Walker Cup Golf Contest

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 127, 1 June 1938, Page 21

Walker Cup Golf Contest

PROBLEMS FOR HANDICAPPERS.

EXCEPTIONAL SCORES. SELF CUP LEADER. CLUB COMPETITION NOTES. (By RUBBERCORE.) When at Titirangl on Saturday C. Galloway handed in a 78 —12 —66, his second net card of under seventy, it sounded the death knell of the Self Cup. Leastwise many were to be seen consulting their fixture cards, which suggested an interest more -of the future. Maybe there remain one or two holding secret hopes of success in the final round. If so they had better practise holing braasie shots. Present indications are that the door is closed to' any hope of success by the chip and putt route. Galloway, elder brother of J. Galloway, now professional at Whangarei, has handled golf clubs practically since he could walk. The opinion expressed in this column prior to Easter that Galloway would quickly merit a lower handicap was only too quickly borne out. If he has a weakness it is a tendency to too quickly view the result of his approaches. Possibly a slight shortening of the grip might prove helpful. The Self Cup is decided on the best aggregate in three rounds. The leading scores are:—G. Galloway, 68. 66 —134; L. Williamson, 68, 75 —143; H. G. Thomson, 74, 73—147; A. C. Johns, 73, 75—148. - G. W. Burgegs, better known for his exploits in cricket, had some hectic holes in his 89 —19 —70. Despite a liberal sprinkling of eights and sixes he finished right up in the firing line. A beautiful driver, it can be accepted that he will soon play fast and loose with the scratch score. V H. D. Brinsden, after a• relatively poor opening of 5, 3, 5, 4. 6, settled down to superlative golf over the part of the course which really mattered. The merit of scores at Titirangi may for the moment be taken with a grain of salt. The temporary greens at the second and eighth put four short holes in the first nine. As will be appreciated, two of them can be approached or attacked from any angle under the sun. Threes at these holes are therefore t>he rule rather than the exception. What had almost amounted to a dynasty in North Shore's captain's prize fell with the simultaneous defeat of A. E. Browne and H. Stevens. The pair, despite their low handicaps, had repelled, all attackers, but just when success seemed imminent •they were laid by the heels. M. S. O'Connor, who so decisively mastered Brown, is playing well this season, and experience plus a let-up in handicap is a vital weapon. Stevens went down only grudgingly, as the nineteenth hole bear§ witness. Taken right through, the fifth round marked the debacle of the giants, the rout being complete when A. W. Short, a tactician of old, also received his quietus.

Scores wliich suggest better tjiftlgs were returned at Remuera, where Gore Foote, 76—8—68, G. Duncan 77—8—69, and Milieu Mcßeth, 77 —6—71, acquitted themselves handsomely. Good though the cards were, they played second fiddle to Vic Badeley's 88—12—68, which won on the count back. The more one peruses club fixtures the greater becomes the conviction 'that the golf course has become something of an All Blacks' valhalla. It is pleasing to see Foote's recovery of his Prowess of old. A contemporary of the 'late J. C. Burns, Parker, Upton, W. B. Colbeck and others of an older vintage of golfing giants, Foote, even prior to the :tvar, was one.of pur very best players. The fact that: lie s6 splendidly retains his skill will be comfort to others, who, having travelled the broad highway, feel their golf" mellowing to a matter of memories. There was nothing calculated to set the Thames ;on fire at Maungakiekie, where L. J. Drumraond, 25.12—37, was successful in the stableford. The figures tell their own story and elaboration is unnecessary. Best of the others was Albert Woolley, who, though his golf was not quite on the plane which made him winner of the Easter Cup, suggested that he is able to live up to his well-merited reduction in handicap. The ever-popular stableford also found expression at Middlemore, where F. P. Wheeler, 28, 9—37, played fairly sound golf to stave off--R. D. Horton, 31, 5—36. and the veteran W. B. Colbeck, 28, 8 —36. Horton this year is evidencing something of the form which made him club champion at Middlemore, and nearly culminated in a provincial championship win. With due respect to Silk, who won. I have always felt of that final that had Horton had the reward of his golf that afternoon, other history would have been written. Horton plays the game essentially for the joy he gets from it, but has an ideal match temperament. Maori Champion's Death. So much has been written of W. B. Colbeck's prowess that repetition is unnecessary. For the benefit of a younger generation it may, however, be said that for many years he was one of our very finest players, and that at about the beginning of the present century a New Zealand amateur championship might well have been his lot. A link with Colbeck's early golf was severed in the death recently of Karupo Tareha, the only Maori to win a New Zealand amateur championship. Karupo had more than once fallen 'a victim to Colbeck and had a great respect for his golf. Many years later when Kapi Tareha, son of Karupo, visited Middlemore for the New Zealand championships, Karupo warned him to beware of the "white rangatira," Kopeke—who, of course, is identical with our subject. The pair were fated to meet, and at the eighteenth, where Kapi's prodigious drive finished jtiSt short of the bunker guarding the green, it boded ill for Colbeck. I watched Kapi curiously as he shaped up for the short pitch shot. Lo and behold, he looked tipon it, putting a soup-plate divot as well as the ball plop into the sand. Once in the bunker he proceeded to destroy himself thoroughly. The mana of Kopeke had been too much! Setting a sizzling pace, W. E. B. Davies' card of 77—13—64 spreadeagled the opposition at "Otahuhu. The course, though ■short and to all intents and purposes unbunkered, abounds in natural hazards, which suggests that Davies is going to be

