GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 16

GOLF

KIRKWOOD'S LATEST

COMING EVENTS. June 2-rVisit to Wellington Clubs fro» !Palmerston North. . . , • Jlay 20—Hutt A team at Mlramar; Miramir B team at Hutt. June 2—Mixed Four-ball Bogey, at Hutt Club. June U-rßritish Open Championships of Old Troon. ■ September 0 to 18—New Zealand ladies' Ch»m. pionships, at Nelson. September; Manawatu Tournament. September: New Zealand Championship!, at Wangaoui. .

After the British successes in the amateur championships and the,first round of the Walker Cup one can but be disappointed in finding that for the third year in succession the American amateurs have "triumphed over the best that Britain could produce. Britain was'twice previously beaten, once in a semi-official match at Hoylake, and more- particularly at Long Island last year. America secured the decision at the first meeting by 9 matches against 3, and last year retained- the honour..by Bto4. . The United States Golf Association, keen for world wide supremacy, sent a team to England this year to endeavour to maintain the previous honour. By rights the Americans could have defended the Walker Cup in their own country, but a British' team' could hot be sent over and tEe Americans decided to visit. England. This year the result showed! oply one match between the two nations. By these , matches the rapidly increasing host of golf devotees steps over the threshold of a wonderful season,, in which international rivalry will dominate. In the hosts of golfers there are of course thousands to whom championships and other important competitions represent the highest realms of ability as a wistful personal perspective. On this portion of the globe closer interest will perhaps be attached to the open championship, in which will play one or two golfers who we know personally or have seen play,, including Douglas and Kirkwood" and Hagen. We had this same interest in the ladies' championship, but unfortunately that interest was not succoured for long, not'that any discredit attaches itself to Mrs. ■ Williams. Even the most optimistic. could hardly have expected her to land in England and walk dry-ahod through the ranks of the best women golfers who have been fpTiiliar with English, courees and conditions all their' lives.

- Ths scoring presents some remarkablefigures, of which the most remarkable was that of E. W. E. Holderness, and Lord Hope, who won their match after being 8 down at one stage-in the second half, surety one of the most remarkable recoveries in international golf. Roger Wethered and .C. J. H.. Tolley won 6 up and 5' against Ouimet and Sweetzer. ■This turned the tables- somewhat on the match in 1922, when Tolley and Bernard Darwin went down to Ouimet and J. Guilford to the tune of 8 and.7. Since .that time the positions: in the teams have altered considerably. The cables did not_ give the details of the scores in the individual matches, and my readers will have to wait until some of the English criticisms come to. hand.

Almost in. conjunction with the results of these matches came the news of the defeats of both Kirkwood and Ha'gen, of whom so much lately has been heard, Kirkwood seems to fall down when he is least expected to do so. After two brilliant rounds, one in a storm, which signalised the fact that he was in England on business, he fell to Henry Kinch, a professional who was previously engaged in Germany, and was runner-up in the German championship in 1911.' Last year Kinch won the "News of the World" open putting competition, and these two events are the only, things that have characterised his activities. Then Hagen was disposed of in the final by Jolly, whp won the Kent professional championship in 1921----22. Both Kirkwood and Hagen are sufficiently well known here for me to quote something recently sent to the Sydney "Sun" from London after the two reached England. This states, inter alia: "Joe Kirkwood indignantly denies the reports that he is assuming American citizenship. He still considers that he is playing for Australia, and is not forgetting that Australians gave him his first chance to compete in the international tournaments. Kirkwood hopes to visit Australia in December, either with Hagen or.Sarazen, who are willing to join an exhibition tour. They will pay_ their own fares, if, say, twelve Australian clubs are each prepared to guarantee £50 for a match played on their courses. Alternatively, they would accept remuneration" on' a gate receipt basis, charging 2s 6d or 5s a match. He proposes to describe through a megaphone the technicalities of each, shot as played, from which he is convinced that young Australians will learn more about rear golf than reading all the books in the world. The visit of Hagen or Sarazen would give Australian, golf a badly-need-ed fillip. Kirkwood is prepared to exbibij, a lecture slow-motion film. "I am feeling better, playing better, and more confident than at any time during _my career," says Kirkwood. "This is due to the experience of my long American tour. I have partnered Hagen in 126 exhibition matches, and lost only fourteen. I consider Hagen the best player I have ever seen. With him I have played seven straight tournaments since December, and we have won every one between us. I am tickled to death to be even second to Hagen, who has improved my golf tremendously. We were often followed by galleries of eight or nine thousand enthusiasts, to whom we explained the shots. The Americans- demand novelty golf, . and therefore I 'went mad.' My tricks, which ;take ninety minutes to perform, astonished the experts. The latest trick is pitching a ball with a slightly roughened, though legal, jnashie niblick 120 yards on a. sloping green. The ball bounces.-past the hole, stops dead,-then runs back like a masse shot at billiards,

[BY "BAFFY"] INTERNATIONAL MATCHES

A SPLENDID SEASON OPENS

10ft or 15ft to the hole, either straight or m .circles, at will.

