GOLF.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 35, 4 November 1922, Page 15

GOLF.

(By

"Niblick.”)

SHORT PUTTS Th© final for the Lower Hutt championship will ba played to-day between J. L. Black, the holder of the title, and Rana Wagg. ' . K. Cook and H. S. Manning will also meet in the final for the Lower Hutt junior championship. Mrs, Guy "Williams, champion lady player of the Dominion, will proceed to England early next year with tno intention of competing in the English opgn championship. If the lady plays as well as she did when she so signally defeated Arthur Duncan, the New Zealand amateur champion at Palmgrston North early in September, she should hold her own with Miss Wethered, Miss Cecil Leitch, arid the best of the British lady players. The Ngw Zealand. lady champion will carry with her the best wishes of every golfer in the Dominion for success on the links of the Homeland.

WELLINGTON V. MIRAMAR The fight between the No. l’s, A. D. S. Duncan and J.. H. Drake, in the inter-club match between Wellington and Miramar on the Heretaunga links last Saturday,, was the sternest contest which has been seen between leading players this season. The Miramar man started off strongly. After halving the first hole in bogey 5, he took the second (406 yards) in 4 to 5, and the short third in 3 to 4, thus being two up at the third. The fourth was halved in bogey 5, but Duncan then came to light with a perfect 2 at the fifth (194 yards). Landing his tee shot on the green, he ran down a 24ft. putt for a 2, which was two under bogey. Drake got a 3 here, one under bogey, but it was not good enough. Duncan squared the game by recording a perfect 4 at the sixth (409 yards) to Drake’s 6. A fine drive was followed with . a magnificent brassy second, which landed his ball on the middle of the green. Duncan, for the third hole in succession, beat bogey at the seventh, 4where hi> registered another 4 for a 430-yard hole. Drake had the advantage after they had played their seconds but he foozled his short mashio approach into a pot bunker, and after making two ineffectual attempts to lift out with his niblick, picked up. Duncan 1 up. The long Bth (512yds.) was halved in bogey 5, both missing a chance for a 4. Duncan drew 2 up at the 9th, where he recorded a 3 to Drake’s 4, and was thus 2up at the turn. He had taken 37 for the run out, whereas Drake had taken \35 for the eight holes he had played out. Heading , for home, Duncan started off with a fine spurt, winning the 10th in bogey 4 to 5, and the 11th in 4 (one under bogey) to 6. The Wellington chamSion was thus 4 up, with 7 to go. 'rake, however, then took a hand at the winning game. ' The Miramar man captured the 12th (410yds.) \in . 4 to 5, a beautiful brassy second' landing his ball within five yards of the pin. . Drake aghin beat bogeyy and x his opponent at the 13th (385yds.), where he notched a solid 4 to 5. Both men played high quality golf at the next three holes, which were halved in 3’s, bogey being beaten by a stroke at tho x l4th Drake failed to get up the bang at the 15th from the tee, whereas Duncan pitched nicely on. The Miramar man, howev.er, came to light with a clever mashie pitch, which landed his ball five yards from the pin, and he ran down a, 15ft. putt for a half in 3. ‘ Duncan retaliated by sinking an 18ft. putt for a 3 at the 16th. “You are making it hard,” remarked Drake, as he carefully studied the lino of a 16ft; putt, which he had to get to save the game. He played a beauty, and it found the cup with beautiful strength. This placed Duncan dormy 2. Drake was fighting a fine uphill battle* and ho caused interest to quicken -by winning the 17th in 4to 5. Duncan dormy one. When ’ Duncan badly missed' a 3ft. putt, Drake had a chance (to square the game by holing a 4. He missed, however, and a half in 5 saw a closelycontested game go to Duncan by 1 i Up. Both took 37 for tho run home, which gave Duncan 74 for thd round. How the Other Carnes Fared; * Colonel Chesncv and Captain Conway had a close tussle, but the former ended up brilliantly, and took vhe game by 2 up. Chesney went out, in 42, and came in in 37. scoring three B’s and two 4’s for the last five holes. L. D Hurst (Miramar) won his game against O. J. Wilson by a brilliant spurt at the business end. Wilson was 2 up with 3 to go, but Hurst, by high-class golf, took the last three holes, and won a good uphill fight by 1 ’“P- ' > \ J. T. Tucker (Miramar) also made a good recovery against P. B. Cooke. The latter was 2 up .at the turn, but Tucker mad« things warm on the run home, and eventually won a hard fight hv 1 lip ' , ~ . , , ir That seasoned old -match player, K. Duncan (Wellington) scored a wellwon victory over J. L. Pfitley,' who • had a lead of 3 up at the half-way house. They were all square at the fifteenth, the sixteenth was halved, and Duncan, by winning the last two holes, took the match by 2 up. L. B. Rhodes (Miramar), considering that ho was playing away from home, showed masterly judgment of distances in his game with J. B. Parker. Though tho Wellington man played

