TOUR BY GOLFERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 7

TOUR BY GOLFERS

AUSTRALIAN PLANS

Many leading British professional golfers, including A. H. Padgham (this year's Open champion), W. J. Cox, A. M. Dailey, and A. G. Havers (a former Open champion), are eager to visit Australia, according to W. Shankland, an Australian international Rugby League player of a few years ago. Shankland returned to England after touring that country with the Australian Kangaroos, playing Rugby League for Warrington, and also making a name for himself as a golfer. He finished second to E. R. Whitcombe in this year's Irish Open championship. Shankland learned golf as a caddy at Royal Sydney. He is renowned for the length of his drives.

Shankland, in a recent letter to Mr. W. Corry, president of the Professional Golfers' Association in New South Wales, said that the English professionals had had a poor season, owing to the wet summer, many events having to be postponed. It was during this slack period that British professionals asked about prospects in Australia.

Unlike Australians and Americans, the British players do not have many opportunities in • winter, and, according to Shankland, they would welcome a tour of Australia during that period.

Mr. Corry said it would be an excellent idea to invite a party of British professionals to Sydney for the 150 th anniversary celebrations in 1938, but those whose duty it was to allocate the celebration's funds were averse to assisting . professionals.. ■ even though these were known throughout the world. Most Australians desired to see the best golfers, whether amateurs or professionals.