Another trick is 'bringing down the house. I imitate a duffer taking full swipes on the tee. I play the ball between my legs by striking it very thinly wjth the heel of' the club, then with the toe, the club sending the ball at right angles., This is 1 the most difficult trick of my repertoire. "I- am not visiting England to make money, although < Sai-a2en, one of my travelling companions has already engaged with a number of Scottish clubs to give^ a descriptive demonstration at a fee of £40 an hour. lam determined to do my best in the open championship and hope to finish second to Hagen, who looks the most likely winner. "Before the championship I intend to practice quietly at Troon, after competing at Leeds on 15th May, and in one or two exhibitions with Hagen against Duncan- and Mitchell, who: are the only Britishers the 'Americans fear. I'am using a few new clubs, =and have adopted a straight faced, straight shanked, steel putter. I am using a mashie-irai instead pf a mid-iron, also favouring Hagen's model broad-faced wooden clubs. "I am now driving at an average of 225 yards, offsetting the loss of length by certainty and accuracy, .particularly m the second shots, wherein I am Bhoiring great improvement. I am putting oa weight, and now weigh about 13 stone,, but am still drinking neither alcohol, tea, nor coffee, and not smoking Nevertheless, I find it difficult to avoid alcohol in 'dry America,' where gallons were pressed on me." An innovation in the form of matches n ™ « caddy of the Wellington Golf Club was inaugurated at Heretaunga yesterday. Over twenty boys took part, and after the day's play were entertained 1 at afternoon tea by the club. The boys keenly enjoyed their outing, and expressed their thanks,in hearty cheers for the club and the club's proi fessional, A. Ham. The prizes were donated by'the club and Ham. Tile following are the result*:—Medal Handicap, 10 holes : Sowerby (sor), net 52,1; J. Johnston (9)j net 66 2; Finlayson (11) net 69, "3. Second Medal Handicap; 12 holes: Murdoch (16), net 53,: 1'; Midwinter (SO), net 57, 2j Sowerby (scr), net 61, 3. ■ , ■

The fifteenth hole at Heretaunea presented an animated) appearance this week when a large gang of men was put on to convert the large flat green into what will ba an ideal one shot hole. Just' off the green proper bunkers are being placed at ■ either side, while a deep bunker with a rising bank at its .back will be made at the back of the green. The edge, of the bank in front oFthe green_ is also being cut away and> will be nicely turfed. When, completed it will be a fine hole to play. The sixteenth-hole, which is at present an easy four, is also to be well bunkered, provision being made to catch both sliced and pulled balls from the tee, while the green will be amply protected. The seventeenth is also to be heavily bunkered, while the existing double-bunker will ba channelled, giving a clear sight of fie hole.

Is golf an expensive/ game in N?av Zealand? If the reader thinks so, let him considev this' from Chicago: Tbo Bryn Mawr Club directors have adopted I a plan to elect 50 more members'at ths I regulation fee of £250, with a "payment ! of £50 on application and £20 every ,' three months until paid. ' ■ v "The man who wants great length-in his drive may well be advised to cultivate following through with the utmost care, for three main reasons. The first of these is that, even if he can get a fair length without it, he-can 1 certainly get much further with it. In the s_eej ond place—when once a player begins I to neglect it, he is preparing trouble for i himself in' all other, departments of h:3 drive. Thirdly, when there is .only 'a very short follow through, there is net ! so much control over the flight of the ball, nor so much run on it. .' . Tile very fact of following through makes a better, insurance, against pulling and slicing-"—James Braid. 'V •' In the Otago championships at Bal--1 macewen, K. Ross defeated' H. De 0. M'Arthur, 4 and 2, and will meet Ca'llender in-the semi-final. 1 R. B- Lambert beat J. S. Mur.ro in the other semif j)l after Munro had been 4 up at the 12th.