A BRILLIANT GOLFER

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 12, 9 October 1920, Page 7

A BRILLIANT GOLFER

INTERVIEW WITH J.H. KIRK WOOD

"I like New Zealand very well- it's almost as. good as Australia!" oheerfully remarked Australia's young master golfer, Mr. J. H. Jurkwood, to a Dominion interviewer last evening. "But I don't like New Zealand -influenza. However, 111 be. alright for my match in the morning.

The reason for this statement becomes apparent when it is stated that, following the instruction of his radical adviser, Mr. Kirkwood wont to bed' early yesterday afternoon, with a temperature He hopes to be able to play his bigmatch a? -J 8 •¥ lramar l ink s this afternoon with Mr. E S. Douglas, three timesopen champion of New Zealand.. M£. Kirkwood's visit to the Dominion lias shown golf enuiusiasts somo first-class golf, and ho has been extremely popular'in all the towns he has visited. Born in Sydney, New South Wales, 23 years ago, ho haj> been a cievoteo of. golf for over nine years. At the ago of fourteen; he began' his metric golfing career by winning a challenge match over 72 holes, the score being 20 up and 18 to go. The games were played at the -Manly and Rose Bav, "and btffcve me," said Mr. Kirkwood. enthusiastic despite his attack of influenza, "they were some games. I was 13 up on Hose May course and 7 up at Manly, so that gave' me the championship. It was for a humble .£lO, but it meant a whole lot in those days. Incidentally I -made a record at' l{os» Bay, doing tho course in GB, over a bogey of 80. After that time I could hold- my own against all-comers.

Mr. Kirkwood has an ambition to go to England and .to compete against such men as Vnrden and Braid, whom, no judging from tlieir scores, are not quite as good as thoy are made out to be. He referred yesterday in that connection to the song made about bunkers at Home. "They have big bunkers," he said, "but big bunkers are easy- to nlay. I think the Kensington bunkers in Australia small' ones, and are quite as severe as anyone is likely to experience." Since his young days of golf this versatile player has never gone over 80 in stroke plar,. hna made two Gu"s over a course of (iOOO yards, and lias uone this mostly in threes and fours over a course that had lives and sixes as bogey for several boles. He has made a record score on- every course in South Australia, Now South Wales, and .Viotoria.

"The renson why you people aren't up to the Australian standard of golf,'"' he said, "is because you only play six months iu the year. In Australia we lilay all tho year round, and enjoy it, too!"

, Mr. Kirkwood thinka that the Hamilton links, where ho won the New Zealand championship, are not' as good us first, impressions would make them. He considers more attention is needed to ensure that the greens are kept in order.

Ho likes tho Napier links and 7 New Plymouth, and beat M'Ewan's rncord at Masterton on Thursday by 3, Ins score being 08 to M'Ewan's 71.

"In conclusion," ho 6aid last evening, "I'm feeling up to form, and will give the game' ii Rood go to-day—if the 'ilu will let me."