GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 142, 2 November 1912, Page 7

GOLF.

Apropos the attempt to form a municipal links on Wellington reserves, it may be mentioned that municipalites in the older countries draw large revenues from public golf courses. Besides providing the finest sport for all actions of the community, visitors are attracted and the revenue comes to the place where golf links are. Special interest attaches to the figures dealing with the amount of play on the Edinburgh courses during the last year, by reason of an increase of a penny on the tariff of (lie Braid Hills course. When the change was made there was those who doubted the wisdom of the step from the financial point of view of the corporation, but the figures go to show that the expectations of those who moved for the increased tariff in order to meet the additional outlay in connection with the extension east of Winchester's and the increased cost of upkeep have been fully reailsed. According to the Scotsman from January 1 to March 24, when the tariff was twopence per round, the players numbered 10,531; from March 25 till the end of the year, paying 3d a round, they numbered 57,264. This gives a total of 08,155 compared with 70,340 of last year, but to the 08,155 there falls to be added 29,74!), the number using the nine holes at Id a round. The grand total of players on the Braids was thus 97,904, from whom £932 Os 2d was collected as dues. Had the present charges been in operation all the year through, the tariff from the Braid Hills course alone would have yielded something like £IO2O. Last year the Braids' course brought a little over £600; this year they have brought a revenue of £932; and given good weather the revenue next year should reach four figures. The result is altogether satisfactory. Congestion has been diminished, in that 800 fewer rounds were played on the long course, while from that course alone the revenue has increased by about £lls. The imposition of a charge of Id for the nine holes has also been justified. It produced £124 during the nine months it was open, and for a full year it should realise about £140.. The Portobellq course gains in popularity year by year. In 1909, 28,043 rounds'were played; ;in 1910 they numbered 37,668, while last year the figures were 43,083. Of this; total, 27,293 rounds were played at the, 2d fee, and 15,790 at the single round fee of Id. At Soughton, where only the single round at Id is in force, -68,844 , rounds were played, giving a revenue \of £2Ol 17s. Taking the Braids, Portobqllo and Soughton together, we get for thbse feepaying courses a total of 203,831 jrounds, and an income of £1487 Is lid., A remarkable shot recently mjade by Bay, the open champion, at Porjc Erin, when, after driving out of bounds, he holed his next shot from 220 yaj'ds; recalls, to mind the fact that one. of the best shots in the recent open championship at Muirfield was played.,lj>y McNeill, of Portrush, who, on the last day, was partnered by the great James Braid, close to the green at the last hole is a huge bunker, and McNeill's ball lay hard' up against the fact, which overhangs. It should be remembered that tljesand" in the bunkers at Muirfield had been purposely mixed with earth tp prevent the wind blowing the light dry,; sand away, and when the rain came this mixture became like clay, and jt.wap quite a hard matter to extricate the balheven from a good lie. McNeill, however, played straight for the pin, and by some wonderful means he not only got , the ball out, but laid it absolutely! dead; and secured a four. It was, indeed, .a great shot by a rapidly-rising jplayer, who. is apparently possessed of jail : the qualifications that go to make aj champion. : ,1 ;,' It is not generally known that .George Duncan and Tom Bail, the twoj young golf .professionals who issued a challenge to the world to play a four-ball] match recently, met and defeated Edward, Ray /and Harry Vardon, in a contest pf'.that description. When the players were on the Continent after the decision (of theOpen at Muirfield, it was suggested by someone that the' open champion and the ex-open, champion should take ,up the challenge in a friendly way. They did, with the result that the challenge;;'* won two out of three. The ; trial of the challenge pair was severe enough in all conscience, and their success tends to prove the assertion made that-Duncan .and Ball would beat any other two. players in .this kind of game. .To defeat the couple who filled the> first: two: places in the open championship is an :accomplishment of which the two young professionals should be extremely proud. : In a few weeks the first golf jprofessional that China has ever known will make his appearance in that .country. This is interesting, as instancing the remarkable spread of the game., ."The distinction is to fall upon Richard- Gra:, ham, who is at present assistant at- the Raynes Park Club, and -leaves in a few, weeks' time to take up the post of, pro: fessional to the Shanghai Golf. Club. Graham is a clever golfer, just;oyer. 20 years of age, and although he'has not. had much competitive success, he-has played a deal of good golf, such 'as ,do,ing, a 70 at Raynes Park and a similiarly, praiseworthy score at Brains-hot. ; , Gra-, ham was employed as private coach .at the age of 15, and is said to possess the rare gift of being able to impart 'his knowledge of the intricacies of the game to his pupils.