GOLF.

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 284, 26 August 1922, Page 18

GOLF.

COMING EVENTS

(By

“Niblick.”)

To-day.—Wellington v. Christchurch, Tuson Cup, at Christchurch. Lower Hutt v. Otaki, at Otaki. Mixed Foursomes, Miramar. Aug. 30 and 31 and Sept. 1. Miramar Ladies’ Golf Club, Open Championship and Handicap Tournament. Aug. 30 and 31.—South Auckland Tournament, Hamilton. . September 5,6, 7.—Wanganui Golf Club’s Annual Tournament. September 9.—Amateurs v. Professionals, Palmer iton North. September 11 to 16. —N.Z. Championship, at Palmerston Nortn. Sept. 19, 20, 21, and 22.—Napier Golf Club’s Tournament \Vaiohiki links. „ , September 21 to 27.—N.Z. Ladies Championship, at Wanganui. September 23.— Ranfurly Cup, Men s Foursome, Heretaunga. October 28— Wellington v. Miramar: Senior Team at Heretaunga; Junior Team at Miramar, j December 9.—Mixed Foursome, Heretaunga Lady Bell’s Bowl (lady) and Challenger Cup (man). SHORT PUTTS

Tlie Wellington Golf Club’s team will bo battling with the Christchurch Golf Cub’s representatives for PossesBion of tho Tuson Cup on the Shnloy links at Christchurch to-day.

A mixed foursome competition figures on the card of the Miramar club for this afternoon.

The return match between the Lower Butt and Otaki Clubs will be played atOtaki to-day.

A. G. Sime, the holder of the New Zealand .amateur championship, is determined to ma/.e a great effort to retain his title. lie is at present in Dunedin, where he has been putting In some solid practice. Reports state that he is in excellent form. Sime who hails from the West Coast, will go up to Palmerston North, and have ten days’ practice on the links before the championship meeting.

Arthur Duncan, the Wellington champion, has got right back on to his very best fo*m- . H , a 18 to have played a brilliant round of 71 at Mirantor last week-end, and even then rais’ed a few short -putts he should have sunk.

Pearson Wagg, of the Lower Hutt Club, is playing very well just now, and has been handing in scr.go good cards. His brother, Rana, is also rapidly recovering his lost form, lhe latter; from the 2 mark, put up, a fine performance in the tombstone match on Saturday in carrying his stone to within seven feet oi we nineteenth pin.

MIRAMAR LADIES’ OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP , . The Miramar dub' will hold their open championship and handicap tournament on the Miramar links on August 30 and 31 and September 1. The open championship will be decided by three rounds of stroke play, which should ensure the honour going to the best player. On the opening day,-Wed-nesday, the first round of the </ptn will be played in the morning, and there wifi also be a stroke handicap competition, with a bogey handicap in tho afternoon. On Thursday the second round of the open will be played in the morning and a stroke handicap, while in tho afternoon there will be a four-ball bogey handicap, for which players will choose their own partneis. On the concluding dav, Friday, the third round of tho open' will be played in the morning, with another stroke handicap competition, while the afternoon will be devoted to a bogey handicap. Continuous putting competitions will run throughout the tournament. The winner of the open championship null receive a challenge cup, and a trophy will also go to the run-ner-up. The tournament will be controlled by a committee consisting of Mrs F. C. Widdop (captain of the clubL Misses Wheeler, von Dadelszen, and Withers, while the secretarial reins will be in the capable hands of Miss S\ M. Carter. The green and fairways at Miramar promise to be at their very best, and it goes without saying that the appointments at'the clubhouse will be in keeping with the reputation »the club has earned. It is expected that a goodly number of South Island players will take part, as the tournament will enable them to break their journey at Wellington on their way to the N?w Zealand championship meeting at Wanganui.

