78, 77 and then took an 85. Next to this pair were Douglas, lies and McKwan, with 316, 318 and 318 respectively; then came Dr. Ross with 320. It. Crosse, Brooks, I-lood, J. A Clements and H. B. Lusk followed, all with 328, and then came Butters, Black and Bell with 330, Arthur Duncan and T. H. Horton with 331, and George with 332. So far as the amateurs were concerned the form displayed worked out right, for Morpeth met Ross in the final, over 36 holes, and beat him 8 and 6. BELL IN THE PICTURE Since that time Norrie Bell has not been much out of the picture in Hamilton events. Last year he had enough up his sleeve to win the Waikato championship—two medal rounds —and to follow this up by annexing the South Auckland championship from a fairly representative field. His win of the Waikato championship was the sixth in a row. From the scoring I should say that the event was played off the back tees, Bell’s qualifying rounds averaging 79’s, and one of his best rounds being played in the final, when he disposed of Goss 10 and 8, playing the first round in 77, with two unplayable stymies. Morpeth meantime qualified second Y.ith 161, but in the second round he was put out by J. Goss, 1 up, a considerable amount of interest attaching to the match between the two exNew Zealand champions. In the morning he did a 74 to put L. Seifert out, 5 and 4. GOOD SCORING All this leads up to the assertion tiiat Bell is going to be very hard to beat in the New Zealand amateur championship, but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Morpeth will be again knocking at the door that opened to him in 1920. Playing from the short tees Bell has recently several limes been round Hamilton in 71, and the long tees are not going to add more than a stroke or two to that. Morpeth at Titirangi is rapidly pulling his game together and during the past week-end was round in 72, and in another round out in 35. But last Saturday Bell slipped a bit and in the club qualifying rounds could only do an 86, Colbeck leading with 80, Gerrand S 3 and W. D. Ross 84. Here we have two players who are quite familiar witli Hamilton, but of the two Bell probably knows the course a lot better. In fact, I am informed that he can tell how much borrow there is for any given putt without even looking at the line. Putting tells a tale in every championship and it is going to mean a very great deal on the long Hamilton course. TWO MAIN HOPES To me the two players from this part of the island that we must look to to defend the amateur attempt are the two whose doings have been dwelt upon, but how they will measure up with the others of the amateur contingent the date of the championships alone will show. They are both long hitters, both fairly well on their games and they will not have a better chance in their careers. OTHER CONTESTANTS That does not necessarily mean that the issue lies between these two, very far from it. Horton, Quin, Goss, Duncan, Ross, Tarelia, Lusk, Black and quite a few others have done a lot, and learnt a lot, since 1920, and most of them are old campaigners, liable to do anything at any time, not to mention Bidwell, Hussey, George. Goulding, Macfarlane, Wagg, Seymour, Wright, Saunders, Grey and in fact a heap of people who might land in with a rush at any moment. VASE POSSIBILITIES The Maungakiekie contingent will include S. Morpeth, T. A. Goulding, R. M. George, J. N. Hunter and A. E Robinson. Auckland’s representation will not be so strong. On the face of it the Titirangi players may have a good chance of winning the O’Rorke Vase, which is decided on the aggregate scores of teams of four in the last round of the open, and it is a prize well worth winning for any club. THE “OPEN” As for the open championship, well, who can tell? Shaw is defending and is playing a good game at present. His long driving and good iron work will give him an advantage which he may again make use of. Moss may lind that he is not quite long enough with his wood. But four rounds of stroke play always provide a gamble, and one hole out of the 72 is sufficient to put the best player out. As to what score will win the Open opinions vary. From the long ties at Hamilton, Kirkwood’s score seems unlikely to be bettered, and I am inclined to think that something between his equal to four seventy-sixes, and four seventy-eights, is more likely to win the event. THE IDEAL CLUB Hard hitters need stiffer shafts than their fellows. For the medium hitter however, all shafts except those of the mashle mashie niblick, and niblick should have a fair amount of spnn 0 in them The Ideal club has a minimum of wood in the shaft, and the “sive” eX Whfp ß p“Aess e in t r he shaft is not a mate« is too much in the top, and the ! right too th at fn the back the in e tlfe e arms and hands lius the I bod": and the swing is confined.

club members are to have a new cup for competition. This is a particularly fine piece of work and has been presented by Mr. F. S. Ball in, one of the best known members of the club. The committee is now considering what