On the Links

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1922, Page 15

On the Links

LADIES' CHAMPIONSHIP

A SUCCESSFUL TOURNAMENT.

(By " BuvxEßS.")

The ladies of the Wellington Club ara to be congratulated on the efficient and successful running of their recent wellattended tournament. Miss Bell also has our hearty congratulations upon annexing the championship in addition to that of the Palmerston Tournament. She had some hard matches to fight in both events and was in a somewhat desperate position on several occasions, and it must be all the more gratifying to her to come out on top after such a long and wearing process. Her game against Mrs. Spiers might very easily have had a different termination, the latter lady having by far the shorter putt on the last green to decide the match. However, Miss Bell managed to sink her long putt, and Mrs. Spiers failed in her short one, and so lost her chance of the championship. The tournament was remarkable for the number of first-class players who failed, to qualify for the championship. Of course, one medal round of '18 holes is a poor qualifying test, one serious mistake being sufficient to lose the competitor any chance of further competing in the championship. 'We understand that Miss Watson, of Palmerston, played a very attractive and plucky game in the final, and will rapidly improve with further experience. . The ladies of the Hutt Club at last week-end had another unofficial match of twelve a-side against some of the men of the club, and though they played from the ladies' t«s and had an allowance of a stroke at every hole, only succeeded in winning four matches out of the twelve, Mrs. Murphy, Miss Flux, A. Bunny, and Miss V. Jones beating their opponents. The Hutt men played their second qualifying round , of the club championship on Saturday afternoon, both seniors and juniors, when some of the scores of . the Erevious Saturday were improved upon, co Bridge returned a nice 76 as against 86 for the previous week, and Jack Wagg did a useful 78. Colonel Chesney also did a brilliant 73, as against his 82 of the previous round. Two scores of 84 occupied, 15th and 16th places. In the junior division three 96's are to play off for the last place. It was unfortunate that a player in both senior and junior divisions had their cards /disallowed on account of a technical breach of the rules of golf. Among the seniors a player did not return his card until 1£ hours afteT he had finished playing, when all the scores has been checked and the list posted up of those qualifying. It should be fully known to competitors that in a medal round the card must be marked and returned as soon.as reasonably possible after the conclusion of a round. In the junior division, the player finished his round ip conjunction with two or three golfers, and had his card marked by one_ of them. The rules for stroke competitions are very distinct, that players shall play in couples, and if there is an odd man the committee shall either find him a player or allow him to play alone with someone/ appointed to score. Further games in the championship at Miramar . have been got off. In the morning match between Drake and Tucker the golf was somewhat in and out on both sides, Drake finishing 4 up. In the afternoon Tucker won the first in 4, but Drake won the second, third, fonrth, and fifth in 4, 4, 3, 3; the sixth was halved in' 4/ the seventh ("Hillside") went to Drake in 4, the eighth ("Flax") to Tucker in .4. Drake won the ninth in 5, the tenth was halved in a similar number. Drake again won the eleventh in 5, which in the morning he had done in 3, and so won the match, 9 and 7. Tucker could not reproduce the brilliant putting form which he displayed in his niatch against Rhodes. We said a week or two ago that Drake would probably be found playing out the final with Duncan, and he has now reached that stage. A. Duncan has still to play a match against 0. J. Wilson, having 'i defeated Captain Conway by 10 up and 9 to play, his rounds being 77 and 76. In the morning the amateur champion was 7 up at the ninth bole, having taken 22 for the first, six holes, but during 'the remainder of the round Conway stuck to his task very solidly, finishing only six down. In the afternoon, however, Duncan was again merciljess, and reeled off the first six holes in 21, and though Conway did a good 4 it the long third, bogey 5, he lost the hole as Duncan sunk his putt for 3. News has just come to hand that the 1 Hagen-Kirkwood tour has been postponed until next year. Gene Sarazen, the brilliant young American professional, has clearly demonstrated that at the present moment he is entitled to be regarded as the world's best golfer. He recently won the open championship of America, and followed it up by winning the professional championship, and has now, in two 36-hole matches, beaten Hagsn, who this year won the. British open championship. The New 'Zealand Golf Council had at its last meeting under consideration the question of the standardisation of handicaps and bogeys of the different courses in New Zealand. A sub-committee, consisting of the chairman, Mr. Kirk, Messrs. A. Duncan, and A. F. Roberts, was appointed to deal with the whole question.

It was decided also to get a report from Messrs. Brooks and Hamm embodying their opinion in regard to the suitability of the Wanganui course for the next New Zealand championship. Both of these professionals have recently played over the links. The chairman and Mr. Duncan are well acquainted with the course, and Mr. Roberts, bn receipt of the professionals' report, will inspect the course and confer with the local committee of management as to the necessary improvements.