On the Links

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 754, 29 August 1929, Page 6

On the Links

Notes for Golfers

By

SLOW BACK

Auckland Golf This is the time of year, or near it, when our courses are at their best. Usually from about the middle of August we get some fine drying weather and the last of the winter mud departs. Now it is possible to get a bit of run. and yet to pitch right up to the greens—a combination which exists on inland courses for only a month or two in spring and autumn. Inter-club and championship matches continue to be the order of the day. Akarana journeyed out to Middlemore to find the course in beautiful order and everything right for good golf. The absence of three of the four Auckland back-markers at Rotorua left the result pretty open. W. S. Ralph ha-.l a good game with B. J. Smith, winning onlv bv 2 and 1. Ralph on his day is one of the best six golfers in Auckland, so that Smith need not regret overmuch this break in his run of in-ter-club victories. C. M. Gordon was successful in the second match, proving too steady for C. Bailey. Local knowledge was of value to the home players, who finally won by eight matches to three. The new greenkeeper, imported from England by the Auckland Golf Club, has taken over his duties. The amazing variety of weeds and noxious growths will provide him with much food for thought for some time.

The championships at Titirangi have been begun, but many of the players have departed for tournaments, and there will be delays for the first round or two. The spring growth has not got far yet at Titirangi, and a week or two will make a big difference to the state of the course. So far the following have won their matches in the first round: —H. D. Brinsden, E. G. Tallis, T. A. Goulding, J. Murray and A. V. Peace. Junior and C grade championships are also progressing both at Titirangi and One Tree Hill. Dr. C. E. Howden finished up a very useful season at Waiuku by defeating T. R. Bloomfield in the final of the club championship. The margin was only one up, so that a very little might have turned it. The doctor has now started off on a round of tournaments, and with his very useful handicap he should do pretty well unless he plays himself Hamilton and Pukekohe have played their qualifying rounds for the various grades of championship. Wynne was the only one to break 80 at Hamilton, his 79 being three better than J. L. Black’s 82. A bit of wind can add very considerably to Hamilton s difficulties, and in a fresh breeze 80 is hard to break. The Pukekohe figures are not startling, 90 being the best, but in a keen and energetic club of the sort, the standard is sure to improve. Glendowie may have had a bit of a shock when it lost its first two matches to Pupuke at Glendowie. Miles Thompson did very well to defeat C. Allcott, a result I should hardly have expected at Glendowie. L. J. Minogue made no race of G. Kissling in the second match —6 and 4 being the margin. The rest of Glendowie. however, sav‘*d the situation, and the final score was: Glendowie 6 to Pupuke 4. L. J. Croxson and D. H. Menzies will play-off for the Otahuhu Club championship, each of them having accounted for a Eustace in the semifinal. Croxson may be too steady, but the left-hander has great possibilities. Otahuhu is taking a solid team down to Glendowie next Saturday, and Allcott, Trice and Co. will need to be at their best. - m

Australian Courses I have had several chats with our people who were over in Australia for the recent big matches. Comparisons between the courses were, of course, inevitable. and a good thing, too, as it is only by comparative criticism we are likely ’ to get progress. The two Melbourne courses used for the y ictorian championships and the KirKWindeyer matches were Commonwealth’ and Metropolitan. . These are both situated at Oakleign a suburb some 12 miles out from Melbourne, and are almost across the road from each other. Metropolitan is an old course, and one of its chief delights is its privacy, obtained by rows of trees between the fairways. Commonwealth is a comparatively new course, and has no such avenues of trees. The whole district is of excellent rolling. sandy country, eminently suitable for golf links of the first order. Commonwealth on length alone is about four strokes harder than Metropolitan They have no use for the average hitter at Commonwealth. Besides two holes over 500yds., there are some five others of more than 460. \ er j nice with a fast-running fairway and a light breeze behind! Besides the length there are other troubles. Fairways from 40yds. to 50yds. wide, flanked by a few yards of moderate rough, and then elephant countrv sometimes beyond description. One would think that the greens would be mildly bunkered, and as a matter of fact my informant was struck by the capriciousness of some of the green-bunkering. A hole of 430yds. might be bunkered as tightly as Possible with a 10yd. entrance, but on the whole the entrances were generous enough. Metropolitan is not so fierce as regards length as Commonwealth, and the fairways plus rough are reasonably wide, but if you get too wild the belts of trees will remind you forcibly of their existence. I haven't seen Seton, the Adelaide course, where S. Morpeth is busy at present, but I am told it is a great sandy waste with dazzling green fairways and greens threading their way through the gold. They use enormous quantities of water. Speaking generally, much more is expected of championship players in Australia than in New Zealand. We shall have to tighten up our courses if we want to produce golfers of the highest class.

