On The Links

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 961, 2 May 1930, Page 14

On The Links

By

“Slowback.”

Tho Kirk-Windeyer Cup Had R. C. Kirk lived to see the interest taken in the recent match by golfers and public alike, he would have been a proud man. All oC us who remember his wholehearted devotion to the game feel an added pleasure that his scheme—of course in collaboration with W. H. "Windeyer—has led to the successful establishment of a match of almost international importance. It is our Walker Cup. And yet there is still much to do before the event can be said to be on a permanent and satisfactory footing. The first idea -seemed to be that the competition should be between New Zealand and New South Wales, but from the very beginning Victoria tok a practical interest, and the team we won the cup from in 3 927 was a Victorian team. -Vow South Australia is making inquiries, and the other day the South Australian controlling body suggested certain changes in conditions—changes which were turned down by Mr. "Windeyer. Queensland and Tasmania may also be expected to want to take part. Now anybody with the means and the goodwill can give a cup, and in this case there is no possible suspicion of a desire for self-advertisement, nor of any other motive than that of furthering the advancement of the game. Rut when a match attains the importance that this one has reached, and when circumstances cause the original idea to be extended, it is time that the representative controlling bodies of the two countries should define the conditions. With all respect to Mr. Windeyer, it is not fitting that any one man should be able to dictate the conditions of such a match. The representatives of New Zealand, New South Wales and Victoria met at Christchurch the other day to try to come ■to some finality in the matter. It is understood that certain proposals will be made to Mr. Windeyer, but of their nature we do not yet know. We hope that the matter may be definitely settled this year. The recent match has had so much publicity of the right kind that it is not proposed to say much about it. On our side the outstanding figures were E. M. Macfarlane and T. H. Horton. They both produced form of the highest class in all their matches, and fairly proved that they were at least the equals of any Australian player. The success of Macfarlane is very satisfactory, as his loss of form in Australia in 1927 created in some minds the impression that his match temperament was faulty. Away from Shirley he has trouble with his distances, but on Shirley he is a magnificent golfer. Horton was the stylist and efficient golfer we have known for many years. The other two, J. L. Black and Dr. K. Ross, both held up their ends well, and, if their form was not as impressive as that of the first two members of the team, it provided the necessary points to secure victory. We find it hard to believe that A. D. S. Duncan was not good enough for the team, but at least the selection was successful. The visitors have been discussed In detail and little has been left to be said. ' H. W. Hattersley’s great driving was a striking attraction. This is the youth who outdrove Hagen in Sydney, and of whom S. Morpeth spoke as being the longest driver in Australia. M. J. Ryan, of Victoria, the Australian amateur champion, played excellent golf throughout. It will be remembered that he defeated Sloan Morpeth in the final last year. Lastly, the youth of our visitors was noticeable. Pity help us in a few years if our young ones don’t come on. s • * Auckland Provincial Meeting Hamilton was the scene of the provincial championship this year. The autumn is not a good time for our courses, being rather dry as a rule. This year there had been no rain for some 8 or 10 weeks, and courses had suffered accordingly. St. Andrew's was, nevertheless, in better order than could have been expected. The fairways were quite good, though weedy in places, and the rough was very adequate. The greens might well have been watered, especially as there is a good supply available, and some of them were distinctly patchy. In the medal play the greens caused most of the disasters. The meeting was well attended and the standard of golf in the match play was distinctly good. The performance cf H. B. Lusk in the qualifying ■rounds, when with cards of 74 and 76 he Avon the scratch medal by 11 strokes, was a welcome proof of his return to health. The scores of- the others were distinctly below the mark, but the tricky greens and severe rough, combined with the well-known effect of the card and pencil, amply accounted for this. The early rounds of the match play provided a mild surprise in the defeat of H. B. Lusk by T. A. Goulding. The former developed a little hook which put him too often in the rough, and Goulding tpok advantage of a run of freak golf at the 9th, 10th and 11th, to get a lead that he played too Avell to lose. Goulding had to play well to beat W. S. Ralph in the semi-final, but the latter was a bit weak on the greens. W. Morrice, of Rotorua, was too consistent for L. W. Delph in the other semi-final. In the final there was little to choose between them. The match went to the last green, Morrice being dormy one, and ho held the half safe all the way. In the 14 years since this championship was started only four names appear, S. Morpeth, R. M. George, R. D. Wright and H. B. Lusk. At last a new one has appeared in W. Morrice. He is a very sound player with it great command of strokes, and on his home course, Rotorua, he is a very difficult proposition. He will probably win many more championships.

