GOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 21

GOLF.

JOTTINGS FROM THE LINKi Good golfing fare is provided by thi Hamilton Golf Club, in the pr_g.ammi which has just reached us, for thi Animal Winter Show Tournament. Thi: is always a popular fixture with Auck land polfers, and it is a great treat ti play on a course where, however mucl mm falls, the playing conditions an always pood and there is an entin ! absence of mud. One wonders sometunes | whether the Hamilton golfers appreciate to tiie full, the energy and entnusiasn of one of their members, Mr. 11. Gillies | which resulted in the town acquirtn; what is undoubtedly one of the tinesi I links in New Zealand; anyway visitor! find a great delight in playing over thi; : excellent course. I _____ The chief event of the meeting is thi match for the Winter Show Onallenge j tup, and this fixture has created great | interest, in the past, and no doubt thh I year will create a. keen competition a: ever. In conjunction with the play foi l the cup, which extends over three days | medal and bo™-ey handicap matches wil ■■ he played. Intending local golfers an . reminded that entries close for all events on Monday next. K. Brookficld scored his first win lasl Saturday in the Eclectic match playec over the Kohi. links. A very go> c exhibition of first season golf was giver by C. Alcott, the runner-up, who re turned a card of 93. Alcott seems tc have the faculty for playing games i really well, and if he goes as far in golf ! -which he promises to do, he will add Ito his already established reputation a; one of the best cricketers iv the Dominion. J. W. Gow and J. M. Ellifle tied foi ; the second round of the Kingswell Shield match last Saturday. Sixty players took part in the foui ball best bail bogey handicap at Middlemore last Saturday. W. B. Colbeck and W. S. Ralph tied with G. D- Thacker and E. B- Brown for first place with scores of three down. The prevalence of rabbit burrows or a North Island golf links adds to the natural difficulties of reaching the green in a respectable number of strokes, "What club shall I take at this hole?" a beginner recently asked his caddie, "1 think you'd better take a ferret," was the rather sarcastic response. Jack Sha*w, the golf professional who left New Zealand some months ago foi the United States, has signed tip as professional to a Calfondan club. Golf has been formally adopted as the school sport of California. Its superiority- to baseball, football, basketball, and running competitions for boys and girls —cricket is not played in California —is held to be demonstrated for on the Pacific Coast it is an all-the-year-round game. Headmasters of Californian schools announce their intention of living golf a year's trial. Already several hundred boys and girls are playins regularly on courses in and around San l-'raneisco-Brooks, the open champion of New Zealand, who resigned suddenly from the Lower Hutt Club, left for America by the Tahiti, where he -will no doubt do well. Ham is said to be securing a good connection over there, and has approached a New Zealand professional to come over to him. Ritchie, assistant at Miramar, has accepted an engagement with the New Plymouth Club, his services to be primarily retained by it, but arrangements will be made by which he can coach surrounding clubs. This is Ritchie's first professional appointment, and in it he will carry the good wishes of many Wellington golfers. The most cheerful and hopeful fact to be derived from the Easter tournaments, says "Niblick" in the "Dominion," is the discovery to the public eye of the promise and capabilities of two young players, both under 20 years of age. Dale, of Eltham, is described as being a boy with' a fine natural swing. Though he bas never bad a lesson he is said to be very receptive of ideas, imparted to him through the way other players play, and his performance in running Imlay Saunders to a putt on the Inst green in the final of tbe Taranaki champ'onships is exceedingly mertorious. Saunders had to sink a putt of considerable length, and take all his opportunities before he could win the match on the home green. Gunson, junior, of Auckland, shows also great promise. The beating of I/usk is always a difficult proposition on his own or any other course in match play, and this was an outstanding feature of the tournament. It is to be hoped that both these young players will figure in the next New Zealand championships. The death occurred recently of Ben Savers, veteran golfer, and famous Scottish international player, who several times came very close to winning the British open championship. He was a great teacher of the game.