GOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 185, 4 August 1923, Page 21

GOLF.

JOTTINGS FROM THE LINKS. Sept. 6—N.Z. Ladles' Championship at Nelson. Sept. 10—U.S.A. Amateur' Championship, Fiossmoor. Serf. 21— N.Z. Open and Amateur Cnampionshlps, Wangnnnl. After fourteen week's patient waiting Auckland golfers were favoured last weekend with beautiful weather. The consequence was that the links were patronised "by a large number of players, who thoroughly appreciated the perfect conditions, after many weeks of sloppy discomfort. At the Middleraore links 60 players turned out for tho President's Foursome Medal Match; but whether from lack of practice or other causes, the golf shown was not of a high standard, and the winning score, made by those veteran players, J. 8., and H. B. Lusk, of 78 net was not particularly brilliant. Two of tho medical profession, Drs. Gordon and MeC'ormick, were second with a not of 70. The captain's prize tourney of the Auckland Club has reached the final stage, with G. F. Colbeck, scratch, to meet the winner of the match between C. H. Archer 12, and W. Geddcs 18. Tonks Gardner was well beaten by G. F. Colbeck in the semi-final by the substantial margin of 4 and 3. Wo anticipated a hard fight, but hardly such a walkover as G. F. secured. Colbeck was. however, fully extended to beat W. B. Parsons, and the latter made a game of it to the eighteenth, which he lost, making Colbeck the winner by 1 up. As we anticipated some weks ago, the final of the Maungakiekie Club championship will he fought out to-day between Rex George and C. Clements. It should be a good go probably one of the best matches for the championship ever witnessed at Titirangi. We do not propose to lay odds either way, on. the result.

O. Martelli, young, and enthusiastic, i a one of the promising colts of the Maungakiekie Clv h, and is slowly J but surely' climbing up amongst the best of them. Well above average height he makes full use of his reach, and gives the "weo ba'" a hefty punch from the tee. Martclli gave a taste of his quality in tho recent Hamilton tour-

nament, when he fought out the final' of tho big ovent with H. B. Lusk, end although beaten he was not disgraced, and we expect better things from him] before long. The Kohimarama Club have secured a horse-mower, which will make a marked difference to the fairways, and also to the comfort of the members in obtaining good 'lies therefrom. R. J. Hamilton, on the 4 mark, won the bogey match at Titirangi last Saturday, with a score of 4 down; not a ■ high-class result, but probably good | under the circumstances. I J. L. Clark has played consistent golf ' throughout the championship play at ■ Titirangi, and he reached the semi-finals, ] only to fall a victim to C. Clements, who beat him 2 up. Clark is a promising > type of golfer, and has demonstrated I in tho past his special facilities for tournament play. Perfectly cool in all | sorts of trying eonditiens, he specially ' shines when things appear hopeless for ! him. The astonishing wav he beat Rex George two years ago when the latter was 1 up with two to play, will long be remembered as a striking example of sheer grit and coolness. K. H. Douglas, open champion of New Zenlnnd two years ago, was a competitor for the British Open Championship in June. lie took 79 for the first qualifying round, in which tho best score was 72 by James Braid, but his second round cost him 81, and he just failed to qualify. He was in good company, for among those who ( like him, had an aggregate of 160 for the preliminary rounds were Gene Sarazen, Aubrey Boomer, and James Barnes, while the even less successful competitors included C. H. Hoffner, T. D. Armour, Harry Vardon. Arnaud Massy, and R. H. Wethered (whose two rounds took 167). Walter Hagen, who, since his return to the United States from Great Britain has been pleased to describe tho British people as poor sportsmen, epoke bitterly at Troon on the subject of the barring of the iron clubs with jagged, edged holes punched in the faces which the Americans had used since their arrival in tho United Kingdom. "All our fellows," he said, "feel the position very acutely, because, rightly or wrongly, it has given us the impression that we are not wanted here. We came over in a sporting spirit and at considerable expense —it costs each of us about £400—to play in the British championship, and not to make money out of exhibition matches or tournaments. It seems to us that we are not only undesired, but that obstacles are plnceu in our way. We use these clubs with punched faces in America because there innny of the courses have a lot of clover and" long grass, which becomes damp and greasy, and it is necessary to have a club which will 'bite' the ball and save it from slipping off the face of the club." I The short hole at Miramar, known as i'Totiki" being 160 yards, was the scene of quite sensational scoring on the last two days of the Miramar tournament. On the Thursday h. E. Carter, of the Hutt, was playing in the group handicap competition with Colonel J. G Hughes. Potild was halved in two. Both the shots were within about six feet of the pin, anil on one of the best creens on the course neither player made a mistake. On the Friday Carter was playing round with a four-ball bogey handicap; one of the opponents being X R. Wells, of Ranui. When the players cot to the green it was seen that Carters ball was within inches of the same place at which it had stopped on the previous day, while Wells' ball was also about six feet from the pin. Welle promptly put his down for two and left Carter the job of doing two two's at the hole in two days. He again made no mistake. There arc many instances of holes being halved in two, but few of a hole beinj; halved in two twice, as occurred at this hole. It was at this hole that Colonel Hughes the other day did i a "on?" 1