ON THE LINKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 180, 20 October 1927, Page 9

ON THE LINKS

-(By

E. C. ROBIESON.)

TASMANIAN TITLE

MONOPOLY BY SOUTH-PAWS 3 NETTLEFOLD DEFEATED

The Tasmanian amateur title has changed hands, going from one lefthander to another. Len Nettlefold, the prominent south-paw, lost the title after being 3 up and 4 to play. Commenting on the match an Australian writer states:

"The Tasmanian championships, played last week, were associated with much splendid golf, and at least one most thrilling match. In that Eustace Headlam (who, by the way, only just qualified for the match play stage) fought a wonderful rearguard action against Len Nettlefold, for at the 14th hole he was in the desperate position of being 3 down, with only four holes to play. From that point, however, he played like one possessed and actually squared the game, with one hole to go, with better-tlian-par figures. As it that were not enough, he hit such a crisp, clean wooden club shot to the home hole (220 yards) that the ball went into the tin, only to struggle out again and relieve the player of the usual penalty for an ace. Nettlefold had a putt to halve the hole in 2, but it went astray, and the title was transferred from one lefthander to another.”

This recalls a 50-year-old incident at. Prestwick, Scotland, of which the 3STS British open champion, Jamie Anderson, was the hero. Anderson was playing the penultimate hole, and, although he seemed to have the title in his pocket, it transpired later that it was imperative for victory that he should take the last hole in one stroke. He was addressing the ball for the final drive, when a girl looking on pointed out that his ball was outside the limits of the teeing ground. So Anderson picked up his ball, teed it up again in the proper place, and got the hole in one stroke. That was not the only luck he had in the round, for he holed a full iron shot a few holes before. Anderson’s luck almost rivalled Jock Hutchison’s in 1921 (the first year Kirkwood competed)._ when Hutchison holed the 11th hole in one and the next in two. and even would not have won his title had not the great amateur, Roger Wethered, who tied with him for it, accidentally trod on Ills ball and incurred the penalty stroke that cost him the championLen Nettlefold met with disappointment and defeat >in the singles, he scored in the foursomes championship along with T. A. I leld, remarks the same writer. “The com-, bination. with a round of 7o just headed J. Savigny, the old cricketer, and R. O’Connor by a stroke. The two-handedness which Savigny employed in his cricketing days is now serving him well on the links. Nettlefold also had revenge on his conqueror in the championship when he defeated Headlam in the North-South match by 6 and 5 by means of a sparkling round approximating 4’s. “On the whole, it is perfectly clear that Len Nettlefold has consolidated his game well as the result of his experiences on the other side. His drive I has acquired an extra 30 yards, mostly the outcome of added run, while the former few gaps In lus game have been very largely closed up.

MATCH FOR £2OO A-SIDE

LONDON, September 2S. As a sequel to a joking boast by Ernest AVhitcombe, in which he offered with his brother Charles, to meet "anybody for anything” in a 3G-ho.es challenge match for £2OO at Burton-on-Trent., the Whitcombes defeated Robson and Ockenden one up. ST. ANDREW’S GOLF LONDON, September 29. At St. Andrew’s Cave and EoHock had to replay their match for the King William IV. gold medal, owing to a decision come to after two meetings 01 the green committee concerning tne incident at the much-dreaded road hole (the 17tli), where Cave grounded his club in endeavouring to extricate his ball from a heap of road metal. Eventually Cave returned ai9 to Pollock’s SO. The committee thereafter held a protracted meeting on the question of penalising Cave two strokes, hut the discussion proved abortive. , . Norman Boase, the chairman of t ie championship committee, called in the greens committee and then decided that Cave was the winner, as the stones constituted the back of -he bunker, and therefore no penalty vas involved for grounding the club.

CHANCE SHOTS

UNUSUAL RESULTS A most interesting incident was witnessed when Miss Bertha Braithwaite, playing the home hole at banaringliam during the recent Australian championships meeting, hooked her ball off the tee so close to the pines on the left that she could not swing her club properly for the branches. She made several ineffectual effoits to swing the club head back to the point which she considered was smficiently far to enable her to make an effective down stroke. At last, apparently in despair of being able to do this, she made a jerky hit at the ball, hut missed it, her club passing o \ er the top. Then after bringing the club head down again and behind the ball, she. without pausing, made another stroke, which sent the ball in a beautiful flight on to the green. It was, 0,. course, by the merest accident that the shot “came off,” but the fact that the stroke proved so successtul clearly shows the possibility of repeating it with similar satisfactory result. A day or two before this Mrs. Gatehouse was in an almost exactly similar predicament at nearly the same spot, and she went through the same senes of disgruntling trial swings among the branches. At last she hit but with a slightly better result than Miss Braithwaite obtained, for the ball scuttled along for 40 yards or so. Still she was no better off after the third stroke than was Miss Braithwaute, and the question arises as to whethei she would not have made the green with her second had she swung her club m the way that had so surprised Miss Braithwaite with its effectiveness. A.t all events, Airs. Gatehouse, or anyone else, might find it worth while to experiment with the stroke, especiallv in view of the following experiof "Walter J. Travis, the former American champion, who died reC Manv years ago Travis had been , right off his drive for a longer period • than at any time before in his career : on the links, and he had tried unsuc- ; cessfullv every conceivable means of ; getting back on it again, until at last > this very thing that helped Miss i Braithwaite involuntarily to hit that DOvds mashie shot to the green proved

:lie identical stroke that helped him. He tells how the swaying of the club hea :1 backwards and forwards over the top Df the ball and the making of the business swing without stopping the ?lub in the usual way behind the ball somehow or other "did the trick." which brought him right back on to his drive again.