A GIFTED STRIPLING About a month ago in these columns, under the heading, “A Rising Star,” 1 penned some lines upon young Gene Saracen’s performance in winning the open championships of the United States at the age of 21. It would appear that the star is not rising, but is already fixed in the golf firmament as a constellation of the first magnitude. The cables now inform us that the colt has just won the United States professional championship at Hulton, Pennsylvania, defeating Emmett French in the final by 4 up and 3 to play. Gene Saracen is a young New Yorker, of Italian parentage, who commenced caddying at the age of eight years. In winning the United States open he did tha. four rounds in 288, finishing up with a brilliant 78. They seem to turn them out early from the golfing incubator in the States.

PRINCE OF WALES CUP With the near approach of tho New Zealand championships, ., are getting as much practice as. they can, and the result is reflected in tho improved cards that are being handed in to the club secretaries. The standard of play in the qualifying round for the Prince of Wales Cup at Miramar on Saturday afternoon last was satisfactory. E. H. Liddle, who has been a trifle off his game lately, came back to form, and headed the list with a steady round of 80, which, with liis allowance of four strokes, gave him 76 net. R. W. Scott came second, his card reading : 85—8 —77. If this player continues to go on as he has been doing lately tho handicappers will be having a quiet word with him. J. 11. Drake is one of tho most consistent players in the club. He is always there or thereabouts, and he recorded a steady 80. Others who did good gross rounds werg : J. T. Tucker (82), H. Page (83), 0. J. Wilson (S 3 L. B. Rhode’s (84), L. W. 11. Grace (84). L. I). Hurst and A. E. Conway, both of whom are on the 2 mark, could only manage to do the round in 86. Both

will require to sparkle up if they hope to bo iu the picture at Palmerston North next month.

APPROACH PLAY No need for me to stir up the old controversy as to tho respective merits of the pitch shot and the run up, but it' will suffice 1 at once say that out and out I am for the pitch, states I‘xiwai’d Ray, in the second edition of his useful little Handbook on golf, “Driving, Approaching, Putting,” whicll has just been published by Messrs. Methuen paid Co., London.. My old friend J. H. Taylor, many years ago, brought this stroke to a point as near to perfection as 1 am sure it will be, and something dcso upon thirty years ago he jiroVed when he was the first English professional to win lite open cjhampionship, that there was more than a little to be raid for the pitch up to the green. Probably one of the finest efforts I ever saw on the golf course hi #ie way of,a pitch was at Roehamptoii, in the closing stages of a professional tournament in 1921, which was won by Taylor. His ball lay in a sand bunker only a matter of feet from the pin, and it may safely be said that that was fcho mos|b importaait moment throughout the tournament. The majority of the in. a quandary as to how Taylor was gc.ing to play the stroke, but, to the consternation cf those who watched, he thrashed his club head into the sr.nd quite four inches behind the. ball, which he proceeded to lay within two inches of the holo. Of course, there was no question of a run up there, but it went to prove how successfully Taylor had studied the intricacies' of a stroke from within short distance of the flag. Had J. H. Taylor not given the most careful attention to his approach play for years ajid years, lie would never thought of playing such a stroke as I have just described Therefore, I say that at least eno of the most valuable items in golf is the essay from witnin a short distance of tho pin. Incidentally, the pitch to the green is one of the most perplexing of all the strokes in golf from the j.oint of view of tho beginner, and, if only for that reason, I would recommend the golfing student to give it most, constant and thorough attention. It is not so much the success of a well-played approach that I havq hi mind, but rather the fiendish- consequences which follow a faultily played pitch.

LOOK AFTER YOUR CLUBS Your gulf clubs want as much looking after as your collie dog or your Persian cat, although, of course, in another way, advises Edward Ray, in his latest handbook on “Golf Clubs and How to Use Them.” Rain and damp will affect your clubs in a multitude of ways, and, for that mattqr, when the average golfer takas his clubs home, what does he do with them? Ten to one that he leaves them standing against the hall-stand perhaps for a week or even longer, and with the front door being opened a myriad times during their stay there. Believe me, weather acts on the shaft of your clubs in a way the ordinary man. does not appreciate, t ; b«xiigh vou way justifiably s«y that bad weather is thus a good friend to a professional like myself in view of the fact that I sell clubs. Still, my intention here is to give sincere and honest advice.

