ON THE LINKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 247, 18 October 1934, Page 18

ON THE LINKS.

|i\ CHAMPIONSHIP ECHOES. ROUND THE CLUBS. | PROGRESS Ob 1 THE PLAYERS. j If anything were needed to demonstrate 1 the superiority of A. J. Shaw in New Zealand golf, then his recent fifth success , in six years in the open championship 'supplies it. Further, lie has set a | standard as regards totals lor the lour ! rounds that puts toe issue beyond doubt, i One's first recollection of bnaw is at I VVanganui ten years ago. Even then his I long game, though not so controlled as to-uay, was most impressive, ilis gieat weakness lav oil the greens, a feature which stJl exists, and in failure to attack ' the greens with his second shots, 1 well remember" one who had carried Shaw s bag in the open at Hamilton remarking that once Shaw gained the courage to be up to the piu with his seconds, that there would be no doubt as to who would become title-holder. The truth of the observation has since been fully borne out. Curiously enough Shaw s green work is better in championships than ordinarily. He is however, not a natural putter, and admits that the art of seeing the line to the hole is to him a closed book. I I Proficiency in putting is the gull that I separates Shaw from greatness. Iv , Moss, though built 011 more slender lines, t is Shaw's greatest rival as regards general 6 ! excellence of play. .Moss, however, was I i below "himself in health at Wanganui so | ! that we were not privileged to see him I | at hie best. ! The Evergreen Douglas. I E S. Douglas, evergreen of the championships, was unfortunate not to have I ! added one more title to his belt, though J he had none but himself to blame in having lost the professional title to Shaw. Jlis entry into New Zealand golf in JJI- - hail its humorous side, for many, luclud- ; ing his brother professionals, indulged ill ! ;l quiet smile at the appearance of the little man in roomy bags and with a still baggier golf bag. _ Douglas had spent a 1! little time in America on his way to im-\v II first joined up with the Nelson Club, 11 ami several members who saw him m H' action scented possibilities, and acconiH' named him to the championships. Une |9 ! word having led to another, the Nelson Bj enthusiasts offered to back their man B against anv New Zealand prolessional. On 0 speaking of the incident, the late I'red 1 Hood said: "Well, we soon raised i._o and H nominated J. A. Clements as our man. M As Hood put it, Clements was at the top 1| of the tree and had not a nerve in his El bodv. Clements, however, had caution B welt developed and engaged in a preH liminary knock with Douglas. 1 lie upshot H was that Clements returned to the pro--0! fessionals' shed and quietly but firmly H intimated that the match was olf. How PI Douglas went on to win the open is now aj! historv. Douglas then dominated New B Zealand golf until, in 1010, he entered H I upon a greater game. At 50 years of age |' ho is still a force in New Zealand golf. 1 The "Highly Commended." 1 N. C. Bell and C. C. Clements can be I singled out as the others to have shown §3 to great advantage at Wanganui. Bells i bid for the open was especially nieri--1 torious, and his day may come. Little ■ George Watt, too, is a true stylist, but a gj long-drawn test must always react against I him. He has not the physique. It is I simplv that the heavy sword wears out 1 its thin, sheath. J. D. Mcintosh is an 9 uncrowned king of New Zealand i though he has, of course, held the proles- | sional title. Possessed of all the fieryness I of his race in match play, he has yet to I overcome the cold-blooded test ot' sustained medal play. Then we had the splendid efforts of 1. S Galloway, who. despite his inches, is capable of delightful golf. He is a son of J. R. Galloway, of Pahnerston North, and comes of a long line which has always i sought to uphold the great traditions of | the game. Of other Auckland professionals p J. Weir did not do