REFLECTIONS IN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 65, 17 March 1945, Page 16

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700 GOLF BALLS RECOVERED

THOUGH no golf balls have been manufactured since the war •*• they are still appearing in their original wrappers and find a ready market at prices up to six times their original value, it is extraordinary how they are still coming to light. We saw this week four dozen, some of which were of the mesh marking vintage which became unpopular several years before the war. On the whole, however, players nowadays are content with repaints, very few of the reconditioned balls from America and Australia having come to these shores. Quite a few clubs have had a drive for balls to apportion among members, but all these efforts pale in comparison with the discovery of the Grange Club, at Otahuhu. Anyone who has played the course knows the hazard provided by the lagoon in front of the seventh tee, and many a ball has been hit into it and written off during the club's existence. It will, however, astound golfers generally to learn that a working bee has recovered 700 balls from the lagoon, the majority of which were in good playing condition when repainted.

The club formed a working bee to exploit the lagoon, and released a dam which had been formed some years ago to retain the waters of the Tamaki. When the waters subsided there were plenty of youngsters ready to delve into the muddy bottom. It was a precarious hunt, as the mud was deep and treacherous, and wooden planks were laid as a safeguard. The search brought prolific results, though occasionally an eel emerged from the slime to add an eerie savour to the hunt to all but the Maori lads of the district. The bag reported so far is the result of three weeks' searching. Though the balls had become blackened by their immersion, they responded well to repainting, and are now being rationed among members. Golf Form Retained Outstanding performer in club competitions at Titirangi in the past couple of seasons has been A. N. Young, while another member who had fairly consistent results last season without revealing the polished style of Young, was E. Gillett. In the opening competition last week, a bogey, the Colonel beat the field. Young and Gillett, with one down, were the most successful of half a dozen who returned cards. Young was out in scratch figures. 37, .after losing the second hole in 5. his one stroke at the ninth enabling- him to be all square at .the turn. He. lost three holes, coming-home, the last two with a 4 and a 3. His medal score was 75. one over the scratch figures. Gillett, on a 10 mark, was out in 39, and two up, having lost only one hole, on the eighth. His second half was.not so.sound and he lost four holes and had one win. Young won the competition on the count back over the last nine. Brilliant scorerv^jon.f-the before the who is playing "East Sunday afternoon, after his brother had won the morning scramble with a Stableford score of 34, and a round of 77, Jack revealed his former skill with a round of 73. Rngby Union Finances The success enjoyed by the Auckland Rugby Union last season is indicated the , annual., statement,- of, accounts; "which shows that receipts .matches, amounted to. £1998 15/11, while representative matches brought in a further £2287 1/1. a total for the year of £4285 17/. The net result of the season's activities was a profit of £506. The management committee regards the position as very satisfactory and states that it was.brought about by the increased. patronage and yery bright, fast;:~qpen".,.football, both: in club and representative matches. The union accumulated assets totalling £8750 1/6. From League to Bowls Arthur Lennie, who with Noel Donaldson, has gone a long way in the pairs championship at the last two New Zealand bowling tournaments, and is one of the soundest bowlers in Auckland to-day, was previously a well-known Rugby League forward. For'a period of some 12 years he was a stalwart member of the Richmond Club and he played consistently sound foot-

