On the Links

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 730, 1 August 1929, Page 14

On the Links

Notes for Golfers

By

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Auckland Golf A few weeks ago a reasonably strong team from the Auckland Golf Club paid a visit to Hamilton and were well and decisively beaten by the local club. Only singles were played, as the rain settled any chance of the four-balls, but the superiority of the Hamilton players was made quite evident. Auckland, if 1 remember right, won only two games. Now it is the turn of the Maungakiekie people to get it “in the neck.” S. Morpeth, being in Australia, and R. Nr. George and others also absentees, Maungakiekie were not at full strength, but Hamilton was without J. L. Black. It was a very useful side that went up, all the same. In the singles the Hamilton players had eight wins to three, but they nearly lost their advantage in the four-balls, winning only one out of six. They arepretty good at four-balls at Titirangi, and seem to have the knack of fitting in. A junior game was played at Titirangi, but the local men on their own course were too strong to the tune of 35 matches to two. The Auckland Club at last got a start with their medal competition, now reduced to a two-round event. When C. M. Jacobsen got to tho turn in a moderate 45, he hardly expected much of a score, and when he took three putts on the tenth, things didn’t look promising. From then on he couldn’t keep the putts out of the hole from all distances and, playing well otherwise, he came in in 32. His 77 —S—69 won tho round, but P. Morris with a net 70 from a 15 handicap was close enough to be dangerous. The scratch score for the day was 72 owing to shortages, md besides these three others had net 71. The course was much better than one would have expected after the incessant rains. Rutter and Moss, playing against C. X. Jacobsen and J. P.

/_ hired, had a useful best ball score of 64. In spite of lack of practice Rutter played some glorious holes, his length being surprising. One shot may interest those who know tho sixteenth at Middlemore. He duffed his drive and was about ten yards over the gully, quite 240yds from the pin. There was light following wind, and he took his No. 1 iron and put the ball 6ft past the hole. He also put his second practically dead at the fifth with a spade raashie. Another inter-club was played at Akarana against Pupuke. Akarana is a nasty proposition to handle on their home course, as Pupuko discovered to tho extent of 10 losses to two wins. I>. J. Smith was in no danger of losing the top match, his margin of 10 and 8 over M. E. Thompson being at least decisive. At Glendowio the final of tho Captain’s prizo was played between C. Allcott and A. C. Johns. Auckland’s cricket captain can also play golf, and he came through successfully by 5 and 4. The club championships have also been begun, and as often happens in the first round some of the margins on Saturday were pretty wide. 10 and 8. two of 7 and 6, 6 and 5 were some of them. Real Beatings A match played last Saturday, in which the loser met defeat by I 0 and S, started a train of thought which led to recollections of other decisive defeats. The famous case Avhere Compston beat Hagen by 18 and 17 over 72 holes is especially noteworthy, when it is remembered that Hagen has a great reputation as a fighting match player—a reputation that was well earned. But 10 and H over 18 holes far outdoe’s such a score. There is no margin. .Every hole has been well and truly lost—not even a half to cheer the victim for a passing moment. Years ago, when the Auckland Golf Club was at One Tree Hill, the late J. C. Burns, in a round of the club championship, beat his opponent—no bad player—by HI and S. The peculiarity of this game was that at no hole was tho margin greater than one putt. They played out the 18, and the opponent won 5 and halved 3 of the remaining S. A sad-looking player Mas making for the bar—not in New Zealand, of course—when he ( met the secretary. To the latter’s kipdly inquiry he replied: “He beat me in the match 10 and S, in the bye 4 and 3, in the bye-bye 2 and 1, and in the bye-bye-bye by 1 up. He said afterwards he wue off Ills drive and has gone out to practise.’* Another pair looking the worse for wear described their troubles. "Wo couldn’t either win or halve a hole, and they beat us by 11 up and 9 to play.” “But.** said the sympathiser, “that is impossible over 18 holes. The m orst licking possible is 10 and 8,” “Yes,” was the reply, “but we gave them 2 up start.” • The Professionals* Tour It is rather a pity that it was decided to send a team of professionals to Australia this year, though all credit must bo given to F. C. Fryer, of Napier, for the energy and enthusiasm he has shown in supporting it. The distance to Adelaide adds considerably to the expenso of tho tour, but next year the matches will be in Sydney. Then again the council is financing an amateur team for the Kirk-Windeyer Cup. Another year it would have been in a position to give substantial help. The support accorded in tho form of sub- , scriptions has been disappointing, partly to a belief that such a tour should be made by an official team sent by the council and properly managed. In spite of this, good-luck to Shaw and Mclntosh, who will probably be the only ones to go. More Misunderstandings At the last New Zealand championship I attended I was struck by the ignorance of some of our leading championship players of the detail of certain rules. Probably the clearing of the line of the putt caused most breached of the law. One competitor on several occasions brushed away worm-casts with the back of his hand. I saw another scrape some leaves asido with his club. Now these players never dreamed they were breaking the law, nor were they gaining any advantage, but the rule lays down the correct procedure and it should be followed. We need a few old-time colonels to enforce penalties. In case there is any doubt we vein quote the law on tho subject. Rule 2S allows any loose impediment (twig. leaf, worm-cast —anything, even a live worm) to be lifted, but, of course, there is a penalty if the ball is moved. Then specially named impediments, dung, worm-casts, snow and ice, may he scraped aside with the club, but there is no provision for brushing with the hand, which used to be the method, but which now* must not be done. There is no objection to a player touching or brushing the green with his hand to determine the speed, so long as it is not done on the line of the putt.

A Curious Mishap If a code of law were perfect it I would provide for every possible hap- ; pening, but it would need a very com--1 plete one to meet some cases. The ! magistrate occasionally expresses his sympathy with a prisoner while giving ! him a month—it happened in Hamilton I quite recently. No code can hope to cover all freak cases. Look at this, iE. I Cay and T. Jones, of Oxley, were i partners in a four-ball best-ball coraI petition some time ago at Old Ford ! Manor. T. Jones pulled a shot into | the rough, but made a good recovery and secured his 5. Ray had a 3yd putt for a 4 but missed, and, the 5 being already secured, picked up his ball. When Jones’s ball was taken out of the hole, it was found to be the wrong ! ball—that is, not the ball lie had i played from the tee. The report i .states that the Oxley pair had no option ! but to retire from, the competition. i Without being dogmatic, I cannot see i why Ray shouldn’t have replaced his ! ball for a penalty of 2, and putted out.