nearly so well as was | the ease last year. From the little seen j of him immediately prior _ to the chamj I pionships one teels that his swing had 8 become disorganised—possibly unnecest sarilv flat. Teaching indoors and swinging oil mats has not helped his game. He would do well to endeavour to get atI taelied to a club, however small, or go out on circuit, lie must then be prepared to I work hard if he is to recover lost ground. A young and capable player, his destiny in iiis own hands. Maungakiekic Surprises. | The Maungakiekic championship has i| given rise to a series of unexpected m reverses, and the element of surprise was again manifest in the defeat ot A. K. Hawley by H. Morpeth. r fhe latter is now the sole survivor of the club s t A team, and meet** D. R. Garrard to decide the finalist against D. G. Macfarlane. who defeated 11. Larlc' so sensationally. Against Morpeth, Hawley was possibly guilty of laxity in the opening stages, I though by the time the ninth was reached was viewing the position with due seriousness. The eleventh was a hole winch had much bearing on the result of the match. Here Hawley's splendid tee shot to the mouth of the green afforded him the advantage, but Morpeth approached well and lioled a putt of some three yards. Hawley's four-foot putt went astray, and that was that. Ho drew level, however, with a fine four at the thirteenth, and so the match progressed till at the sixteenth . Morpeth got the better of things through j the agency of an excellent approach. Lett I with much to do as a result of a model ate third at the seventeenth, Morpeth was equal to an awkward looking putt. However. a skied drive and lost ball cost him the eighteenth, and so the nineteenth was entered on. Here Morpeth had the tour assured all the way, but Hawley followed an indifferent drive with a weak second shot. His approach was fair, but the end came when his putt stopped on the brink of the hole. Hawley dul not play with his customary steadiness, and it :s but due to liiin to add that he jeopardised I hip chances, or opportunity to win the title, by generously affording an earlier opponent time for play. Morpeth s win. however, was meritorious, as over the tiual nine holes he made but one real enor. The Akarana Champions. Frank Hazelden, winner of Akarana's title has long been regarded as one of the etvlists of his club. He was always or. top against Livingstone, and made light of the difficulties of the reconstructed course. Livingstone, however, may regard his record in the championship with considerable satisfaction. He has been removed from the arena of active championship plav for a considerable time In such circumstances the faculties foi taking advantage of the slightest opportunity become blunted. Only hard play in good company can supply the antidote. None will, however, deny Hazelden his win, 101 his golf was soundness itself from the qualifying stage onward. In the intermediate hnal A. Shorter had amassed so much of a lead in the morning as to place the issue beyond all practical doubt. Seven holes was too much ot a lead for Penman to overtake, but he at least fought on well, taking.the match| the thirty-third green. E. R. Ba>ley had little difficulty in earning the junior spms. as his opponent, W. Lowe, was quite out of touch'. Stilt, only one can win. . Stevens Crowned Again. As anticipated, H. .Stevens repeated his last year's feat of winning North Shoieo title. He was, however, uncomfortably Dressed by Miles Nelson, and stood - down'as the result of the first 18 holes. He might have been 3 down, but holed a grand putt for the half at the eighteenth. This putt together with the excellent one he holed at the opening hole m the afternoon made the difference between deteat and victory. Nelsons putting fell away a little in the afternoon, with the resti. t that at the thirty-fourth hole lie had become 1 down. I he match appeared lover when at the thirty-fifth Stevens' 1 ted shot nestled close to the pin. Nelson, however, replied with an even better shot and then again answered Stevens in

