GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 1 May 1915, Page 7

GOLF.

ITEMS FROM NEAR AND FAR. ' Since the time when the Ngamotu Club (now known as the New Plymouth Club) left its original links on the South road golf has made particularly rapid strides in New Plymouth, and in proportion to population New Plymouth lias more golfers this season ti.:.n any other town in New Zealand. If is unii|uc for a town with the population which New Plymouth has to possess three golf clubs, and each club enters on the 1015 season with bright prospects. The New Plymouth Club now lias approximately 130 playing members (80 men and fill ladies); the Witiora Club has approximately SO playing members (30 men and 30 ladies); and the Tarahua Club has approximately 40 playing members (25 men and 15 ladies), thus giving the town i"0 active golfers, while all the clubs anticipate new members as the season advances. Not only has the game become very popular in New Plymouth, but increased interest has been gathered by all the clubs in Taranaki. To assist in maintaining the interest of golfers the Daily News is this year devoting more space than formerly to the game, and as a special column of items of interest to golfers will be published in Saturday's issue throughout the golf season, secretaries of clubs throughout Taranaki are invited to contribute information relative to their respective clubs' activities.

The past week has not afforded favorable weather for golf. The ladies' match at Waiwakaiho to have been played on Tuesday was postponed till next Tuesday owing to the wet weather, but although the weather was again wet on Thursday competitions were held it Witiora and Tarahua. To-day a bogey match will lie played on the New Plymouth Club's links; the first round of the Medley Cup will take place at Witiora; and mixed foursomes will be held at Tarahua.

It is probable that all the New Plymouth clubs will be engaged in interclub matches on June 3 (King's Birthday). The Xew Plymouth Club will go to Hawera, and the Hawera Club hopes to have its full course of IS holes ready for play by then. The Witiora Club i's considering the possibilities of a visit to Wavorloy, and the Tarahua Club is endeavoring to arrange a match with Waitara at Waitara. The Tarahua Club opens the season with the links in particularly good order, the greens being especially good. A patch of fern in the fairway going to the second hole has been a cause of trouble to players in the past, for it was necessary to drive out of line to avoid it. This year the fern has been removed and the hole is much better for the improvement. Phil. Crey, of the Tarahua vircy, has established a somewhat unusual record this season. Three handicap matches have been played and he has won each of them. * » 4 The Xew Plymouth Club will lose a prominent member this season in Miss Stephenson, who has been lady champion of the club on several occasions. Miss Stephenson proposes leaving for Australia shortly and sne will be absent for the greater part of the season.

Pending a decision on the half-holiday question the New Plymouth Club postponed the fixture of the season's' programme, hut now the question has been settled the programme will be drawn up and will lie available next week. The position, as far as golfers are concerned is very much the same as last year. In regard to inter-club matches, Inglewood and Stratford will have to be played on Thursdays, hut Waitara, having declared for Saturday, will be played on that day, and matches with Witiora and Tarahua will be arranged for a Saturday.

The invitation from the Waverlcy Cluh to the i\ew Plymouth Club lias been tentatively discussed. The only full day which is available for such a match is June 3, and on that day the Xcw Plymouth Cluh has an engagement with tile llawera Club. However, steps may be taken towards the end of tlie season to get a team away to Waverlcy on a .Saturday.

"When sufficient bunkers are made tlie Xew Plymouth 'Club's links will be as good as any course in the Dominion," remarked a visitor at the Easter tournament at Waiwakaiho. To adequately bunker the links a task will be provided which will absorb much time and money, but it is hoped to bunker as many holes as possible this year. The eighth hole and the fifteenth hole will be the first holes to be taken in hand. When the club takes in hand improvements to the links it is felt by many players that the fence on the right going to the eighteenth green' should be taken back further. At present good balls which but slightly deviate, fro/n the line are penalised by being out of bounds.

There are some rules which it is necessary to employ frequently on which some p'ayers have not a clear understanding. For instance, there is tlie question of a lost ball. If a ball is lost in a water hazard the player may drop (not tee) another ball from behind the water hazard with a penalty of one stroke, but if a ball is lost anywhere else the player must go back to the spot from where the lost ball was played and tee (not drop) another ball with a penalty of one stroke. Then there is the point of giving way when a ball is lost. Five minutes is the time allowed in which to find a ball, but it should not be imagined that those five minutes can lie employed before players following are allowed to pass through. If players are close behind you and you do not find your ball at once you must signal them to go through, and having let players pass you must not proceed further until those players are on; oi range, unless they should ask you to play on. There have been cases at Waiwakaiho this season where players not taking part in a match, have "cut in." The rule on this matter is clear. Players not taking part in the match miiv not "cut in" unless there is a clear hide abend and a clear hole, behind. At any time players at Waiwakaiho may start from tees Xos. 1, 3 or 5, providing the conditions mentioned above exist.

Tlie green committee at Middlemen* (Auckland) is faced with quite a serious problem in getting at least five of tlie greens back to their old condition. Tlie long, dry summer, coming on to]) of the heavy work of last season, played havoc with the finer sorts of grass. The temporary greens in use are playing quite well, hut very few temporary greens can stand a lot of hard wear and fear, and they will probably get poor in a few weeks. Most of the leading British golf professionals are too old to go on active service. The younger men luTve responded splendidly. Jack Ross, of Park-lan-rley, and C. Clarke, of Eotherham, who have been given commissions in the (lordon Highlanders and the Border Regiment respectively; Tom Fernie, of Troon, who has been at the front for several weeks, and his golfing brothersj Geo. Cadd, of Rochampton, who holds the championship of Wales; Willie Watt,

one of the most successful professionals in Scotland during recent years; Alec. Marling and C. E. Smith, of Aberdeen; J. I). Edgar, whose victory in tlie French open championship was one of the outstanding features of last season's tournaments; James Bradbecr, of Porter's Park; Robert Jacobs, of Bedford; these I are a few of the volunteers from the ' ranks of professionals. There are many others, including the batch of assistants ] who are in camp together, and who call themselves the ''Niblick Brigade." It is one of the most instructive commentaries on the value of experience at golf that the majority of the men of championship class are over 40 years of age, and, as there is not likely to he a great deal for thorn to do at home, the chances are that they will make business expeditions to America. Two, indeed, have already been invited to do so, and if others, says R. E. Howard in the Sportsman, are not asked they may feci tempted to keep the hand and eye in traning by going opt for the chief events in the States.

The 'Floating Challenger is ideal for courses with water hazards. The ball that can't help lloating: quality and reputation keep it at the top. Buy a Challenger to-dav; to-morrow 1 von'll buy a box. The Challenger Coif Ball is the ball you'll eventually buy.—Advt.