GOLF

Evening Star, Issue 20984, 24 December 1931, Page 4

GOLF

[By Slich.]

A most “"welcome feature of last week-end’s golf was the vain which interrupted play about the middle of Saturday afternoon. This heavy shower would be especially welcome at St. Clair, as it will do the course a great amount of good. A bogey handicap was on the.. programme at St. Clair, and out of a large field VV. M'Kenzie won the senior division with a score of 4 up from the 12 mark. This represents good golf, and second place was filled by C. B. Whight, who came in 3 up off scratch, and who must have holed a 70 or better to do so. H. A. Gamble (6), 3 up, and C. G. Dayey (10), 3 up, were also meritorious efforts, and this score usually meets with a better result than that of runner-up. The junior division was won by J. Hart, who, off 15, actually came in 6 up, a score very seldom heard of in bogey handicaps. E. N. Elder, off the limit, returned 4 up, while H. P. Johnston’s effort gave him third place only. A great deal of interest is being shown in the New Year tournament to be held on the St. Clair links, and the indications are tha,t it will be most successful. The links are in excellent order just now, and as they are well coated with grass they will stand up to any amount of wear and tear. Judging by the entries -already received, it appears that there will be quite a number of low handicap competitors, and two 80s in the qualifying rounds will have very little margin, if any. In the absence of requests from more accessible centres it appears probable that next year’s championship meeting will be held at Auckland, probably on the Titirangi course. This proposal has the support of the editor of ‘ New Zealand Golf Illustrated,’ who, in his November number, writes: “Titirangi was passed over in favour of Palmerston North two years ago, and at the same time it was suggested that the claims of Titirangi to the 1932 meeting would be seriously considered. We hope ,that the meeting will come to Titirangi, which is a magnificent and pretty severe test of golf under any conditions, and especially good about September and October before the run gets too liberal. Titirangi is an example of the work of Dr A. Mackenzie, the famous golf architect, And will give food for thought to those players from the south who have not seen it.” There is no doubt, however, that South Island players generally would favour the choice of some nearer course such as, fqr instance, Heretaunga, that could b© reached with a smaller expenditure of time and money. Another new professional star (says an exchange) has made his appearance in American golf—Paul Runyan, of the Metropolis Club, New York, who is now twenty-four years of age. After winning the Westchester, County championship with a score under 4’s for seventytwo holes, he came to the top in one of the chief tourneys of the season, the professional match play championship of the Metropolitan P.G.A. In the final he met the famous Gene Sarazen, exopen champion, oh a 6,500-yard course (Rocky Ledge), and with almost flawless golf through the green, backed by superb putting, gained a three-hole load on Sarazen with 69-72. / Then Sarazen turned on some wonderful golf —a veritable golfer’s dream—-the figures for seventeen holes reading;— Out: 4,4, 4,4, 3,3, 3,4, 4—33. ' In: 2,4, 4,4, 4,4, 4. 3—2 D (eight holes). Sarazen lost, Runyan’s figures being:— Out; 3,4, 3,3, 3,4, 4,4, 3—31. . In: 3. 5,4, 4,4, 4, 5, 2—31 (eight holes). Runyan wins, 3 up and 1. An overseas writer in Mr H. N. Wethered, who is the father of two distinguished golfers, sthtes that length is the basis of success. The secret, as Mr Wethered truly says, is a swing that gives no semblance of a chance of ever running out of its groove. According to his own account, Jones is always struggling; to the onlooker he is always triumphing. “It is not so much that the ball is induced to proceed to a certain quarter, as that a certain motion, an imperative gesture, is executed and the ball has no option but to comply.” . . . “But in length lies the foundation. As an example of the supreme value of length of drive, it may be mentioned that in one of Jones’s recent championships, Jie gained four clear shots by being the only player to save a stroke at 1 an exceptionally long hole. This, among livst-class players, would give an almost commanding lead.”