Wimbledon to Reopen i Bombed Wimbledon, scene of out- j standing international tennis tour- i naments before the war, will hold Its first big wartime tourney "probably in June," says an overseas writer. Miss Nora Cleather, club secretary, said it will be an invitation affair with, the possibility that players from the United States, France, Holland and the Dominions' will compete. She indicated professionals would not be invited. Not all of Wimbledon's courts will be used. The famed centre court will be "outside" court because its stands have been ' badly bombed. Show court will' be number one where the stands, accommodating about 6000, are in good shape. Asset To Air Force Cricket One of the Combined Air Force best.batsmen of the season is I. J. Macßae, who has, in addition to sound defence, a good range of scoring shots. He started at the Bayfield School and then, went on to the Mount Albert Grammar School. His next move was to the West End team, which used to play in the A.C.A. senior B competition? On.joining the Air Force, Macßae played for two seasons for the team of one of the air stations in a southern part of the North Island. He was then transferred to a station near Auckland, with the result that throughout the present season he has been able to play'-is&A.C.A. senior cricket. scoring has' done much to .give solidity to the Air Force team. In a recent match against Grafton-Y.M.C.A. he got 44, and in the previous match against Middlemore had doubles of 5 and 48. The five runs was a considerable part of the Air Force total of 27 in the first innings, and the 48 was a bright effort which gave Air Force, in making a late run, a winnftfg chance. "Previous to that rnatch c "he scored 19 against Eden-Ponsonby-Balmoral. Like other Air Force players, Macßae gets no opportunity to practice, and has to rely upon Saturday batting in senior matches to keep in form. He is a good all-rounder in sport, and as a half-back has played senior Rugby for Air Force. Domain Cricket Wickets Cricketers in the '~Mty' "ami /Suburban competitionsffo r many- years may not have realised the work entailed in providing for their recreation. Last Saturday the.y had the opportunity of meeting one of the men behind the scenes —George Hastings,' assistant groundsman, who is retiring from the staff of the city parks after over 20 years' service. Prior to the commencement of the games the players assembled in";the pavilion, J ."""Elliott, president of the association, on their jehalf presented ■ to Mr. Hastings a cheque in recognition of his services, and expressed appreciation of the good standard of the wickets. Mr. Elliott said that the gift carried with it the sincere wishes of all cricketers for Mr. Hastings' good health in his retirement. Breaststroke Swimmer's Win For the second successive year the Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club's harbour race of one mile, at Dunedm, has been won by a breaststroke exponent, Val Brown, who used that style all the way. Last year's winner, Marjory Hughes, is also a wellknown champion breastroke competitor Val Brown, who is a daughter of the president of the Otago Swimming Centre, Mr. Sara Brown, did not compete in the New Zealand championships at Wellington this year but ast season at Auckland gained places in both intermediate girls' breaststroke events. She was joint holder of the New Zealand Junior Girls 75yds breaststroke record of 64s unti a club mate, Hazel Forsyth, lowered it recently to 63 l-ss. This was the winner's first appearance in a harbour race, and her time of 34.43 was a good effort under unfavourable conditions. Val Brown was conceded 9.0 by the scratch man, D. Reid, who obtained fastest time of 28.31, one of the best performances for some years. Reid who figured in championship swimming before some of his recent opponent! were born, has an excellent, record in harbour swimming and has been placed .in,the Annette Kellerman Cup race. New Record Holders The Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has given official recognition to the re-cord-breaking performances of A. K. P Eustace, the Auckland hurdler, .who on three successive Saturdays reduced the national junior 120 yaidfe hurdles record of 15 4-5s to 15 2-os 15 l-ss, and finally 15s dead. In the hop. step and jump L. I. Shenkm and E. A. Rhodes, both of Auckland, are credited with records,. Shenkm with 44ft 4Mn and Rhodes with 44ft lJin The performances were registered at the Auckland championships where Rhodes, jumping prior to Shenkin, was the first to break the existing figures, and was thus entitled to the record until Shenkin out-jumped him a few minutes later. Rhodes' period as the record holder in itself must almost constitute a record for shortness of duration. J M Holland (Auckland) and D. Dep hoff (Canterbury) were listed.as the co-holders of the 220 yards hurdles record. Sisters Make Relay Team The four Grey sisters from Otahuhu, Lewis, Nancye, Francis and Kathleen, comprised a relay team at the Catholic Youth Movement's swimming sports held in the Tepid Baths this week. Kathleen, holder of the New Zealand record for 50yds, who has not taken, part in competitive swimming this year, showed that she retains her speed, by a dashing effort to make good the-leeway in the:lastlap. Though she made up a lot of the margin, the sisters were beaten by a couple of yards for first place.

"Wild Bill" Cenitti W. H. Cerutti, the St. George (Sydney) Rugby Union Club's front row forward, who has already played in 221 matches, is turning out again this season.: His ambition, according to Sydney reports, is to\eclipse Cyril Towers' record of 233 club and international matches. Cerutti, who started playing Rugby when he was 16, and has been going for 19 years, is widely known in New Zealand. A great front row man, his forceful play gave him the name of "Wild Bill," and at times he certainly lived up to it, as several All Black forwards will testify. Towers, who represented the Randwick Club, played against New Zealand in 1929, 1931 and 1934. Rugby Gate Takings The Southland Rugby Union collected £1076 3/1 in gate takings at club and representative matches last season. As in other years, the biggest portion of the takings came from theOtago - ; Southland match. ..The receipts for the year totalled £1129 16/4, and the expenditure was £826 5/3, leaving a credit balance on the year's operations of £303 11/1.