holing out for the. half in 2 to keep the niatcli alive. Stevens' colt was not all that it could have been at the thirtysixth, but his 5 was good_ enough, Nelson's longish putt for the win in 4 having curled round the cup. It was a worthy final in which the loser fought royally against an abler opponent. R. Sniallficld, intermediate champion, gradually annexed a lead against K. X. K. iS wans ton and in the end scored comfortably. ''Swanee," if one may indulge in the term, is certainly versatile. The Otahuhu Title. Bv winning decisively front S. Clarke, W. B. Eustace upheld his title of champion of Otahuhu. lie was, I think, runner-up for tlie champion of ehampipns . match last year, and will again prove a worthy representative for his club. Clarke is brother to L. •). Clarke, a former . Xitirangi and Auckland Club player. He is a footballer and athlete of note, and i defeated 11. J. Levy, who set yet another i medal record on Saturday on the way to the final. The title of club champion still eludes Levy ; but he iis nevertheless , capable of golf of a very high standard. On the Country Courses. Our country cousins have also been busy with their championships, and at Cambridge we find evergreen Arthur Xieoil runner-up to R. Ingham, who defeated 11. X. Freeman, last year's winner, in the semi-finals. "Xic." once addressed a letter to a friend, the envelope bearing "Golf pupil of A.11.X." in brackets under the name. Possibly each would be the better for a course of intensive instruction under a new master in these days of specialisation. 11. K. Spencer is Tauinnrunui's champion, L. Ii . Hoi ford having been runnerup. Here we miscs the names of J. Spier and H. I'otouwera, though champions cannot be expected to go on like the brook. Jack Cooke, son ot H. W. Cooke, whose splendid work at Xitirangi is a monument to his artistry, repeated a former win at Papakura, I'.rie lvretschinav •being the other finalist. Cooke shows fair aptitude, but plays only during the winter months. At Onewhcro, Keith Caldwell was deposed by Cronin, though in ordinary circumstances he is immeasurably superior to his victor. There is evident in Cronin s make-up a set purpose to dispute the issue, whatever the odds. It is ot such stuff that ' good match players are made. Then we had the win oi J■ D. Coj le over W. -I. Foote at Pukekohe. l'oote plays from either the 7 or 8 mark, and has done well in reaching the final. ; With the colours up, however, "Denny made no race of it. . . An old identity, and of name famous in Xew Zealand sport, in Fred Seifert figured iu the ilorrinsvillc event, feeifeit was praeticallv a foundation member ot St. Andrews, and though never really a class golfer was a grand match player. In years before the war lie demonstrated a unique method of negotiating the steep hillside bunker at the short fourteenth at St. Andrews. Players got into bunkers more often than not in those days, though on reflection that unhappy state, perhaps, returns to our game. At any rate, Seitei t used to half top the ball with the putter when, following a scamper like a rabbit, the ball took a mighty hop to the green. To-day, however, course vandals form liberal lips to bunkers. How well one remembers packing up clubs and driving to Frankton, and how the ancient Boanerges chugged her protesting way to allow us to catch the express, where we dined in state in the old railway dining car. In tlie words of a contemporary, j "Th«m were the days." MAUNGAKIEKIE LADIES* CLUB. | Host Fcoros rMurncd yostorriny in the i bogey handicap nintcli played by members of tiie Maunjrakiekic vLadios' Golf Club:--, Seniors. —Mrs. 11. V. Johnston (7). 2 down Mrs. J Mason MO), Miss M. Tlaslctt | (4), 4 down Miss M. Miller (0), Miss J. Johnson (li>). » r > down: Mrs. J. Paterson (0). Miss H. Heap (10), G down. Juniors. —Miss 10. Hlackbnrn (10), •» down; Mrs. I. 11. Roberts (10), Miss N. l'ettit (10). 