GOLF

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21399, 15 February 1935, Page 15

GOLF

NOTES OF THE DAY ! [By "LOFTER."] Answer to correspondent: "Wager": The 1935 British open championship will be held at Muirfleld in the last week in June. 'When last played there, Hagen, Farrell, and Diegel occupied the first three places. Included in the first 10 places were eight Americans —10 in the first fourteen. The changes in the rules of golf, which came into force early last year, have naturally affected several of the 'decisions published in the earlier editions by the rules of golf committee (St. Andrews). Although the alterations are not numerous it is evident that only by consulting the new edition of the decisions can club committees be positive that they are not relying upon a decision that no longer applies. Discussing this topic in "Golfing," an English critic states that the new edition has been very carefully compiled and decisions which no longer apply have been omitted altogether and alterations made where necessary in the decisions included. For instance in decision 232 regarding a case of a ball being driven into a water ditch, the answer is allowed to stand, but a careful note has been added pointing out that since the decision was given rule 27 has been altered to allow of a ball being reteed under a penalty of one stroke, when a ball has been played into a water hazard from the teeing ground. '

Several golf clubs in the Dominion intend to hold Easter tournaments. These include Castlecliff Golf Club (Wanganui), on April 19, 20, and 22. Manawatu Golf Club (Palmerston North) on April 20, 22, and 23. New Plymouth, April 20, 22, and 23. Invercargill Golf Club, Southland Provincial Golf Championship, on April 19, 20, 22., At Shirley the twenty-seventh Easter tournev conducted by the Christchurch Golf Club will also be held. Ryjently the Templeton Country Golf Cluw was allotted a standard scratch score 77. It is understood that this [score has seldom been equalled at Tem'pleton, an interesting course of 6115 .yards. "Learning right," declared Lawson Little, who last year secured both the British and American golf championships, "is the secret of success in championship golf." Recently the young Californian had a narrow escape from death in a motoring accident near San Francisco. When his motor-car collided with a milk lorry, Little was thrown through the windscreen and against a telegraph pole. He received severe scalp injuries, and his right shoulder and wrist were severely wrenched. It is not expected, however, that. the. injuries will prevent him from defending the British title at Royal Lytham and St. Anne's this year. Excellent entries and creditable scores generally marked the first ppen competition to be held this season at Russley. Noteworthy cards returned were those of H. C. Hassell (handicap 17 7 up), who easily secured the bogey event, F. W. Helmore, first in the stroke handicap with 81—18—63; and in the four-ball bogey, G.R. Hunter and J. W. Jackson, G. T. Alley and F. C. Fairclough, B. C. Keane and G. P. Anderson were outstanding with 11, 9, and 8 up cards respectively. The lowest gross cards returned in the stroke event were those of W. M. Ross and J. J. McMenamin, capital 75's. At the age of 64 and despite poor health Harry Vardon, most famous of all golf professionals, has found a new interest in life. He is superintending the reconstruction of his home course, the South Herts Club. His physical condition is such that he is forbidden to play golf, but his affection for South Herts, where he is a life member, is extraordinary, and he is- rarely absent from the course. Vardon has been serving the club for 30 years, and when he was the British -open chElmpion—a title he won six timeshe refused one of the largest offers ever made to a professional to join an American club. Vardon toured the United States on several occasions, and was successful in the American open championship in 1900. His effortless style and faultless golf greatly impressed American players. It is still a favourite topic whether Vardon or R T. Jones, the American wizard, was the,finest golfer ever to swing a club. The Australian open champion, W. Bolger, intends to compete in the British open championship at Muirfield in June next. Sarazen, it may be recalled, when in Sydney was impressed by, Bolger's form, and contributed £SO to a fund of £3OO that has been raised to cover Bolger s expenses for a trip to England this year. There, is no doubt that putters vary more in shape and weight than any other club used by golfers. The manufacturers of wood, steel, brass, and aluminium putters have at various neriods produced many original models. What is the favourite putter to-day? Possibly it is one of the blade type in New Zealand. Discussing this topic in an American journal of recent issue, R. T. Jones wrote: 'lt will be noticed that most of the really fine putters in the game to-day favour the old iron putter, and most of them use the goose-neck. It is apparently true that the blade putter, having.no bulk behind it to deceive or attract the eye, i« easier to face properly to the proper line. It is likewise easier to handle on the long putts than a centreshaft and more reliable when the hole side is reached. There is one thing, however, which applies to every man, not matter what putter he chooses. He should know his club and never discard it if he can avoid doing so. When he has an off day he should remember the days when he has putted well, and realise that the putter\ will likely perform as well' again if handled as skilfully. Sometimes, when confidence has been shaken, it helps to- use a new putter for a round or two, until a few putts begin to drop and the player's morale has improved. But m the long run the old club is the best.

