British Women’s Golf Team will Test New Zealand’s Strength

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 283, 27 August 1935, Page 14

British Women’s Golf Team will Test New Zealand’s Strength

(By

NIBLICK.)

r ri:lE British touring team of women golfers, who are now in Australia and who will arrive at Wellington on September 30, will fully try out the strength of golf in the Dominion. Mrs. J. B. Walker of the Island Malahide club, is a Plus 1 player. She was the only member of the British women’s team to record a win in the match against the United States women’s team in America last year. That Mrs. Walker is an outstanding player is clear from her record. She was Irish close champion in 1930 and run-ner-up for that title in 1934. She has represented Ireland continuously in international matches since 1928.

A Scots Lassie. Miss Jessie Anderson, of the Craigie Hill club, is one of Scotland’s leading players. She first came into prominence by winning the girls’ championship in 1933, and she was runner-up in the same event the following year. She was a bronze-medallist in the Scottish close championship in 1933, and runner-up for the'same title in 1934. She represented Scotland in international matches in 1934 and 1935, and this year got as far as the semi-final in the British women’s championship, which was won by Miss Wanda Morgan. She is on the scratch mark.

An Experienced Player. Mrs. W. Greenlees, of Troon, is another Scottish scratch player, and has an illustrious record. She represented Scotland in international matches in 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934 and 1935. She was a bronze-medallist in the open championship in 1931, and a bronzemedallist in the Scottish close championship in 1932. She holds the Cruden Bay record with 75, and has done the fourth hole at. Troon , Portland, in one stroke. She is 33 years of age.

Worthy English Representative. Miss Phyllis Wade, of Parkstone, was English close champion in 1934 and Hampshire county champion in 1935, and represented England in international matches in 1934 and 1935. She is on the scratch mark, and can play to it.

Baby of the Team. Miss Pamela Barton, of Royal MidSurrey, is one of the most brilliant of the younger generation of English players. She first burst upon the golfing world as a girl of 16 by winning her way to the final of the open championship in 1934, and she proved what a wonderful player she is by also being runner-up for the same high title this year. She was French open champion in 1934, and that year played for England against France and was a member of the British team which toured the United States and Canada. She also represented England this year. After being defeated in the final of the open championship £>y Miss Wanda Morgan this year, Miss Barton stayed on in Ireland for a-. few weeks, and had the ill-luck to htfve a spill while riding, which dislocated an elbow. This mishap prevented her from playing for England against France in the match which was played shortly before the team sailed for Australia.

The Captain-Manager. Mrs. P. Hodson, of Wooltou, captained the British team against France Ln 1933. She was chairman of the Ladies’ Golf Union executive council in 1932, and captained the Lancashire .county team in this year.

From the records of the players, it will be seen that New Zealand players

are in for a.' searching test, and will have to be at their best to make a creditable showing against such experienced match players. However, Mrs. Guy Williams, of Masterton, president of the New Zealand Ladies’ Golf Union, has had experience of play in England and Australia, and it can be taken for granted that the Dominion will place its best players in the field against the redoubtable invaders.

Mrs. Fullerton-Smith, the New Zealand champion, and Miss Oliver Kay, should have had their experience widened by their recent visit to England, and with players to support them like Miss Barns-Graham, of Gisborne; Miss Betty Rutherford, of Hawarden; Miss Valmai Fleming, of Christchurch ; Mrs. Dpdgshun, of Dunedin; Mrs. J. Hornabrook, of Masterton; and Miss P. Helean, of Wanganui, New Zealand should be able to make a creditable showing. New Zealand Programme. The British team will arrive at Wellington on September 30, and will leave for the South Island that night. They will open their New Zealand tour with an exhibition match at Dunedin, and will then play a match against a South Island team at Christchurch on October 5. The visitors will then proceed to Wanganui, where they will play an exhibition match on October 7. A visit will then be made to Rotorua, after which the British team will play a match against a North Island team at Auckland.

The British ladies will then return to Wellington, and will make the clubhouse at Herefaunga their headquarters until their departure. The Miramar Golf Club has generously granted the use of their links for a match, the British women’s team and New Zealand on October 19. The match will be played on a Saturday, which will allow all golfing women who are busy during the week in offices to have an opportunity of seeing the very best golf New Zealand can produce and almost the best of Britain. The members of the British women’s team will compete at the New Zea-

land women’s championships at Heretaunga early in October, and this will greatly increase the Interest taken in the tournament, as it will show how our players compare with Great Britain’s leading exponents of the game.

