ON THE LINKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1935, Page 24

ON THE LINKS.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS.

PROGRESS OF THE EVENTS.

SOME INTERESTING SEMI-FINALS.

A gloriously fine day, with courses showing real evidence of spring, greeted golfers for the continuation of local club championships. There was too, a comforting amount of run on the ball, while the firm state of the ground imparted to wayward shots a kick reminiscent of the more famous brands of bootleggers' hooch. Little wonder then that fortune smiled on the brave, and that shots hit on the line were match winners all the way. Titirangi Tussles. , As is usual in the case of a drying northerly, Titirangi was rather on the lively side, and to this could be ascribed in some degree the results of the senior championship semi-finals.. The margin of McCrystal's loss to Brinsden admits of no excuses other than in being out of touch he was completely at a loss as regards control of the ball under the fast conditions. It may be accepted that 7 down _at the turn to his opponent's score of '38 is not McCrystal's true form. It is, however, to be realised that Brinsden played few loose shots during the match.

Young was always on top against MacEwan, whose golf lacked its usual accuracy and freedom. He was noticeably struggling whenever called upon to play judged shots to the pin. Young, on the other hand, displayed considerable finesse, 'due in a .measure to his knowledge of Titirangi's caprices. So Young and Brinsden are left to again fight out a battle of two seasons ago, when Brinsden defeated his younger rival. There was little to choose between the finalists in the • intermediate grade, in which M. Fraser-Smith defeated 11. 11. Souter at the home green. There were moments, in fact many moments, when either player might have pushed home an advantage, though on the whole the breaks of fortune were fairly evenly distributed. In congratulating Fraser-Smith on his win, it may be added that Souter, too, performed well in defeating able opponents on his way to the final. The junior event was in sharp contrast to the intermediate final, as A. K. Jackson soon amassed a big lead on W. J. Ileid, and very wisely did not let up. Something like the cockney who was asked why he did not remove his foot from the neck of an incapacitated antagonist. "Not after the trouble I've 'ad gettin' 'im down," was the reply. The story is peculiarly applicable to match play in golf. Mlddlemore Titles. According to reports we are invited to believe that R. D. Wright was lucky to win his semi-final from S. S. Wilson at Middlemore. Such may have some semblance of truth, though better construction might be to say* that had he putted with his usual steadiness the question of luck at the eighteenth would not have {irisen. Luck is a fickle goddess, yet in my experience of the game, if not games, she bestows her favours with surprising equality. The matter can, perhaps, best be left with the observation that Wilson would willingly admit to having had many opportunities and committed the very human weakness of having failed to take advantage of them. At all events there can be little loss of prestige in a match the fate of which hangs on a single putt. In the other match Bartleet always had the advantage of Plumley, and as the match proceeded his greater accuracy built up a lead which was to determine the fate of the game. Neither played sensational golf, though it is significant that only in one instance did loose play go unpunished. The intermediate semi-finals were well fought, though R. B. Wilson, by virtue of his greater scope, usually had It. G. Rainger fighting to save the position. Wilson is hitting his shots well, but will require to maintain a good .standard if he is to defeat N. Louisson in the final. The latter met with surprising opposition in his match with G. C. Henderson, who, though scarcely a stylist, has proved a sound match player. It would have called for but little for him to have turned the scales Louisson. In the junior event S. G. McCoy repeated a previous success in the event when he won so handsomely from B. C. Jacobs. It would seem that McCoy has about served his apprenticeship in junior spheres. Jacobs certainly had cause to feel a little hurt when McCoy, with a handy lead as the result of the first eighteen holes, reached the turn in 41. This more especially when it is mentioned that in the clash between S. S. Wilson and R. D. Wright in the senior semi-final Wilson held the lead with a score of 45 for the nine holes. Fortunes at North Shore. Correspondingly poor golf was played by H. C. Stevens for the first nine in his match with B. Macihdoe in the Nortn Shore championship. Following a hard match against the youthful D. J. Reid, Miles Nelson set out against L. Harrison, but the killing of two birds with one stone, as it were, proved beyond hiin. Reid gave him a most interesting game, as the 35 homeward by the pair bears witness. Though Nelson made a good match of it, Harrison putted like a demon to win at the seventeenth. Spraggon and Morrison, a well matched pair, also had a gruelling game, Morrison having made a grand run to square the match after having been 4 down with six to play. It was a fine effort on Morrison's part, as Spraggon is usually sound in match play. His, victory over Levy in the pennants at Otahuhu is not forgotten. Fireworks was the order of things when Browne met Bush and the expected tussle rather went up in smoke. Opening with two 3's and continuing to apply the pressure, Browne soon had the match within his grasp, though at no stage could he afford to relax.

