GOLF

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 245, 11 July 1921, Page 3

GOLF

KIRKWOOD BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIP The conservative British golfer is inalined to frown on tho trick shot artist, but at Gooden Beach, states a recent "Daily News," J. H. Kirkwood, ’the young Australian champion, showed that however he may bS able to juggle with tho ball, he is also a player of marked capabilities. He was not a competitor in the tournament, but he fil»?.d a blank as a partner to J. H> Turner, of Fril«ord Heath, and in the morning went WHind in the line score of 73. This was afterwards beaten, both by Fred Hobson (71), the local professional, and Willie Watt .(72), but it equalled the best ,of the previous day. Kirkwood’s golf going out was just ordinarily good, but afterwards he played brilliantly, holing nv« of seven consecutive holos in threes, and only three of these .holes can be reached from the tee. His only mistakes on tho homeward journey were to take an extra putt on the twelfth and seventeenth greens. Though a self-trained golfer, Kirkwood is a man of strong opinions, with a fund of originality. His bag comprises only seven clubs, and no one should need more, he declares, if ho has the skill. Possibly he will change his views on this, point after ho has settled with the difficulties of St. Andrews, but meanwhile ho is full of confidence and faith in his own powers. His. clubs comprise ft driver, heavier than is usua.ly used, a brassie with a. stumpy head and u very whippy shaft, a cleek, a solitary Iron, a mashie, a niblick, and a steel putter, the grip of which is made from the skin of a crocodile. There is no doubt that Kirkwood has trained himself to play all manner of shots with ln» Irons, and for each he has a different style. Generally his swing is flat and the ball flics low. Perhaps the most impressive feature of his play is the power of his punch. Gooden Beach, was a windy spot on the day, and Robson’s 71 was a particularly flno one. Of course, he knows every yard of the links, but still he p ayed great golf. 'An outstanding feature ot the round was a two at the twelfth, a hole which measures 433 yards. Down wind he hit a tee shot of about 300 yards, and then played a control, ed mashie shot. "When J saw it pitch I knew it must be a good one, said Robson, "but when we got up to the green there was np ball to be seen. I -hen thought I must have been e little toe strong, and as I was going to look in the rough beyond I glanced lnto 1 J! hole, and there it was. It seemed as if he would break 70, requiring fours at the last two holes, tho par figures, for a 69, but at each ho slipped a stroke through not being up with his second. Confidence of America’s IS-year-old Player. A big party of American golfers reached England the other day, states an English paper, a couple of months before the championships. Morning service was being held on the deck of H.M.S. Valiant as the Cunarder Caronr.i berthed at Liverpool, and as the Atlantic liner moved alongside the quay the passengers stood in the open and respectfully raised their hats, as the Na tional Anthem wafted across the filer sev Among their number were brancis ’ Ouimet (Woodland), the American om?n champion in 1913, and amateur champion in 1914; R. T. -Tones (Atlanta), the Southern States champion and run-ner-up in the United States amateur championship in 1919; W. 0. Fownes, aim tuakm'.mt), national amateur champion in 19W. Fred Wright, jun. (Albemarle); Jesse Guildford (Woodland); Paul M. Hunter (Midlothian); and, J. Wood I’iatts (North Hills). "Bobby” Jones is the. youngest, of the party and he is a good-looking, freshcompiexioned youth of 19, who only finished his scholastic term a few days prior to sailing for England. Although young in years, Jones might aptly be termed the golfing veteran of the party, for he started playing the game when hie years of age, and has played ever since in the State of Georgia. Jones has brought over with him an immense bagful of clubs from which to select those which will serve him. He habitually carries 15 or 16 clulxs, made up of a driver, brassie, spoon, huffy, several irons of different weights, a ribbed maShie-niblick, and a wry-necked putter. Jones coinos over with a great reputation, and he is generally regarded ns the American "first string.” Francis Ouimet is the only one of the visitors who has been over before, and he is so like the Ouimet of 1914 as to make one forgetful of the lapse of years. Tn an interview, Jones said that ho intended making a bold bid for the amateur championship. “I have also entered for tho open championship at St. Andrews,” ho said, "and I am eagerly looking forward to my visit io the famous course, of which I • have hoard so much. Jesse Guildford, like Tolley, is a mighty hitter, or, as lie himself puts.it, "We can both swing at it a bit." Concerning Tolley, Jones said that ho considered Guildford equally as good as, if not better than, Tolley as a long driver, and he thought his countryman would go far in the championship. A Record Round. From a field which included a former open champion Jack-White, A. J. Howlett, of the West Surrey Club, won the Guildford and District Professional Golf-' ers’ Alliance tournament on the Camberley Heath course, Surrey, in a remarkable manner. The event was a 36-holcs stroke competition for a trophy, and it provTSetl a wonderful finish. Howlett was not even amongst the leaders at the end of the first round, with his score of 82, for the field was led by Jack White (Suniiingdale). C. Forrest (East Berks), and F. Hedges (St. George’s Hill), with a score of 77 each, but in tho afternoon Howlett lowered the record by several strokes when he went round in 69 to win the trophy with an aggregate of 151. Howlett’s score was five strokes fewer tlio.li tho professional competition record, held jointly by Geo. Duncan and Abe Mitchell. and three strokes better than tho remarkable record score of Major R. Worth, which has stood for more than n year, so that lbw quality of Howlett’s golf may be imagined. His record card read: Out: 4 3 5 5 4 4 4 3 4—36. In: 4345 2 4 4 3-33. Total. 69. The leading scorre were: —A. J. Howlett (West Surrey.!, 82 69 -151: !■'. Hedges (St. George's Hill). 77 75—152: W. L. Ritchie (Worplesdon), 79 74-153; — Heron (Worpleidon), 78 77—155; Jack White (Sunningdale), 77 78 —195. THE MIRAMAR CLUB. The modal handicap, which included half the qunl’fying round for the championship, was played al Miramar on Saturday afternoon. There were 75 entries, and the winner was Mr. A. B. Sievwright.