GOLF NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21925, 11 January 1935, Page 4

GOLF NOTES

[By Slice.] The tournament held by the St. Clair Golf Club proved to be very popular, and was a great success. A heavy fog precluded play on the Wednesday of New Year, but as the semi-finalists were all local players, no hardship was experienced by holding the matches over until last week-end, when excellent weather was experienced. D. C. Bennie is to be congratulated on his very line performance in defeating J A. Scouler in the semi-finals and C, B. Wight in the final. The Otago entrants made a strong bid to win the cup this year, but they could not cope with two 69‘s holed by the St, Clair entrants in the two semi-final games. This is Bennie’s second win in this tournament, and it is no exaggeration to say that entrants from outside the province would require to be of exceptional merit to reach even the quarterfinals. Bennie drives a long ball, hut his strength lies in his shot to the pin. His irons have been consistently good throughout the tournament, and frequently paved the way for useful birdies. A great deal of interest was evinced in the semi-final matches, but the consensus of opinion was that any one player might break through, and this is shown by the remarkable closeness of the scoring. As the details of these matches have already been admirably reported in the Press, there' is no need to give any further details here. Not Uie least remarkable event of the tournament was A. G. Sime’s win over Dr Ross. The regularity with which this pair met in the advanced stages of the New Zealand championships was only equalled by Sime’s bad luck in so doing, because he was eliminated every time. His win, therefore, over his redoubtable opponent was very praiseworthy. Ross has eliminated Sime in five New Zealand championships, and also in the Otago Club championship. His win in this case was mostly due to securing a good lead early in the game, and Ross could nor quite catch him. Ross, in his first round match with M‘Lean. was out in 31, but was only 3 up, which speaks very well for M’Lean’s play. W. N. Satterthwaite had a great go with Scouler in the second round, and has added considerably to his reputation by taking his redoubtable opponent to the twenty-third before lowering his colours.

In tlie junior cliain[lionsliip it is probably safe to say that never lias tim standard of play been so consistently good in this section. One heard of V4’s and of any amount of scores in the seventies being holed by the contcsi--ants, and the tournament has marked the debut of some future championship winners. E. R. Simkin, of the Otago Club, annexed the title, and he has a. remarkably well-balanced swing which should take him far. C. Rhodes did very well in getting to the final of this event. Simkiu had very close matches in his events, narrowly winning by j up against R. Paterson, 2 and 1 against T. Wight, and at the twentieth with E. W. Dixon. A youthful player in D. A. Ferguson also shows himself to have a nice free style, and it was a pity, perhaps, that he played his semifinal match in the dense fog. A youthful stylist in young Tom Wight also showed hmiseif to be a worthy chip of the old block, and he also should make his mark in future tournaments. The condition of the links left nothing to be desired, and those responsible are to be congratulated’ on the very able manner in which they had carried out thenduties. The committee also functioned very well, and with the secretary left no stone unturned in the efficient running of the tournament. The catering, also, was in very able hands.

-The importance of a good grip was emphasised by Sarazen on several occasions during his recent visit. Strangely enough Sarazen’s own grip—an inter locking one—is not usually considered a good grip. Neither dio he recommend it. Commenting on B. V. Wright's performance at Balmaceweu, Sarazen found several faults with Ills style, mentioning principally that he lost a great deal of power through failing to use a proper grip. Sarazen. however, said that Wright played verv good golf, but would have to play a very different game in the United States. When it is recalled that Wnght went round in 70 and heat the best ball of Sarazen and Shaw. Sarazen's statement that a good grip is ho per cent, of golf seems rather a liberal apportionment. Where chamnions are concerned it would seem evident that satisfactory results are more important than orthodox methods or style. Sazazen declares that the right hand should be placed well on top o'f the shaft. A notable exception to this idea was’ the former British amateur champion, John Ball, whose right hand placed well under the shaft did not prevent him winning eight British amateur golf cnatnpionshins.

Conditions at Heretaunga recently were hardly ideal for the final of the Wellington Golf Club’s championship between A. D. S. Duncan and G. P. Roberts, the temperature in the shade being 80 and the fairways very fast" Roberts was round in 70‘in the mornl mg, and was I up. Duncan commenced in an irresistible way, going out in 34 to Roberts’s 38—Duncan 4 up. Roberts then showed fine form, and did the return journey in 32. His figures were 33 5 42334 5. The two at the fourteenth was secured bv a lons’ mitt from the edge of the green. H e won the next two holes, and halved the seventeenth. He found a bunker at the eighteenth, and took three to reach the green. Duncan was on in two and his third stymied Roberts, whose attempt to negotiate knocked Duncan’s ball m for a three. Duncan’s first round was a 71 In the afternoon Duncan out in 3v to Roberts’s 4‘? and was then two up From the .tw’entveighth to the thirty-second the holes were halved. Duncan won the thirtvthird. and a half in four at the thirtvfourth secured him the championship tor the twenty-third time.