In the intermediate grade experience told its tale when S. W. H. Chambers •won from R. E. Ash. H. N. Preston, too, practised his wiles at the expense of a younger rival in L. Caslimore. R. N. White early obtained a substantial lead from S. E. Foote and thereafter was not greatly troubled to win at the fourteenth. It t was a different story when H. Bartlett met A. F. Halvey, ns there was little between'the play throughout. In the end Bartlett was quite satisfied to be congratulated by his opponent at the eighteenth green. Shanly Has The Luck. The brightest patch at Maungakiekie eventuated in the senior championship semi-final between I. McOwan and J. D. Shanly. Taking advantage of Shanly's wanderings from the line, McOwan held a 2 up lead at the e'leventh and looked like making it 3 when Shanly's 'ball found the bnnkeij at the short twelfth hole. A resourceful chip and sound putt gave Shanly a sorely needed half and he again escaped at the thirteenth, where McOwan failed with his holing putt. Keeping the measure of his youthful opponent, McOwan was still 2 up at the sixteenth, but a weak approach saw his lead dwindh to one hole. Again at the seventeenth McOwan missed a yard putt "following a grand approach and Shanly, who was experiencing as many lives as the proverbial cat, had no difficulty in holing his 4 for the half. The story of the eighteenth is soon told, as McOwan three-putted frorfi a rather difficult angle and Shanly took the proffered opportunity to liole a 4 and square the match. The nineteenth was an anti-climax, as Shanly chipped out of a bunker and holed a long putt for yet another 4, whereupon McOwan, who had.nearly holed a 3. missed a putt of some three feet and ail was over. Though Shanly deserves every credit for having courageously stuck to his guns lie was fortunate to have won, as. in the main lie was outplayed by his veteran opponent. McOwan may look back on his efforts in the championship with pardonable pride. In the other semi-final ,T. E. Earle opened hostilities against Tidmarsh by •holing, a 3 and winning the first four holes. With the initial'shock over. Tidmarsh held ( his rival, but it was alp over •when Varies second to the thirteenth—

a lucky shot at the devil's number— nestled against the pin. Earle's score was even 4's where the match tended.

In the intermediate grade j. K. Johnston played steadily to defeat a more experienced rival in N. J. Kidd. Johnston stood 3 up at the turn, but Kidd then brilliantly holed a brace o£ twos at'the succeeding holes. His race was run, however, and the finish came at the seventeenth, where lie missed 'a short putt which, had he holed it, would have carried the match to the eighteenth. Johnston has proved the surprise packet of the event, and lias done extremely well to reach the final. Here he meets W. G. Clavis, who defeated S. Colegrove following a display which would have done credit to a senior. Clavis has undoubtedly shown the best form of any player in the grade and should win the final.

In the junior event I. G. Scott overwhelmed Baker, who the previous week won a. great tussle from the veteran R. i Angus at the nineteenth. The other I finalist, N. R. Obr'en, was too experienced | for a newcomer in Winstone. The latter, however, has a good style and promises well. The Elliffe Cup, the major match play tourney, has at long last been brought to a conclusion, J. T. Tanner having won from A. Woolley at- the eighteenth. One up at the eleventh Tanner turned a likely looking loss into a win through the medium of a good approach. Woolley here played two weak chip shots,' and may view this hole as causing the definite wrecking of his prospects. Tanner again unearthed a telling shot when at the sixteenth he holed a long putt to retain his lead when Woolley's ball lay dead for the win. Victor and vanquished has, however, each done his part royally in the event. Other Club Championships. Of Otahuhu's more important events, J. G. Bracewell's win in the intermediate title was well merited, as his opponent, R. E. Brown, has played really good golt' this season. Bracewell, who is perhaps better Jiown for his Rugby exploits, is shaping well on the links. F. McKenzie, winner of the Eccles Cup, made use of his strokes against C. B. Herrold, and had few lapses at the business end of the match. A chip shot which he holed at the siixth, when Herrold's ball lay close to the cup, was a notable thrust at the right moment.

