Charles To Play Harvey

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29264, 23 July 1960, Page 5

Charles To Play Harvey

THE combined South and MidCanterbury team chosen to meet in North' Canterbury in a golf match at Ashburton tomorrow should give a good account of itself, particularly in the top positions. Most interest wilb be centred in the meeting of Canterbury’s first player, R. J. Charles, and I. S. Harvey from Timaru. They have met on three former occasions, Harvey winning the first match 2 up and Charles the other two —one at the nineteenth and the other at the twenty-first. Harvey is the present Wellington provincial champion and South Canterbury match play title holder. Recognised as one of the best amateurs in the country, Charles has a wealth of match experience behind him. Armed with a compact short game, and an almost flawless putter, he can be irresistible on his day. Harvey, according to a New Zealand selector, has no peer in New Zealand as a striker of the ball. From tee to approach he can match overseas professionals, but his putting has seldom been better than mediocre. He has been working—almost slaving to acquire a reliable putting style, one that will stand up under strain, but he has not yet developed that smooth rhythmic stroke so necessary for this stroke-saving phase of the game. In number two position, A. C. Browne of Ashburton will prob-

ably oppose R. C. Murray. Murray has been impressing large galleries in the Canterbury district with his excellent shot making. In a recent exhibition partnered by Charles against R. R. Newdick and W. J. Godfrey, of Auckland, he was the outstanding player of the four. Browne has great potential. With, a

grooved swing which conceals much power, he qualified well up among the amateurs in the last New Zealand amateur championship. He has won every touma- -• ment of note in his district, and * seems to keep improving. On his w home course he should keep Murray extremely busy. Third in the southern team will be G. P. Vesty, who has competed in the last six New Zealand championships and only once failed to qualify. Bothered by a kink in his swing—it might have been self-inflicted—he is now back in an orthodox groove and striking the ball better than ever before. The fourth player, D. M. Robertson, of Timaru, has a pleasing style. A former Otago, North Otago and South Canterbury champion, he has plenty of power but at the moment seems to lack solid match practice. Of the others, R. S. Wakefield is outstanding, if only for prodigious length he obtains when his timing is under control. Of late he has been more of a weekend golfer, but the potential is still there. The Canterbury team will include 10 players with Freyberg Rosebowl experience, and with the exception of C. W. Caldwell and B. A. Colquhoun is the strongest the province can muster.