The reipedy is a very simple one, for if you would preserve the natural life and strength of your shafts, a little linseed oil now and then, with a coat of varnish at intervals will work wonde.’s. Wood, no more than metal, can not go on for prolonged periods without attention, and even if a man may say that it is “a. beastly fag” oiling and varnishing his clubs, I was never more sincere than when I say that attention given your shafts will pay for itself time over time.

SOME USEFUL HINTS G- S. Brown, in his helpful little handbook, “First Steps to Golf,” which has just been published, gives some useful hints to players. Here are a few of them:—

Be very- careful that you do not step either on the line of your own or your opponent’s putt; he can claim the hole if you do. Keep count of the number of shots you have pla.yed as you go along; do not start adding them up after you ha ve holed out.

In addition to looking hard at the bail during the whole of the upward and downward swings make a special point of keeping the eyes fixed, for a moment or two after impact, on the place where the ball lay.

Never give way to tho temptation to force a shot. For instance, if you cannot get up easily with a mashie always play an iron. If you have the good luck to stand four or five up on your opponent at the turn, start playing a. very serious little match against bogey for the remaining holes on your own, without mentioning it. This will probably prevent you from cracking. When playing a shot do not try to think of all the hundred and one points that go to produce a perfect swing. Concentrate on one, and unless you are endeavouring to correct some special fault you will find that one of the best to remember is “Keep the head still.”

Palmless mittens are much better than gloves, and keep the hands as warm. They should have three loops, one for the thumb, one . for the first finger, and one for the little finger.. Wear as few clothes as comfort will allow, and in no circumstances wear anything that is either stiff or tight. Lady readers may read between the lines, and apply the above to certain articles of their dress. Before going out to play in heavy rain apply a small quantity of some good polish to the shafts of your clubs. If there is any particular shot that you have grave doubts about being able to bring off successfully when playing a match that you are very anxious to win, avoid attempting it. We will take it that your ball is lying clear, quite near an unguarded green. You are uncertain as to your ability to put it near thesjiole by means of a small pitch shot. In such a case do not hesitate to rim it on with your iron ; remember that discretion is the better part of valour.

SOUTH AUCKLAND . TOURNEY I have received from Mr. E. H. Hammond, hon. secretary of the Hamilton Golf Club, the programme for the South Auckland golf tournament, which is to be held on the St. Andrew’s course, Hamilton, on August 30 and 31 and September 1. On the opening day, Wednesday, 18-ho!e stroke handicap competitions will be played both in the morning and in the afternoon.

Tho first 16 without handicaps in thews two rounds will play off for the South Auckland championship, 18 holes match play. The player who, being a member of any of the South Auckland golf clubs, returns the best medal score without handicap in the two rounds will win the Waikato championship. On the second day, the first and second rounds of the South Auckland championship will be played, while on the concluding day (Friday) the third round and final will be played. Simultaneously a medal handicap will be played in the morning, and a. pairs best-ball bogey handicap on Friday afternoon. Entries close with the hon. secretary, Box 223, Hamilton, on August 26. It is the boast of the Hamilton Golf Club that their course is the best in New Zealand. It was on. this course.that the New Zealand championship was played when J. 11. Kirkwood, the Australian, carried off tho New Zealand open championship . a couple of years ago. The only difficulty about tournaments nt. Hamilton is that boarding accommodation is limited, so all golfers thinking of attending the South Auckland tournament would be wise to secure rooms in good time.