At Glendowie, E. Hutchinson was in splendid touch against R. Bradley, his 0 and 4 win having never been in doubt. Noel Hockin, too, was on the warpath, and played an outstanding round in soundly defeating J. E. Stedman. Hockin has the golf in him, and it only requires practice for him to rank well in Auckland golf. He was an accomplished player so long as fifteen years ago. Dr. Horton's win from Kennedy was a rather bloodless affair, as he is a much more able player than his opponent. Fully mindful of J. Kissling's play in the Captain's Prize, W. L. Cole set about his match in real earnest, and his 8 and 7 draws attention to his prospects of winning the title. Kissling had recompense in getting out of a tight corner against E. W. Griffiths to reach the final for the Captain's prize. Griffiths had played well in this event.

Two wins of note in the country area were Trevor Bloomfield's defeat of C. E. Howden at Waiuku, and the regaining of the club title at Onewhero by Keith Caldwell. Howden had played so well recently that his, defeat, certainly not a 7 and 6 defeat, was unexpected. Bloomfield, however, has a brilliant streak, and is also resourceful round about the greens. He has done particularly well to have bearded the lion in his den ? as Howden is specially difficult to cope with on his native heath. Of the Onewhero final, Caldwell is an immeasurably superior stylist, and for that matter golfer, than Cronin, but the latter is one who never believes a hole lost till the bitter end. He knows little of the science of the game, but his abilities in match play are beyond question.

In the junior event Jury always led Muir and his victory was a fairly comfortable one. Wright, winner of two of the club's week-end events, has experienced a good season and is one of Onewliero's most improved players. These notes would be incomplete were mention not made of veteran H. T. Gillies' success in reaching the semi-finals of the St. Andrew s championship, Hamilton. He has a grand record in the game, and it may comfort some of those who are disposed to grow old that I saw him win the Cambridge open championship title in 1912. Take courage, then, those who mayfeel that their golfing "sun is about to set.

AKARANA LADIES' CLUB,

Following are the best scores rcturncil In the Stableford bogey match played by members of the Akarana Ladies' Golf Club :—

Seniors. —Miss O. Darrach, 38; Mrs. C. N. Jacobsen, 30; Miss K. Hickman. Mrs. W. "J. McAllen, 32.

Juniors.—Miss I. Brown. 38; Mrs. F Colledge, 37; Mrs. H. Lovell, 30; Mrs. J. F. Wells, Miss E. I'rideaux, 35; Sirs. A. T. Garlick, Mrs. H. Siinmonds, Mrs. C. H. Davies, Miss P. Cooper. Miss E. Cleary, Miss D. Shepherd, 34.

Following is the draw for the L.G.U. and handicap medal roumls to be played I on Tuesday, commencing at 10.30 o'clock:— Mrs. F. Preston v. Mrs. E." Philip. Mrs. C. N. Jacobsen v. Miss L. O'Callaghan, Sirs. Howey Walker v. Sirs. G. M. Tllston, Sirs. C. Taylor v. Mrs. 11. R. l/usli, Mrs. C. SI. Cox v. Sirs. A. A. Bishop, Sirs. E. R. Bayley v. srrs. G. Ashley, Sirs. L. Kingsland v. Sliss P. Peet, Mrs. W. J. McAllen v. Sirs. B. Bree, Mrs. I). St. George v. Sirs. C. Cannnick, Miss I. McCready v. Sliss G. Hodge, Sirs. F. Lord v. Sirs. D. McKenzie, Sirs. F. Colledge v. Mrs. F. l'arker, Miss SI. Dalton v. Sliss M. Lundon, Mrs. C. H. Davies v. Sliss G. Sladen, Sirs. 11. B. Ward v. Mrs. A. T. Garlick, Sirs. F. Schlsclika v. Sirs. A. D. Young, Sirs. F. H. Slucller v. Miss M. Hayes, Sirs. P. 11. Burton v. S?rs. H. Saunders, Mrs. J. F. Wells v. Sirs. J. W. Baxter, Sirs. H. Simmonds v. Sirs. C. Low. Sirs. SI. Russell v. Sliss SI Sleaglier, Sliss T. Jones v. Sirs. C. 11. Halford.

