GOLF NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1939, Page 11

GOLF NOTES

MASTERTON CLUB’S TOURNEY SOME HANDICAP reductions. SOME LITTLE KNOWN RULES. (By “Handicapper.”) Now that the excitement of the annual tournament is over, Masterton Golf Club officials feel very gratified at such excellent results. H. M. Major, the tournament secretary, did excellent work and Keith Williams, the club professional, also did his share as official starter. Several members effected reductions in handicap, among whom was N. Moore from 10/8 to 8/6. J. B. McPherson also played good golf and had his handicap reduced from 10/8 to 8/6. Arthur Drew from 14/11 has been reduced to 12/9. He put up a great performance to beat Harold Esau in the handicap event, as the latter is known as a good match player. Another very prominent player was J. E. Falloon, a junior, who has been transferred to the A grade and now plays off 16. G. Falloon also had a reduction in handicap. This young player put up a good performance to put out several prominent competitors during the tourney, one being a scratch man. It is surprising to find the number of golfers who do not know that the handicapper has the right (and possibly the duty) to alter handicaps during the progress of a tournament. Under L.G.U. rules it is compulsory to play on a reduced handicap if the handicap has been earned during a tournament and rehandicapping is a general practice in all tournaments throughout the Dominion. In tournaments which have to be completed within a given time it is not possible to replay handicap matches when the competitors finish all square at the last hole. The practice adopted is to send the players on to the next hole after the finishing hole, whether this hole be the first or (as as Lansdowne) the ninth. In either case, a certain amount of injustice is done. If the first hole is played then the long handicap man is deprived of his handicap. If the ninth hole is played then the short handicap man has to concede a stroke. The position is always difficult for one player but golfers are a philosophical race and once the rule is known there are no undue heartburnings.

RIVERSIDE CLUB FORM IN RECENT GAMES. ADVANTAGES OF FOURBALL COMPETITIONS. (By "Long Drive.”) In a fourball competition played on the Riverside links on Saturday many pairs combined well. More of these competitions (senior and junior members playing together) would be appreciated by the junior members, not only to tfclp them to improve their game but to teach them the rules. Miss R. Gadsby and Mrs R. Bakerplaying together handed in the best card. A left-hander, Miss E. Wood, can still hold her own and with a, card of 82 on Saturday she will be to the front in the championship rounds. Miss Dohnt has been playing bettergolf lately. Coaching is the thing and when she settles down with her new swing she should reduce her handicap. Mrs J. Clarke played well on Saturday, going out in 42. but she found the home journey rather difficult, recording a 47. Mrs Beecroft could not control the bull very well last weekend. Although she had several sevens a birdie 3 at No. 7 was a good effort. Miss Wiggins has just returned from a holiday and ’when she settles down again she will be able to reduce her scores by several strokes. Miss Stalker, a newcomer to the ranks, is improving. She has had several rounds now of 86 net. She hits a long ball off the tee but has still to learn how to control the ball when

around the greens. That comes with practice. Mrs Rawlins is not playing the same steady golf this year as she did last season. " On Saturday her card read 7,7, 4,5, 8 for the first five holes. ’ Mrs Pool had a good round, her card for 7 of the first 9 holes being all the same score. J. Wakelin, now playing on a 21-16 handicap, recorded a good round. In spite of an 8 at "Barr’s” and a 7 at the "Kumbak” he was able to play to his “handicap, 90-21-69. A. Carstens had a very even round, recording 9 fives for the home journey. W. Palamontain went out in 40 but the second nine was his downfall. G. Beecroft played to 2 above his handicap but on his card he had five sixes, too many for a player that hits every ball straight down the fairway. R. Wellington handed in a" good card on Saturday of 70 net. He is a left-hander and is the most energetic man on the links. S. Pye, another junior with plenty of.promise, had a card of 70 net. "Makora" was his downfall, having an 8 on that hole. G. Challis handed in a card of 74 net. Gordon is now on an 18 handicap. A. Dixon of hockey fame has now joined the ranks of golfers. He played well, the first 9 his card reading 41. He could not manage to control his clubs on the home journey. D. Snow, Wellington, played a round of 88-14-74 on Saturday but played better golf on Monday, recording rounds of 70 and 69 net. Ross Riley, a first-year player, is improving every game, having broken the century after his first six rounds of golf. To assist the secretary in arranging his report for the Press players arc requested to hand in all cards, correctly added up, handicap deducted, and signed by opponents. TODAY’S QUESTION. Today’s golf question is:—Ball striking the player, etc.: It’ a player's ball strikes himself or his caddie or his clubs he shall incur a penalty of—.