WAIKATO GOLF

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21212, 7 September 1940, Page 15

WAIKATO GOLF

PLAY IN HAMILTON NOTES AND COMMENTS (By “Fyfe Scot.”) Scoring in the qualifying rounds of the club championship at St. Andrews was not of a particularly hign standard, excepting for the first halfdozen in the seniors. This is very often the way in championship qualifying rounds as everyone is anxious to qualify and over keenness among the the inexperienced intermediates and juniors usually prevents them from producing their best. As expected, Glading headed the senior qualifying list with rounds of 76 and 73, while Etheridge had two good steady rounds of 77. Next came M. A. Kelly with 79 and 76. Kelly has improved considerably since last year and is definitely a better player than his five handicap would indicate. After Kelly came Seccombe, with two rounds of 80, with Seabrook close behind with 82 and 80. In the intermediate division H. M. Blackie took pride of place with 84 and 87. Lance Tompkins, after just a fair 90 in the first round, turned on a good one of 83 in the second round to be in second place while in the junior division Harry Fairhall, playing improved golf, headed the qualifiers with 93 and 89, and next came A. F. Cole—fresh from his success in the veterans’ tournament at Rotorua—with rounds of 90 and 93. The Senior Title Favourite for the senior title of course is Glading. At the same time I am predicting Etheridge to extend him, and as they are on opposite sides of the draw I should say they would be the finalists. Selecting the winner of the intermediate division is I another matter as the issue is very open.

Blackie has never been a long hitter, but always was a dangerous man around the greens. As he is now hitting his tee shots much further it is on the cards that he should do well. In the junior division, despite the fact that he is halfway down the qualifying list, I would select Fenton McCullough as the probable winner as no junior has played steadier golf than he has this year. Lochiel had its first open day of the year last Sunday and was unfortunate that it rained so heavily in the morning. Quite a large number of players participated and there is just a possibility that had the country players arrived there would have been too big a crowd. The most startling card of the day was C. Cowley’s 42 points in the Stableford competition. Cowley is a first-year player and has already been reduced from 24 to 18. It was more than disappointing to >ea4 that Jim Ferrier, who has been doing so well in American golf, had lost his amateur status. This was caused through his writing a book on “ How I Play Golf,” or having caused this book to be written and accepting royalties from its sales. It is more than surprising that this player should not have been aware of the consequences of this act as it is only recently that Enid Wilson, one of England’s foremost women golfers lost her amateur status for the same thing The breach msie by these players comes under the category of using their golfing ability tor financial gain.