4 down: Miss M. Harvey (17), Mrs. O'Neill (10). Miss V. Cooper (23), Mrs. T). Jones (23), r> down. The best scores returned in the cclectic match played in conjunction were:— Seniors. —Mrs. .7. Mason. 70— —GO: Mrs. 11. V. Johnston. 70—0—07 : Miss B. Abbott, S2—l4—OS: Miss M. Maslett, SO— 18—OS: Miss J. Johnson, 87—17—70: Mrs. J. Paterson, 53—12—71 : Mrs. K. CJilmore, —14 — 7.1: Miss E. Schnanor. 87—10— 71: Miss M. Robson. 88—17—71. Juniors.—Mrs. I. R. Roberts, 88—21 — 07: Miss K. Blackburn. 88—21—07; Mrs. O'Neill. 02—25—07: Miss R. Mahon. 03— 20—07; Mrs. IT. Williams. 01—23 —08: Mrs. A. Cumminjr, 0,"i—27—08; Mrs. S. \Y. Morley. 00—28—OS: Miss T. Lamb. 07— 20—08. The tie in the junior division was won by Miss R. Malum over the last 12 holes. The Bledisloe Clip competition, for the best ajrtfrojrate on four rounds of bogey handicap play, was won by Mrs. J. Mason, with a score of 15 down. The next best scores were:—Mrs. 11. V. Johnston. 17 down : Miss 10. Blackburn, 25 down; Miss (,*. Swears, 20 down. AKARANA LADIES' CLUB. Best scores returned by members of the Akarana Ladies' Golf Club in the L.G.U. match were :—Seniors : Mrs. \V. J. McAllen, 07—17—SO: Miss P.'Peet. 08—10— 82. Juniors: Mrs. F. Park »r. 103 —2ti —77; Miss 10. Clear.v, 103—25—78: Miss A. Soav. 100—21—70; Miss M. laindon, 105—25—50; Miss M. Webber, 110—30— SO. Best scores in C grade monthly button match:—Miss M. Ilodge, 116; Miss I\ Punch, 317: Mrs. Bree, 118. Players may choose partners for the Hag match to be played on Tuesday. PUPUKE LADIES' CLUB. Tlie play-off in tlie gold button match was held by tlie Fupuko Ladies' Golf Club yesterday. Tlie winner was Miss B. Hughes, who returned a score of o."p—2o— 7."i. .Mrs. McFarlane was runuer-up with a score of 00—14—7 G. In the medal round. Miss .T. Wlilte won with a score of 9(i—30—(Hi. Other jrond scores were:—Mrs. Whifcoinhe. S7—2o— C! 7 : Mrs. Ooodinir, 01—23—US; Miss B. O'Neill. 88—10 —00. The senior division of the T..G.U. silver medal' match was won by Mrs. K. McFarlane. The junior bronze medal was won by Miss B. O'Neill. NORTH SHORE CLUB. A four-ball best-ball boprey competition will be played by members of the North Shore Golf Club on Saturday. Players will choose partners. " The play-off for the gold medal will also be held on Saturday. ' An open: vlay will be held on I.abour Day. NORTH SHORE LADIES' CLUB. Results in the gold button competition played by members of tlie North Shore I.adies' Golf Club:—Seniors : Mrs. Pike. 87-—17 —70; Mrs. Fleming. S7 —17—70: Miss Lesjroe. —!•>—7o. Mrs. Pike won on the last nine holes. Juniors: Mrs. Cadness, 04—2-4—70 ; Mrs. Hobhs, 03—22— 71: Mrs. I-emmon, 100—3ii—71. Mrs. Cadness was- tlie winner of the junior section. Results in flag match played in conjunction :— Seniors :—Mrs. Pike, Mrs. Fleming, Airs. Swansfon and Miss I.eggoe tied. Mrs. Swanston won over the last nine holes. Juniors.—Miss McFetridjje carried the flag tn the nineteenth green. Draw for bogey match for Saturday players :—-Miss N. Campbell v. Miss Hunt. Miss Minns v. Miss Halse. Miss Cawkwell v. Miss McDonnell, Miss Ilowe v. Miss Willis. 'Miss Devercux v. Miss .1. Minns, Miss Wilkie v. Miss Himmel, Miss Lewis v. Miss Esdaile, Miss Simmers v. Mrs. Colson, Miss O'Brien v. Miss Harvey, Miss Best t. Miss Ardley, Miss Morris v. Miss Blair, Miss Corner v. Miss Prideau.v. Miss Berry v. Miss Pocock, Miss Hall v. Miss Hotchkiss, Miss McCrcdie v. Miss Benner. The open day. which was to be held to-dav has been postponed until November S. * \ CLEVEDON CLUB. Draw .for medal round to * lie ployed 'by members of the Clcvetlou Golf Club on Saturday:—Bryan v. Dow. Henderson v. Whytock Wales v. Buttcrwortli. Orum v. Couldrev". A. Browne v. Fleming. Hunt v. Knight.' Wilson v. Munro, Land v. 1,. Brown, Bannerman v. Atchison. The dual for the Woodlands Cup. between Currie and Blundell,. will also be played. The best, cards returned in the monthly round for the Henderson Stars were: — Hunt, 95—30—65; Oram, 00—27 —00; 1 Blunxlell, 07—2S—GO.