THE WEEK'S TOPICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 222, 19 September 1929, Page 22

THE WEEK'S TOPICS.

DISTRICT CLUB EVENTS. UNSATISFACTORY HANDICAPS. (By RUBBERCORE.) Middlemore's season's four-ball has at least reached, the final stage, W. B. Colbeck and A. E. M. Rhind being opposed by B. S. Finn and -J. Hellaby, who managed to defeat R. P. Worley and R. 0. Gardner after several long-drawn engagements. H. Plumley and H. B. Lusk were a pair who promised well in this event, but the untimely illness of the latter necessitated the pair withdrawing. It will be pleasing to hjs many friends to learn that H. B. Lusk. popularly known amongst us as the old "war horse," is making a splendid recovery. C grade honours at the club have narrowed to the semi-finals, "wherein Trevor Brett opposes J. Farrell and W. B. Brittain plays J. X. L. Horrocks. If margins of success be any criterion, Brett and Brittain appear as likely finalists. Middlemore is again to shortly embark on its improvements scheme, and before long we may expect many familiar greens "to assume altered shapes and proportions.' It is a bold policy dictated by the march of golf architecture. With no attempt at presumption, one hopes that the greens will be more tightly trapped than has been the case in the recent layout of other courses in the Dominion. Pretty problems there may be in gainnig entrance to the green, according to the modern idea, but it is not to be lost sight of that unless very securely trapped, the large greens of to-day can easily 1m stopped on from almost any angle, ■whether bunkers intervene or not. A solid curb is required to the enormous hitter who, though perhaps off the line, is generally able to get within such range that the modern deep-faced duo makes up for any deficiency he may suffer as regards the stop shot. Probably architects of the future will consider the problem of less generous-sized greens. Still, in the case of Middlemore, it can well lie argued that Mr. Redhead is scarcely likely to err in liberality round the green. In effect, busy afternoons spent in his creations at Rotorua serve to dispel such fear. District Clubs. Little fault could be found with the cards of C. Roscoe at Waiuku, the nett 66 and 76 respectively definitely deciding the fate of the 36 hole medal. Peter Howden's scores were steadiness itself, and there would seem every probability of him developing into a first-class player. That he is possessed of the necessary temperament, he clearly demonstrated at Rotorua in winning the junior event two years ago. His memorable victory at the twentieth over C. N. Jacobsen showed his judgment as sound in a. crisis. The future should hold much for him. Papakura results would indicate Hutchinson and Smith as likely disputants for the championship. The former defeated Olsen, and is evidently playing well, as Olsen, who is familiar to Olendowie players, possesses capability. Of the juniors, Longford and Bridgman are a capable pair, and either is a possiblity for the event. One more local championship was decided when L. J. Croxson defeated B. H. Menzies at Favona by the comfortable margin of 5 up and 3 to play over 36 holes. The morning round was productive of nothing sensational, the scores being approximately SO, with Croxson enjoying a one up advantage. Upon resumption Croxson sliced his tee shot to the boundary fence and in taking four to his opponent's two to , reach the green looked likely to lose | his lead. A splendid recovery putt, how- ■ ever, altered matters, Menzies missing a short one and only gaining a half. As it turned out this was the crux of the game, Croxson opening out to win the twenty-first and further increase his lead by holing a chip for a two at the next. Out in 37, he had gained a five up lead, which became six up when he holed a birdie three from the edge at the tenth. Menzies rallied, to win two of the next four holes, but the end came at the thirty-third, where Croxson holed a good four. Analysing the rounds, it would seem that Croxson owed his success to a superior craftmanship round the green. The club has now been in existence six years, Croxson having previously been champion in 1924 and 1928. The honours fell to Menzies in 1925 and 1926, the one to interrupt the spell of success -o£ the pair being W. B. Eustace, . whose 1927 victory was well merited. Minus its crack performer, J. L. Black, the side from St. Andrews fell fairly : easy prey to the legions of Middlemore, ' whose interrupted sequence of wins ; furnishes something in the nature of a • record. The four-balls were a repetition ( of the singles, the margins of success ] being ample. If expressed opinion counts : for anything, however, it can be accepted that the visitors gleaned as much , pleasure from the day as did their rivals. - Anomalous Handicapping. 