Remarkable Ace

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31188, 12 October 1966, Page 15

Remarkable Ace

DALMACEWAN, the course of the Otago Golf Club, which will be one of the four courses played on by the professional golfers, R. J. Charles and A. Palmer, in the Benson and Hedges challenge series was the scene of a remarkable holein one in 1958 by G. Player, a stable-mate of Palmer and Charles. Driving from the elevated third tee, Player hit a tremendous drive of more than 300 yards and capered with joy at the sight of the ball

entering the hole for one of the most remarkable aces in the history of New Zealand golf. Balmacewan is a hilly course which imposes a considerable physical strain on competitors. One of its holes, the ninth, has acquired international fame. The

tee is built on a steep hillside with an out-of-bounds fence very close to the left and high, thick rough on the right. The fairway dog-legs to the right around a shoulder of the hill-side and the tee shot must be placed with perfect accuracy.

A. D. Locke, who won the New Zealand Open in 1938, at Balmacewan, said in his book that the course “was very hilly and at most times you are exposed to a tricky wind that makes for difficult golf.”

Among the great memories of the course is a match for the Amateur championship in 1928 when an Otago golfer, C. B. Wright, was six up with nine holes to play against J. L. Black (Wellington). Hole by hole Black won back the advantage and finally won the match. Twenty years later, W. G. Horne was five up with nine to play against A. Gibbs and seemed assured of the match but he could not match the dogged finish of Gibbs who then carried on to beat R. H. Glading in the final.

Balmacewan received praise from another sporting quarter when M. C. Cowdrey and other members of the M.C.C. team visited the course this year. They thought it was the finest course they had played on.