On the Links

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1032, 24 July 1930, Page 15

On the Links

Notes for Golfers

By

SLOW-BACK

Auckland Golf A counter attraction has to bo of some merit to draw the regulars away from golf on a Saturday afternoon, but most of them were at Eden Park last Saturday. Next Saturday the links will be even more deserted. It was a beautiful day—one of winter’s best—though at one time it looked as if a shower might spoil things. It duly rained during the night and the rest of the week-end, though not very bad, was less attractive. Very few matches were played. Middlemore put on a medal match for those who were there and the excellent conditions may have helped C. A. Herman to return a card of 9ft, 20—70, his best to date. R. B. Wilson continued to show improvement with 81, 9—72, a score equalled by J. B. Macfarlane off 20. There was a four-ball handicap at One Tree Hill, but 2 up on bogey was the best score returned. At Waitemata the second round of the Duder Memorial Cup was played, and E. R. Whitley returned the best card of 3 up. The tie in the final of the Ferry Cup between F. D. McLeod and M. J. Bailey resulted in yet another tie. The women got off a few matches on Saturday, the absence of the men at the football giving them a reasonable chance. Akarana played the L.G.U. Medal match and Miss Wynyard off 31 returned a net 76, beating Miss Cousins (36) by one stroke. The women from Everslie played an interclub match at Otahuhu and after a close game the local players won by one match. Playing last week with M. J. Bailey and F. J. Lascelles, W. F. Warren put up a brilliant score at Waitemata, going round in 62—six less than the scratch score. The score included two two’s and eight three’s. Such a score is remarkable on any course. Some Recent Events C. A. Whitcombe’s success in the Irish open raised hopes in British breasts that the American monopoly of the British open was at last, to be broken. As we know, such hopes were destined to be shattered, the first three places being occupied by R. T. Jones. Macdonald Smith and L. Dlegel, Still Whitcombe’s performance was justification for the highest hopes. On Portrush, Ulster, a tirst-class championship course, he completed tho four rounds in 289, beating Mitchell, who was next, by eight strokes. The course was fiery and the greens were like glass, following an unusual spell of fine weather. Though some of the Americans were expected, none of them turned up. but Whitcombe’s score would have been hard tfo beat whoever had been there. Messrs. Ouimet, Von Elm and Voigt had entered for the Silver Tassie at Gleneagles, but all withdrew The field, however, contained almost all the leading British amateurs. W. Lister Hartley, who has not been so successful as his brother Rex. showed magnificent form, and returned a total of 145, 72 on the King’s course, and 73 on the Queen’s. J. T. Bookless, one of Scotland's very bert, and her reigning champion, was second, three strokes worse. Gleneagles, though not strictly sandy country, yet provides excellent golf, but it is no place for the man of moderate means. Last year, in the final of the Leeds professional tournament, H. Jolly missed a two-foot putt to win at the 35th, and was beaten by J. Turnesa at the 37th. This year he made no such error, and. after qualifying high up, he won the final from P. Sanderson by 3 and 1. The Overlapping Grip It was quite refreshing—and rather unexpected—to find in the current New York “Golf Illustrated” an article headed

“The Greatest Fallacy of All,” and to learn that the said fallacy was none other than the overlapping grip. For a quarter of a century or more practically all teachers of the game have taught that some form of overlapping or interlocking was essential. J. Duncan Dunn, one of America’s most famous teachers, and the author of the article in question, says that so far as he knows practically every golf instructor except himself is teaching men, women and children the overlapping grip. The same ls probably true in New Zealand. If one were to look back far enough into the history of the game, one would probably find that it was the success of Harry Vardon that led to the imitation of his methods, and particularly of his grip. Vardon, Taylor and Braid all overlapped, which should be a sufficient advertisement for that grip, but it is fair to add that very few others did. John Ball and H. H. Hilton always used the natural grip—that is, all fingers on the shaft*—and Britain has produced no such amateurs since. Of more modern players, Mitchell uses the natural grip, and he is supposed to be one of the world’s longest drivers; C. J. H. Tolley and H. R. Johnstone, to mention two other champions, do so also. Some authorities doubt, the value of the overlapping grip. A professional with strong fingers a’hd wrists can get adequate power from any grip, but the rank and file have no such margin. Probably the majority of men, and certainly the great majority of women, would do better with the natural grip. The talk of co-ordinating the two hands is moonshine. The beginner would be well advised to start with the natural grip—the so-called two v grip—and, if he likes to change later, he can easily do so. * *.• Freaks At Sunningdale, in the match between the Army and Navy and the Thames Yacht Club, J. E. Mellor’s opponent having pitched his ball into a bunker at the short. Bth, Mellor also pitched into the bunker, but his ball landed on the top of the ball already there, and bounced up on to the green, giving him the hole. Years ago at Shirley the grass in the hollow that is played over going to Old Nick was very thick and long, and a player, playing his ball out of a fearful lie, was amazed to see two balls rise into the air. At Criccieth in the Caernarvonshire amateur championship. Captain W. E. Jones put his tee shot at the short 7,th into a hedge where the ball came to rest in a pheasant’s nest in which the hen was sitting on three eggs. On the player’s approach the bird flew out, and in so doing flapped the ball out of i the nest with her wings into a playable position. Being Up Archie Cornpston makes some wise remarks tin ‘Golfing” on this very important subject. At Sunningdale, two years ago, he learned a lesson from Bobby Jones. At the 18th hole, Cornpston watched Bobby finishing his second round of 68 with a 3. The hole is about 400 yards and Cornpston was surprised to see the amateur take a No. 3 iron for his second when he himself from the same spot had taken a mashie. On being asked if he could not have got up with a mashie. Jone« replied that no doubt he could, but

would probably have hooked It into a bunker. As this was precisely what Cornpston had done the answer set him thinking. Bobby rarely J‘leans on’ the shot; he always plays within himself. That is one reason why he shares with J. H. Taylor the reputation of never being short. The ordinary golfer is often faced with the problem of being just too far for a mashie and not far enough for a full iron. Which should he do? Force the mashie or spare the iron? As a rule, he should take the iron, as probably he over estimates what he can do with it. Of course, if the trouble at the back is serious he may be wise to risk being short, but any attempt to force the mashie is usually disastrous. The long handicap man needn’t worry Toward the end of an exciting match a caddie handed his employer the deck with the advice to “slap straight at the pin.” “But if I hit it,” said the golfer. “I’ll be over the green.” “Aye,” said the caddie, ‘but ye’ll no hit it.” I one« saw a lady take her brassie when she was about 80 yards from the Land’s End green at Shirley. I watched to see the -fun. She knew best. She topped it along and was putting with her next. C. J. H. Tolley gives some good advice under this head. “If tho ball is lying heavily,” he says, “take a stronger club than the distance needs, and hit it hard.” * * * An American View In the editor’s column * of the “Chicago Golfers’ Magazine” occurs the following remark: “There is only one conclusion to be drawn —the United States is producing stronger competitive golfers than the birthplace of the ancient game. British golfers still play golf more for pleasure than as a business. Some day they may change, but until they do, the United States will continue to win the Walker Cup matches.” Notice this is about the Walker' Cup—not the Ryder Cup. Well, so long as we know, and it is well understood what the reason is, all is well. * * * Divots “Golf in Australia” tells of a man from th© backblocks who was taken out to one of the swell Victorian courses by a well-known stock and station agent. The visitor strewed the course with enormous divots, and never attempted to put them back. “Don’t you replace divots on your course in the country?” the city man snapped at his guest. “Only on the green,” replied tho backblocker.