Summer Golf: Programme For 1936-37

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 63, 8 December 1936, Page 16

Summer Golf: Programme For 1936-37

(By

NIBLICK.)

SIGNS are not wanting that golf in New 0 Zealand is gradually switching over from a winter to a summer pastime. The Wellington Club haa for many years past confined its programme to the summer months, and what a golfers paradise Heretaunga ie when sunshine floods the park-like expanse of the picturesque links, and the myriad birds are singing ad if to split their throats in the clumps of native bush which adorn the course. The Wellington Club has recently had extensive alterations carried out to the course. Several of the holes have been redesigned for the better, and length has been added. The Onehunga weed problem has been tackled with resolution, and soil nurseries ensure that top-dressing free from weed& will be applied to the greeus. The generous rains which have been so general this spring have caused the mowing machines to be kept busy, but have resulted in a thick sward of grass on the fairways. Heretaunga is now at its best, and challenges comparison with any links in the Dominion. The John Ball Baffy. The annual competition for the John Ball Baffy always creates keen interest among members of the Wellington Club. Some good scoring was done in the qualifying round for the competition on Saturday. No fewer than six players had net scores of 70. The trophy was played for in the form of a bogey handicap on Sunday, and resulted in a win for 11. C Morton, who finished 2 up from the H mark. Morton qualified with a card of 84-14-70, and he maintained his steadiness in the play off. It is very pleasing to see S. G. Longuet back on the links again. A couple of years ago this youthful player showed brilliant promise, and hade fair to qualify for the highest honours. Unfortunately, he was laid aside by an illness which kept him from active physical exercise for a couple of years. He has .now thoroughly recovered, and it would not be at all surprising if he again shows that he is a golfer much above the average. He covered the course in 76 on Saturday, and finished 1 up in the play off. The Wellington Club is fortunate m possessing a number of able colts at present. In the brothers S. M. and R. B. Watson, S. G. Longuet and P. G. Whitcombe they have a quartet who should worthily uphold the honour of the club for many years to come. Problem for Handicapper. The handicapper for the Shandon Club has a problem on his hands at present in the form of L. G. Young, who is improving in bis play at such a rate that it is almost impossible to keep him from winning every competition. A long handicapped player at the commencement of the season, he has been brought steadily down to 9, and still he goes on winning. A week ago he won a bogey competition at Shandon with 5 up, off the 13 mark. Last Saturday, partnered by M. McKelvie (12), Young, then on'll, walked away with a fourball best-ball bogey competition, with the commanding score of 9 up. On Sunday morning he made no race of a medal round with 82-14-68, and in the afternoon, reduced to 9, he, partnered by 'McGregor, won a fourball event with 9 up. Now, what is to be done with a young man like that? Fireworks at Balmacewen. Otago players have been showing brilliant form of late. There were some dazzling fireworks at Balmacewen on November 22. E. S. Douglas, the Otago professional. I completed two amazing rounds of 67, and |

his partner in a fourball was J. R. Laidlaw, who covered the course in 6S. The pair finished 12 up on bogey, their best ball for one round being 61—2 S out and 33 home. , , , T. B. Ferguson, who showed such good form at the New Zealand championships at Shirley last year, also did a 67 at Balmacewen on November 2_. " • G. Wight went round in 70. and several other players had scores in the low 70’s. And yet" many New Zealand golfers say that Balmacewen is not a good course. K. Ross, the Otago club champion, had to strike his colours in the first round of the championship tournament last month to a youthful player, T. C. Tyrrell who has been steadily coming to the front. Dr. Ross has been acknowledged chain pion of Otago for so long that he appeared to have a mortgage on the club and provincial titles, but age has at long last had to bow to youth. Golf in U.S.A. Just returned from an extended trip to the United States, Mi® Shirley former Victorian woman champion, has related some interesting impressions, outstanding of which is the really wonderful hospitality showered upon Australian visitors by American players and clubs (reports the Sydney ’Referee ). , At most of the clubs where she played she was not charged one penny. Several of them even provided her with , and caddies in America, says Miss 10l hurst, collect from 10/- to 12/6 per r . ou “ • Lessons from leading professionals aren’t exactly cheap either. Olin Doutra, for example, charges £l/o/- per houi. Hailed in headlines as the Australian woman champion, and received with hearty cheers when she stepped on to t e first tee in a championship meeting, ttie Victorian girl was rather After her first appearance, the golf scribe# bad more headlines that the Australians scores were disappointing. Professionals have a higher standing socially than in Australia. Most of them are educated men. They have use of the grill-rooms and dine with members. Evidently a series of lessons which Miss Tolhurst had from Joe Newbold were effective, for on her return she smashed the record of Royal Melbourne s West course with a superb 74. Incidentally her 71 net won the trophy given by her sister, Mrs. J. H. Byrne. Long Drives. The longest recorded and fully authenticated drive ever made was the 44-» yards hit by E. Bliss at Herne Bay in August, 1913. Craig Wood, in the British open championship at St. Andrew's, in Bine. 1933, drove his tee shot at the fifth 4oU yards. Ups and Downs. Players should never become downhearted when they receive a severe drubbing. On April 27 and 28, at Moor Park. London, Archie Compston defeated n alter Hagen, the American, in a <2-holes match, bv 18 up and 17 to play. At the end of 36 holes, Compton was 14 up. This i-s the greatest margin of victory ever recorded in a first-class professional match. Hagen then proceeded to Sandwich, where he won for the third time the British open championship. A Rub of the Green. Golfers are particularly hard-headed individuals’. At Blairgowrie links, in August. 1908. a player on the tenth tee was hit on the head by a ball played to the ninth hole. The hall rebounded a distance of 34 yards, the distance being measured.