ON THE LINKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 235, 3 October 1936, Page 21

ON THE LINKS.

CLUB LEADERS. CONTESTING THE TITLES. KEEN COMPETITION AT MIDDLEMOKE. B. H. Merizies was the star performer at Middlemore, and with 35 outward soon settled 'the issue against A. H. • Kirker in their championship match. His feat of having averaged almost two points a hole in the Stableford was also excellent, and deservedly gave him the honours. R. B. Wilson was too steady for V. W. Wilson, but Abbott, a former title-holder, had to do all lie knew to best t'ue_ youthful R. E. Itainger. Though not in his best form, McEwan had the call over A. L. McLean, and were lie to recover his steadiness would be a force to be reckoned with in the championship. Deadlines® at the short holes—he had five 3's —gave Lusk much needed respite against C. H. Knightj who revealed solid match play, in being defeated only at the" seventeenth. Knight's effort was a worthy one. Always a good match player, even though some of hie shots may be awry, R. D. Wright fought grimly for his 1 up win from Savage. When things go right for him Savage is one of the most capable golfers we have. A royal set-to is tile best description of the game between R. D. Horton and S. S. Wilson, ivhen the former did all that was asked of him at the all-important eighteenth. Lastly, there was the battle between Toogood and Aldred, and since it was won only .after two extra holes, Toogood may feel that little was lost in defeat. Appearances are that Menzies should enjoy an untroubled run to the final. In the other half of the draw, however, arcmany hardened match players, and what the future may hold its decidedly obscure. Glendowie and Shore Championships. W. Laxon's recent good form was reflected in the hard match he gave E. Hutchison in Glendowic's championship, and with a shade of luck lie may have laid his weli-performed rival by the heels. J. R. McCrystal, too, was another to show up well in defeat, as S. R. Self, liis conqueror, had an approximate 76 for the round. As was expected, C. Hortons reserve abilities and experience allowed him a fairly easy win against McGregor, and he is one who may easily cause ail upset in the event. Form, however, suggests that J. Stedman, who won from veteran and former champion F. Trice, will be on hand to contest the finals. Stedman has a well-controlled swing, and hits liis shots well.

With the exception of Morrison'6 defeat of Macindoe matters panned out much as expected at North Shore, though Miles Nelson gave H. Stevens something of a fright in disputing the issue to the home green. There is material for an interesting championship at this club, though the indications are that the old rivals, Browne rfud Stevens, are likely to thread their way through their respective halves to meet in yet another final. Taken all through, the young material at NorthShore has not developed its early promise. Still the championship is as yet in its early stages. Maunoakiekie Finalists. The Maungakiekie senior semi-finals were hard fought, George haying got out against Pelham only after holing a niblick shot of some four feet when stymied at the seventeenth. Donny 2 down, Pelham hit a glorious drive to the 270 yards seventeenth hole, but was extremely unfortunate that the ball should run across the mouth of the green into a 'bunker. He recovered grandly, however, and narrowly missing the 3, stymied his opponent with the above-mentioned result. The other match was most closely fought, there never being more than one hole between the pair. Finally at tlie eighteenth Palmer ran down a most difficult putt, but Schnauer was equal to the occasion with a sterling putt to keep the match alive. Both were wide of the mark at the nineteenth, but, recovering from the bunker, Schnauer holed another fine putt to claim the right to contest the final. The chief tussle of the intermediate grade was when Bennett met Colegrove. One down with three to go, Colegrove answered all demands by laying a long approach putt dead at the eighteenth. Bennett' perhaps played the more convincing golf, but wrecked himself in the concluding stages by three putting when in an attacking position. The pair, however, holed many good putts during the round. The final of the Bledisloe Cup was also played, when C. Partridge's long driving and allowance of six strokes proved more thnn Jno. Earle could combat. Akarana Surprises. To borrow a term, the giant-killer •at Akarana was Frank Thompson, who achieved fame ip accounting for S. Bryant, leader of the qualifying round and virtual favourite for the championship. It was truly a case of the mighty fallen. Ward and Cashmore provided a thrill for the spectators in journeying to the twentieth, and thou Herdman. added fuel to the fire in narrowly defeating a sound match player, in S. Booth. Thereafter results were on a plane with past performances, excepting that A. R. Finn's defection by F. Preston was one out of the bag. Smith played the best golf of the day, the manner iu which he disposed of A. Wyness suggesting that he will be one of the. hardest to beat.

At Titirangl. At Titirangi Young. Lucas and Coltman won their, games well, but from now .onward the strain will be on. Coltman and Young' are outstanding in the event, but Galloway is also a force to be reckoned with. This lad gives every promise of developing into a fine player. One has exhausted the plaudits in respect of W. J. A. Thompson's successes, but once agaiii he indulged in • his weakness of claiming success in a Stableford. His' score was a good one and just edged out that returned by an old contemporary in G. M. White, club captain. Defeat of H. Levy. The unlooked for occurred at Otahuhu when S. Clark fairly won his semi-final of the club championship from H. J. Levy. The margin of 4 and 3 was conclusive, so that Clark promises to be a worthy finalist. In tbe intermediate grade J. Bell again won his match comfortably, while G. Hudson was definitely on top against G. Lyttelton. At the moment Bell is prime fancy for the title. G. Mitchell's loss to W. Kerns in the juniors could well be accounted for, as he was labouring under the penalty of having holed in one, which in itself is quite unnerving enough. McKenzic. winner of the other match in the grade, has had a good deal of expcriencc, and unless the unforeseen happens is likely to hold his end up well in the final. The championship atmosphere having faded away at Pupuke, members contented themselves with less strenuous forms of play. There was, however, alive the competitive spirit in the Hawes Cup eclectic, won by R. Durham, and the semi-final for the Pupuke Cup, in which C. H. Palmer won a fine game from R. Pacey, one of the club cracks, at the home green.