R.J. Charles Says ... All Over, Bar The Shouting

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31530, 18 November 1967, Page 15

R.J. Charles Says ... All Over, Bar The Shouting

Only a miracle will put a name other than Kel Nagle’s on the New Zealand Open golf championship cup this year.

His five-stroke lead with one round to play could almost be described as insurmountable. Peter Townsend or Ted Ball could have a really hot round but Kel seems to have the measure of the course—and this means victory. I think his scoring is outstanding. The course is a fair par of 71.

Townsend will rue his out of bounds at the fourteenth yesterday. Three out of bounds in one tournament—one a round—has cost him six

strokes. It is not often a player goes out of bounds on par threes but he has each time. The only thing you can put it down to is his inexperience. I have played in 30 tournaments this year without going out of bounds once. Whenever I feel there is a chance of going out, I play in the opposite direction, so that if I make a mistake I will still be in the clear.

Yesterday’s play was ruled by the weather and the stoppage in the middle of the day could have become permanent had we got a heavy shower or two in the early afternoon after play re-started. In the big Westchester Classic in the United States this year we completed one round and then the fun started. My second round of 73 was cancelled after play was washed out later on in the second day. In the replay I had 71 and this was again cancelled.

When we played the second round for the third time we were meant to be finishing the tournament. I had a 67 and this was counted. So it was three rounds for one and the last one proved the best. That’s what happens when you have an early starting time and the weather takes control later in the day. In the United States, a siren is used to advise players that Play is suspended. This means that all players stop at the same time and no one has to keep playing until advised by officials. A series of blasts on the siren means that play is stopped and the players must hold their positions; a continuous blast means a suspension and the players come in. (The United States, and especially the southern states, have lightning thunderstorms and sirens are very necessary. Often players head for cover as soon as the thunder starts so as to get out of the way of the lightning. Whenever a thunderstorm is in the area, the P.G.A. and the weather office keep in close touch. The P.G.A. field staff may call us off the course before the rain actually strikes, such is the accuracy

of forecasts in some parts of the States.

However, I’m not necessarily suggesting a siren in New Zealand. It would be a luxury and stoppages here are freak ones. As long as I can get a good grip of the club the rain doesn’t bother me. but I was fortunate yesterday that I was not playing while it was at its heaviest. I have no idea why I got

off to such a bad start, with one-overs on the first four holes. It was very costly but I was happy to be back with the card after 11. Although my game was not very sharp, I had my best day on the greens.

Today’s round for me will be one in which 1 will be trying to move up the ladder into a higher final placing. I’m just playing average golf—not doing anything stupid and not doing anything outstanding.