Russley To Their Liking

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30933, 14 December 1965, Page 23

Russley To Their Liking

Golfen sometimes hold divided opinions on questions of technique, but the large company .of profession also visiting Christchurch for the three-day Wills Masters’ tournament later this week are unanimous in their praise of the Russley course. The fairways are widely regarded as “top class" and the greens “very good.” There is general satisfaction, too, at the practice facilities, particularly the driving range at the rear of the professional's shop. _ . . The itinerant New Zealand left-hander, R. J- Charles, renewed his acquaintance with the course and found it to be in “particularly good shape.” “The watering system has helped greatly,” he observed. “Russley is normally hard and fast at this time of the year.” Jets of water sprayed across the course as Charles played a practice round with Cedric Amm (South Africa) and Limdsay Sharp (Australia) yesterday afternoon and Charles found some of his tee shots hitting the moist fairways and spinning back. But be expects that there will be a little run in the fairways when the tournament begins. He hopes, too, that the greens will be a little softer for tournament play. Most of the visiting professionals were at Russley yesterday to get the feel of the

course. There was no zealous keeping of scorecards. "I never keep a score in practice,” said Charles. “I

save everything for the tournament **l made a big mistake at the British Open one year,”

he recalled. “I shot all sorts of fancy scores in practice—there was a 65,1 think, and a 66—but when it came to the first round 1 could do no better than 80. “I got all the yardages today, so I'm more or less all set for the tournament” Peter Thomson, the leading money winner on the New Zealand circuit found the course to his liking. He went round with Russley's resident professional, Michael Wolveridge, in the morning and for once in his life did not have a huge gallery breathing down his neck. There were only two spectators to follow his progress. Test And Golf Boys with transistor radios tuned to the cricket test in Brisbane followed Charles. Amm and Sharp on their round while other boys who will act as caddies during the tournament filtered round the course, soaking up the atmosphere.

Sharp and Amm both paid tribute to Charles for his assistance in working out the best way to play Russley. Amm, who appears to strike a purple patch every second week, said his form was not as good as it could be, but he would work away at his game, mindful of Charles's advice.

Sharp was aided by some tips on the greens by Amm and expressed the feeling that his game was getting into gear. His joy at finding a course "a little bit like home” could, he felt, lead to good scores—and a good cheque. Among the few players still to arrive are Ke Nagle and the long-hitting Dutchman, Martin Roesink.