GOLF

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1938, Page 7

GOLF

N.Z. TOURNEY PRELIMINARIES. GOOD ROUND BY LOCKE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, November 8. A round of 67 this afternoon by A. D. (Bobby) Locke was a feature of the day’s golf championship preliminaries and the best round yet played on the remodelled Balmacewen course. Locke, who considers one round a day quite enough for him, played in a foursome with N. H. Fuller against B. M. Silk, holder of the amateur title, and G. Watt. Wanganui. Locke and Fuller won the game 3 and 2. and all but Watt played pretty well up to form. Locke’s tee shots evoked great admiration from the big gallery which followed round, and after a few holes had been played he, had got the strength of the green sufficiently well to sink two or three 15 and 18ft putts. He was out in 36, Silk in 37, Fuller in 38 and Watt in 39. Silk sank a 15ft putt or) the ninth green for 3 to leave Lock and Fuller 1 up at the turn.

Locke sank a long putt beautifully at the short tenth for 2 and went on to score birdies at the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth, coming home in 31. His driver was working beautifully and he ,was getting much greater length than he was apparently attempting on Monday. Silk was usually outdriven, but his short game was first class and he made few mistakes on the greens. His 70 followed an excellently played 69 in the morning and if he maintains the form he has shown in his three rounds of the course so far, he must be favourite in the amateur championship and given serious consideration in the open. Fuller went round in 72.

The course was again full today, and a number of sound rounds were played. A. J. Shaw held his good form of Monday to go round in 69, despite two s’s at bogey 4’s early in the piece.He has been playing so well that he must be given a good chance of adding still another title to his collection. A north-easterly in the afternoon was sufficiently strong to worry players who did not have their strokes under full control, but otherwise conditions were splendid. The visitors have been fortunate in that they have been able to prospect the course in such favourable circumstances. With the experience of the past day or two, continued fine weather should be all that is necessary for the recording of still better rounds when competitors get down to the serious business of the tournament.

RIVERSIDE CLUB. LINKS STILL OPEN FOR PLAY. Although the Riverside Golf Club has officially closed-its season, the links are still open for play. Players may make their own arrangements on the links. It is stated that the links have never been in better order and players are invited to take advantage of the opportunity of continuing play under such excellent conditions.