CLUB TITLE EVENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 253, 24 October 1936, Page 19

CLUB TITLE EVENTS.

SOME KEfiN GOLF.

H. B. LUSK WINS OUT AGAIN.

Two major championships were decided on Saturday, one in which 11. B. Lusk defeated W. N. Abbott at Middlemore to add to his already imposing list, and the other an affair of youth when at Titirangi J. 11. Young at last got on top of the world in defeating J. Galloway. The morning round was something ot 'a tragedy for Abbott, as after winning the two opening holes and being generally the steadier of the pair, he found himselt only square at the tenth. lheu at the thirteenth Lusk played a masterly hole and wlfbn at the fourteenth he holed out from the back of the green following a poor second shot, the tide had turned in his favour. Lusk was on top at tlie fifteenth and sixteenth, but at tlie two finishing holes Abbott was far the better placed, only to tliree-putt in each instance and let Lusk out. Four up at lunch, Lusk notched another win when at the nineteenth Abbott found trouble with the bunkers. Thereafter Abbott came into Ins own, but Lusk saved the day with splendid putting under stress. Luslt's putts to save at the third, fourth, fifth and tenth holes were really the deciding points of the match, as it had been only his suP«' b match play that enabled him to hold tne vital fragments of a receding lead. lie was in an unenviable position on a dozen occasions during the round, but hung on grimly. What might have happened had Abbott holed his putt at the allimportant thirty-fifth is, ot" course, conjecture, and moreover is another story. It is 26 years since Harold Lusk won his title of amateur champion of the Dominion. Like the brook, he still goes gaily on. So far as Abbott is concerned, it is perhaps fair to say that he did not have the best of the luck, but whatever the merits he played his part well. Young Titirangi Champion. As was anticipated, Young's greater experience proved the sheet anchor in his defeat of Galloway, but apart from this, in the morning round particularly, he was in rare touch on the greens. Five down as a result of the" first eighteen holes, Galloway's chances of effecting a recovery were slender, but after lunch, for a few holes, he was in the ascendancy. Young ought to have won the fifth, and when, following a missed opportunity at .the sixth, Galloway won the seventh and eighth, interest was revived. That was his ©wan song, however, as Young- again forged ahead and, though uneasy at the holes where direction plays an ill-impoi-t----ant part, chipped in cleverly at the thirtj'first to end the match. Young has been a long time turning the corner, but on this occasion turned it with a vengeance. He has been looked upon as something of a disappointment in big golf, but it is to be remembered that he is still very much of au undersized lad. He promises yet to be a force to be reckoned with* in open championships, as for his inches his courage is unrivalled. Only a boy, Galloway is as steady as a rock in his golf and he, too, will occupy a higher place before many years are sped. The championship road to-clay is a pretty difficult one for extreme youth to traverse. Moreover, these lads have but little opportunity for regular practice, so can be considered to have done right royally. Middlemore Intermediates. Two other good matches were when G. F. Henderson beat H. V. Coverdale in Middlemore's intermediate final, and when R. B. Hardy finished in most spirited fashion to round off a success against Gordon Bartleet in Titirangi's junior event. In the former. Henderson generally held the call over Coverdale, who experienced one of his erratic days. A delightful hitter, he is apt to stray from the line, though when things go right can be quite devastating. On the whole Henderson was the steadier, and that is -what woii out. In the afternoon round Coverdale displayed flashes of splendid golf, but was .unable to maintain his effort. lt was something of a coincidence that, as was

the case with the senior title, a 2 at thirteenth should have played an important part in deciding the issue. At this stage Coverdale was only 2 down, after having been 5 down at the turn. Thereafter the pendulum again swung in favour of Henderson, the end having come when at the sixteenth Coverdale destroyed himself in putting his tee shot in the trees. A "Ferrier Finish." Bartleet's 3's at the two opening holes were the tit-bit of the Titirangi match, and afforded Hardy something of a poser as an opening. From then onward it was a dour struggle, but Ferrier golf, with two "birdies" to finish, saw Hardy the winner at the eighteenth. Hardy, of course, is something of an old hand in .the game though in latter years he has played only spasmodically. He again took up tile game at Otaliuhu last season, and like "Grif," his opponent of many a tennis fight, has quickly found his touch on the link-3. Bartleet has displayed really splendid form this year', and all things considered it would seem that the gods were not with him in the final. Akarana and Maungakiekie. With net scores of 73, s 71, 73 and 75, J H. G. 'Edmonds deservedly won Akarana's Tyler Memorial, and the figures would gladden the hearts of many of the contenders for the open now under way at New Plymouth. Sid Booth, one of the club's old identities, as runner-up, also had figures which represented really steady golf. Maungakiekie's junior match play final went to J. E. Cochrane, more or less a newcomer to the game, though he has golfed at the hill for a few seasons. He has worked hard at the game, and, in having effected considerable improvement in his. golf, is to be warmly commended on his success. R. J. Coates, runngr-up, formerly well-known in tennis circles, was a member of the old club before Titirangi was thought of. but following his war service, forsook the links until last season. It is good to see him again swinging his clubs, and though on Saturday he did not win he lost little in defeat at the 17th. C. G. Cooper, winner of the consolation, handed in a very warm 80—14—66. A. Belcher had the consolation of getting only second with the very good card of 79—12—07. J. H. Earle was best gross, his 74 having followed very sound golf ill ti\e tricky condition of the course. The winner of this grade, Club President J. M. Elliffe. had the excellent card of 78—12—66, but even so got home by only one point from C. F. Rosser. North Shore Successes. The pick of the efforts at Noi,"th Shore was the 74 to Harold Stevens, finalist for the championship against Alan Browne. Stevens had a 72 against J. Pelham in the pennants, so promises to keep Browne very busy on the day of days. In- the pennants, which North Shore won from Maungakiekie by the odd game, J. H. Earle holed a 71—the ball stopped on the lip at the 18th for a 70—and then won from W. Macindoe only on a good putt at the seventeenth. Thus Titirangi and Akarana are left to fight out A grade honours.