GOLF

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22355, 19 March 1938, Page 9

GOLF

RECENT ALTERATIONS AT SHIRLEY

PROGRESS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

EFFECT ON STANDARD OF PLAY

■ [By THE RABBIT.]

Recent alterations to several holes at Shirley have brought forth many complaints that the test there is being made. too hard, and that all the fun is being taken out of the game for anyone not on the scratch mark. But it must be realised that the work is not half finished. The fourth and eleventh holes have been increased in length, and so far nothing has been done to help the short hitter to reach the fairway with his drive, or to give him an easier patch by the big cross bunkers at each hole.

It has been said before in these notes that the controlling authorities at Shirley have been swayed too much., by the desire to make the course a playground for those players who never have been in the top flight of New Zealand golf, or will never be near the top again. The handful of golfers at Shirley less than 30 years old certainly make a very small Proportion of the members, but even that is no excuse why they should not be i given a better chance to improve their game. The lengthening of these few holse, and the new green at the tenth, are steps in the right direction; the tightening of approaches are others that could well be closely examined. Klrk-Windeyer Contests The New Zealand Golf Council has done its best recently to have the Kirk-Windeyer Cup matches resumed but the general apathy of the Australian controlling body to make the extra effort needed to find the necessary finance has been the stumbling block With all due respect to those who called a halt in the contest some time ago the matches should have never been stopped. It does not seem too much to expect that the game is big enough in Australia to Permit of such matches being continued, and that the controlling body across the Tasman should pause for a moment to realise that matches with Australia are the only chances of, outside competition open to New Zealanders. The few years that the competition was held showed that the standard in the Dominion was well up to that in the leading Australian states, and it is not without truth to say that Australian golfers can gain something in experience in matches in New Zealand. It seems hard to believe that if an extra effort were made the necessary finance could not quite easily be raised. The Australian authorities soon collected sufficient money to cover the tour of the British women golfers, and the interest taken in the Kirk-Win-deyer matches on' both sides of the Tasman is more than a sufficient reason for that extra effort. The controlling body for women’s golf has managed to keen the Tasman Cup contest alive in recent years. What advantage have thev that is denied to the men? New Figures at Avondale Unofficial records are unsatisfactory, in many ways, more especially as it is nobody’s business to keep a tally of them; but new figures were set for the Avondale course recently by J. W. Jackson, and they are fairly certain to stand for some time. Jackson, one of the youngest players at the club, followed a 32 on the first nine with a 34 home, giving him a total of 66 as against the scratch score of 71. Jackson’s card, with the scratch score for comparison, read: Out— Jackson 33444424 4—32 Scratch 444 3 4 5-3 4 4—35 , In— Jackson 54345 334 3^-34—66 Scratch 55344345 3—36—71 Jackson played in the New Zealand championships for the first time at Hamilton last year, where the easy fluency of his swing created a good impression. He knows his limitations in length, and saves the strokes with his shots to the. green. The slow approaches and the fast greens at Hamilton were beyond his grasp in the few days of practice that he managed to get in before the open event began, and thus he did not figure as-promin-ently as he would have on a course he had- known better. Simes Cup Tournament The Simes Cup tournament at Hanmer Springs last week-end is one that should never be allowed to die out. At that, course and tournament, more than any other in Canterbury, the longer handicapped players are wonderfully catered for, and it is almost impossible for anyone near the scratch mark to win a stroke or bogey event because of the number of short holes. Apart from the light-hearted spirit in which the games are played, it is only right and proper that the non-cham-pionship players should have a tournament practically all to themselves, although the Bascand Cup provides laurels for the low markers.

CHRISTCHURCH LADIES* CLUB

The following is the draw for the first round of the Vernon Salver, to be played by Saturday, March 26:—Mrs G. Turrell v. Mrs S. Bowron.- Miss Gould v. Mrs G. Beadel, Miss Buchanan v. Miss Norton, Mrs Hartley Smith v. Mrs Geddes, Mrs T. C. Wallace v. Mrs E. H. Watkins, Mrs Godfrey v. Miss Acland, Mrs. Wauchop v. Mrs Richards, Mrs Armstrong v. Mrs G. R. Cracroft Wilson, Miss Beadel v. Miss N. Enright, Miss Newton v. Mrs van Ascii, Mrs Barker v. Miss -Cameron Smith, Mrs C. Stringer v. Mrs J. H. Stringer, Miss Ward v. Mrs Kingscote, Mrs Humphrey v. Miss Webb, Mrs McKillop v. Mrs Ardagh, Miss Fleming v. Mrs Foster, Mrs Middleton, jun., v. Mrs Freeth, Mrs W. A. C. McDonald v. Mrs E. H. Clark, Mrs Frater

v. Mrs Grigg, Miss White-Parsons v. Miss Nutt, Mrs Sirhes v. Mrs Toomey, Miss Rutherford v. Miss Donnelly. Mrs Francis v. Mrs Boon, Mrs Bell v. Mrs A, Sims, Miss Frater v. Miss J. Firth, Mrs Tingey y. Miss M. Enright. The following have byes: Mrs Geddes. Mrs Butcher. Mrs Bennington. Miss Tonkin, Miss Cracroft Wilson, and Miss Best. —6

WOMEN’S MEDAL MATCH AT HAREWOOD

A medal match played' by the Harewood Ladies’ Golf Club at Harewood yesterday was won by Mrs G. Law.

Best cards were;— Mrs G. Law, 106, 31— 75: Mrs T. C. Wallace. 99. 23—76; Mrs Tait, 96, 18—78; Mrs J. Grant, 112, 34—78; Mrs A. S. Geddes. 96, IT—79.