quite an average round of about 84, Rhodes did not give him a look in. The Miramar man was 3 up at the turn, and, handling his clubs in firstflight style, ran out a winner by the wide margin of 7 up and 5 to play. D. M. Morgan (Wellington) and H. Page had a very even contest. They were all square at the turn, and there was little between them on the home journey, the Wellington man eventually getting home by 1 up. L. W. H. Grace (Miramar) had a little in hand throughout'in his game with R. B. Cooke.. Steadiness and imperturbability told its tale in the match between A. Strang (Wellington) and E. H. Liddlo. The Wellington man was erratic in direction going out, apd Liddle, who was playing steadily, had a lead of 3 up at the turn. Strang, however, jumped into his.stride on the run home, and scored a well-earned victory by 1 UP E. 0. Hales (Wellington) proved too crood for S. Gambrill by 2 up and 1. The Wellington colt. J. Duncan, who is a nephew of the New ■ Zealand amateur champion, shaped very promisingly in defeating H. S. Hayman by 1 tip. H. P F. Blundell (Wellington) proved superior to G. H. Grange to the tune of 3 up and 2. Wellington thus triumphed on the day by 8 games to 4. TUSSLES AT MIRAMAR Tlie match ■ between ■ the Wellington and Miramar B teams on the Miramar links produced a very even contest, Miramar, by reason of local knowledge, eventually carrying the day by 7 games to 5. In the match between the No. 1 s, R. W. Kirkby and G. H. Scott (Miramar), the latter had matters all his own wav. Playing steadily throughout, he ran out a winner by 6 up and 5 to go. . A. R. Sclanders (Wellington) and E. H. Rawson (Miramar) had a very spirited contest. There was little betwpen them at any stage of the journey, and in the end the Miramar man got home by the narrowest of margins. A. D. Morris (Wellington) yas in brilliant form in his game against. C. A. Mooney. 'The former played like if plus handicap man, scarcely making a faltering stroke on the round, which he reeled off in 76. No wonder Mooney found himself down to the tone 6 and 5. ' .

Some exceptionally close games were witnessed. R. Tolhurst • ellingcon) just succeeded in beating It. AV. Scott by 1 up; J. G. Hughes (Miramar) got home from W. A. Kiely by the same margin; A. O. D. Boddington (Wellington) was only 1 up on W. T. Wynyard; T. R. Hewson (Miramar) defeated J. C. Peacock by a putt; and G. S. Matthews (Miramar) had to go to the last green before he rot the verdict over.. A. C. Ashford by 1 up. A. T. Barrow (Miramar) carried too many guns for A- E. Whyte, and handling his mashie cleverly kept veil inside his opponent, and took the i .atch by 3 and 2. C. A. Griffiths (Wellington) appeared quite at home on the fast greens, whose pace he had to a nicety, Driving a long ball off the tee, and handling his brassy, iron, and mashie like a craftsman, he downed H. E. Aplin t>y 5 and 4. E. Page (Wellington) was pitted against A. who has not played in an inter-club match for several seasons past. The Miramar .{.an was right off his drive, and only hit one really good .one off the tee during the round. However,- solid work with the iron, mashie, and putter enabled him (’to make a match of it. I’age vas too steady, however, and, playing nice golf, took the game by 3 1 p and 2 to go. , Wellington thus won a close match by 13 games to 11. LOWER HUTT'qHAMPION- * SHIP The tournament to decide the championship of the Lower Hutt Club has seen some very fine contests. J. L. Blacl?, the holder of the title, has had to plav up to his best form to win througn-co the final. Colonel Chesney gave Black a great run for his r <-ney last week-end. flJoth men were right on their game, and high-class gclf was witnessed. It was not until the Icmo green was reached that Black pi (vailed bv 1 up. The colt, Rana Wagg,. has maintained the consistent form he lias been showing all through the season, and won his way into the final last week-end by defeating J. L. Climie, after a gruelling contest, which went to the nineteenth green, the colt got homo by 1 up. It now remains to be seen whether the rising star v. ill be abl§ to wrest the title from B'ack in the final, which will be. played next Saturday.