Morpeth in Adelaide When Morpeth led at the end of two rounds at Seton, our hopes were high. His first round of 73 was quite in his best style, and though 78 was a fallingoff, it was evidently not bad under the circumstances. Then came the disastrous third day! High boisterous wind again and our champion took 85 and 86. Those who saw him in Melbourne noticed a tendency of his iron shots to drift, and you simply can’t afford to drift at Seton. Whitton again proved his quality, if any proof were needed. So far as the Amateur has gone. Morpeth has had one good win over Bulte. a very solid Victorian player. Neither Shaw nor Mackintosh seems to have dropped down to the conditions at all well. No doubt the experience will stand to them in the future. The Rotorua Tournament There is apparently only one interest in Rotorua today, and that is golf. Pohutu is forgotten—even if he was workin Kj— a nd the Fairy Springs leave us cold. The course is in magnificent or-

der, fit to play any championship on—except a big-hitting competition. Fairways and greens are beautiful. The veterans played their qualifying rounds on Saturday, and some fairly wellknown ones qualified safely. w. B. Colbeck, D. MacCormick. of the Auckland Club. F. Trice, of Glendowie. and J- Harold, of Wanganui, being among the number. The match-pl&y has proceeded through two rounds, and the following will play in the semifinals on Friday:—F. Trice. Austin, Corrigan and Malngav. The weather has been perfect so far. if a bit cold, and there has been enough breeze to test out the competitors. ROTORUA TOURNEY GEORGE’S FINE ROUND f From Our Own Correspondent J ROTORUA, "Wednesday. A splendid round of 68 by R. George was a feature of today's play in the golf tournament. Matches were played in perfect weather, and throughout the day some fine golf was witnessed. Championship results were: Seifert, jun., beat T. Rice, 7 up and 6; C. Carr beat C. Howden, 5 and. 4. Rex George beat Harold, 5 and 3: Wright beat Harrison, 3 and 2: Morrice beat Louisson, 7 and 5; Brinsden beat Troutbeck, 2 up; M. D. Carr beat Plumley, 5 and 1; O'Callaghan beat Powdrell at the twentieth hole. In the second round, Seifert, jun., beat S. E. Carr, 5 and 4; Morrice beat Brinsden, 2 and 1; Rex George beat R. D. Wright, 3 and 2; O’Callaghan beat M. d! Carr. 3 and 2. Seifert did a 72 in each round. The best round of the tournament so far was Rex George's 68. The bogey handicap resulted:—Rex George (2) tied with Blundell (9), with 5 up. In the junior division in the first round Copeland Smith beat A. M. Howden. 3 and 2; Western beat R. D. Gardner at the nineteenth hole; Dacre beat Tallis, 1 up; Bartleet beat Hussey, 6 and 5; Tidmarsh beat Riddell, 6 and 5; Goss beat Graham, 6 and 4; MacCormick beat Jacobson, 3 and 2; Rainger beat B. Scott, 7 and 6. In the second round. Western beat Copeland Smith, 5 and 3; Bartleet beat Dacre, 1 up; Goss beat Tidmarsh, 7 and 5; Rainger beat MacCormick, l and 2. Goss and Rainger are both playing a ► scratch game. Goss returned 72. and Rainger 73. Tomorrow in the senior match Seifert plays George, and Morrice meets O*Callaghan. In the jun*or. Western plays Bartleet, and Goss plays Rainger. NOTES AND COMMENTS (From Our Own Correspondent J ROTORUA, Wednesday. The second day’s play commenced this morning in fine, frosty weather. Very little wind was blowing, thus playing conditions were ideal. The first round produced some fine golf, there being no really surprise defeats. Rex George, with a score of 68, defeated Harrold 5 and 4. A GREAT ROUND This is the best round to date. George is right on his game, playing par golf to beat R. D. Wright 