Flattering Courses

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 108, 10 May 1939, Page 19

Flattering Courses

LOW SCORING IS COMMON.

MANY FINE ROUNDS.

PUPUKE AND NORTH SHORE.

MEDALS HARD TO WIN.

(By RUBBEROORE.)

Late autumn is a eubtle flatterer as regards scoring, courses invariably being on the eajy side at thin time of the year. On Saturday, at most coureee, conditions were all that could be desired, and it wae not surprising that there should have been a veritable harvest of low scores. Most noteworthy of the series was W. J. Davidge'e 70. for i up, from scratch, in Titirangi'e bogey. The provincial champion wae in rare touch, his one lapse being in the 17th, where he pushed, out his tee shot deep into trouble and lost tlio bnll. I'layinjj his third from the tee Davidge made a valiant but unsuccessful effort for tin- half in 5, and then cupped matters in holiiiK a birdie 3 at the eighteenth. • It was imli.i tuiiiitc for K. M. (ieorge that he nti licit lii« beet form on the mime afterhim in and a meritorious 3 up could take ont> Hci-ond place. Others in the running were Jack Murray, F. (i. Alpe and J. (.'. Graham. Murray, expecially, played well and in the ioniiirrent Biillin Cup match gave N. R. rliapniiui little olmnce. Of matches for the Biillin (hip (J. K. Gnomon'* win from B. T. ].jii.vr(M'k wae well merited, as wan alHo J. (iihuour'd succese over C. Galloway, (liilliiway in a wound stylift and more will be heard of him. R. B. Hardy's feat in eliminating H. D. Biinwlen at a ditVorpnee of only a few strokes wae without doiilit tlie most noteworthy win. The match wns j>layed in the pouring rain of two week-cuds ago. Players at Piipuke were on good terms with themselves—there was the excellent scoring in the medal ' with numerous player* in the 60"s, and to add to the happy atmosphere a hole in one wae recorded. That the state of the course gave every ns.iiwt;iru-o to players is evidenced by the fait that no fewer than 10 cards were better than net 70. 1 , . Cantwell was the liriurht particular star of tlie day and could rent well Katieh'ed at hix 8.0—24—65. OtliciH to have done well were M. Walker and I. Hnwden, net 00. nnd the quartet in U. ('. Malcolm. L. H. Abbott. E. R. Cockayne and G. 1 ,1 . Saunders, who were but one stroke worse. R. Pacey's gross 74 an hext individual round wa* well worthy of the honour and it is satisfactory that he should again be hitting his shots with his old-time surety. Good shots though Parry's were, he was outdone at at least one hole—the fifth. There T. E. Hooding holed in one. Evidently he craves that

perfection common to him on the bowling green, whore the accuracy of his drawing to the jack is leuion. Problem for Handlcappers. Overshadowed only by J. Pelliam'e record round of 70, M. Pattison's 7j—9>— (i({ was poniethillU of a poser for the handicappere at Maun;;akiekic. Pelham's wore WHi especially |(ood and it is to be regretted that a wayward teenhot at the eighteenth rather unnerved him and resulted in him taking three from the edge of the green when a t>9

was in eight. Even allowing that the | course is relatively easier than several of ■ the others around the city, Pelhani's last four rounds, all of which have been in the very low 7O'», epeak for themselves. For the TTioment lie is unquestionably the-king of Maungakiekie. Not to be overlooked at this course waa A. # V. Hardley's 78 — 13—65 to win the junior event —a good card, indeed. Low scoring wae also the rule at Orakei and Mannkau, though the former as a shorter course doee not present such difficulties a« Manukau. J. Steame, winner of Orakei's medal, enjoyed a clear-cut success and a revision of handicap will no doubt fall to hie lot. J. Cleghorn and E. Buncome, in being most prominent of the others, did quite well, especially in view of the recent lengthening of the course and tightening up of the greens. Ez-Otahuhu members in J. Rogers and G. Revell showed to best advantage at Manukau, though Rogers' 76 as best grose card waa a curious mixture of brilliance and lapses. Revell is etill hitting the ball great distances, but would go further in the game were he to tone down his game and concentrate on accuracy. In Remuera'e captain's prize M. Mcßeth, most experienced player in the event, though round in 75, experienced difficulty in conceding J. Keane hie handicap. The event was again marked by excellent matcheit, though H. Ma«sey rather upset the sequence in his defeat of E. W. Robbins. Well-known enthusiasts in A. Worth, W. Bomervell and V. Baddeley, though lieted with the vanquished, fought battles worthy of the occasion. Veteran's Success. Like a breath from the past is A. W. Short'e 70— 12—67 to win North Shore's senior medal, though compared with V. R. Nealie's 82—20—«2 in the junior event it was bnt a modest offering. Short, though having played only intermittently recently, has been an enthusiast for the best part of 20 years. Formerly a member at Maungakiekie and Titirangi, he was one of the early members of North Shore. Hie success etrikei a happy chord in the memory of earlier days of Auckland golf.