GOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 236, 2 October 1920, Page 18

GOLF.

(By NIBLICK.) The recent New Zealand championship meeting on the St. Andrew's Links, Hamilton, was one of the most successful tournaments ever held in the Dominion. As soon as the visitor set eyes on this beautiful course laid out by Mr. Harry Gillies, of Hamilton, at his own expense, and finally taken over by the Hamilton Borough Council, he at once realised that he was going to thoroughly enjoy his week's golting. Fully a week before the tournament started aspirants to championship honours began to arrive, and before the end of the week all available accommodation had been occupied by golfers. The arrangements for the tournamunt were in the hands of a very able committee, whilst Mr. A. Webb proved an efficient secretary. Of course no tournament has ever been run where everyone went home perfectly satisfied with the arrangements, but I feel sure that when the Hamilton club have the honour of holding another New Zealand meeting on their links the few mistakes that occurred will be rectified.

Of course, the great success of the tournament was in no small measure due to the presence of the Australian open champion, J. Kirkwood. This piiiyer came over with a great reputation, and he fully justified it. Jt is rarely that a player who has such complete command over the hall is seen. I watched him playing in several matches, and never on one occasion did I see him made a bad mistake, such as topping a drive or duffing an iron shot. He can safely be discribed as the essence of accuracy. lie is the one player that it has been my lot to see. Of course, I'm not saying that there are not others, who can nominate any shot and play it. A party of us were watching him practising one morning, and one spectator asked him to show us a slice round a willow tree about 100 yards distant. This was successfully given. "Now show its a pull." Two were given, each ball landing with 15 yards of the slice. "Now show us a low rising ball over the middle of the trees." Kirkwood, without the slightest hesitation, ser/; away a superb shot, the ball landing amongst the others about 200 yards distant.

A camera fiend asked him to play a full iron shot so that he could take him when actually playing. "Eight oh! I will aim at that pin on the green" (ISO yards distant). The ball rolled up and actually hit the pin. The camera man now wanted to take him playing a shot so that he would get the sun full on his face. This meant hitting the ball right up a hill and off the course. Kirkwood said, "But what about my ball?" One of the spectators suggested that he should endeavour to hit a post in the fence, about 30 yards distant. Kirkwood played and the ball did hit the post, and came back within 10 yards of the striker.

In his exhibitions, Kirkwood held the crowd in absolute wonder from start to finish. An account of a demonstration was given in the supplement of this paper last month, and quite a number have questioned the accuracy of this account. I can vouch for the accuracy all right as I saw no less than three exhibitions, and all I can say is that I fully recommend all golfers to go and see the Australasian open champion when lie visits here in about six weeks' time. That they will not be disappointed in one degree I am confident.

The Auckland professionals Moss (Auckland) and Blair (Maungakiekie) created, very favourable impressions in their matches. Blair was in good form prior to the tournament, and' responsible in a practise round for a 33 for the last 0 holes of the course (a record). Moss was indeed unfortunate in striking Kirkwood in the first round of the professional championship. As he did not have a chance to compare himself with the other New Zealand professionals. When he met Kirkwood, the Australian was in great form and it looked as though he would create a record for the course, but he was not quite so brilliant during the latter part of the round.

Of the amateurs, Sloane Morpeth proved himself a real champion of cnampions. At the end of last season he and two brothers took up land near Te Kuiti, and in consequence golf was out of the question. The champion never gave up hopes however of being able to secure a fortnight's practice before the tournament opened. During the last week in August he came into Hamilton and started his golf season in real earnest. To show what a real golfer he is, he was doing rounds of SO and under in si very short time, and it was soon evident that he had lost none of the skill attained as a boy on the Waihi links. When it came to the open championship Morpeth was found well up to Kirkwood, and sticking to his task in great style was within 2 strokes of the Australian at the end of 3 rounds—a truly splendid performance. What happened during the last round I do not know, but evidently the strain was too much, and his last card was an So, easily the worst round he had played for days. It was really hard luck, but even so he liad the satisfaction of being with the other Australian professional. East, fpr second place, and what was even better to know, that he had the best card among the New Zealand golfers. When it came to the amateur championship, Morpeth proved that he was equally as good at match as medal play. H. Crosse, last years' champion, had to lower his colours to the Hamilton player after getting through 2 rounds in good style. In the semi-tinal Morpeth ran up against H. B. Lusk, and it was here he had his toughest match. The Aucklander had shown very consistent form throughout the open, and followed this up witli good wins against strong opponents, and a close match was expected. However, few expected that Lusk would take Morpeth to the 20th hole, and then only be debated by losing a bogey hole in I! to 4. Those who witnessed the match were unanimous in the opinion that it was the best match they had seen during the tournament.

In the final. Dr. Ross, of Dunedin, started off in line style against Morpeth, but once the champion settled down he was unbeatable, running off 4's with great consistency, and finally winning iiftor a wonderful exhibition of golf that delighted some 700 spectators. Morpetlfs win was wonderfully popular, and the croivd simply surged around to offer their congratulations to the young champion. Dr. Ross played a good "sound game throughout the tournament, and amply justified his place as second only to Morpeth.

A. Duncan's defeat came as a big surprise, more especially to those who had not seen him playing of late. The exchampion had been in bad health of late and was not the Duncan of old. In his match with Hickson, he played round in about 84, but his opponent "was playing above his form, doing the first 0 holes in 38 and the In holes played in ."i over 4"s.

The Maungakiekie Club wound up a very successful season on Saturday, when mixed foursomes were played. The Maungekiekie course is in splendid order just at present, the greens especially coming in for much praise