On the Links

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 724, 25 July 1929, Page 13

On the Links

Notes for Golfers

By

SLOW BACK

Auckland Golf

\jain wo have had a bad iveek-end, following on a week of heavy showers with no drying winds. Up to half-past te n on Saturday things were promising ! en ough. but some heavy rain fell and nut the greens on some courses under L.jter The afternoon turned out nretty well, but the conditions underfoot were pretty bad. Glendowie was drier than would be expected and some I Suite good cards were returned in the 1 championship qualifying rounds. L. ! Goodwin, led the seniors with a 76, ~ Alientt being next with 78, a score ,1,0 returned by X. Ching. The I Juniors'were headed by \V. La.-.on with | an S 3. Some of these players appear j »o have escaped the notice of the handicappers. L. Goodwin, 76, 12—64, Laxon 83, 22—61, read rather humorously. Perhaps they have lost the detail of the handicapping scheme. It will be found in the May number of -Golf Illustrated.’* Otahuhu played the second qualifyjrg round of their club championship under conditions a little better than the Saturday before, but still .not too good. L. J- Croxson again broke SO, his 7* giving him the best aggregate of 152. H. J. Levy returned a 75, which put him into third place with 158, one stroke behind W. B. Eustace. The leading junior was J. McCrory with rounds of 84 and 81, which would leave him a useful net score. At One Tree Hill and Titirangi handicap match play was the order of ! the day, the Klliffe Cup match at the former., and the ballin Cup at the latter. Both are in their early stages, so that it is too soon to do any forecasting. even if it were safe. The great popularity of handicap match play makes one wonder why we spend so much cood time on medals and bogeys. At Middlemore it was thought advisable to postpone the medal match, tiecause a heavy shower flooded the greens and made putting impossible. It was most unfortunate that the postponement should bo necessary. The 72-hole medal has now become a 36hole event. One player was very indignant, for despite the conditions he had a net 65, which, of course, -was wasted. Next morning a 10 handicap man had a gross round of 75. These caings will happen. Akarana held a Canadian foursome, but the scores were hardly striking though fairly solid. Seventy-four net won. hut there were only three others under 80. Fupuke are busy their championship, the third rcund having been played. There are now only four left in, M. E. Thompson. L*. G. Whittaker, E. W. Mills and L. J. Minogue. The juniors have also reached the aemi- finals.

Postponements A gpod deal of misunderstanding exists with regard tc tho question of postponing matches. No difficulty arises if the postponement takes place before anyone starts, though there are usually several indignant competitors whatever the conditions. Quito a large number of players are convinced that 1 once a start is made the competition must go on. This is quite an error, and even this season postponements have taken place after some competitors have started. For instance, last Saturday at Middlemore, the first couples, left at. about 11.15, but by 12.30 there v.*as so much water on the greens that putting was impossible. The match was therefore called off and the early starters notified. This is of course, in accordance with the rules, which give the committee in charge power to call off a match at any time, if conditions should make the proper playing of the game impossible. There have been cases where some of the field through no fault of their own have been prevented from finishing by darkness, and in these cases the competition has properly been declared void. Where there is a likelihood of damage to the course, it is wise to declare formal play off. and, if things are not too bad for play at all, to change tees and even go to temporary greens. * * * A Well-timed Stymie In the last International at Sandwich. England and Scotland stood ail square in matches and the last match was just coming in. also all square at tho } Bth tee. J. Andrew Lang—need one ray for Scotland—was on the green in two, and G. Illingworth was off the Sieen to the left. He pitched up, but was 12 feet short. Lang's putt slid some two feet six inches past the hole find Illingworth got down to save his country with a 4yd putt. It missed by a hair and laid Lang the deadest of dead stymies The Scot after some thought decided to draw round, but missed by tho shortest of inches, and England got a fortunate half. Probably the stymie controversy will begin again. Thu Greensome "What we in this country call a Canadian foursome appears to be called a Greensome in Britain. Judging by some remarks I read in an English paper, they have only just discovered it. The writer explains that both partners aiive a ball, and that then they choose which ball they will continue with. One point in the description of the match—Walter Hagen and the Prince of Wales were playing against Aubrey and Sir Victor Sassoon —struck rno as of interest.. It is possibly the best type of game where the two partners are of widely different degrees or proficiency. One might think that the stronger player's drive would always be the one selected, but of course it is not so, as the critical second shot would then be played by the weaker. Normally the Prince’s drive would be chosen if the green was in range, for there ■would be a better chance of Hagen getting the green from the Prince’s drive than vice versa. There is therefore room for strategy. 1 shall suggest that my club’s programme for next year includes a “Greensome,” seniors to partner Juniors. It might be very interesting. Hagen's Open Championship Record . It is natural that after the last British open at Muirfleld attention should be attracted to the great American’s record in the event. Vardon's six wins, J. H. Taylor and J. Braid’s five each nave stood out so long that it looked aa if no challenge to their records could be made. Further, there are row so many more first-class players than in the days of the “triumvirate” that the feat of winning more than once or twice seems impossible. After two preliminarv attempts in 1020 and ?*2l. Hagen won his first British Open m 1922. H© won again in 1924, 192 S 1929. In 3 923 he was second, in 1326 third, and in 1925 and 1927 he did wot compete. Four wins, a second and a third in six attempts and. as he is only 36 years of age, he might well add one or two more wins to the account. Braid won the title four times tn six years, between 1905 and 1910. -Hagen’s figures for tho six champiori■ctps in which he has competed since

