Lion-Hearted Golfers

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 45, 17 November 1936, Page 14

Lion-Hearted Golfers

Evolution of Wellington Courses

(By

NIBLICK.)

rpHE evolution of golf courses in Wel- -*- lington from goat tracks to turkeycarpet fairways and billiard-table greens, reads like a romance. < The marked progress which has been made on many local courses this year, shows that green committees and groundsmen are making headway in the mysteries of green-keeping research. Most other sports have grounds provided for them by the municipality; not so the golfer. He has to put his hand in his pocket; and before he can set his beloved little white pill rolling he has to arrange for sufficient finance to lease or buy some 100 acres of land, and then to form greens, tees, and bunkers upon it, to say nothing of a clubhouse. Many instances have been afforded within recent years of the big hearts which local golfers possess. It is history now how the members of the Manor Park club, when the Hutt River a tew years back overwhelmed their course. and buried some of the fairways yards deep with shingle, resolutely set. about restoring the links to something like order. For weeks and months members of the club, including women, patiently carried baskets of stones off the fairways like coolies coaling a boat at Colombo. It was a task which would have broken the heart of a heavyweight, wrestler but the Manor Park members went steadily on until they had created order out of chaos, and to-day they have a course of which they have just cause'to be proud. • The club will close the winter season on Sunday next, and visitors will marvel at the fine modern course the club now possesses, and will joy in the tine state of the majority of the greens. Shandon's Rise. Another club which has evolved from an insignificant chrysalis to a radiant butterfly is Shandon. Much interesting history of early vicissitudes were related at the closing day ceremony on Saturday. Mr. G. H. A. Swan, one of the early presidents, told of the days when the club had a membership of about 50, and very little revenue. The clubhouse, he said, was constructed of packing cases, rudely erected by the members themselve.s. Cows grazed on the links, and every green had a substantial fence round it. As Mr. J. AV. Fergie remarked, the club was fortunate in possessing in its crucial early days an executive comprising prominent business men, who took the long view, with the 'result that today Shandon possesses as fine a course as is to be found .in the city or suburbs. This is the best season of the year for golf courses, and the generous rains which have fallen this spring has produced an ifbnormal growth of grass. The fairways are things of beauty, but woe betide the hapless wight who slices or hooks his ball into the rough. He will be fortunate indeed if he ever sees it again, as just now the rough is truly rough. The Shandon course was in capital order on Saturday, and the large number of visitors were surprised at the great improvements which have been effected to fairways and greens. The good feeling which exists between the members of local clubs was evidenced by the number of visitors at' Shandon on Saturday.. Among them were noticed .Miss Lee, J. L. Black, AV. G. Fisher (Hutt), R. G. Holland (Waiwetu), J. Shelly (Miramar), S. A. Crichton (Titahi), F. McNeil (I’aekakariki), Miss Kerr, Mrs. Barnard. J. L. Barnard, J. Forbes (Manor Park).

An Ideal Secretary. The high tributes which were paid to Mr. J. AV. Fergie by members of the Shandon Club at the send-off accorded him on- Saturday were richly deserved. For upwards of ten years he has occupied the position of hon. secretary of the club, and he was among those who have been responsible for a small acorn developing into a stout oak tree. As the president, Mr. C. H. Andrews, remarked, Mr. Fergie was blessed with an abundance of zeal, and such wonderful

tact that the committee always entrusted any delicate negotiations with the women’s sections of the club to his hands. Mr. Feygie has been promoted to the position of stationmaster in charge at Gisborne, and his genial personality will be much missed in golfing circles.

Better Scoring. With the advent of summer and more run on the ball, better scoring can be looked for.

R. G. Holland, who did so well in the amateur championship at New Plymouth last month, was in fine form on the Waiwetu links on Sunday. Playing almost perfect golf, he did the out journey in 38, and did a brilliant home run of 33. B. M. Silk and J. F. Pym, champion and runner-up this year of the Hutt Club, also did good rounds oji Sunday, both covering the Hutt course in even 4’s.

One cannot help thinking that if the open championships were held in November instead of October better scoring would be seen. A couple of seasons back Bryan Silk had a great ruu, when he used to break 70 frequently. It is rare these days that scores under 70 have to be recorded. Seventy was broken four times in the open championship at Shirley last year; it was not broken once at New Plymouth last month.

The Tuson Cup. The annual match for the Tuson Cup will be played between the AA’cllington and Christchurch clubs on the Shirley links-ou Saturday next. Wellington will send down a strong team, including D. C. Collins, D. O. AVhyte, P. G. AVhitcombe, P. W, Blundell, J, Graham, G. T. Dawson, D. G. AVebster and S. M. AVatson.

Eight AVellington club members will also make the trip to compete in the annual match for the Veteran’s Cup between the two clubs.

It is pleasing to see that able player, D. O. AVhyte, back in something like his true form again. A fortnight ago he headed the qualifying rounds for the Wellington Club championship, with 74 and 73, his aggregate of 147 being five strokes ahead of the runner-up, G. P. Roberts.

Let the Putter Head Go. All have guilty consciences on the point of putting (remarks a South Afri-. can scribe). A champion said only the other day that if he were to begirt golf all over again he would begin by trying to be “more light-hearted and philosophical.” Fie said also—and this is a profound thought—that most of the short putts are missed because “in the seriousness of the business men have a tight, tense grip. If they could be more carefree half their putting fears would vanish.” It is, I am afraid, a counsel of perfection; and none can entirely master the art. Every teacher tells his pupil to “let the putter head go.” If only we could. The mystery is insoluble. The thing a child does almost unerringly, the experienced golfer who has practised it a thousand times, fails to do. I do believe there are many who are good golfers who would sell their souls fqr two days of confidence with the archtraitor of the bag.

Play with Decision. “Learn that in golf all feebleness is error. Foozle, thy name is indecision. AVhatever your strokes, whether a tee shot, a short approach or a putt, let it be done with decision.” —J. H. Taylor.

New Zealand will send over a hockey team for the All-Australia tonrney at Sydney in July. The New Zealand association will pay fares across the Tasman, but Australia must find laud-travelling and housing costs. Tn addition to taking part in the Sydney tournament the visitors will play Australia for the Manning Gup, which they hold at present.