ON THE LINKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 133, 7 June 1935, Page 13

ON THE LINKS.

FEATURES OF THE WEEK.

I" WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP.

CAPTAIN'S PRIZE AT MIDDLEMORE,

The week-end was a busy one for golfers, and for .players in the Waipawa district a hectic one, for was not a resident Maori player the fortunate winner of a Tatt's sweep. From the published report we learn, amongst other things, that the lucky one has an exceptional command of the English language. Such may be, and though we do not deny him his luck, we are quite prepared to pit the abilities of several of our locals against him Vfhen it comes to a matter of sheer expression. Though a local ranking list) in this respect has as yet not been officially compiled, the rumour that the matte£ is under, consideration is not without foundation. However, in extending felicitations to our fortunate friend it is at least a, satisfactory feature to feel that he measures up well to, one of the game's outstanding traditions. And so We* leave him—even in envy—to dwell on less exciting happenings ixj our midst.

At Middlemore L. McLean carried on merrily to narrowly oust D. A. Burt in the • captain's prize. A. J. Friedlander, ■who on a former occasion defeated, I think, R, A. Gardner in the final, ovei--ivhclincd T. R. Brett. It was simply a one-horse race, which, in view of Friedlander's previous record of a preference for firm conditions for play, was a little unexpected. Following successes at the opening lioles, A. E. M. Rhind was on pood terms with himself against R. I'. Worley. Later, however, a change came over the scene and Rhind • obviously sighed in relief when his opponent met trouble at the eighteenth. The star game, that between Plumley\ and Bartleet, proved 'star more in expectation than in actual performance. There were far too many loosely played holes, particularly in tlie opening stages, where Plumley might well have thanked his stars at having obtained a useful lead. In the latter halt of the game the play steadied, and when Plumley: ran down several sound putts the end was in sight. N. Lduisson's win from Horroeks was a good one, though it was shaded by J. W. G nun's victory over Coverdale. Though Coverdale's round was 77 he was seldom able to gain an ascendancy. Gunn s win reflects the opinions expressed that he would prove most difficult to defeat from his mark. In weighing the merit of scores returned at Middlemore it' is to be borne in mind that all shots from the fairway are being teed up. Not, ot course, on pegs, as was resorted to in the case of one club , a season or so back. Teeing Up and Paying Up. The feeling in many quarters is entirely against teeing in the fairway, except when no option exists, but there can be 110 doubt that in some instances in the depth of winter the practice is a saviour of the fairways. At present. however, the | majority of those 'who play the game locally would be glad to experience such uniformly good lies as are to be had at | Middlemore. In purely lighter vein one! might say that one felt more inclined to I have teed up on one or two of the greens, j Still, that there is not much to grumble at was evidenced in the brilliant 67 by E. J. Moss, professional to the club, and ex-New Zealand open champion. Only at four holes did .Moss' shot to. the green not sail fairly and squarely to its objective. It was a .grand round in the: watching, but to the writer lost much of its glamour in the subsequent paying out

