MUNICIPAL GOLF PAYS HANDSOMELY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 440, 23 August 1928, Page 10

MUNICIPAL GOLF PAYS HANDSOMELY

AUCKLAND SLUMBERS Anent municipal golf, the absence of which makes it notable in Auckland, some interesting information came out when it was proposed to increase the green fees in Wellington the other day. It transpired that Berhampore was returning an average of something like £3O 8s 7d during the season, and paying its way handsomely. A Wellington golf writer discussed the lamentable ignorance of councillors on this undertaking. but then almost every local body is the same, especially on the subject of golf. Auckland City Council is, or we would have had a course here long since. Municipal courses pay the world over, and some of their charges are interesting. VARYING FEES Many municipal courses in England charge 2s 6d a round, but their standard is very high, and both as examples of golf architecture and as tests of playing skill, they will bear comparison with the best of courses that are open to the holiday golfer any-

where. At the Bournemouth courses at Meyrick Park and Queen’s Park municipal links the green fees are 2s 6fl a round and 3s 6d for the day, while a weekly ticket costs 15s and a year’s subscription £3. The green fee at the neighbouring courses at Broadstone and Parkstone is 3s a day. At Brighton’s public course at Hollingbury Park, where the standard of construction Is by no means high as at Meyrick Park, the green fees are 2s 6d a day and 7s 6d a week. Moreover there is a concession to the local “artisan” golfer in a reduction of the fee for the round to Is 3d after 5 p.m. In the big cities the situation is more satisfactory than in the coastal towns. At the Braid Hills and at Craigintinny, in Edinburgh, the charge is 6d a round. For the Glasgow courses at r Deaeonsbank and Littlehill it is 8d a round, and for Blackhill 6d. Manchester charges 2s for a round of the municipal course at Heaton Park, but this is reduced to Is after 5 p.m., and after 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays—the hours best suited to the artisan player. At Temple Newsam, Leeds, the charge is ljs 6d a day during the summer months, and Is a day from October to March. Birmingham charges a green fee of Is 6d for a round of its municipal course on the Lickey Hills, and this is also the charge on London’s public courses at Mitcham and Richmond Park. If the charges on the English public courses are higher, so is the standard of construction and upkeep. PAYS HANDSOMELY “It would, however, be foolish to suggest that the standard of golf architecture at Berhampore comes up to that of the English courses just enumerated. Berhampore has been called a •goat-run’ by some unkind critics who consider that its roughness justifies such an appellation,” remarks the Wellington writer. “Municipal courses should represent an attempt to provide cheap golf for the benefit of the artisan golfer. In every case it can be fairly said that public golf pays its way. It ought to so, for the most enthusiastic advocate of public golf would not suggest that it should ever be allowed to be even to the smallest extent a charge upon the ratepayer. “It can be said in any case that Berhampore has never been a charge on the Wellington ratepayer. On the contrary, it has resulted in a very handsome return to the coffers of the municipality and generally has been a great financial success.” Meantime Auckland slumbers. DOMINION DAY TOURNEY GLENDOWIE ARRANGEMENTS Glendowie has this year decided to hold a one-day tournament on Dominion Day, September 24. The Glendowie Cup will go to the l est scorer in a 36-hole medal, and there will be a trophy for the best scratch score. In addition, a medal round will be played in the morning, and a bogey in the afternoon.