1922 have been 300. 296. 301, 295, 292. and 292, an average of 74 a round, or two over fours. His round of 61 at j Muirfleld the other day is the lowest j ever played in the championship rounds i proper, though K. T. Jones had a 66 in ! a qualifying round at Sunningdale. Hutt Tournament The Kirk-Windeyer Cup team gathered in Wellington last Thursday and i took part in the opening match of the Hutt Club's tournament. The Hutt j course is as yet nothing wonderful, but it is about to be reconstructed on plans | made by C. IT. Redhead, and it should i vastly improve. The club has had the j distinction of turning out some fine j golfers, notably J. L. and H. A. Black 1 and Rana Wagg, to say nothing of some good women golfers. It was. too, the home club of the late R. C. Kirk, which is in itself a distinction. The scores for the two medal rounds were headed by J. H. Drake, of Miramar, a most useful player on his day, who had a fine first round of 7L and an aggregate of 146. S. Morpeth was one stroke more with rounds of 75 and 72, Horton did 76 and 75, and J. L. Black had two rounds of 77. The wire from the Press Association rather unkindly stresses the fact that Dr. Ken Ross did not break 80 in either round. This need not cause anxiety. He will break 80 in Australia. What may cause anxiety is that A. D. S. Duncan has finally decided that he cannot make the trip. Apart from the loss of tho services of so seasoned a player, the team suffers from having no fifth man to fall back upon in case of need. It will be remembered that last time E. M. Macfar- | lano lost his form at the critical time, ! and L. Quin was put into the team— I and did nobly well, too. J. Goss is ! travelling with the team and may be called upon if necessary, so that the ; position might be worse. The team 1 sailed last Friday in the Maheno and should be in Melbourne when this appears. GLENDOWIE CLUB Following is the draw for the first round of the championship, to be played by members of the Glendowie Golf Club on Saturday:—L. Goodwin v. C. Biernacki, 3... Harrison v. Dr. Horton, E. Hut-