3 and 2 in the second round. Troutbeck and Brinsden had a great fight in the morning. Brinsden was 3 down at the 12th, and by playing consistent par golf, eventually won 2 up. Again in the afternoon Brinsden showed his fighting qualities against Morrice, the Rotorua champion. Brinsden started very shakils*. his putting being far too cautious. Morrice won the first three holes, and was 4 up at the turn. Brinsden then came to light, and playing excellent golf, reduced his lead to 2 up at the 15th. The 16th was halved, and an exciting finish was witnessed at the short 17th. Brinsden was on the green with his first, Morrice placing his in a bunker. The latter, playing a magnificent chip, laid his second dead, to halve the hole and win the match 2 and 1. Morrice’s score was 75 and Brinsden’s 77. WORTHY OPPONENT FOR GEORGE The match between S. E. Carr and Seiffert, junr., promised to be very close at the start, but Carr cracked up after the turn to lose 5 and 4. Seiffert is a polished player, with apparently no nerves, and his match with Rex George should be an excellent one Yesterday Messrs. Warwick Wilson and Plumley were forced to pay the usual penalty through each holing out in one. THE PROBABLE FINALISTS It is expected that Morrice (Rotorua) and Rex George (Auckland) will contest the final of the championship. The second division result is very much in doubt, for a string of first class golfers is still well in the running. Goss, junr., and Tidmarsh are freely mentioned as likely winners. Tomorrow the semi-finals will be played in conjunction with two fourball bogey competitions. MAUNGAKIEKIE CLUB The second round of the championship for junior and C grade players of the Maungakiekie Golf Club will be played at the One Tree Hill course on Saturday. For those not engaged in the championships, there will be a medal handicap, post entries received, players to choose own partners. AKARANA FOURSOMES A mixed Canadian foursomes competition will be played on Saturday. Players may choose their own partners and sets. Those without partners will be provided with same at the clubhouse. GLENDOWIE CLUB’S DRAW Following is the draw for the bogey handicap to be played by members of the Glendowie Golf Club on Saturday:— D. Morrison v. N. Harrison; W. Horne v. H. Jefferson; A. Sloman v. J. R. Kendall; W. Hewson v. M. Mathieson; A. Churchhouse v. A. Bunting; C. Biernacki v. F. Faram; J. Hull v. C. J. Lovegrove; T. Upton v. V. Johns; L. Keys v. W. Meek; C. Garrard v. G. Radley; W. A. Forgie v. H. O. Thomson; p. White v. X. C. Snedden; A. O. Horspool v. A. Sutherland; L. Harrison v. EL Colebrook; F. Russell v. K. Brookfield; F. Restall r. G. Warren: H. G. Thomson v. F. Hint*; J. Stedman v. H. Wright; R. Barstow v. G. Metcalfe; E. Whitley v. A. Wilson. OTAHUHU LADIES’ CLUB Following is the draw for a bogey match to be played bv members of the Otahuhu Ladies* Golf ‘Club on Saturday for a trophy donated by Miss Parton: — Miss Richards v. Miss Sutherland; Miss Denize v. Miss M. Hill; Miss 12. Whiteley v. Miss Dreadon; Mrs. Hlpkins v. Mrs Kelsey; Mrs. Shaw v. Miss Cutforth; Miss O. Whiteley v. Miss B. Wyllie; Mrs. Moffitt v. Miss F. Katz; Miss Parton v. Miss Mellsop; Miss R Brady v. Miss Leonard; Miss Hynes v. Mrs. Connell; Miss N. Katz v. Miss E. Hill; >*>•» Blakey v. Miss Cohen; Mrs. Boyce v. Miss Wallace: Miss Muir v. Mrs. Wallace; Miss C. McArthur v. Miss Lloyd-White. PAPAKURA CLUB The following team will represent the Papakura Golf Club azralnst Everzlle, on Saturday:—Smith, L. Spencer. H. Spencer. Matheson. Pavitt. Langford. Gilmore' Hutchinson, Bridgman, T McLennan. Beams. D. McLennan. S. Wilson. TUstoe-