GOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 148, 23 June 1923, Page 21

GOLF.

JOTTINGS FROM THE LINKS. July I— French Open Championship, Dieppe. July 0 — American Open Championship, Id wood. Sept. (j—N.Z. Laaias , Championship at Nelson. Sept. . 10—TJ.S.A. Amateur ChauiplonsMp, Fiossinoor. Set t. i>l—X.Z. Open and Amateur ChampDnships, Wangnnui. Quite astonishing results have been obtained on the Titirangi Links by the recently carried out mole ploughing. As golfers will recollect, all links in Auckland were in a very wet state last weekend after the prolonged spell of heavy rain. Xaturally the greens suffered considerably with the trampling of the weekend players, and fears were expressed that the. Titirangi ladies" open match day arranged for the last Monday would find the course in a bad state. However everything turned out remarkably well, and on the morning of the match the mole drains had been so effective that no trace of water remained, and the green keeper was able to straighten out ravages of the previous two days with tile light roller. It is anticipated that still better results of draining will eventuate after next summer' when permanent crevices will be formed directly from Hie surface to the tiny drains bplmv.

A. M. Could played remarkably well considering the wet state of the links al Titirangi last Saturday. Playing from the 1(1 mark he did 'a grM3 04 and secured first place in tlie medal handicap. The handicappers will no doivl>t be watching him with a keen eye for any future events. F. Trice with only half the handicap of the winner was second with a groes ecore of G strokes better than Gould. Trice, of whom a sketch appears in this column, is a steady player, and has bad such a run of luck lately, particularly in the recent Hamilton tournament, that it is surprising that a portion of his S handicap has not yet tx»en topped off. K. L Bartleet is apparently coming into form, and our anticipation of last year, that the time was not far distant when he would be am on set the small handicap I players, appears likely to be born out in fact. The contest for the Taylor bowl is now reaching an interesting stage at the Titirangi links, but it is still difficult to spot the winner. Rex George is playing very consistent golf, and should if his game hold?, be very near the finals. I!. O. Gardner, although not an orthodox player, is a bard man to beat, 1 and appears to have a rosy chance. Of • the longer handicap players 0. L. Martelli j who did so well in Hamilton i 3 holding , his own, and on form will be a popular fancy in this event. The Auckland Club players had difficult conditions to face in the heavy state of the course last Saturday, when the first round of the captain's prize tourney was commenced. Sixty-six players faced the etarter. and some interesting games resulted. • Like 6ome race horee* it was rather the day out for the man who appreciates wet conditions, and likes \ hard going. Quite a good story comes from a club not 100 miles out of Auckland. A trophy was presented in the form musical instrument, not a Jew's harp, but something not far removed. The match for this prize wan dv.lv plaj*ed, and. the winner turned up in a young member who unfortunately had no mueical accomplishments. However, being of an enterprising disposition he set to work and that evening drove the rest of his family into a state of stark despair by strumming out tunes with one finger. Tiie question now confronting them is, are they justified in violently assaultins the donor of the trophy, or would it not be better to hand the trophy to the club for further competition. A mistake occurred in regard to the land s?curpd by the Kohimarama Club for their n<?vv links which was referred to in this column last Saturday. The quantity of land taken over is 129 acres, not 198 as previously stated. C. Clements is going strong for the captain's prize match at the Kohimarama Club. The return match between the Waitemata and the Pupuke Clubs is being Iplnvod at Takapuna to-day. The result of the great event of the golfing year, the Open Championship, is a matter for great rejoicing to Britls"- ---', ers. TlciVere is a player who has been lonar expected to occupy a high place in world polf. Kirk-wood last year was very much' impressed with tlie now 'champion, and although thn latter hae not before during this season done any thing sensational, be has fully justified. by his play in the championship, the pro- ! phecies made about him. Hagon, on hi" i showing as runner-up, and the amazing consistency of his game during the last I three years, bears out Vardon'e summing j up, that Hagen is the best golfer America has produced. Kirkwood did nobly, but he left too much to do in the last two rounds, and bis remarkable GO in the third round no doubt required such an effort, that ho felt the strain of it in the last eighteen holes, aud crumpled up when he looked like winning. A young lady typist was discussing her situation with a friend. "He used to be a perfect slave--1 driver,"' she said referring to the boss. i -'He'd put in ten hours a day at the i oflic-e. I was thinking of giving in my I notice when someone induced him to take up golf. Things arc much better now. Come round and see mc some afternoon."