Recently the tournament bureau of the American Professional Golfers' Association announced that the sum of £23,400 was distributed among professionals .as prize money last year, while more than £25,000 has been saved for prizes for the 1935 season. According to Craig Wood, when recently in Auckland, the reason the standard is so high in the United States is because of the extremely keen competition, and also because everyone who hopes to do any good must be on his toes all the time. Despite an ancient golfing dictum that the holder of a "two up and, five to play" lead seldom wins the match, the probabilities are that the holder of such a lead is actually more often successful than otherwise. There is no doubt two up and fiye in a keenly contested match is a fairly comfortable lead, though at times it may not prove as secure as it looks. For instance, the pursuer may rally for a final effort while the holder of the lead if unwise enough to alter his tactics in a hasty effort to finish the match may crash. Critical holes often are the thirteenth and fourteenth in a close tussle. With the real strain on a sudden or unexpected reversal of fortune is -apt to exercise a profound effect on the rest of the play. Once thrown out of his stride the player formerly in the lead may attempt to press, while on the other hand his opponent gains strength from his unexpected success. To become involved in a close finish is tantamount to'conceding victory, on The way

to win matches according to J. H. Taylor is "to get into the lead at the start and remain there." An excellent score in the senior stroke competition at Harewood during the week-end was that of M. a. Cook, an improving golfer whose card read 74—10—64. A feature of his play was his excellent putting. The annual competition for the Bruntsfield medal was commenced on the Balmacewan links on Saturday afternoon, when the first of two rounds of stroke play was played in excessively hot weather. The hard greens made the approach shots very difficult, and although all the leading players of the club were competing, the best rounds for the day were one stroke over the standard scratch score. The leading gross scores were returned by T. B. Ferguson 74, W. G. Wight 74, R. R. Aspinall 78, H. Brash 78, J. H. McDougall 78. A. G. Sime 79, J. A. Scouler 79, J. R. Laidlaw 79, and K. Ross 80. M. J. Ryan, a member of the Victorian Kirk-Windeyer team (Shirley, 1930), who subsequently won the Australian open championship, started the new season held in Melbourne lately, when he won the Sorrento Cup, a scratch event, decided by 36 holes of stroke play, with 71—71—142. Included in a strong field was W. L. Hope, 1933 Australian amateur champion, who won the Sorrento Cup last year.

"Were you to watch R. T. Jones' drives, you would note one characteristic about his tee shots. They fly with neither marked high nor low trajectory, and when they alight they roll but little," states an American critic. "Jones gets a ball that gets there despite any element of nature. This was not the case in his early competitive days. How does he do it? Jones tees his ball fully an inch high these days. He uses a deepfaced driver instead of his former shallow-faced on. He hits straight through the ball —instead of hitting it down—and the result is all anyone can ask for in the way of a neat drive. Just remember Jones's experience and profit from his methods. Tee them high instead of low. Hit straight through instead of down. It is easier to do it with a deep-faced driver than a shallow one." J. L. BLACK'S NEW RECORD / \ (PRESS ISSOCIATIOM TBLEOBAiM.) WELLINGTON, February 14. Playing remarkable golf, J. L. Black broke his own course record of 70 at the Hutt links. He went out in 36 and came back in 32, a total of 68. The fairways were fast and hard and the greens in good condition. TOUR OF AUSTRALIA AND N.Z. ENGLISH WOMEN APPROACHED .ttrcnWD PEBSO assocutioh—bt buictbio TELBQBAPH—COPSBIGBT.) LONDON, February 13. The Ladies* Golf Union has asked the following players if they will be able to tour Australia and New Zealand:—Mesdames M. R. Garon, W. Greenlees, A, M. Holm, Peel and Walker, Misses Wanda Morgan, D. Pearson, B. Pyman, P. Sherlock, and P. Wade. , , -■■..... ~ "' ' ■ A '