GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 283, 8 May 1915, Page 7

GOLF.

j ITBMS FR-lI.M XIOAU AND I-'AII, Matches to lie played in New Plymouth this afternoon are:—New Plymouth (vluli, medal handicap; Witiova Club, bogey handicap; Taraliua Club, mixed - foursomes. A suggestion lias been made in Auckland. that a system of lines should l:o drawn up for jiMyors who do not replace turf. 'i'lie New Plymouth Club is endeavoring to arrange to send a. ladies' team to Jlawera early tiliis siiinsyn.

The Medley (-'-up. eompj'tition at W'itio)'a on Thursday produced the toilow ing scores:—.l. S. Patou, S-i —H—77; llavlv, !>-».—17—77; 11. Sniilhi illi—!-7-7'-l; V. il. i'ealo, !)7—17 —80; W. I'rooille',. (J-3—12 Hi; I. Jiullot, !).'!—M—Bl.

•T. F. .Ritchie, who won tile Taramtki championship at the recent tournament held in New Plymouth, was ]j)ayiti£ on the Waiwakaiho links last week-itud. Mr. Uitchio was playing good golf, and his games included rounds of 711 and Si). This Tit makes the second occasion on whim the champion lias equalled bogey at Waiwakaiho this season.

A correspondent from Kltliam write!to say that the ElUiain course is in better order this season than it lias ever boon, and arrangements are being made for a visit from C. Locke/ the TaranitfA professional. Intcr-clui) matches are being arranged with llawera and Pat-a. Five members of the Kltliam club ha\o joined the expeditionary force.

Several alteration- (aieulatod to improve the Taraliua Club's links are being considered. It ha; been decided to lengthen the second hole by about a hundred yards and to make it a hob-, requiring two full shots to reach the green. This change will he made at once, but the other proposed alterations have not yet In on decided upon.

At a meeting of the Match Committee of tin- Xew "Plymouth Club last night the programme U>r the season was drawn up, and will be published when couliniii'it by the lietveral Committee. It has been decided that the Standisll Cup will he played for this season. Every medal and bogey maidi played during the season will count for the Clip, the first, second and third places in each matcn being awarded points, and at the end of tae season SiW- player with the most -points will win the Cup. To-day's match will count for g!k* Dip.

Several Xew Plymouth golfers have gone to the war, and while there, are many left wlfca, for various reasons cannot go, there are ways in which they can help. There is no reason why all the weekly matches except those lot • trophies shoisSl not he in aiil of one of ( the funds, and if this were done the i three clubs in Xew Plymouth could sbr.w ! » substantial contribution at the end !of the season. The ladies throughout ! Xew Zealand' are to play monthly ' iiiatch.es, with an entrance fee of Is, in : aid of the KViif Cross Fund, and the Xew j Plymouth Club will hold its first Ked | Cross match next Tuesday. There am j scrllicieiit huiy players at Waiwakaiho to i ensure a good' contribution being received, and it is hoped that everyone will enter.

The question of whether inteT-club matches should be played while the war is on might also be cousin-red. by local clubs. iA suggestion has been made nv a member of the iraungakiekie (Auckland) Olirft, and it is stated that he is supported' by several other members, that no fnter-club matches lie played this season. There is a growing feeling in the golfing community that players arcnot making evough sacrifices—in a recreative- sense—mid that it would show a hettei' appreciation of the spirit of' the times if the inter-club matches, which' are of it, social and jovial nature, werediscontinued. All clubs have a lengthy match programme of their own, and it'iS felt that plavers should he content' U> proceed quietly with these..

Wiifrhos pln.veil under match play conditions always bring that old enemy, the stymie, vcrv much to the fore-lsara-t'lUv •Auckland Herald). The last two Hatiirrf.rys have produced many arguments for ami against its retention, the..ihtijlii'i'fcy llcing fiercely against. It is probable t'iiat the abolition of the stvmie wonld have been brought up at tile- business meeting of the Boyal and' Ancient Club at F.dinburgh this year, Imt tlln war stopped al! thought of it. A' large and influential hoily of players at Home had condemned the retaining of' the stymie in the code, and it is likely something would have, been done towards its abolition.

It is almost certain that the amateur and open championship of England will be abandoned this year. Most of the clubs which manage tile nnirtteui' meeting have decided against proceeding. A large number of' prominent players are at the front. The present champion, J. L. .Tonkins, is in Kitchener's army, and the runnei-iip, C. 0. Tlezlct, was called up on the declaration of 'war. The names of quite a number of well-known players haw already appeared in the casualty listsi.

There are indications of #olf returning to favor (says a writer in a recent "KnjrJish ih>..wspaper). To some extent this U due to the milder weather and j also U> tile feeling of optimism I with respect to the war. (iolFers did | not cease playing because it was not | "the. thin*,'" to jio o::i on to the links I aiul' i'n,joy themselves; they slopped localise they had not the heart to play. As Duncan put it to the writer, the majority of golfers are akove tho military age, and could not go to the front even if they wished to. Yet even these stopped playing and courses have been deserted. (iolf is not likely to take up its old position during the summer, but a good deal of it will be played. Tile outlook is still very discouraging from the professionals point of view. lAt'tlie present time he cannot make a living wage, and with everyone continuing io keep hi-; money in his pocket, as .Duncan put it, a return to the old prosperous times cannot as yet he hoped for. As was would be the case, some of the leading professionals are going to America, in the hope of cutting their losnes. Vardon and Jlay have already arranged 1o pay a j return \i-ut, and will take part in the ; national championship. 1 underdand j that it i.> likely that Duncan and Hraid ( v-ill also make a. tour. Duncan \ Uilcd Ameii.-a- four simmer ago. but his fellow Scot-man has up to now iv-Med every inducement to engage in a. torn*. An interesting proposal has been made to Vardon. This is to take part in a muHc hall sketch. The engagement offered is for twelve weeks at a salary of .C 101) a week. Striking testimony of the Challenger thdf Ila II: —A golfer has driven a thailender 2Slyds 2ft. This speaks as in 'he splendid qualities of the driving ■ . :"M i' oi' Ike ('nalh'iuier (lolf Pall. Made !in all sizes and weights. J'raiuble or j pimple, and heavy. ">T