SOUND PREPARATION ESSENTIAL FOR ROSE BOWL TEAM

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 11

SOUND PREPARATION ESSENTIAL FOR ROSE BOWL TEAM

THERE has been a distinct lengthening of the odds on toe Canterbury golf z team’s chances of success in the Freyberg Rose Bowl tournament since E. H. M. Richards and R. E. Clements

were beaten by substantial margins in the Christchurch club’s Easter match play event this week.

A good deal will depend on the play of Richards and Clements at St Clair, Dunedin, in two weeks’ time; Richards has been named as No. 1 player in the Canterbury side and Clements, the most experienced man in the side, has been entrusted with the captaincy. Neither man played particularly well in the semifinals at Shirley and their form was hardly a good omen for a provincial side which slipped from first place in 1965 to ninth last year.

The picture, however, is not as gloomy as it seems. Both Clements and Richards are preparing themselves carefully for the Freyberg contest—as they have done in past years—and with this week’s unconvincing performances out of their systems they should now be building up to a peak for the Rose Bowl matches. This year’s Freyberg tournament will be the most demanding in the 17-year history of toe event There will be 14 teams at St Clair and each side win be required to play seven matches in four days, instead of six matches in three days, which was toe previous practice.

The successful team, therefore, will'need to have six players sound of wind and limb as well as possessing skill and phlegmatic temperament.

As toe most experienced members , of the team, Clements and Richards will be mindful .of toe effort required of them and will be taking steps to meet toe challenge. The CanterburyWellington match at Wait!kiri on April 9 will reveal the extent of their preparedness for the Rose Bowl matches.

The other members of the Canterbury team had a more satisfying period of play at Easter. D. R, Hope, the No. 2, went to Nelson and averaged 74 over four stroke rounds at Tahunanul in finishing third equal in the Junior Golfing Society’s inter-island match.

At Shirley t R. K. Atkinson had his first major tournament victory when he beat R. H. Bradley in the match play final, having eliminated Richards in the morning. J. R. Broadhurst won the Easter stroke event, and J. F. Logie finished well up in the field.

Hope had a difficult assignment at Grange last year, when he was No. 2 in his second Rose Bowl tournament. This year he is in the same playing position, but his experiences of the last 12 months—which included a trip to Australiashould make him a more formidable opponent. Atkinson is playing well and the accuracy of his iron play will make him a difficult man to shake off at St. Clair. He could be one of

the side’s strong men if he can attain greater consistency with his putting. The loss of his first two Woodward Cup games did not appear to sap Broadhurst’s confidence. He gives the appearance of being a cheerfid attacker, but behind this facade lurks a shrewd and capable golfer. A good showing on the first day will help him immeasurably. Logie’s cool, precise play earned him three wins and a half in his first Rose Bo- '1 tournament last year and he should gain several valuable points for Canterbury at No. 6 in Dunedin. The lean Russley man has a temperament well suited to match play and his careful attention to even the most trifling

points about his game should bring him a just reward. When the South Island inter-provincial tournament was held at St Clair four weeks ago Richards was Canterbury’s most successful player, winning all his matches. The confidence he must have gained from this performance might be rekindled when next he steps on to the first tee at St. Clair. Clements will be taking part in his thirteenth Rose Bowl contest and it seems certain that he will maintain his average of three wins and a half. His shots still bear the stamp of authority and his determination and concentration will be great assets in tight corners.