Sixth Tee, 10.30 a.m.—Sirs. R. H. Coltman v. Miss A. Johnson, Sirs. H. Lovell v. Sliss M. WaPers, Sirs. W. R. Woolhouse v. Sliss I. Walters. Sliss SI. Neville v. Miss SI. Kerr Taylor, Mrs. Brook Smith v. Sirs. J. Kay.

The draw for the week-end members Is ns follows: —Miss K. Hully v. Miss O. Darracli, Miss K. Hickman v. Miss R. McGee, Mrs. A. Spencer v. Miss A. Deacon, Miss M. Webber v. Miss M. Wright, Miss? E. Prideaux v. Miss P. Punch, Miss I. Brown v. Miss P. Cooper. Miss V. Lee Shea v. Miss M. Bass, Miss M. Hodge v. another, Miss O. Cowley v. Miss A. Seay, Miss E. Wright v. Miss B. Roberts, Miss E. Cleary v. Miss D. .Shepherd.

The draw for the first round of the second handicap match to be played by week-end members is us follows: —Miss A. Deacon v. Miss A. Johnson. Miss O. 'Dnrracli v. Miss V. Lee Shea. Miss B. Roberts v. Miss I*. Punch. Miss M. Hodge v. Miss A. Seay, Miss P. Cooper v. Miss M. Webber, Miss K. Hickmnn v. Miss E. Wright.

The following players have byes :—Miss K. Prideaux, Miss M. Bass. Miss I. Brown, Mrs. A. Spencer, Miss M. Wrlglit. Miss I\. Hally, Miss O. Cowley. Miss E. Cleary, Miss R. McGee, Miss D. Shepherd.

MAUNGAKIEKIE LADIES' CLUB,

An L.G.U. medal handicap was played by members of the Maungakiekie Ladles' Golf Club yesterday. Following were the best scores returned:—

Seniors—Mrs. W. K. Michael, 04—15—76 ; Mrs. J. .Terrat, 89—11 —78; Miss M. Hasiett, 04—10—78; Mrs. R. Hipklns, 05—17—78; Mrs. V. Kerr, 93—14—70.

Juniors. —Mrs. H. P. Caughey, 97—24—73 ; Mrs. R. George, 106—31—75; Mrs. W. J. Trnscott. 99—23—76; Mrs. D. It. Garrard, 97—21—76: Mrs. L. Pegler, 101—25—76; Mrs. R. Meredith, 111—34—77; Miss N. Clark, 111—33—78; Mrs. A. Milne, 09—21— 78; Mrs. J. 11. Stewart, 103—25—78; Mrs. G. A. Ilardley, 100—21—70: .Miss B. Smith, 100—21 —79; Mrs. E. J. Richardson, 110— 31—79.

Following is the result of the second round of the captain's match play foursomes competition:—Mrs. 11. V. Johnston and Miss M. Haslett beat Mrs. G. S. Laird and Mrs. .T. Patersojn, 4 and 2; .Miss C. Stubbs and Miss B. Smith beat Miss R. Williams and Mrs. E. ,T. Richardson, 4 and 3; Miss A. Grove and Miss E. Schnauer beat Mrs. G. Pocoek and Mrs. J. Lloyd, 3 and 2: Miss B. Abbott and Miss M. Itobsou beat Mrs. E. Xeale and Mrs. L. Coakley. 5 and 4. The semi-ilnals must be played by Tuesday week.

REMUERA CLUB.

The following players will represent tlie Kemuera Golf Club in an A grade pennant match to be played against North Shore at Reniuera :—S. S. Wilson, R. G. liainger, D. B. 'Mansergli, T. K. Kissling, It. E. Rainger, U. C. Clifton. C.«jUcManns, W. Miller, G. Duncan, N. Wallace, R. E. Smith, W. S. Ralph.