GOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 213, 8 September 1923, Page 21

JOTTINGS FROM THE LINKS. Sept. 10—U.S.A. Amateur Championship, Fiossmoor. Sert. 21—n.z. Oppn and Amateur Championships, Wanganul. The Rotorua tournament, which has been in full swing during this week, has been a most successful meeting. Quite reasonable weatker has made the lot of the golfer more bearable than it has been during the interminable wet weather of the last few months, and quite apart from the excellent competition between golfers from near and far, the fine weather has made the outing a most pleasant one. The Rotorua course, which has had great improvements made to it, is now a very popular and in many ways a unique course. Probably nowhere in the world has a golf links such awe-inspiring hazards, in the form of boiling mud pools, etc. Many a ehiny new "Silver King" has found a muddy grave in the Rotorua hazards, one man of my acquaintance put three balls in succession into a yawning pool, and a very hot shot would have been necessary to play out. The greens and fairways have received addod attention, and the further popularity of this interesting course is assured. Players of repute from as far afield as Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Wellington have played in the tournament, and many of them are pett

into form with the intention of going on to the more important meeting, which is to be held at Hamilton next week, and at which the South Auckland championships will be decided. The Maungakiekie open tournament, which was concluded last Saturday, was quite a successful fixture. Seventy players took part in the various matches, and in the chief events srvin fair golf was played. The searching dilucultiea of a medal round were too much for some of the pla3'ers, who were expected to make good, and who competed in the 36 hole medal championship. This falling away applied particularly to Rex George and C. Clements. George was obviously off his game, and played all over the course, and Clements was little better, although his score was better than the former player. It was left to a comparative outsider in Gunson, who we may state in passing is a school boy, to lead the field, in the first IS holes, with a score of 81, and although he did not finish the winner over the 36 holes, his last 18 taking him 87, he was runnerup to Tonks Gardner, who after an 85 in the first round completed his final round with an excellent 79.

Gunson, however, kept his game going so well that ho annexed the Titirangi Cup, which competition consisted of handicap match play. In this contest Gunson won all his games with a good margin, and got home in the final game by beating Captain Hawkins 3 up and 2 to play. The weather, for the tournament was fine, and the arrangements worked satisfactorily, the system adopted of drawing as" the players arrived on the ground, thereby avoiding that irritating delay that so often occurs when players have to wait for their opponent, was an improvement on the old method.

In walking over the Titirangi course during the tournament I was struck by the number of hoof marks that show clearly defined on the fairways and on the edge of the greens. In some cases they were deep enough to create annoyance to the player who was unfortunate enough to find "his ball lying in a hoofmark and it is incomprehensible why the horse used for the mower, and the cause of the trouble, has not been booted. If he won't wear them, it would be advisable, rather than spoil the fairways, that another animal be obtained. Another point that impressed the writer were the number of divot holes, and dead divots, lying about the couree. In this respect the committee have made every endeavour to persuade the careless player (not golfer) to replace the divote, and it must be a source of continual trouble, that members of the club pay so little attention to this verr important matter. Apparently nothing short of "boiling oil" will be effective to make some people wake UP The final game for the cnamplonship of the Pnpiike Club was played last Saturday between J. Hunter and Reeve, the former player winning by 3 and - Reeve was 2 up at the tenth but Hunter, by good golf, won the next five holes, which put him in a winning position. The Masterton player, J. C. Bidwell, not into the "also rans" at the Australian championship meeting, but not far enough up on the list to be recorded. SHU he had the satisfaction of getting above many of the favoured Australian nlavers. including F. G. Murdock and \ Lβ Fevre. Bidwell's total score was 3Q-; In the championship foursomes Bidwell was coupled with E. Appcrly. They came third with SO, 32—162. Arthur Ham showed his mettle in the last round of the open golf champion--hin of Australia by recording a ,4. His tares were: Out, 5 4 5 3 3 5 5 3 5-38; •T 3 4 4 4 3 5 5 4 4—36. This placed Him second on the list with . total or ■)04 The Australians consider Ham is a fine match player; all sorts of laudatory references were made concerning liim" durin" the meeting. On his recent J romances it looks as though he will take a lot of beating at Wanganm. uSneakin" of the stance, Walter Hagen nV g -'Personally, I am a great bcli'eVer in a fairly wide stance. Spread the feet far enough -so that you fee secure ly planted. Players who stand with their feet too close together have a great tendency to wiMness. There are thfee stances to be considered the open which is made by placing the left fo P ot'a little back of the. line of flight; t usually produces a long ball; the .ouaro stance, with both feet touching a line parallel to the line of flight, Line a straight ball; and the closed, Side" by extending the left foot over the £n7 of flight, giving considerable Tun to the ball."

Oo©o©o©oOo©<>Oo©o©oOo©o©o©o< The standing rigging should have an extra careful survey for so much depend 3on the shrouds, backstays, forestay and bobstay, especially in these days of high, narrow rigs. Charcoal iron wire of which most of the stays are made will last three or four seasons with care but it is false economy to trust it too long. Bobstays want renewing almost every season as they are in and out of the water all the time. New lanyards require to be fitted every second year unless you use rigging screws. It is when you aro going full in a fresh breeze and a roll of sea that the heaviest strain comes on the shrouds. On a wind the forestay ffil.T.; '** share and when running the i. .. -lay will help. Running rigging must Iα overhauled carefully and new peak or throat hallyards fitted if they show much wear. It is better to do this work now than to find out just before starting in the opening cruise to Matiatia, with a hard westerly blowing, that you want new gear. Moorings, if outside tne protected areas, should be lifted and carefully examined and any weak parts cut out and replaced with generous sired shackles which must be riveted with a heavy hammer. Many a good boat has come ashore through a faulty shackle pin. If you are in the protected areas a visit to Captain Sergeant and the payment of a small fee will ensure this work being attended to by the Harbour Board's men, who are themselves practical yachtsmen and familiar with the sizes required for each part of a mooring outfit. Make time to do up the dinghy before the boat woes off. Some crews put in all their time on the yacht, and quite forget the dinghy. Scrape and paint or varnish it, and have a look at the bottom battens, fender, or painter. While the writer always advocates doing all possible work by the owner and crew, which often calls for a smattering of carpentry, rigging, caulking, painting— to say nothing of the engineering—which a launch calls for, it would be as well to have the last coat of white enamel or other finish put on by a professional. The time and labour put in during the I next six weeks or so will be quickly forgotten when the season is in full swing, and you will enjoy your racing or weekend cruise all the more for having made j a thorough job of the fitting out. All dates for the annual meetings have now been decided on as follows: i Ponsonby Cruising Club, Club House, Thursday, September 20; Akarana Yacht Club, Chamber of Commerce, Tuesday September 25; New Zealand Power Boat Association, Club House. Wednesday September 20; Koyal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Club Kooms, Friday. September 2S. It is not anticipated' that there will be many changes in the flag officers of the various clubs except a move up in one or two cases. In connection with the Ponsonby Club, air. E. J. Kelly lias intimated to the committee that he -will