1 It is perhaps scratching an old grave j to continually disinter the handicap J ( question. The matter has come up for • some criticism at the hands of a con- - temporary and there can be no disputing - the logic of the thing. What we have not arrived at, however, is the correction of the anomalies that exist, nor, as yet, has anything been expounded that is likely to bring matters to be viewed in their true perspective. The trouble is not only looal. it is Dominion wide, some I of the reported national handicaps being ; ludicrous. From what has been mentioned to me, and here I trespass on the dangerous ground of hearsay, one is asked to view Rana Wagg as the superior of Leo Quin and also young Dale, of Eltham, besides others of calibre. The position need not be further tra- ( that this gives a fair indica- ] tion of the national system, or, I should - say, the lack of correct application of ( it. The ability of Wagg i 3 i n no way ! questioned —he is one of our rising champions—but the basis that one. "or the 1 other is assessed on is faulty. In Auckland we have, glaring cases even amonsrst the short markers, and if the fault = be evident as two to three stroke? at i ho. tap root it needs little imagination to perceive, how far its extend. Indeed. I am sTrfScfently oldfashioned to believe that previoroly xei were nearer the ideal. Formerly A. D.! S. Dunean was assessed at prw, bens-v! more, ov les* a beacon light by wawh I leaser light* might guide their way, l Hi':

Frequent attendance at championships had resulted in the class golfers in the main centres being carefully rated on that basis, and. in the main towns at least, players in the respective clubs were rated correctly. Admitting its weakness as regards a Dominion-wide uniformity, and allowing that there existed clanger of being lulled into a false security, we had at least a, fairly reliable handicap barometer. To-day there is rife either a wholesale flattery on the one hand, or ignorance on the other, the position being such as to call for immediate attention by the han-dic-appers to the respective clubs. AKARANA LADIES' CLUB. Tiicr" "'il! be no competition for C grade " Aknrana Ladies' Club on Saturday. GLENDOWIE LADIES' CLUB. The Glendowie Ladies' Club held a most successful open day yesterday, when a number of visiting golfers were present. The course was in excellent order. The trophy for the best gross score was won bv Miss' It. L. Wilson, with a score of S2. In the senior medal competition the first prize was won by Mrs. IlutcbisoD, with a card of 90—20 —70. and the second by Mrs. R. L. Wilson, with a score of S2 — S—74. In the junior medal contest the be:-t cards were : Mrs. Rennie. 104—34 —70, and Mrs. Baird. 101—2S —73. MAUNGAKIEKIE CLUB. The following teams will represent the One Tree Hill section of the Maungakiekie Club acainst Akarana on Saturday : — At Akarana. —R. J. Hamilton, H. S. McLaren. S. W. Hunter, J. W. Clarke, S. Hunter, C. M. King. A. K. Hawley, -T. Rankin. L. Knight. 11. Worsley, E. D. Reidy, C. R. .Tones. At One Tree Hill. —R. Clegliorn. F. Fraser. H. C. Spinlev. A. H. Blackburn, W. Gorton. W. Calderwood. W. J. Hockin. W. E. D'Audney. J. D. Shanly, A. McKeown, A. B. Rolib. R. E. Craig. For those not in the match at One Tree Hill there will be a medal handicap, post entries being received. GLENDOWIE CLUB. The draw for the four-ball bogey handicap to be played by the Glendowie Club on Saturdav is as follows D. Morrison and K. Brooktield v. C. Biernacki and F. Faram : X. Harrison and A. C. Joiius v. S. C. Woods and J. Stedman : F. Citing and R. Barstow v. L. Harrison and 11. Rawlinson : C. Allcott and J. Hall v. H. Goodwin and T. Russell: U. A. Forgie and R. Edmonds v. A. O. Horspool and A. C. Stedman: W. Laxon and C. Garrard v. G. K. Mathieson and H. Jefferson : 1,. J. Keys and S. Restall v. C. .T. Lovcgrove and