N. H. Fuller Dies

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31248, 21 December 1966, Page 24

N. H. Fuller Dies

A former holder of the New Zealand professional golf championship, N. H. Fuller, died in Christchurch yesterday. He was 58. He had been professional to the Christchurch Golf Club, Shirley, for 15 years. A popular personality, he was renowned for his outstanding bunker shots and his short pitching ability. Chipping and putting were also high on his list of golfing assets.

It was these qualities which carried him to victory in the New Zealand professional championship at Balmacewan in 1938. He brilliantly overcame A. E. Guy (Gisborne), 4 and 3, in the final after disposing of some of the country’s most prominent competitors in earlier rounds.

He was always held in high regard by his opponents and twice reached the semi-finals of the championship (1935 and 1936). In his early days Fuller showed considerable promise as a competitive golfer. As a 19-year-old he had one of his first major tournament successes when in partnership

with F. Rutter, he won thi New Zealand profession! foursomes championships. < But it was not until ninj years later that his careq reached its climax with vi( tory in the singles champioi ship. He entered professional gol as a young man when he bt came assistant to E. J. Mos| the professional at the Audi land golf club. Middlemen where his father was heai greenkeeper .His first profei sionai appointment was a Hawera. He was also at SI Clair in Dunedin and wit! the Hutt club before comini to Christchurch. The photograph shows Fuller in 1938 when he ] won the national champ- I ionship.