GOLF.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1922, Page 3

GOLF.

NEW PLYMOUTH CLUB. MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP. WON BY F. S. JOHNS. An overcast sky, a light breeze and wellkept links combined to make an ideal golfing day for play in the final of the New Plymouth Club’s men’s championship at Walwakalho yesterday, when, after a close contest over a 36 hole course, F. S. Johns defeated W. H. Robertshaw by 5 up and 4 to play. Thus, for the second occasion, Johns earns the right to have his name inscribed on the board In the clubhouse as champion of the year. The first round over 18 holes was played in the morning. Johns won the first hole, maintaining his early lead over the next four holes, which were halved, and gaining a point at both the sixth and seventh greens. Turning for home Johns was 3 up, and he was 4 up at the twelfth. Robertshaw won the fourteenth and sixteenth, but the fifteenth and seventeenth went to Johns, while the last hole was halved, giving Johns the lead at the end of the first round by 4 up. Johns went out in 46 (bogie 41), Robertshaw taking 4ft strokes. Coming home. Johns equalled bogie with 38, whilst, his opponent was only one stroke behind. For the whole course Johns took 84 (bogie 79) and Robertshaw BS. Play was well up to championship standard, though two or three putts were lost by both players owing to worm casts. Detailed scores are: Johns: 5,4, 4,6, 6,5, 4,6, 6,3, 4,4, 5, 4,6, 3,4, s—total 84.

Robertshaw: 6,4, 4,6, 6,6, 5,6, 6,3, 4. ,5 5,3, 5,4, 5, s—total 88.

Play in the second round commenced in the afternoon; perfect weather conditions prevailed and good golf was witnessed. A good drive from the first tee enabled Robertshaw to win th® first hole in 4, the second hole also being won by him in the same number of strokes,. so that he had already wiped off half of the handicap of his morning play and drove for the third 2 down. Both players narrowly missed the third hole with the'.r third stroke, the hole being halved. Robertshaw’s fourth “lipped” the next hole, which Johns won. Weak putting characterised play at the next hole, which was halved in six. A putt enabled Johns to win the seventh in three, while the next two were halved in five, Johns turning for home 4 up.

Johns failed to clear the rise approaching the tenth, his ball falling to the foot of the hill, but Robertshaw, with a magnificent shot, landed only a couple of feet from the flag with his first and found the hole with his next. Both followed through the eleventh green with their seconds, Johns lying handy with his third. Robertshaw's third was also well placed, but, in attempting to hole with his fourth, he putted too hard and the hole went to Johns. Johns landed in a difficult position over the hill with his drive at the twelfth, his opponent lying near the edge of the green and easily winning the hole in three. Each player’s second shot came to rest near the edge of the green at the thirteenth. Robertshaw's third was rather short of the hole, but Johns, putting brilliantly, found the hole with his third. Play was now at a high-ly-interesting stage, for ' Robertshaw had to halve the next and win the succeeding four holes in order to have a sporting chance of victory. Johns sent a longer drive than Robertshaw towards the fourteenth, but both found the green with their second, though the advantage was with Johns, who holed in four. Robertshaw took five and the hole and the men’s championship for 1922 went to Johns.

Going out Johns took 44 strokes and Robertshaw 45. Details of the game to the point where ptay ceased are:

Johns: 5,6, 4,6, 4,6, 3,5, 5,4, 4, 5, 3, 4. Robertshaw: 4,4, 4,6, 5,6, 4,5, 5,2, 5, 3,4, 5. Mr. W. C. Weston (club captain) was the umpire. Previous winners of the championship are: 1903 E. A. Walker. 1904 G. E. Mannering. 1905 H. H. Ward. 1906 H. H. Ward. 1907 R. Addenbrooke. 1908— R. G. Scott. 1909 J. Paton. 1910— H. C. Wright. 1911— A. Bewley. ■ 1912 A. Bewley. 1913 R. H. Bally. 1914 E. S. Bayley. 1915 A. Bewley. 1916 F. S. Johns. 1917 A. Bewley. 1918— G. Gudgeon. 1919 A. Bewley. 1920 W. H. Robertshaw. 1921 T. V. Mackay.

INTER-CLUB MATCH. NEW PLYMOUTH V. WAITARA. The New Plymouth Club sent a team of eight to Waitara on Monday. Waitara won by seven matches to one. Following are the results, Waitara players being mentioned first in each case : Morning. Glasgow and Fowler beat Johns and Broome, 5 up and 4. Hayhurst and Johns beat Johnston and McQuade, 4 up and 3. C. Sampson and W. Fuller beat Jackson and Laurie, 4 up and 3. George and W. Sampson beat Moore and Waters, 4 up and 3. Afternoon. Glasgow and Fowler beat Johns and Broome, 1 up. Hayhurst and Johns lost to Johnston and McQuade, 3 down and 2. C. Sampson and W. Fuller beat Jackson and Laurie, 7 up and 5. Gaw and Locke beat Moore and Waters, 3 up and 2.