H. G. Thompson: E. Hutchison and E. Colebrook v. O. Wolfgramm and A. Churchbouse; R. Hewson and G. Warren v. A. Sloman and G. Radley : A. Pufhie and J. R. Renclell v. F. Trice and F. Hintz: •T. Hopkins and H. Wright v. P. White and G. Metcalf: M. Miller and V. R. Johns play two others. The final round of the Hintz Cup putting competition will be played in conjunction with the above marches. AUCKLAND LADIES' CLUB. The draw for the second round of the president's match, to be played on Tuesday next by the Auckland Ladies' Club, is as follows:—Miss Robertson v. Mrs. Rutherford. Mrs. Hughes v. Mrs. Towle, Mrs. Ferguson v. Miss Lever, Miss Noakes v. Mrs. Henry. Mrs. Wilson v. Miss Buddie, Miss Hamlin v. Miss Orr. Miss Mocinie v. Mrs. Craven. Mrs. Marshall v. Mrs. Abbott. Mrs. Wright v. Mrs. Buttle. Miss L. Cutfield v. Mrs. Murphy. Miss Ridings v. Miss Bayly. Miss D. Rainger v. Mrs. Endean. Miss Wilson v. Mrs. Green. Mrs. Smith v. Mrs. Frater. Mrs. A. Friedlander v. Mrs. Finn, Mrs. Cox v. Miss V. Souter. Miss Cousins v. Mrs. Leary, Mrs. Boddington v. Mrs. Miller. Mrs. Jefferson v. Miss Jackson. Mrs. Wylde-Browne v. Mrs. Rainger. Miss Coutts v. Miss M. Russell, Miss Martin v. Mrs. Triep, Miss C. Rainier v. Mrs. Foster. Miss Ballantyne v. Mrs. Morris. Mrs. Carr v. Mrs. E. Friedlander, Mrs. Martin v. Miss Walkley, Miss K. Souter v. Mrs. Phillips. Miss Henderson v. Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Revell v. Miss Bgerton, Miss Johnson v. Miss Ruddock. I TAUMARUNUI CLUB. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TAUMARUNUI, Wednesday. The Taumarunui Golf Club's senior championship was decided to-dav. when A. Sandel defeated C. A. Stevenson in the final by 10 up and 0 to play. Sandel plaved almost faultless golf. PUKEKOHE CLUB. PUKEKOHE, this day. The following players will represent the Pukekohe Club acainst the Everslie Club on the Everslie links on Saturday in a match for the Balfour Irvine Cup:— Ladies: Miss Gray. Miss R. Johns. Miss Jamieson, Miss Backhurst, Miss Jefferis, Miss A. Johns, Mrs. McWhirter, Mrs. Ingram. Miss Duncan. Mr?. Bayly, Mrs. Maddison. Miss A. Potter. Reserves: Mrs. Treanor, Miss L. Potter, Miss Kensington. Men : Johnson. Coyle, Lawson, McWhirter, Schlaepfer, Kissling, Payne, Maddison, Short, Anderson, Charlesworth, Sellar. Roulston. jun., Drake, Duncan. Pike. Bayly, Hosking. Reserves : O'Loughlen, Stuart. HAMILTON LADIES' CLUB. HAMILTON, this day. The first round of the Hamilton Club's senior championship was played yesterday, the results being: Mrs. L. Day defeated Mrs. P. E. Cleary, 4 and 3; Mrs. E. Bartlett defeated Mrs. W. Batt, 6 and o; Mrs. A. Joll won by default from Mrs. D. Hay; Mrs. F. Mander defeated Miss E. Dawson, 5 and 4; Mrs. G. Gower defeated Mrs. C. O. Bennett. 1 up; Miss H. Foche won by default from Miss J. Masters; Miss Wilkinson defeated Mrs. T. A. Milroy at the 19th; Mrs. C. A. Arthur defeated Mrs. A'. J. White, 6 and 4. Matches in the junior championship resulted : Miss K. Wilson defeated Mrs. P. R. Hazard, 3 and 2; Mrs. E. M. Masters defeated Miss K. O. Liver, 4 and 3: Miss A. Coventry defeated Mrs. P. G. Russell, 1 up ; Mrs. N. Ratcliffe won by default from Mrs. P. Dingle; Miss E. M. Rees defeated Mrs. H. D. Matthews, 2 up; Mrs. G. Primrose defeated Mrs. X. Rawlings, 2 and 1; Miss V. Cann defeated Mrs. F. Jacobsen, 6 and 4; Mrs. W. Aitken won by default from Mrs. XV. J. King. ROCKY DOWNS CLUB. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) MATAMATA, this day.The Rocky Downs Club's senior championship final was played by F. W. Hutchison and R. Mentiplay, Hutchison winning. 5 and 4. MISS CHRYSTALL'S SUCCESS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. The North Canterbury women's golf championship, played on the Harewood links, was won by Miss Dorothy Chrystall. Miss E. Parsons was runner-up. The conditions were two rounds medal play. Yesterday the weather was good, but to-day it was extremely bad. Following were the scores: —Miss Chrystall, S6, SS —175; Miss E. Parsons, 92, S7 —179: Mrs. Pnmphrey, 93, SS —1S1: Miss H. Longhnan, S9, 93 —IS2: Mrs. Kingscote. S9, 94—153. The junior championship was won by | Mrs. A. C. McKillop, 95, 94—159. Exploration? of the bed of Lake Conj »t.aT»c.« have disclosed several foundations i tracc ' i of huts of the ancient i a nd also a number of skull?. Wn carried on the