Golf.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 133, 12 June 1909, Page 14

Golf.

(By "Mashie.")

The returns for the Coronation Medal competitions which were held 6imultaneously all over New Zealand, are now to hand, and show some splendid results. Sixteen clubs competed. Otago entries totalled sixteen and Wellington eleven, ' while some of the smaller clubs had only one entry. Two really fine performances were those of Miss Stephenson (Nga j Motu) and Miss Rattray (Otago). The [ former lowered the record for her course , by four strokes, by going round in 87. i Miss Rattray, with a handicap of eight, . wont round ia 83, only three above the | Otago par of 80. Her return shows • probably the best golf that has been play- j ed by a lady in New Zealand. Mr. Edward Blackwell, the longest > driver in the world, is shortly to play a match against C. H. Ma-yo, says the Field. ! It will bo a new experience for Mayo to ! ' measure- his skill against the longest j driver the game has as yet produced. A great deal, however, will depend on the length of the holes at Kidderminster. If ■the majority of tho longest of them are ' within reach of two wooden club shota Mayo will not find the experience of boing consistently out-dnvon eg much of an i embarrassing handicap as it is possible he | would feel it elsewhere. But it is a great test of cool temperament and nerve I to be able to do justice to one's game unI der the trying ordeal of always having to I play the odd off the tee, and this ordoal is the invariable experienco of thoso who have played against Mr. Edward Black- j well. But long driving is not tho only ' factor which goes to the decision o£ a | match, as Mr. Blackwell himself found > out at Sandwich when ho played the final I round in the amateur championship ' several years ago against Mr. Travis, the American. it is the accurate gameon the putting green that decides the ma- j jority of these matches, and as Mayo has j freatly improved his style in all deepartments of the ginno of late yearb, particularly_ in lengthening his tee shots and in getting down good distance puts, j it is quite likely that ho will more than | hold his own in the match. A story is told of a player who took a friend out to a local golf-course. Tho friend had never touched a club or hit a golf-ball in his life, but was anxious to ' learn. He was placed on a tee and told to drive to tho hole. Ho made a good drive, so good indeed that the ball halted on the edge of the holo and then fell in. . ' With a sigh of reliof the novice turned, ! wiping the perspiration from his" fore- x head. "Thank the Lord!" he said, "I | thought I'd missed it." "The brassie is a club that requires very accurate timing, and one of the finest shots in the game," says an au- I thority, "but, of course, being selfconscious about it leads to mistakes. I can suggest a way put of tho difficulty when it is played indifferently — that 13 ! to use it from tho tee, and confidence will ; probably be restored. < I Icnow of many i players who get along very woll with the j iron clubs, but thero is no comparison j in the two. Tho players reforred to, by I extending their swing, soon get back on their wooden clubs again. Ono of the most pronounced faults with brassie play is allowing the right kneo^ to get slack on tho downward swing, which throws the right shoulder forward too quickly, and the player either slices badly or tadecs a j pivot out before reaching the ball. To remedy that particular movement I always keep the weight firmly on my right leg, which not only helps to keep tho position, but also in getting through tho ball property." In the choice of clubs, piayers Bhould bo careful to select a brassie with the same lie as their driver, as very often, the faulty swing is due to different lies ' of the cluba. lam not a faddist in rospect to golf clubs, but I know that at least 50 per cent, of players have one club in the bag they cannot get on with. The chief reason is that it does not suit their particular stance, and perhaps is too flat or too upright. I must still offer a little further advice about the brassie, that is, not to use it when tho lie is not faA'Ourable, as it is saftr to use the mid-iron or cleek. .The club should bo started with tho left" wrist, which movement is very simple with a little practice. The tendency is always to take the club back with the right hand, and if that is allowed to creep into the ewing, it is impossible to get a complete 'circle. Further, in swinging the club, care must be taken not, to start it too loosely, as tho head gets out of position at the top of tho awing. — Dick Banks, in Sporting and Dramatic.