Golf Clash Inquiry

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31339, 8 April 1967, Page 15

Golf Clash Inquiry

The chairman of the New Zealand Golf Council (Mr G. P. Roberts) will ring the secretary of the New South Wales Golf Association on Monday to clarify newspaper reports that Australia may again ban its golfers from taking part in the New Zealand Open In Hamilton in November. This was decided by the New Zealand council at a meeting in Wellington yesterday. Mr R. F. Mackie, a council member, urged that the Australian Golf Union be asked if it would “honour their promise” and. avoid a clash of dates.

Last year, a tournament at Coff’s Harbour, north of Sydney, clashed with the New Zealand Open and Australia ruled that its professionals must play at Coff’s instead of in New Zealand. K. D. G. Nagle and L. Thomas defied the ban and played in the national Open. New Zealand officials have since met with Australian officials and a satisfactory agreement had been verbally reached. But recent reports that the Coff’s Harbour tournament would again clash with the New Zealand Open has revived the matter.

“We don’t really know if the newspaper reports are official but we must find out,” said Mr Mackie.

“We have got to do everything to make the Open profitable. It stands or falls by the Australians who play.” Mr J. G. Slade, one of the council members who went to Australia to discuss the situation, said the Australians had agreed to change the dates for the Coff’s Harbour tournament for the next two years. “It’s just a verbal understanding,” he said.