HERE AND THERE AN ALARMING PROSPECT. The scarcity of hickory is every year becoming more serious (states “Golfing”), and wo aro told that the authorities in the States are regarding with some disfavour the wav in which the supplies of Tennessee and Kentucky are being! eaten up in a trade which involves. a wastage of 80 per cent.—for it is calculated that four shaft lengths out of five are found to be only fit for the furnace after they have been cut 'down. American club-makers are casting about for a substitute, and one well-known firm believes that it has found the solution in a combination of hickory and bamboo. Steel shafts would solve the problem, but the ban of this form of club has been reaffirmed by a recent decision the United States Golf Association. Recently we had the chance of trying out a new American ball—appar- - ently moulded solid out. of some liquid rubber composition—which is being made to sell wholesale on the other side at 8 cents—lo cents retail (states “Golfing”). . Owing to the loss ron exchange it is not possible to put upas ball on the English market at a lower price, than 9d., but even at that figure it is a wonderful production. It does not carry as well as an ordinary ball, its powers of flight being about on a level with that of the old H iskell, but in the short game it i« absolutely reliable, and it has the advantage of oeing literallv as indestructible as a Sorbo Bouncer- Primarily the ball has-been - put on the market te sell to the negro caddie-golfers of the Southern American States, among whom wo aro told that there are several hundred thousand players —some of them quite good. K °Sonie interesting details of golf at San Paulo, in Brazil, are given under the title of “A Day With a Why-not’ in Brazil” in the Henley house magazine. The j/rriter mentions that golf balls at San Paulo cost eight milreis each, which at the present rate of ex-chano-e works out at over five shillings'? ~The caddies (the writer of the article continues) aro the most tatterdemalion lot of urchins that can be imagined, and they have the tricks of tho trade very well developed. Ono very funny little chap, no higher than the bag he carries, and as black as coal gave me the surprise of my golfing caieer.. After making, a . careful tee, and placing my ’ “Whyi Not” on the top of it, he very seriously made the sign of the Cross over it, and when I was fortunate enough to smack it over the ditch, he crossed himself as well 1

THE RUGBY LEAGUE A GRAVE DANGER “The half-dozen alterations suggested by the committee of the New South Wales Rugby League in respect to the much-wanted improvements in scrummaging and playing the ball, marks, I am afraid, another parting of the ways between the parent body and its colonial adherents,” writes “Forward, of the “Athletic News” (London). . ‘‘Apparently the colonial Organisa* tion take only a very superficial notice of the parent body’s amendments to rules, and then follow their own inclinations. In this direction must lie the great danger, sooner or later, of a big’rupture. “Every possible effort should be made to keep the New South Wales League, the Queensland League, and the New Zealand League as closely in touch with tho Rugby Football League as possible, but I regret to say that the importance of this does. not appear to be as fully realised as it should be, even amongst legislators at Nine. “I give the colonial, leagues full credit for what they believe to be efforts made to improve the game. But unless alterations agreed upon, here are confirmed by Sydney, and nee versa, chaos can only result when representative teams from the two. countries aro in opposition, and playing undfy rules which are meant to govern Rug by 1 Leanmo football wherever played. “file danger and difficulties of two distinct interpretations of several important rules occasioned trouble durmg the last visit of an English team to Australasia, and I need not mention the uncertainty which existed Av hen the last colonial tour to England opened last September. “I thought the Leeds conference would have brought more uniformity m the future, but from, the evidence of the last mail the colonial authorities appear bent on going the’r own way. Union’s Small Profit. The financial vear of the. Northern Rugby Union shows that the profit on the season’s workings, however, will not be undulv large—under £looo—- — the action of the council m granting the colonial tourists 65 per cent, of the “gates” from representative games did not leave a large margin for profit. Tn addition to the tourists charge, TO per cent, jpust.. be allowed for ground charges, a position of affairs which loft the union with 25 per cent, to meet all the expenses of tha matches.

Australian Tour. The Northern Union Council, after • due consideration, have refused the invitation of the New South Wales League to send a team to Australia in 1923. Tho council are of opinion that a visit next year would not allow of a sufficient interval since the last trip. The absence of any mention of Now Zealand in the New South Wales League invitation, was, it is understood, adversely commented upon by several members of the council.

The name of the Northern Union Council xras altered to, “Rugby Football League,” as from Juno 15.