GOLF

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 261, 31 July 1929, Page 8

GOLF

By

“NIBLICK"

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAMME OF EVENTS.

The programme for the New Zealand championship meeting, which will be neul on me liennout links at Wanganui, iroui bepiembcr to Uctober o, is as follows: Friday, September 21. —Morning: Open championship, first round, and concurrently first qualifying round of amateur and professional championships. Altcruoou: Open championship, second round, aud concurrently second qualifying round of amateur and professional championships. Saturday, September 28. —Morning: Open' championship, third round, and concurrently third qualifying round of amateur aud professional ehumpionships. Afternoon : Open championship, fourth round, and concurrently fourth qualifying round of amateur and professional chainpionships, and the O’Rorke Vase (in. ter-club j teams match. Monday, September 30.—Amateur championship foursomes (30 holes). Professional championship foursomes (36 ho|es). Amateur handicap foursomes (18 holes), concurrently with first round championship foursomes. Tuesday, October 1. —Morning aud afternoon : Professionals’ championship, first round (36 holes). First bogey handicap (IS holes). Morning: Amateur championship, first round (18 boles). Afternoon: Amateur championship, second round (18 holes). Wednesday, October 2.—Morning and afternoon: Amateur championship, third round (36 holes). Professional championship, semi-final (36 holes), Stroke handicap for amateurs (18 holes). Professionals’ handicap match (36 holes), stroke play. Thursday, October 3.—Morning and afternoon: Semi-final amateur championship (36 holes). Second bogey handicap (tor amateurs), (18 holes). Professionals’ bogey handicap (J 8 holes). Friday, October 4.—Morning and afternoon : Final of professional’s championship (36 holes). Four-ball bogey handicap for amateurs (18 holes). Afternoon: Driving competition. Saturday. October s.—Final of the amateur championship (36 holes). The reigning title-holders are: Open champion, Sloan Morpeth; amateur champion, T. H: Horton; amateur foursomes champions, Dr. K. Ross arid C. B. Wright: professional foursomes champions. A. J. Shhw.ind J. A. Clements: professional champion. A. J. Shnw. V’anganui Meeting.

The Wanganui Golf Club’s annual tournament is set down for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 17, 18 and 19. The programme includes the rianganui amateur championship, for which lt> are to qualify. The next 16 best gross scores qualify for the Belmont Handicap, match play on club handicaps. A trophy goes to the players returning the lowest aggregate gross score in the two qualifying rounds for the championship. In addition there are three mefial handicaps, two bogey handicaps, a teams’ match, a four-ball bogey handicap, and continuous putting competitions. Entries close on or before Friday,, October 11, With the secretary, Mr. F. J'. Hill, Box 43, Wanganui.

Professionals for Australia. The two professionals selected by the New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association to compete in the Australian open, A. J. Shaw, of Napier, and J. D. Mclntosh, of Palmerston North, Will sail from Wellington on Friday for Sydney. The association originally selected four professionals to make the Australian trip, but the other two chosen, E. U. Douglas, of Maungakiekie, and U. J. Moss, of Auckland, have announced their inability to visit Australia to take part iu the Australian open, which is to be played at Adelaide. For some time, past the New Zealand professionals have had a visit to Australia in view, and at a meeting Of the association at Hastings in February last it was decided to send two professionals across, and four if funds were available! Some years ago Arthur Ham, then stationed at Heyetaunga, went across arid finished a good second in the Australian open.

Much adverse comment at the personnel of the team has been expressed in the south, which is without 9 representative. It is pointed out that the original understanding was that H. li. Blair and J. H. Clements, of Christchurch, would both be included in the team., It is also claimed that the south is entitled to representation from the purely mercenary aspect alone, and that as all clubs have subscribed so as to make the trip possible, it would have been more satisfactory if a South Island man had been included. It is maintained also that Blair’s consistency at the last professional championship at Napier entitles him to inclusion. Case for the Bonth.

The case for the South Island is set out by a writer in a Chrlgtchurch newspaper. After referring to, the Hastings meeting, when it was decided to send two professionals, and four if possible, he Says: “It was understood then that the four, if four, it was to be, would be Shaw,- Meintosh, Blair, and Clements —and that selection was afterwards confirmed. Funds, however, did not come iu very freely, especially in Auckland, and the association therefore decided that it would be possible to send the first tivo only. Then Auckland golfers apparently subscribed among themselves to send—not Blair and Clements, the two originally selected, but .Moss and Douglas. Of the four players that are making the trip, therefore, only two—Shaw and Mclntosh—are being sent by the New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association. This shows a rather petty spirit on the part of Auckland golfers, Surely it was up to them to support the association and help to send the four representatives It selected instead of two ot their own. The money subscribed by Christchurch' golfers will go wholly towards the expenses of Shaw and Mclntosh. It Is a pity that this should have happened—the same sort of thing has happened fur too often In New Zealand—but Christchurch golfers will wish all four members of the team the best of luck in Australia, and hope that one of them will bring home the title." With the elimination of Moss and Douglas, it seems that the association might yet be able to fall In with the wishes of the southern people and give them representation in the team. Shaw is recognised as one of the most capable professionals iu the Dominion. He won the open at Miramar in 1026, and last year be was runner-up- to Sloan .Morpeth at Dunedin, where he wits successful In the professional championship. Mclntosh won the professional championship in 1927 PresaiuK.

A leading golf professional sajs: "Pressing is attempting to bit tlie’uall extra hard, wiiidi alVeets aitiersely the control of the shot Hard hitting Is nut pressing. All good players hit hard. So long as you control your hard liitting, you are not pressing. M'e do not agree wltti those who, in warning us of Hie evils of pressing, advise us to cultivate u nice easy lady-like style of swinging a golf club. The golf ball doesn’t respond to caresses and gentle pats. If you want It. to go a long wav. or wish to pitch with lots of back spin, you ve got to iiit bard. Pressing and sparing the sliot are (be two extremes in golf bitting, but between the two we believe the former is the lesser fault. Al least, It isn’t temporising. The player who has the hardihood to exert himself to the utmost and falls does this only because he attempts more than his skill" can accomplish.”