Of one thing we can be sure, and that is that the arrangements for the British team’s visit will be capably managed. The flew Zealand Ladies’ Golf Union has set a standard for wise management, and It is largely due to their wise control that women’s golf has reached such a high standard. The selectors have never been afraid to give youth its chance, and New Zealand teams in the past have been chosen on form rather than reputation.

Moreover, the New Zealand Ladies’ Golf Union appears to have been able to do something which the New Zealand Golf Council has been unable to accomplish, and that is to keep con-

tests between Australia and New Zealand going. These have done much to improve the standard of play in this country, and the visit of the British team will add to the education of women players in the Dominion.

Watt Cup Competition. That the teams in the Watt Cup competition are evenly matched this season is evident from the points scored in the matches already played. The position of the teams at present is as follows :—

Waiwetu has shown marked improvement this year, and did well to defeat Shandon on the Waiwetu links on Saturday by seven games to four, with one game squared. Wins were recorded for Waiwetu by J. B. Wallace, R. G. Holland, E. C. Swinson, L. D. Matthews, J. Cheevers, L. Marsden, and K. Hendry, while the successful player's for Shandon were C. E. Hollis, D. M. Boyd, R. Lulham, and H. H. McL. Elliott.

R. G. Hayward, restored to No. 1 position for Shandon, had a hard tussle with that able players, A. T. Clelland, which ended up all square. Clelland has only been beaten once this season in six Watt Cup matches, and that was by F. Page, the Manor Park champion. A strong north-westerly wind was raging when the game commenced, and this caused many drives to finish up out of bounds. The wind died down as the afternoon wore on, and the homeward journey was made under much pleasanter conditions. The standard of play was quite good considering the conditions, and It is evident that the players In the minor clubs are surely and steadily improving. The Banish Cup.

Following is the position of the teams in the Ranish Cup competition:—

The Squadron Cup. Matches between the major clubs of Wellington will be resumed on Saturday, when Miramar and Wellington will meet. The A teams will play at Miramar, and the B teams at Heretaunga. It is interesting to note that Keith Jeffery and Jack Shelly have been promoted to No. 3 and No. 4 position in the A team for Miramar. Miles Watson has been playing very well recently, and with D. O. Whyte. P. G. Whiteompe, J. G. D. Duncan, and Jack Parker, should make J H. (Drake, Harold Blaek and the rest of the Miramar team play their best. The Squadron Cup and the Crawford Crescent will be competed for between the eight leading players of the A teams. The Australian Open.

The scoring in the Australian open championships, which ended at Adelaide on Saturday in a win for F. W. McMahon, the South Australian professional, proves that the standard of golf In the Commonwealth is no higher than, if as high as, that in the Dominion.

McMahon took the title with an aggregate of 293 for the four rounds, his figures being 74, 74, 73 and 72?

A, J. Shaw won the open championship of New Zealand in October last with 288, which is five strokes better than McMahon’s figures.

Jim Ferrier, the 20-year-old Sdyney amateur, was one stroke behind McMahon for the Australian open, and would have won had he not had a stormy passage in the fourth round, in which a 6 and a 7 appeared on his card.

The best round in the open at Adelaide was W. Bolger’s 69 in the fourth round. It will be interesting to see whether these figures will be improved upon in the New Zealand open at Shirley (Christchurch) early in October.' Andy Shaw, New Zealand open and.professional champion, likes the Shirley links, and has broken 70 there in the open. Let us hope that some of the many able amateurs will this year emulate the feats of A. D. S. Duncan, who won the open in 1907, 1910 and 1911, E. M. Maefarlane (Christchurch), who annexed it nt Shirley in 1925; and Sloan Morpeth; who took the honour in 1928.

Matches Played Points Manor Park 4 34} Waiwetu G 33 Shandon 4 26 Titahi 4 24}

Matches Played. Points. Manor Park ..... 6 34 Paekakariki .... 6 324 5 32 Waiwetu »»>■>• 7 26 Titahi 6 Ssj