chison v. O. Wolfgramm, H. Rawlinson v. l*. Niccolls, P. Trice v. S. G. Woods, G. Kissling v. N. Ching, A. Duthie v. R. Edmonds, A. C. Johns v. C„ Allcott, W. Laxon v. F. Fararn, J. Stedraan v. N. Harrison. A. Stedman v. N. A. Forgie, . E. J. Richardson v. A. Sloman, C. Lovegrove v. F. Russell, IT. Wright v. P. Hintz, J. Hull v. F. Lintott, H. Morrison v. H. Goodwin, H. O. Thomson v. W. Hewson. K. Brookfield v. V. Johns, D. Tunks v. F. Restall, L. Keys v. M. Miller, Cl. Warren v. G. Metcalfe, C. Garrard, W. Meek and G. Mathieson have byes. A bogey handicap will be played in conjunction with the championship round. PUPUKE CLUB The following players will represent the Pupuke Golf Club in a teams match against the Akarana Club on Saturday:— At Akarana. —I. G. McKenzie, A. W. Short, N. E. Thompson, A. W. Clark, L. J. Minogue, L. G. Whittaker, B. E. Goldwater, G. O. Stevenson, E. W. Mills, S. W. Chambers, F. H. Mingay, R. O. Johnson, M. W. Bennett. At Pupuke.—J. H. Howie, C. P. Hopkins, Dr. T. De Clive Lowe, R. N. S. Chisholm, R. D. G. Hunt, R. H. Grevide, L. 11. Saunders, D. M. Davidson, A. G. Lane, D. M. Drower, L. G. Ansell, G. Malcolm, H. W\ Entwistle. Any player unable to play must nptify the club captain immediately. AKARANA LADIES’ CLUB Following is the draw for the qualifying round of the Akarana Ladies’ Golf Club championship, to be played in conjunction with the L.G.U. monthly medal competition tomorrow and on Saturday:— Airs. McCarthy v. Mrs. Preston, Mrs. Coppard A'. Mrs. Caughey, Miss Miller v. Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Fearnley v. Miss Young, Miss Cox v. Mrs. Gilmore, Mrs. Young v. Mrs. Rowntree, Mrs. H. Peet v. Miss G. Hodge, Miss D. Hodge v. Miss P. Peet, Mrs. Sutton v. Miss Dalton, Miss Griffin v. Miss Wynyard, Miss Berry v. Miss Hickman, Miss McGee v. Miss gate, Miss Smith v. Miss Longdill, Miss Darrnch v. Miss TylerDavies, Miss Connett v. Miss Roberts. C grade players will play the third round of thi- eclectic competition for Mrs. B. J. Smith’s trophy, the draw being as follows:—Mrs. Blakey v. Miss Trayes, Miss Todd v. Miss Floyd, Miss Birch v. Mrs. Zahara, Miss Marshall v. Mrs. Darrach, Miss Kerr-Taylor v. Mrs. England. Saturday players may choose their own partners. , , , „ The results of the. four-ball, best-ball bogey were:—Mrs. Gilmore and Mrs. Heston, 3 down; Mrs. McCarthy and Miss Hodge, Mrs. Sutton and Miss Darrach, 4 down. The sealed hole competition was won by Miss D. Hodge. PAPAKURA CLUB The following team will represent the Papakura Golf Club against the Otahuhu Club at Papakura on Saturday:— Smith, L. Spencer, Olsen. J. Elliott. Mutheson Pavltt, PI. Spencer, Langford, Gilmore, Bridgman, T. McLennan, Hutchinson Reserve: Brooks. The following is the draw for a medal round to be played by members of the Papakura Golf Club: —B. Spencer v. V. Elliott. ID. McLennan v. Tilston, Brooks v Beams. S. Wilson v. Blair, A. Henderson v. Pegler, Watts v. G. I-lenderson. PUKEKOHE V. MAUNGAKIEKIE A match between the Maungakiekie Club and the PukeKohe Club will be played on the One Tree Hill links during the week-end. The following will represent the Pultekohe Club:—Coyle, Brosnahan. Lawson, McWhirter, Schlaepfer, Kissling Payne, Short, Anderson. Drake, Sellar. ITosking, Pike, Foster. Reserves: Maddtson, Charlesworth, Roulston, junr. OTAHUHU LADIES' CLUB Following is the draw for the L.G.U. medal match and a C grade match to be played by members of the otahuhu Ladies’ Golf Club on Saturday:—Mrs. Menzies v. Mrs. Valentine. Miss E. Whiteley v. Mrs. Shaw, Miss Katz v. Miss 11. PartG'.i. Mrs. Kelsey v. Mtss Richards. Miss Preadon v. Miss Denize, Mrs. Moffitt v. Miss Cameron, Mrs. MoXeelv v Miss O. Whiteley, Miss A. Whyte V Miss B. Wyllie, Miss Cutfortll v. Miss Mellsopp. Miss Reynolds v. Mrs. Massey, Mrs. Nichotson v. Mrs. Connell. Miss Hvnes v Miss R. Currie, Mrs. Heather v Miss M. Hill. Miss Sims v. Miss E. Hill Miss Wills V. Miss Wallace. Mrs. Richards v. Miss B. Brady, Miss LloydWhite v. Mrs. Boyce, Miss N. Katz t. Mrs. Currie, Miss Cohen v Miss M. Carnaohan. Mrs. Burns v. Mrs. Wallace, Miss M. Carnaclian v. Miss G. Whjte. GOLF' IN VICTORIA (United P.A. — By. Telegraph Copyright> MELBOURNE, Wednesday. In the semi-finals of the Victorian professional golf tournament at Sandringham R. Stewart defeated E. Wood by 9 up and 7 to play, and R. Jupp defeated A. Spencer by 11 ut> and 10 to play. _