GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 22

GOLF

a* "Cmpshot"

VISITORS' HARD LUCK

NATIONAL PARK COURSE

PROFESSIONALS' TOURXEY

It can hardly bo said that Kirk wood and Hagcn have visited New ZcalaiCd, because they remained on the Aoraugi, but they have been very close to it. I.is.to be hoped that Kirkwood's hope to yet play here may .materialise. Certainly everyone's feelings when the news of tho quarantine was received alternated between vexation at the loss of a rare opportunity of seeing two of the most wonderful golfers in the world and sympathy with tho men themselves. Tho financial loss to these princes of tho tec may not be so heavy, as tho crowds hero would not bo anything like what they .iro. accustomed to, and it is the attendance which gladdens their eyes, but in Australia, where it ,is by no means certain that they will play yet, tho "gates" would have been much bigger. Their plans are not yet de-. cided, apparently, but in tho circumstances it would not be surprising if both went back to San Francisco -when they are freed of quarantine. It was such a lovely day on Wednesday, too. National Par* Course. The recent acquisition of more territory at National Park for the formation of a full eighteen-hole course- will be good news to all golfers who have reached the ago when alpineering has lost its charms. When all is said, there is not much to do at the Chateau for -hoso who do not care to.take the long walks which are tho alternative to hill climbing as o. ercise, and the provision of golf (and other games) will give everyone a chance to keep fit while recuperating. This is a need which many people on holiday.do not realise, and often they wonder why they come back less full of vim. than when they went away. It is not everybody whose mind is so free of care- that a long walk, possibly alone, is all relaxation, but tee a ball before the lazy holiday maker, and forthwith cares and introspection of all kinds are banned in eighteen holes of really beneficial exercise, with the mind anchored to the business in hand. It is 'he intention to make the course a really good one, and if the amount of work that has bee:i put into the preparation of the ground is anything to go by, the National^ Park course will bo as good as any in New Zealand. Professionals' Tournament. Hagley is to have the professionals' tournament on Ist March. It is a courso where tho bunkers are less fearsome than many others, and if the lies are good on the fairways some good scoring should bo recordod. , The._ Hagley professional championship will be decided by stroke play over 72 holes, with substantial prize money. The winner becomes the holder of tho Gibson Cup. The present holder is A. J. Shaw. Tho tourney extends from Ist March to 4th March. Twenty entries have been received, and though Moss's name is not amongst them, thero will bo plenty of tho younger'ones with a wild' hopo' that, they will eliminate M' Intosh or Shaw, and one- or two' of the older ones who think they ought to do it themselves. : Course Perfection. In older countries tho characteristics of golf courses may vary, but they are practically uniform in the excellent quality of tho turf and the smoothness of the green texture. Many of the younger clubs in New Zealand cannot afford this pulchritude, but some of the older ones might. It caiinot be said that there is a perfect course in New Zealand. Some little thing just robs them all of that. Coarse grass on 'Belmont greens, lack of adequate bunkering at Heretaunga, wide fairways at many of the holes at Shirley, well trapped though the holes themselves arc, and weed in the turf which pre-vents-the replacement of divots at Miramax, are instances of tho . little things which, if they occurred all at onco on the same course, would mako it about third rate. All of them aro capable of remedy, but so far in tho history of tho game in the Dominion perfection has been subservient to cost. Baised subscriptions, a3 was pointed out at tho Miramar Club's annual meeting, tend to exclude what is most wanted in any club, young players coming on to replace the old-timers, but as clubs gradually assume a stronger financial position there Will undoubtedly be'a higher standard in course maintenance. Miramar has raised its subscriptions slightly, but it is apparently to meet added costs, apart from any question of maintenance. The perfection of fairways always alluded to by New Zealandcrs who' have been, golfing. overseas is probably the result of.fairly high foes, but much more could be done locally to improve courses, and with the gradually improving standard of golf it may become necessary. Luck of the Game. Luck, as will readily be understood, is a factor that enters largely into golf. Perhaps the most notable case on record is that of Jamie Anderson, when competing for the championship at Prestwiek, in 1878.. Ho had just teed his ball for tho seventeenth drive when a little girl standing among tho spectators remarked that ho unconsciously placed it just in front "of the proper lino. Although nobody clso had noticed the fact, this proved on examination by the Turereo to be correct. Thereupon, Anderson teed his ball again in a fresh drivo which landed well, and eventually enabled him' to win tho match. If, howover, he had played from tho original, spot,-he would have been penalised a stroke, and have lost tho championship.'Clearly, then, luck on tho links is something to be taken into consideration whatever non-believers may say to tho contrary. What is a Bunker? An interesting part of the. report of the Royal and Ancient Club recently had to do with a question on tho^ rules which would bo largely obviated if the club committees would do their part and define' the hazards on their courses. "The Eulos.of polf Committee has continued to receive many questions on tho rules of golf, and these have been dealt with. A question very frequently asked refers to grounding the club on grass in a bunker. In this connection it is pointed out. that it is for the j authorities in charge of a courso to define its hazards.1 In Decision 53 a I "bunker" has been de-fined as a depression in the ground -where the natural soil is exposed and sometimes topj dressed with softer soil -or sand, and tho Rules of Golf Committee has decided that it is permissible to ground on grass in a bunker, provided such grass has not been declared 'a hazard' ibjr a local rule?.'-'-