CLASHING OF GOLF DATES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 11

CLASHING OF GOLF DATES

TVb Solution To N.Z. Open Event

“The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND.

With no solution in sight as yet, the New Zealand Open golf championship at Hamilton and the $3500 sponsored tournament in New South Wales are still on a collision course.

For the second successive year the clash of dates could cause the New Zealand Open to be outlawed to Australian professionals.

The chairman of the New Zealand Golf Council, Mr G. P. Roberts, said in Wellington at the week-end that he had not yet approached the Australian Golf Union to ask for the implementation of an undertaking given the New Zealand council in October. The undertaking, given at Brisbane at a meeting of representatives of the Australian union, the New Zealand council and the Australian Professional Golfers* Association, was that in the years 1967 and 1968 New Zealand would have a clear field after November 15 to stage the national Open and sponsored tournaments.

The dates, November 15-19, had long since been arranged for the Open at St Andrews, in Hamilton, when the New South Wales Golf Association shocked New Zealand administrators and the executive of

the Hamilton, club by sanctioning the CofFs Harbour tournament on the same days. “The New South Wales association is now working on the problems,” Mr Roberts said.

“Things aren’t too easy. In fact, I gather that a bit of a local war is going on. “Coff’s Harbour were offered alternative dates, but refused them. PICNIC GATHERING

“The tournament up there involves both amateurs and professionals: it’s a bit of a picnic gathering and the club apparently wants to keep the dates in mid-November. “I am assured that New South Wales, partly because of our protest, is opening up negotiations with Coff’s Harbour.

“How these will go I cannot say; but it does seem as if there are not enough dates available. “It will not be until word comes from the New South Wales association that we as a council will consider further action.

“This could, of course, include an approach to the Australian union." In the New Zealand association’s statement of accounts for last year it is noted that £202 was spent on sending two representatives of the council to Brisbane to attend the meeting of the co-ordinat-ing committee.

World Record.—A world record catch by Mr D. G. Taylor, of Tauranga, has been ratified by the International Gamefish Association. It is a 4711 b thresher shark on a 801 b line that Mr Taylor landed while fishing from Mayor Island.