in the quiet of the pro.'s shop. Still, it costs money if one must be inquisitive, though one did. feel a little as if having, been sent for. Titirangi Matches. Jaffrey's defeat of Alpe in the semifinal of the Taylor Bowl at Titirangi suggests that he has recovered his form of the past season, when he had an imposing record in the big match play fixtures. He is distinctly resourceful for one of his handicap, and promises to be a worthy opponent for Knight in the final. Knight, too, is well versed in match play, and when in a tight corner gives little away. He realises the value of strokes, and can be depended upon to offer a stout resistance. Scoring in the fourball was good, E. W. Yates and H. R. Harper having wrested . the honours from A. C. Jacob and A. K. Jackson, only as a result of a count back. Yates has been a stalwart of the old Maungakiekie,and Titirangi Clubs for many years, and his club owes much to his practical assistance. T. G. C. Stone and L. F. Faram enlivened proceedings in playing the one perfect shot at the short fourth. We at once congratulate and sympathise with them in their hour of greatness. Something Sensational. Over at Maungakiekie A. Woolley went berserk-with a card of 30—1P*-41 in the Stapleford bogey, thereby shattering the hopes of many who struggled manfully to the end of the round. Woolley hits prodigious distances, and for two-seasons has promised something sensational. A broken ankle sustained at the dangerous game of badminton kept him out of the game last season, but this year he has. arrived with a vengeance. For the past month it has almost been necessary to line up in the queue if one were to gain him for a partner to gather in the balls in the week-end scrambles, so great has been his fame. A. N. Hay, too, played well, and was unfortunate to have run up against so outstanding a score. Akarana Highlights. - 1 Highlights in ' the qualifying test for tlie winter championship at Akarana were the tie by a.quartet for the-scratch-medal, \ and the fine performance of Keith, better . known as "Grid," Caldwell in arriving ; from the country to beard tlie lions in ' their den. Had the prize gone by count 1 back then one favours Brinsden's chances, as liis respective halves were 43 and 36, j the latter due to some rare putting. ' Leastwise, so reports R. R. McCrystal, 1 who was unable to play owing to his knee giving out. Still, McCrystal need • not unnecessarily feel down on his luck, j as it is open to question whether a little physical pain is not a positive balm compared with the mental anguish of trying i to qualify. Has not someone said of this < world that we complain of the noise, j when it is the great silence which we j really fear. McCrystal's knee brings to ' mind the instance of a perfectly good [ golfer in our. midst who broke his right i arm and perforce went on the water wagon. In a fortnight he had become , almost a physical wreck, when, lo and \ behold, lie suddenly found himself pos- i sessed of a left arm.' But such, I fear, is -1 to digress. _ In the match play Carr's defeat of G. < M. Coltman was well merited, and lie i proceeded to give Brinsden a good match j! before crying enough. Can- is a junior > '■ of some promise, but must realise that j 1 if he is to reach the heights he must, . 1 in hitting his shots, stand up, rather than ( crouch. Which is not intended as a lame i pun. Livingstone, too. played well and j displayed probably the best golf seen m' 1 the tournament. He lias had much ex- 1 perience of the game at Home, arid has ' many useful years of golf before him. ' Against Brinsden several of his putts refused to drop at critical stages, otherwise lie would have won out. His show- ( ing is most encouraging. ■ i Cairns, who won from Caldwell at the r twentieth and then went down at the < eighteenth to Greenbank in a stirring ; finish, is one of.Akarafia's younger set. * He is a better golfer than many have been apt to realise. Gordon Biss, always c liable to display bursts of brilliant play, [ had a meteoric career in the tournament, t

A hectic battle with D. G. Macfarlane (Maungakiekie) saw him triumph ( at the nineteenth, and later he embarked 011 the unenviable task of endeavouring to overcome an- early deficit of four holes against Greenbank. That proved his swan song, and it '.was possibly by way of an appetiser that in the previous round *he had brilliantly put liis second within inches of the pin- at the eighteenth, to hole the three to defeat Bruce Thomson, provincial champion. It is truly delightful how youth shakes its head and comes up for more. Thomson was seldom scoring evenly, having lost his control of direction. In the final Brinsden was always the winner, though owing his success mainly to ability to hole putts. Greenbank performed well in the circumstances, and is to bo congratulated on his first near success in a major tournament. A happy feature was that several of cur leading amateurs should have entered for the event. That more of them did not take part is another matter. It is the hard road of match play that develops players. As a result of a recent inter-club, a contemporary has offered that the winning team was as strong as could be mustered by anjj club in the Dominion. It is interesting to note that just such an opinion has been offered in the case of at least three other clubs. The writer hopes not to fl'ead on anyone's toes when saying that he views the qualjty of Auckland golf as capable of much improvement.