The Grass Grub This very unwelcome visitor has appeared among us once more. It must be eight or ten years since he made his lust visit to the local golf courses, and Ave can stand it if he doesn’t come again for another ten years. His advent is not ostentatious. We do not j ealise that he is with us until the greening up of autumn leaves brown patches of grass, usually in the most important places. Then the grass peels off like the rind of an apple, and in the soil below the grub can be seen. At Middlemore there are many spots affected, but usually small ones, and excepting on the 11th and 13th greens rot in vital places. Rotorua has been heavily hit, and quite large areas of grass have been destroyed. There are methods of poisoning the pest, but the arsenate of lead paste is expensive, and not always effective, besides which it is like locking the stable door after the horse has gone. He won’t attack the same place next year, and indeed will probably leave the district in a year or two. Rolling is sometimes recommended, but the conditions must be right. The subsoil must be hard enough to crush the grub against, and the top soft enough to let the pressure bo felt. Another suggestion is to harrow the places and leave the birds to do the rest in the early mornings and evenings, but the 3tarlings have gone. Probably it is best to cut the loss and hope he will move on. Rip off the dead grass and there will be a perfect seed bed. Just sow the places and hope for the best.

Auckland Golf After the excitement of Easter there has been a lull and no matches of firstrate importance Avere staged on Saturday. All the courses were still hard, and an exaggerated run was a great help to the short players. Still the difficulty of control made up for the ease of getting length. Some handi- « appers appear to labour under the V'.elusion that scores made under hard summer conditions are not worth their face value. The difference between

the scratch scores in class C and in class A rating is normally one stroke, or, on some courses, two. If necessary, and no other factors operate, the scratch score for the day should be reduced from 75 to 73 for example, and the rules for reduction rigidly adhered to. Handicappers, who do not do their job thoroughly according to the scheme are a nuisance to all the other clubs where they do. A high Avind from an unusual quarter—south-east—added considerably to the troubles caused by hardkicking ground, and some surprises were experienced. One drive at the 6th at Middlemore dead on the pin kicked into the Tamaki, practically level with where it pitched. These things will happen when the ground is hard. W. S. Ralph’s great round of 73 at Middlemore was one of the best things of the week. Needless to say, he was playing fine golf, and the misfortunes others were experiencing passed him by. Dr. T. W. J. Johnston has been doing exceedingly well this season—and that without practice. His 86-16-70 card was spoiled by a 9 at the 18 th hole, but was still the best net score of the day. A bogey handicap at Titirangi was well contested, but the high wind made the golf very tricky. A. E. Saunders, from 14, had a card of 4 up, and that promising young player, R. Dacre. was 2 up. Noone also beat bogey. Akarana staged a four-ball, and the scores were, as is usual in such matches, very good. Swanson and "Hazeldean were 8 up, and were closely followed by Brown and Turbott, with 7 up. Waitemata opened their season with the traditional mixed foursomes. The club is

evidently in for a good season, the membership being as full as the course will accommodate. It is very handy to Devonport, while most of our courses are a long way out. The scores in the first round of the president’s prize match at Pupuke would seem to indicate a busy time ahead for the club handicappers. Six players beat 70 net, and to get one’s name in the paper one had to do not worse than 77 net. We seem to be getting some rain this week, which should mean greatly improved conditions in the near future. ——