GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 April 1916, Page 7

GOLF.

TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP, Won by l. climie| ! The Taranaki golf championship and j handicap tournament was concluded on the New Plymouth Club's links at Waiwakaiho yesterday morning. The principal event was the final of the championship, in which L. Climie (Wellington), beat B. L. Taylor (Wellington) by 3 up and 2 to play over 18 hiles, The match was not productive of brilliant golf, which was rendered difficult by a strong southerly wind, which swept across the links. Climie gained his win, principally, through playing a steadier game than Taylor, who only gave an occasional glimpse of his true form. Taylor usually held the advantage through the green and appeared to be more at ease with his wooden clubs than Climie, but what advantage he gained in this respect was marred by bad putting. In fact the putting was by no means brilliant. Two splendid drives at the first hole promised well, and Climie was well up on the green with his second, Taylor running his approach through. Taylor missed a four, which was sufficient for Climie. The second was halved in six, after both players lost chances on the green. Climie "duffed" his drive, which struck the fence, while Taylor was on the fringe of the green with his drive. Climie found the green with his second, but a weak putt lost him the half, and Taylor went down in four, and made "honors easy." On the sixth green, seme poor putting was displayed, Climie losing an easy half, and Taylor won the hole in six. The fifth was halved in four. Then Taylor's play greatly deteriorated and the next four holes all went to Climie, who was thus three up at the turt. It was on the greens where Taylor lost. Playing on to the tenth, Taylor was just through the green, while Climie's ball fell short on the side of the hill opposite the green. Climie played on with a neat second, but left :i difficult third, which he failed to drop down. Taylor nearly got a two and made certain of three. Climie, 2 up. Both drove well into the fairway playing the eleventh hole, and reached file green without trouble, but indifferent putting led to the hole being halved in five. Bad putting cost Taylor the twelfth hole. Climie, 3up and 0. Both drove good balls well into the clear going to the thirteenth, but Taylor "foozled" his second; and Gl<i»ie was a stroke to the good when the green was Teached. Taylor picked up on the green and gave Climie the hole. Climie 4up and sto play. Climie's drive to the fourteenth was weak, and Taylor put a splendid ball on to the green, winning the hole in thre.e Climie 3up and 4. Against the strong wind the fifteenth proved a laborious hole, which Taylor won in seven. Climie 2up and 3. At the sixteenth, Taylor put his drive out of the bounds, and played another short of the green. Climie was on the edge of the green with his drive and,- keeping a stroke ahead, holed in three, thus winning the match, 3 up and 2 to play. Mr. S. .T. Smith acted as umpire.

An object lesson was afforded by the careful manner in which both players replaced the turf. There was considerable cutting, of the fairway yesterday, and at the end of the day the course presented a somewhat scarred appearance. This is an old complaint against golfers, but one which always seems to justify repeating.

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS. Previous champions and runners-up have been:— 1900. —J. C. Burns defeated H. D. Bates, 7 up and 5. 1907. —A. Duncan defeated W. B. Colbeck, 4 up and 3. 1908.—R, 6. Scott defeated W B. Colbeck, 2 up and 1. 1909. G. Saunders defeated I. Saunders, 1 up at the 19th hole. 1910. J. Harrold defeated A. H. Kidston, .2 up and 1. 191!. —G. Saunders defeated R. L. D. Kidston, P. up and 2. ] 012. —W B. Colbeck defeated J. C. Burns, 4 up and 3. 1913.—8. Ij. Taylor defeated D. Pryde, 3 up and 2. 1914. —L. Seifert defeated S. Smith, 5 up and 4, 191!>.—.T, F Ritchie defeated A. E. Ekstedt, 2 up and 1. | 1910.—L. Climie defeated "U. L. Taylor, 3 un and 2.

MEX'S FOUR BALL MATCH. A luor.V. four-ball bogey match was also played yesterday, and was won by T. A Hoodie and A. A. Stewart. The best scores were:— T. A. Moodie and A. A. Stewart, 1 down. Yv. D. Ross and H. R. Jenkins, 2 down. ft. Grey and F S Johns, 3 down. J. 1). Scott and K. B. Bain, 4 down. W. 11. Wood and A. Bewlev, 4 down. LADIES' HATCH. Tl.e ladies' medal match yesterday was won hv Mrs. F. S. Johns. The be.-t scores were: — Mrs. Johns 11)4 •21-8.1 Miss F. I'utt 117-30-87 Mrs, McQuado 117-27-90 Miss a. Free 12G-35-91 Miss 13. Gilbert 130-20-94 "putting ! Putting was played during the tournament, the three best cards winning. Results: — Ladles—Sins. V. S. Johns. Hen. —H. Fr.i3.a-.