GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 115, 18 May 1927, Page 16

GOLF

■ V "C»»I^»HO7— NO YOUNG PLAYERS?

STRONG AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION

A HISTORIC HOOK

An Australian Misconception,

Commenting on the New Zealand team, and doubtless revelling i n the possession of Len Nettlefold, who, only -1, is contesting British championship honours, an -Australian writer says'— "The youngest member of the -party is Leo Quin, but, as he is in his thirties" it cannot be said that there are any colts' coming. There must bo a dearth of young players in the Dominion. Perhaps the young men of that country are all bound to the national game of football." It is regrettable that this impression should have been created, for in Rana Wagg D O Whyte, B. V. Wright, and several other young golfers New Zealand has some excellent material. It would be extromely.interesting if a young player went across as a visitor and carried off the coveted honours. There is more than one youthful golfer quite capable of it on his day. The misconception is perhaps quite pardonable in view of tlie .exclusion of young golfers from the official Now Zealand team, but with the idea of entering only steady and ' experienced golfers, the Golf Council undoubtedly picked a safe team for the first of these valuable contests. Long Hitter's Hook. Like all Jong hitters, J. Smith, of Wentworth, who is credited with being the world's longest hitter (in his own islands), is likely to get off the line ivhen he tries to retain his awful supremacy. It is undoubtedly true that the long hitter only can hope to hold down the big events of the world today, because on itlie lengthened courses it frequently saves a stroke at holes where the medium distance, safe player cannot hope to lop one off, and this may be seen this year at Hamilton where the long, straight hitter will receive the rewards, but there is always the well-nigh irresistible tendency to press, with the usual results if it on. yielded to. The long ball by perfect swing and timing is not in tins category; it is the extra muscular effort which is invariably penalised. Smith, and F. 11. Frostick, of St. George's Hill, tied with 150 each for the Guildfortl championship at Camberlcy Heath. Smith really held the championship, but one ferocious hook did it. Ho was hitting the ball twenty yards past any of the other competitors, an advantage that enabled him to get within striking distance of all the long holes in two shots. It was Smith's intention to reach Jhe ninth hole (500 yards) with his second, and to make the thing possible he braced, himself for an extra effort in the drive. The result was a fearful disaster. Smith hooked into a wood, and espying an opening, between the trees, toolt his life in his hands in essaying a fullI blooded shot. The ball came whistling through the trees, leaped across the course, and disappeared into another wood on the other side.- Then commenced a feverish game of hide and seek, with the ball trying to hide itself among the undergrowth. Smith 's adventures ended with an awful 8. On coming to the same hole in the second round Smith sho\ved his supreme indifference to tho previous happenings by accomplishing a 4—a drive of 300 yards and a full No. 1 iron sho,t that flew straight at tho pin. Snath's second, round of 72 was a. model of powerful and accurate hitting. Only oiice did lie stray from the course. This was at the ninth (215 yards), where his brassie shot vanished into a well-defined out of bounds area, necessitating loss of stroke and distance. As it turned out, Smith's punishment was slight, for the next toe shot finished a foot from tho hole. Smith's most spectacular effort was at the. thirteenth (509 yards), where «he was fifteen yards short of tho green in two full bangs, and then holed a chip shot for a 3; in American language known as an '' eagle.'' The more one sees of Smith's golf the more one wonders why he was not chosen as a member of the British team shortly -to encounter the Americans. If it bo seriously thought that the nine men who have been selected are in every respect better-equipped players than Smith, then wu ought to run away with the United States championship and the international match. Strong Australian Team. > Thcro will be some strong competition against the New Zealand Kirk-\Vin-dey,er Cup team, if it is only from Victoria. AVhon in Sydney recently Ivo Whitton, open golf champion of Australia, expressed the intention of bringing over a Victorian team of amateurs to play matches against Queensland, New South Wales, and New Zealand for tho Kirk-Windeyer Cup, and to compete in tho Now South Wales championships, which will begin on 4th June. In addition to Whitton, the team is likely to compriso Alex Russell N. E. Lockhart, the brilliant Royal Melbourne left-hander, and E. G. Schlapp, Victoria's longest driver! Along with C. H. Fawcett, Russell recently won the Australian Foursomes Challenge Shield for the sixth year in succession. He is also an cx-opeu champion. W. B. Tunbridge, another star southern match player, will also bo available. It is not quite certain yet whether Queensland will send a combination. C. R. Boyco and J. N. Radcliffo have been mentioned as possibilities. Kirkwood's Metamorphosis. In these days of overcrowded trades many a freckled lad with a good eye the right build, and enough latent craftsmanship in his make-up to become a good club maker might do worse than devote his ambitions to becoming a professional golfer per medium of the humblo career of caddie. It paid Kirkwood, and though all boys have not his uncanny deftness, there are many youngsters who might do a great deal better than "Joe" ever did in big E olf An Australian writer says of Kirkwood:—

Times have changed since Joe Kirkwod, as a little barefooted urchin laboured around the Manly golf links with solfag alm°St aS big as llim"

Tho same Joe dressed in tho latest tweed plus four tuit swaggered up to the reception counter at tho Hotel Cecil, in California, and made himself known to some of the Australian cricketers who were also staying there. Australia Joe?" said one of the ciick-

"Well, I would like to skin a ' ol . o i» hut I guess thero is big money to To c caned up in the States, and after I'm through with that I'm figurine o« having a look at the old spot" Just tlica tho falsetto voice of a diminutive page boy rang throne], the buildmg—"Room 407. Mr Kirkwno/l room 407. Mr. Kirkwood» "See Tou later boy.» and the debonnair figure of Joe Ivirkwood, American citizen ami golfer, disappeared through a ma Ls ie lost m the beautiful surroundings Sf

the Cecil winter garden. How the times have changed. O temporal O mores!

A Fast Player.

George Duncan, the leading British professional, who is looked to to hold up British prestige against America, where, by the way, he is very popular, must have the same dislike to waiting on the tees and through the fairways that characterises his New Zealand namesake. In the Roehampton Cup, after none too good a first round, which placed him in a position of acute suspense, Duncan, almost racing round the course, accomplished a splendid score of 6G % As a lady put it, Duncan seemed in such a tremendous hurry that one concluded he had a most important engagement to keep. As a matter of interest, this is the only way that Duncan can ever hope to play. A dash at tho ball on the tee, just a glance, followed by a quick blow when the ball is on the green, and the fates decide the rest. They were kind to him, which explains everything. In order properly to appreciate Duncan's score of (36, which equals the record of the course, the complete card may be given. It is as follows: —

Hole. Yds. Bgy. Duncan. 2 .. 450 '.'. !5- '.'. 5 :i .. - 505 .. 5 . . 0 4 • • 440 .. f, . . 4 5 .. 335 .. 4 „ 4 . G • • 22 P • • -1 !! ;j 7 • ■ 13S .. :; -i •s ■•■ -Wo .; r> ■: " *'i » •■ 405 .. r. ■ 4 10 .. 165 .. ;i . '/ „ 11 • . 250 4 12 •• 135 .. 3 " j{ 13 ■ • . 255' .. 4 .. 4 It •• 200 .. ;! -, 15 • . 500 .. r, 4 1C '.. 435 <■ 17 ■.. 225 '' -j ■ '" " ls ■• «o .. . 5 ;; 4 ]";■ 33 7. -JT" Out -10 .. 35

75 .. ( 6li But for two indifferent efforts, a hooked spoon shot at the second holo and an iron shot at the sixteenth that went straight to mid-off's hands, this was an almost perfect round. And for Uself"h? f'™? V MM»»'« P»ttor behaved four greens only one.putt was required.