WELLINGTON LADIES

OPEN TITLE SURPRISES {Special to THE SL'X.i WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Several surprises occurred in the ladies" ; open tournament to-day, a number ot" j tne leading players, including Miss S. Watson (.defender), Mrs. Guy Williams, Miss Payton, and Miss O. Kay being put Details were:— First Round.—Miss Gambrill (Wellington) beat Miss Payton (Rotorua), 'JL and 1; Miss Gould (Christchurch) beat Miss Acheson (Nelson), 2 and 1; Mrs. Godby (Christchurch) beat Miss Olive Kay (Dunedin), 2 up; Mrs. Shailer Weston (Wellington) beat Miss Rathbone (Auckland) at the 21st green; Miss Seiner t (Palmerston North) beat Airs. Sclanders (Wellington), 3 and 2; Migs Bran-lon (Wellington) beat Airs. Guy Williams (Masterton), 5 and 4; Aliss V. IJpham (Wellington) beat Mrs. Stout (Wellington), 1 up; Airs. Grace (Wanganui) beat Aliss S. Watson (Palmerston North), 3 and 2. Second Round.—Aliss Gambrill beat Aliss Gould, 2 up; Airs. Godby beat Airs. Shailer Weston, 1 up; Miss Seifert beat Aliss Brandon, 4 and 3; Miss Upham beat Airs. Grace, S and 6.

Ladies’ Inter-Club The match between the Pupuke and Alaungakiekie Ladies’ Clubs was von by ; Alaungakiekie by eight games to two. Details are as follow, Pupuke players being mentioned first: Aliss G. AlcDonald lost to Aliss C. Stubbs; Airs. Penman defeated Airs. J. Russell, 4 and 3; Aliss A. O'Neill lost to Aliss AI. ITaslett, 2 and 1; Airs. E. Blomfield lost to Aliss K. Churton, 7 and 5; Airs. Thompson lost to Airs. N. Burton, 5 and 4; Aliss B. O’Neill lost to Aliss AI. Richardson, 3 and 2; Aliss Williams defeated Airs. G. White, 2 up; Airs. Rutherford lost to Airs. Schnauer. 7 and 5; Airs. Bowden lost to Aliss J. Easton, 1 up; Airs. Davidson lost to Aliss E. McGowan, 2 and 1. Auckland Ladies The members of the Auckland Ladies’ Golf Club took part in a bogey competition on Tuesday, which resulted in a tie between Airs. C. J. Green and All's. Watson, who were both 3 up on bogey. Other good cards were: Airs. Endean, 2 up; Aliss E. Wilson, all square; Airs. Pugh, all square. The following players will represent the club against Alaungakiekie at the j One Tree Hill links to-morrow: Miss Lever, Airs. Rutherford, Aliss Martin, Aliss Outfield, Airs. Green, Miss Coutts, Mrs. Richmond, Mrs. Pugh, Mrs. Gor-rie, Airs. Bradley. The third round of the eclectic match for Aliss Horton’s prize will be played next Tuesday. Maungakiekie Ladies The flag match played by members of the Alaungakiekie Ladies’ Golf Club was won by Airs. I. R. Roberts. The closing day will be held on Alonday, October 31, when a medal handicap and consolation match will be played, starting at ten o’clock. A C grade consolation match over 13 holes will commence at 11.30. The annual general meeting of the club willl be held at 2.30 p.m., after which the presentation of prizes will take place. Following is the draw for the second round of the C grade eclectic match, to be played at One Tree Hill on Friday, commencing at eleven o’clock: Aliss Rutherford v. Aliss E. Robson; Aliss Smeeton v. Airs. Grierson; Miss Moody v. ALiss D. Lamb; Aliss Thompson v. Aliss Schnauer; Airs. Bright v. Mrs. Goudie; Airs. Hardley v. Aliss Wyatt; Miss Ansell v. Mrs. Gyllies; Airs. Paterson v. Aliss Gallaugher; Airs. MooreJones v. Airs. Jones; Airs. Fee v. Aliss Creamer; Airs. Spinley v. Airs. Rough: Airs. Joplin v. Airs. ATason; Miss Reid v. Miss Clarke; Airs. Hoves v. Airs. Good--1 win; Miss Ewen v. Aliss Aliller.

Akarana Club The semi-finals of the .senior and junior championships of tlie Akarana Golf Club will be played on Saturday, and for players not engaged in tne above the monthly button will be played for, to choose their own partners. Akarana Ladies The junior grade players of the Akarana Ladies’ Golf Club, who were to play the third round of the eclectic competition last Saturday, may play it next Saturday. The draw for the C grade Saturday players is as follows; Aliss McGee v. Aliss Jcnks; Aliss Crandall v. Aliss Wynyard. , , , . In the semi-final of the championship Airs. Beattie plays Aliss Darracli, and Airs. Muller plays Miss Mason. Next Wednesday a four-ball best-ball bogey match will be played, players to choose partners and opponents.

Manawatu Tournament Press Association. PALAIERSTON N., Wednesday. The Manawatu golf tournament opened to-day, and the following Qualified lor the championship: A. E. Ekstedt (Manawatu), W. A. Keeling (Manawatu;, L. Seifert, jun. (Manawatu), D. C. Collins (Wairarapa), P. D. Daniell (Aliramar), H. IT. Hutchinson (Afanawatu), H. Blytli (Shannon), H. A. Black (Hutt), J. Harold (Wanganui), G. Richmond (Shannon), A. Seifert (Alanawatu), O. H. Bruce (Manawatu), W. S. Clark (Levin), AI. H. Oram (Manamatu), C. G. Aloore (Manawatu), t. Louisson (Hawke’s Bay).