GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 80, 25 September 1911, Page 8

GOLF.

AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. 'By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 24, 0.5 p.m. ■Sydney, Last Night. 1-lowden (Victoria) beat Velstead (Victoria.) for the Australian amateur golf championship ljy 4 up and '■'* to play. NGAMOTU CLUB. ACQUIRES A PERMANENT HOME. For eighteen months past a committee of the Nganiotu Golf Club, headed by Mr. J. Paton, has been at work quietly looking for new links for the club, 'the lease of tin; present course having but a short period to run, and being unavailable for a renewed term. The gradual widening of the residential area of New Plymouth made it imperative to go farther afield, and the prospects of .progress compelled the committee to look well ahead in fixing on the new home. A distance of seven or eight miles fnrni town to the links makes golf a difficult pastime, although the sjxort thrives even under t.hi> hardship in some places. If a lease of a property were secured for a term, a rapid increase in population and extension of the borough boundaries, with consequent increase of land values, might result in another shift being necessary at the end of term. Bearing this in mind the committee looked for a place' which the club might adopt us a permanent home.

The committee reported to a good meeting of members at the Town llall on Saturday night, and recommended tho purchase of the well-known farm, portion of the late Mr. William Bayly's estate, on the Devon road, three miles out from New Plymouth. On the motion of Mr. <'• A. Ben bow, seconded by Mr. F. «S. Johns, it was unanimously decided to acquire the property, and the committee was empowered to complete the purchase in terms of a letter received from Mr, Newton King (for the trustees). The same committee will arrange the best method of financing the transaction, either by the formation of a private company, or the issue of debentures. and will report to a future meeting.

The change of home necessitates a change of name, Ngamolu being the name of the locality wherein the present links are situated, and the club will in future be known us the New Plymouth Golf Club.

The property, as before stated, is situated within three miles of New Plymouth, and extends from Devon road to the sea. There is a splendid metalled road past the links, and the F.gniont road .railway station is within half a. mile of the property. It is a beautiful site for golf links, and there are practically 110 -"blind holes" in the course, whilst the pavilion site on the rise ne'.ir the main road will command a view of the whole course. There are 220 acres in the property to be acquired. Mr. F. (i. Mood, the professional .golfer, recently inspected the place,-. and he gave his opinion that when the course has been properly bunkered it will be one of the finest iii the Dominion. There is a splendid turf—the farm is known as- one of the finest for grazing purposes in the district. The tenure is a perpetual lease, the land being vested in the Publie Trustee.

The semi-finals for the championship were played on Saturday in perfect golf weather, when A. Bewley beat A. H. Glasgow by 3 up and 2, and F. S. Johns beat W. Bewley 1 up at the last hole in a closely contested match, the respective rounds being 82 and 83. The final of SO holes will be played by A. Bewley and F. S. Johns on Saturday next, .play commencing about 11 a.m.

TAIi.VJII'A CLUB. In the final for the championship of the Tarahua Club on Satur<lay R. Bailv beat W. Douglas on the nineteenth hole. The mixed foursomes match wa.s completed on Saturday, Miss White and J. ft. List winning from Miss E. Putt and Xeal by 3 up and 4. A match fur men for the St. George's cross will be played on .Saturday next.