much at home in liis new quarters. His performance sets a merry problem for the hundicappers. In the captain prize L. J. Clark, club champion, was too steady round the green for F. McKenzie. Then to cap a day of extraordinary doings, W. A. Stroud outplayed J. W. Johns, jun., to win at the sixteenth. Johns, as a matter of fact, covered himself in glory as Strouds' offering in the junior medal was 81—22—a really farcical result. However, since Johns carried the match so far it seemed to, have been a case of diamond cut diamond. Burns, too, hero of a fortnight before, had his wings clipped by J. Adams, but here, too, the winner's medal score of 83—13—70 gives Burns a reflected glory. The fact was that on all courses Saturday's conditions were so much in favour of players that it was difficult not to have handed in a good card. At Pupuke, where the scoring was good without being sensational, W. J. Thompson and F. A. Piercey earned their place at the head of the field in the third monthly medal. 11. E. Nicholas and R. Pacey again had good gross scores, the former especially so. Anyone conversant with Pupuke will recognise the merit of a round of 75. Akarana, agog with the expectancy of its winter championship, presented a lively scene at the week-end, but the chronicling of the various competitions and results at this late stage is, I fear, beyond me. The list is altogether too imposing and fearsome to allow of full justice being done. Better then to leave the successful gladiators to bask in the sun of the;r own glory. For the present then, wo shall leave Akarana in anticipation of the battles to be fought over its torturous fairways at the week-end. Middlemore Captain's Prize. The major match play event of the Auckland Club, the captain's prize, is now reaching an interesting stage, and when three matches are played during the week there will be eight left. Of those who have reached the quarter-final stages there are tiiree who have resisted the challenges of the more-liberally handicapped, W. A. Donald (31, B. H. Mcnzies 12) and K. M. Wilson (4). All three have played consistently good golf during the season. There are sufficient Wilsons in the club to provide a team of a dozen, and it is not surprising that two of the name are still in the contest. Down at the bottom of the draw is. R. A. Wilson (4), who had a successful career at Shirley and Invereargill before coming to Auckland. At one time he was on scratch. He has to meet 1. W. .T. (Dr.) Johnson (8), who has not revealed his best form yet. It will be recalled that Johnson a couple of years ago had a round of 71. which set the handicappcr a problem. Xear the top of the draw A. R. Johnson (12) (a son) is looking after the family laurels. His opponent is B. M. Hay (5), another of the comparatively young players, who learned his golf while at King's College, and later at Dunedin. Johnson accounted for P. Savage earlier in the contest, despite the fact that Savage carded 75 for the round. Holding the fort at present for the lon<_'markers are F. E. Webster (20). J. F. Ewen (18) and J. L. Blackmore (15). I LADIES' MATCHES. A TITIRANGI CLUB. Following were the results of a bogey match played yesterday by members of the Titirangi Toadies' Golf Club: — Seniors.—Mrs. J. M. Alison. 2 down ; Mrs. R. S. Whale, 4 down ; Mrs. S. A. Pezaro. 5 down. Juniors. — Mrs. R. M. Pattinson. 1 down ; Mrs. G. M. White, 4 down ; Miss R. Pagni, 0 down. HAMILTON CLUB. A one-day tournament was held by the Hamilton Ladies' Golf Club at St. Andrews links yesterday. The weather was wet, but the entries were excellent. The results were as follows :— Senior Medal.—Mrs. C. F. O'Connor, DO —10—74; Mrs. C. A. Arthur. S)O—J4—7G ; Mrs. C. O. Bennett. 90—13—77 : Mrs. L. I. Dav. 87—9—7S ; Mrs. I'. R. Glnnville, 84 — 6—78. Junior Medal.—Miss G. West. 96—23— 73 : Mrs. W. Waring. 97—19—7S ; Mrs. W. Tanner, 108—29—79. Senior Bogey.—Mrs. S. Bennett, 3 down ; Mis. Glanville. 4 down. Junior Bogey.—Mrs. X. Revell, 3 down; Mrs. R. B. Seabrook, 5 down. MAUNGAKIEKIE CLUB. Following is the result o£ an eclectic match played yesterday :—Seniors : Mrs. A. Milne. S7—JS—69; Mrs. V. Kerr. S2—ll— 71 ; Miss E. Schnaner. 8,1—14—71: Mrs. W. S. Spence. 8T»—17—72; Mrs. H. P. Caughey. 90—18—72. Juniors: Mrs. H. Walker. 9".—26—67; Mrs. A. B. Stewart, 96—29—67 ; Mrs. S. C. Hodges.. S7—IOCS; Miss E. McGowan. 93—23—70; Mrs. S. li. Haycock. 95—23—72. The tie was won by Mrs. Walker on a recount of the last uine holes.