GOLF NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 27

GOLF NOTES

HAGEN AND SHAW

THE AMERICANS' TOUR

Shaw was back in form at Miramar on Sunday, and his 72, in what with little exaggeration might be described as a gale, was an achievement on that course, which is the most unsheltered of any first-class course in New Zealand. Control of the ball in such circumstances was imperative, but.Shaw showed that he had it. ■ Putting well, and getting fine'length against, the wind, he was more than a match for Hagen. This is one of the few links on which Hagen has played twice during his tour, and rio" doubt this helped him to some equality in this respect with Shaw, to whom Miramar is almost like being at home. Hagen and Shaw both played a fine long game, and it was only on the greens that the match was really decided, Hagen recovering well from stray deviations from the line down the fairways with perhaps the exception, of• the short sixth, where his recovery left him too long a putt. It is something when the leading professional in New Zealand can more than hold his own with one who was, in effect, for years the champion of the world. On Hagen's behalf it must be said that continuous travel after-a fairly long sea voyage is not the best of preparation, but his galleries saw enough of his brilliance at many holes to realise the truth of his saying that he never knew yet a golfer who played every shot well. It will be-.interesting:; to;, see the: scores that are put up during- the qualifying rounds for the Provincial championship at. Miramar at Easter; as, if the weather; remains cloudy,' ; the. course will be' in the same: condition. Golfers who' followed Hagen: w/1 have learnt the.value.of what is• one of Kirfcwood's maxims, do not crouch. Hagen, something like Jones and Sarazen, is the nuggety type of golfer who, in the case of too many neophyte New Zealand amateurs, seems unable to get down to the ball without straddling too. wide and leaning over it. Kirkwood's advice on this point;may be recalled. He advised players not to lower their heads and bodies too much. "You've lifted your head" was too often said, he remarked, when the. real fault, was the position the golfer had got himself into, to play the shot. "If your head is well and reasonably up in the address," he said, "you-will find it.much harder to lift it during the stroke." The four main points he advocated were the correct stance, which he maintained was neither too open nor too closed, but 0.. the line of flight, the correct grip, keeping the arms out away from the sides, instead of hugging the body, and. holding the head steady. Anyone who watched these two must have learnt a great deal, es-pecially-from;. Hagen sin his treatment of.Mnashie shots. '.With their play in Australia, ; India, arid l the other countries they will tour before - reaching England in its summer, both these giants of the game should be in fine form, besides being: as fit as it is possible to be.. Hagen; says -he will soon be dropping out'"of ,big. competitive golf, but such a decision;may be postponed. He did-.a;nice<6B, on Hokowhitu, a stiff;,cour.se;;;and-ion Monday was outin ? 32 "arid;':,b'ack;7iri"36 at Heretaunga, and if hei.?cah^return : these, cards on unknown.links: -ir&the course of a scurry;throu|h^the'' country ;with little rest,.why should he not continue in the game in which for so many years he has been a leading figure?