GOLF NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1940, Page 3

GOLF NOTES

RIVERSIDE CLUB GAMES CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY. SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND. (By “Longdrive.”) The second qualifying round was played by the members of the Riverside Golf Club on Saturday. The conditions were not of the best but many good cards were handed in. The best cards in the seniors was that of N. Hoar. He has been playing great golf of late and qualified in top place with scores of 78 and 76. F. Pool has been playing good golf, too. He has changed his putting style and now plays his irons left handed and his putts right handed. This has made a great difference to his scores. A new player to join Riverside is H. Wehipeihana. He is a player who has great confidence in his putting and hits the ball with determination. He has now improved his driving. Instead of allowing for a hook he hits them all straight down the fairway. J. Thornton played sound golf (in 1 spite of a handicap of a poisoned thumb) and qualified in fourth place. The senior championship is very open this year and “Longdrive’s” pick is between N. Hoar and Wehipeihana. In the intermediate championship Greig Jones qualified top, closely followed by R. Wellington. G. Lambourne and W. Petty. G. Jones has now come on to his game, again, his driving and iron play being good. He is inclined to cut his putts and this is a fatal habit to get into, especially when the greens are the least uneven. During the weekend he missed several good putts whilst playing in a fourball match. The success of R. Wellington's rounds was in the fact that he was most accurate with his approach shots, often running them to within a foot or less of the cup. The final of the intermediate championship should be between G. Lambourne and W. Everett. The junior championship is also very open and this group should prove most interesting. I. Coleman gained top place, T. U. Wellington and M. Manson being second equal. In the junior round M. Manson took 53 for the first nine holes and then turned on the fireworks, taking 38 on the home journey. The following is the draw for the first round of the championship:— | Senior/ —N. Ho;(r v D. Costello; Wehipeihana v A. Wyeth, F. Pool v R. Wearne; J. Thornton v W. Palamontain; M. Thornton v L. Roff; A. Bell v J. Lulham; J. Wakelin v C. Chapman; E. Reid a bye. Intermediate. —G. Jones v J. Skeet; R. Wellington v V. Jones; W. Petty v H. Bannister; G. Lambourne v C. Leigh; A. Dixon v N. Ninnes; Wilmshurst v F. Hallam. Junior. —I. Coleman v H. Clarkson; T. U. Wellington v D. Grimwood; M, Manson v R. Castles; B. Jones v Haughey; G. Murdock v A. Levick; M. Finlayson v G. Ruston; J. Connell v L. Cross; K. McCalmont v S. Herbert; C. Walker v Rex Jones. The sheets for the championship have been put up in the club house and members are asked to arrange and play these games as soon as possible before August 12. MAHUNGA STABLEFORD COMPETITION. COMMENT ON RECENT PLAY. (By “Cleek.”) A stableford competition—the third this season —was the "order of the day” at the Mahunga links last Saturday, and in addition those players who had qualified for the ladies’ trophy met in their first round games. Though a trifle damp, conditions were not unpleasant, and some good scores were returned. M. Armstrong, with a net 63 and 38 stableford points, took the honours and incidentally the right to a substantial reduction in his handicap. He has developed a generous free swing and plays all his shots with that careful attention to detail that ensures good results. I. McFarlane, in the process of amasing his 37 stableford points, eliminated R. B. McPherson from the ladies' trophy competition, defeating the latter 3 and 1. The winner showed better form than his opponent, who neverthe- • less played, soundly and scored 33 stableford points. 1 G. B. Peterson, whose scores so far this season have not been a true in1 dex of his undoubted ability, came into his own on Saturday. His net 67 oil' a 10 handicap was well merited and hardly earned. It should help to restore some of that confidence in his game that was previously lacking. J. Corbishley’s win over A. Ward was earned only after a dour struggle. 5 He took the game on the last green and it was anybody’s match up till then. F. C. Brockett was in good form, and necessarily so, to beat M. Syron 3 . and 1 after a game of fluctuating for- ’ tunes The winner showed his staying power by coming in at the right end. The qualifying rounds for the championships commence tomorrow. To most golfers, the very mention of the word “championship” seems to lead to an involuntary tightening of the muscles with a corresponding and very natural loss of form—an interesting example of cause and effect. To those who are anxious to qualify—and who isn’t?— "Cleek" would recommend that tomorrow’s play be considered merely as an ordinary medal round with nothing more attaching to it than the opportunity to get out into the open and enjoy the benefits of fresh air and plea- ■_ sant companionship.