GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 74, 28 March 1931, Page 22

GOLF

By "chipshqt" CLUBS BUSY

COMING SEASON

GEORGE DUNCAN'S

"DONTS"

Manor Park, Miramur, and Titahi have opened then- seasons, and Shandon and the Municipal course at Bcrhamporo follow suit to-day. Soon every club iv tho Wellington district will have commenced its programmo of club competitions, and there is every indication that tho interclub matches will prove more popular than over, despite the depression. After all golf is a glorious antidote to business worries, and there will be little falling oft' in play this season, unless dropped salaries reduce memberships. All clubs are faced with this to a certain extent, but some have eased matters by extending the date of grace for the payment of subscriptions. Easter tournaments this year are more numerous than ever, some of the smaller clubs having launched out in this direction on the principle that oven though their tourney attracts few outside the club membership, it will be the best way to spend the Easter holidays inexpensively. The provincial championship, which commences to-day at Heretaunga, will have an ideal course, and, judging from intentions expressed, a fair number of visiting golfers. The greatest interest in the coming season will be provided by the form of the promising youngsters, such as Silk, Hornabrook, and other brilliant young amateurs. If most of them have shown an improvement in. the unofficial season, they should do well at Shirley in October. Golf as College Course. The extent to which golf has gripped the business man of America may bo judged when it is seriously contended by ail ex-president of the American Railway Association, Mr. E. P. Stevens, that the joko that more business is done on golf courses than in office buildings is not a joke, but sober fact. Backing up the suggestion that young men therefore take golf as an extracurricular study at college if they wish to succeed in business, he says: "Vital things which a young man gets out of college are mental discipline, ability to reason, fundamental knowledge, helpful associations. I am proposing that he 'take golf at the same time that he is taking languages and sciences, and take it with equal seriousness. While business may not literally be done on the golf course, associations are formed there which indisputably have practical as well as social value. Few men except occasional geniuses, win unusual success on knowledge, ability, or talent alone. Whether a contract or order is awarded one firm 'or another is generally determined by the personal relationships among the men involved." This theory is excellent, but it does not seem to take the question! of handicaps into consideration sufficiently. The plus 1 youngster from college might never find a plus 1 business man to the mutual business and social advantage claimed, whereas the 16 handicap financial magnate would have- no difficulty in concluding satisfactory deals oS tho coxirse. Cotton. Out of Ryder Cup. Henry Cotton has been dropped from tho British golf team to meet the United States in the match for the Ryder Cup at Columbus, Ohio, in June. This is the result of his refusal to accept one of the conditions drawn up by the Professional Golfers' Association, which provide that the players must travel to America together, stay together, pool all their prize-money and golf earnings, and return to Britain together. Cotton objected to the last clause on the ground that he might 'be offered financial inducements to remain in America for a month of two. He will go to America with them, however, and compete in the U.S. championship. • ■ A Course Code. '. ' "I am tempted, by the publication of the Road Code, to produce a code of the golf course, and I have in mind very much the same idea as that which inspired the production of the motorists' charter, that of improving traffic conditions," says George Duncan in a Scottish newspaper. "Golf courses, like the roads, very often suffer from congestion, which, easily could be alleviated. First in my code comes the matter of signals. Golfers should observe these. If you are holding up the course because you are a slow player or because you have lost a ball, be ready to give the right of way to the man who shouts 'Fore.' Obversely, do not be impatient and d.emand the right of way. Most important of all, &p not fail to give the signal. The greatest orimc on a golf course is to drive through without warning. It is unmannerly; it is dangerous. It is as sensible as driving into the back of a cart which will not make way for you on the road. "I must introduce the matter of divots. " It ia a generally known rule that divots should be replaced, but it is not a generally observed act. Golf courses suffer considerably because divots are not replaced, and it is unfair to other players, whose ball might come to rest in an almost unplayable lie, because you have committed a sin of omission. "We will start on the tee. Do not interrupt, or in any way interfere with your opponent's drive. The best place to stand is at the side of the tee box. If you stand behind him, it might put him off. If you drive into the rough, don't start treading down all tho foliage in your efforts to find the ball. You can spend as much timo as you and your partner or opponent like in the search, but wave on any players whom you are delaying. "I have mentioned the replacing of divots on tho fairways; but about bunkers. When you have played out of a bunker —not before —smooth the sand so that you do not leave a heelmark or other obstruction. But bo careful to leave this until after you have played, otherwise you are infringing a rule of tho game. When you are on the green, remember that it is an expensive thing to keep the grass in good condition. Do not, if you miss the putt, strike the ground with your club in annoyance. It is easy to make a gash in the green. Do not total up your score ou tho green when you are playing in a competition. You can do that while you are walking to the noxt green. Also refrain from-trying over your putts again when there- are people playing behind. "Do not, just because you have plenty of money, tip the caddies too lavishly. By doing this you are being unfair to your fellow members. Caddies are —although they do not seem to bo at times —human, and they will naturally give "preferential treatment" to those who tip them tho most lavishly. Most clubs request their members not to exceed a certain amount, and you are doing the wrong thing by your club in giving too generous tips. And- now I think I have said all that need bo said about your s^euoral behaviour in so far nx il". affects other members. En passant, do not buy balls from caddies. It encourages tiiem to pilfor. Give them old balls by all means, but don't buy from them.