GOLF NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 20309, 18 October 1929, Page 16

GOLF NOTES

[By I’nm,]

G. L. Cuthbcrtson, who is one of tlio most popular and keenest golfers in the South Island, captained tho team of Oamani golfers that came to Dun odin last week end to piny matches both against Balmaccwon and St. Clair. Although the local teams wore too strong for the visitors, tho games were greatly appreciated, and went a long way ) increase the friendly rivalry that was a long time ago established between tin golfers of tho two towns. It hoped that these matches will be an hmentive to the Dunedin players to travel up to Oamaru for Labour Day, when the North Otago championship will be decided on the local links. The scores in a bogey match played at lialmacewen by the ladies last Friday were ofa very nigh standard. Ox the A grade players, Mrs i'oung (2 up) had the best card, whilst Mrs Rattray, Mrs Butcher, and Miss Cook also beat the colonel. Mrs Breeze caused something of a sensation in the B grade division by being 8 up. _ Mrs Young was t! up, and there wore eight others with curds of all square or better. Is it the standard of play or Lho course that is improving P E. M. M'Farlane won his fifth Shirley championship on Saturday by defeating E. '.I. Bitmphrey, 5 and 3_over thirty-six holes. Going out in 07, he established a lead of 0 holes, and a 08 home gave him a further lead of a hole. He was still 4 up when they both had done the third nine in OS, and then finishing 4,' 4,4, 0,4, 0. he gave Pumphrey no chance of getting any holes back. Harold Stevens, late of St. Clair, who won the Avondale Club championship earlier in tho year, made a wonderful recovery in a teams’ match at Shirley last week-end. Playing against C, A. Seymour, he was 4 down at the turn, but, coming homo in 02, ho finished all square with his opponent. J. S. Wilson, who had defeated A. R, Blank in the semi-finals of the Harewood championship, mainly by good putting, lost his touch on tho greens last Saturday, and went down to R. G. Thomson, B and 6, over thirty-six holes in tho final. A Masturton team travelled to Wellington last week-end, and against tho llutt contingent finished all square in the singles,'as both teams won tea matches. However, Hutt were superior iu tho four-ball, games, and won by U to 2. Playing first for Hutt, R. Wagg boat T. H. Horton, 3 and 1 ? in a game lull of good golf, but R. Wagg and J. Flanagan were beaten, 4 and 2, in the four-balls by Horton and J. Hornabrook. With Miss Joyce Wcthercd out, Miss Molly Gourlay was considered one of the favourites for the English ladies’ championship, and, playing true to form, she came through her matches in a convincing manner, defeating Miss Diana Fishwick, 6 and 5, in tho linal over tliirtv-six holes. Miss Crystal, tho New Zealand scimfinalist, was defeated by the _Aucklander, Miss Culling, in the semi-finals of the Wellington championship, hut Miss Bristcd avenged her team mate’s defeat by winning the championship. Whilst Archie Compston headed the qualifying rounds with scores ot 71 and 70 in the 'southern section of the ‘Nows of tho World ’ tournament on the 11.A.C. course, Epsom, it was James Donaldson, a young and almost unknown iivlayer, who caused the sensation hv breaking all previous records with a 07. Together with a first round ot io this gave him an aggregate of 142, just ouo stroke behind the leader. Just as Cotton and C. A. Whiteombc on the previous day established u new iccoul by two strokes, so Donaldson reduced their joint effort by tho same margin. 'The improsions that her brief experience of golf in New Zealand bare gi\eu Mrs Fraser, tho English lady who placed her way into the fourth round of the New Zealand ladies’ championship at Shirley are highly favourable (civs the Christchurch ‘Star')- Mrs Fraser is a four-handicap player at Sunningdalc, England, and although she knew the game was firmly established and had, reached a good standard of play in New Zealand, she told a reporter" that what she found hero exceeded her expectations. “ T’he sLuuard of play is high,” she said. Such players as Miss Kay. Mrs Dodshmi. and Miss Gaisford would hold their own in anv company. Indeed, Miss Kav s came shows that she would be tic equal of any lady in England, with tlio exception probably ol Miss W cthercu. Of course the entries wore smaller than in England, but then that is only natural.” . . Tho annual statement of accounts ol tho New Zealand Golf Association lor the year ended July 31, 1925), has appeared. Tho rear’s revenue was M,103 17s K)d, comprising subscriptions and irterest The ordinary subscriptions am £‘1,040 10s Id, ami tho steamer and train fares ,and the hotel accounts ot the Kirk-Windeycr Cup team £1951 16s, making a total expenditure ot £1,240 12s I’d, which was £7O 14s 3d in excess of the year's revenue. Hus leaves a- surplus of assets or £A)y os -u at tho close of the financial year. Tb would appear to be definitely settled that Walter Hagen (British open cham.e.iou) and .100 Kirkwood (the exAustralian wizard with clubs) will make a playing tour of Australia in the eail' part 'of 'the coming year v _ Hagen had intended coming with Kirkwood msu year, but the arrangements 101 l tliroii"li. Nows has been received to the effect that Hagen will, without ail, be in Australia next year, and wil be accompanied by Kirkwood as a playiiic partner. lie is to leave alter the professional championship has been decided in California. He sails lor Hawaii in January, after making a talkie film at Hollywood. He and Kirkwood expect to reach Australia about March 1, so that they will be there for tho best placing months. The visit should have a stimulating effect on golf in Australia. They will play their first match at Manly. Harry Vardon writes: —“1 am one of those people who believe that, with the possible exeoyAion of Mr Bobby Jones, the golfers of to-day have established no higher a standard of skill than those of former generations. Indeed, I sometimes think that even Mr Jones has made himselt the world’s outstanding player at the present era hy adopting, in a large degree oldfashioned methods, especially the pure swing as distinct from the snappy hit—■ in face of what his rivals regard as advanced principles.”