GOLF

Evening Star, Issue 22595, 12 March 1937, Page 4

GOLF

[By Slice.]

At the Otago links last Saturday afternoon a match was played between teamti selected by the president (Dr Galway) and the captain (Mr 11. R. Aspinall). The losing side defrayed the cost of a dinner held at the club house, and the function was an outstanding success. The scoring was very close, and with one match to come in the captain’s team was one match ahead. A. G. Sime, playing for the president’s side, was 4 down and 5 to play against T. B. Ferguson, and actually squared the match at the eighteenth. A win would have evened the points scored by the respective teams. The first of the 1937 series of interclub matches between Otago and £!t. Clair was played on the Balmacewen links over last week-end and resulted in a win for the home team. The singles were notable for the wins scoted! for St. Clair by D. C. Bennie and C. B. Wight over K. Ross and T. B. Ferguson respectively. A. Lawrence defeated M'lntosh and A. J. Aitken won against ,T. G. Dick. The singles put Otago three matches ahead, and the foursomes were squared, leaving Otago 1 up in the first of the scries of four quarterly matches. An unofficial match was played by a B team, and St. Clair had the satisfaction of exactly reversing the result of their A team. The second round of the St. Clair Club’s annual four-ball knock-out competition was played last Saturday, and two matches went past the eighteenth. Doogue' and Bolwell had a Stirling encounter against Chalmer and Luff, winning 1-up at the twenty-seventh. A St. Andrew’s Cross (bogey) will be played at the Otago Club to-morrow. The Cook Cup competition will start off the new season at the Otago Club on March 20, and intending competitors are advised to their fours as early as possible, as a time-table is now in the hands of the professional. Play may commence after 10, and this should allow the usual very large field to complete play at a convenient hour. The St. Clair Club will have a very busy afternoon to-morrow —weather permitting—as the Sidey Cup mixed foursomes competition will be played. Each year seems to constitute a new record" in the number of entries, and there is no doubt that the official opening of the season could not have a more popular competition.. The popular Easter tournament w-ill bo held at the Balmacewen links on Friday, Saturday, and Monday, March 26 to 29 (inclusive), and intending competitors are reminded that entries close on Monday, March 22, with Mr W. G. Wight, secretary, Box 368, Dunedin. This tourney is noted) for the high of play,. and the programme is designed to suit all handicaps. On Friday,- March 26, the first qualifying round and stroke handicap will be played in the morning, to ho followed by the second qualifying round in the afternoon. On Saturday the first and second rounds of the _ amateur championship of Otago will he played, also the first and second) rounds of the flight tournaments. These flight tournaments are made up of all competitors other than those remaining in the championship, drawn according to handicaps into groups of eight, each group to play off. A trophy is presented to the winner of each group. On the Monday morning the semifinal of the championship will be played, the flight tournament finals, and a four-ball Stableford handicap, while the final of the Otago amateur championship will be played in the afternoon.

Under good golfing conditions a stroke handicap was played on the Belleknowes links last Saturday afternoon, and with the course in splendid order there were some 12 cards with net scores equal to, or better than, the standard scratch score. The best card was returned by S. M'Causland, who was in great form, his 53 net from a 20 handicap giving him a well-deserved and popular win, and consequently this effort has brought an additional reward by a ■ reduction in handicap of four strokes. E. Ellison, who has been shooting very steady golf this season, had a good round, and his 58 net, from the 13 mark, gave him second place. He will he playing from a 12 handicap in his next match, although his brief spell on 13 has not proved unlucky. P. Kennedy, who has been recording good figures this season, was responsible for the best gross of the day with a 70. To-morrow a four-hall Stableford bogey will be played, for which a draw has been made, and further entries will be received at the clubhouse up to 1.30. On March 7 Walter Hagen and A. J. Shaw played a challenge match for £SO a side, and Shaw won 1 up. It was a pity that the visiting players could not find time to visit Dunedin.

A meeting of the New Zealand Golf Association took place on March 1, and the following was among the business dealt with:—l937 championship meeting: At the suggestion of the Hamilton Club it was definitely agreed to fix the starting date of the tournament for Thursday, September 30. A draft programme of the tournament was submitted to the _ meeting, but after a lengthy discussion affecting events in the tournament it was resolved to submit certain questions to the Hamilton Club, and upon its reply to redraft the programme in time for the next council meeting. It was definitely decided to delete from this year’s programme the interisland (North versus South) match, which did not seem bo create very much interest last year/ It was further decided to reduce the handicap limit on which amateurs may enter for any event on the programme from 8 to 6 (stroke handicap). Accident insurance (third party risk): It was reported that most satisfactory replies had been received to date, and it is considered certain that the policy will be taken out as from March 31 to cover all clubs which Wke application by that date. 1938 championship meeting; Applications were received from the Christchurch Club and from the Otago Club for this meeting, and it was resolved that these courses be inspected on behalf of the council in September or October of this year.