GOLF ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 63, 11 September 1924, Page 7

GOLF ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—riiESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND,: 9th September. Mr. U. C. Kirk presided over tho-aii-iuii-l meeting of tho New; Zealand Golf Association,, which.was fully representa:ivc of North and-South Island clubs. The auiraal report stated that tho'-iUn-(■enue account showed a loss _ol £U8 ou the year. There remained in accumulated funds a credit of £58. Clubs a£- - filiatcd numbered 101. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, stated that the council had. in__ view of the increased revenue with increased fees to'be paid this year, extended its usual expenditure, especially in the matter of prizes at the present tournament. He .indicated that tho council had'in mind not only to bring out a couple of professionals" from Briiai'.i, but to liaVe amongst tho professionals it imported a mail with some reputation in golf course- architecture with a view to general improvement on visht'and most economical lines. .Another suggestion being considered by tho council was.that there should be'anotlier annual tournament at some cen- • lie that might have no chance of ■ getting the open championship, ior a number of years. The meeting discussed the payment by lady members of the 2s levy imposed last year on ail players. Tho council brought down an amendme-ht lo tho rules to provide that cither; these lady players must pay the levy or llieir-ohih must bo responsible for ';it.•''-.A motion was passed directing the council to ask the-Ladies' Gol£ Union to request members to pay the levy, the proceeds to l>e used for the uood of. the game, in New Zealand, and Tor assisting smaller clubs "that could not support a, professional coach. ■Tho .Shirley Club (Chustchur(--h). made uflicial iipplkaliun for the champi'jnKhip'j

] next year ; - and indicated that some £450 had been spent recently in improvements. The chairman indicated that Shirley would get the championship if the links were ready. '

Mr. J. B. Lusk moved that it be a recommendation to the., council'to consider the present method of playing the open championship and amateur qualifying round as one event, and suggested that a better plan would' be to follow the lead in America and Britain, where j the open championship was available to professionals and amateur players below a certain handicap, and the amateur championship was open to players below a certain"handicap. He suggested that the open championship, as Far as amateurs were concerned, should bo limited to players with a handicap of 1 or ; better, and the amateur championship should be open to those with handicaps of 6 or better. The recommen- f dation was adopted. . . ' Mr. Kirk indicated that it- was the general view of the council that there should be no return to the old system' of playing off championships- over _8 holes. He thought that the amateur championship .should be limited to the lowest 32 entering. •'"'.• The Dunedin representatives indicated that the Otago Club was spending £14C0 on its links, and hoped to hold a very good tournament with professional' events'during'the exhibition. All the officials were re-elected. The new council consists of Messrs R. C. Kirk, R, H. R. Balneavis, a. D S. Duncan, W.-E. A. Gill, M. W. Horton, J. B. MacEwan, A. F. Roberts. The secretary is Mr. G. O. Sutton.