GOLF

Evening Star, Issue 22804, 12 November 1937, Page 14

GOLF

[By Slice.] Otago Club. The second qualifying round of tlie club championship is now a thing of the past, and the very high standard of play is very gratifying indeed, It is probable that the Otago Olub has more low markers than any other club in New Zealand, and no fewer than 17 players returned aggregates of 160 or better. Usually this mark is good enough to qualify in the provincial championship, and must be a record for club golf. A very pleasing feature is the number of young players who qualified and the future high standard of Otago golf appears assured. Several new names appear in the elect 16, and it will ■ b.e interesting to see if the younger players can also hold their own with their more experienced opponents in the match play rounds to follow. A. Gibbs again proved that he is the best medal player in Otago at the present time, and gained pride of place by one stroke from T. B. Ferguson. Gibbs’s aggregate of 145 is one under standard scratch for the two rounds. Towards the end of the month Gibbs is leaving the city on vacation, and he very sportingly withdrew from the competition. Gibbs would have been a very strong contender for the title, and his withdrawal leaves the championship very open. Almost any of the remaining players, are capable pf defeating each other.

T. B. Ferguson returned a brilliant 71 oh Saturday, and is rapidly approaching the form that enabled him to take Silk to the forty-second hole in the New Zealand championship semi-final a few seasons ago. Highest honours must, however, go to T. W. Wight, who returned a 71 from a handicap of 9. Wight is little more than a schoolboy, and a score two under standard scratch is a feat any golfer might well bo Young Wight easily won the handicap event with a net 62, and- must eventually develop into a very high-class player. K. Ross returned a 73 and may very easily regain the title he has held so often But for one or two putting lapses his score could easily have been in the 60,’s.

W. G. Wight appears to find catchirig his son a . difficult problem, but nevertheless he only failed by a stroke and was eight strokes better than his previous round.

Wight plays T. B. Ferguson in the first round of match play, and this should prove one of the best encounters of the dav.. ~

a .A. W. Barnett .won the B grade handicap with the astounding score of 79 20—59. Many players have been known to bake 59 for nine holes, and the handicapper will ho doubt prevent a repetition of the, “ above offence.”

D. A. Ferguson surprised many by again returning a very good score of 75. Ferguson appears to be gaining the consistency his elder brother also lacked early in his career, and qualified strongly in fourth place. J. A. Scouler, who returned a useful 73 on Saturday, meets last year’s champion, T. 0, Tyrrell, in the first round. Seouler is quite capable of winning the title, but Tyrrell has an excellent temperament, and anyone who defeats him knows he has been playing golf. J. -R. Laidlaw, T. W. Wight, and K. Ross should all win their opening matches.

St. Clair Club. Consistent D. C. Bennie headed the field in the qualifying rounds by a. clear seven strokes, his aggregate being 146. His nearest opponents were P. Rhodes, A. Lawrence, and J. E. Mathieson with 153. _ Mathieson was not quite as convincing as usual, but the writer would be surprised if either he or Bennie fails to win the championship. F. V. Drake returned two good rounds of 77—79, and may be a hard man to dispose of in the match play to follow.

C. (B. Wight is far from his best form, his two Si’s aggregating a total of about 18 strokes in excess of- his usual score. Nevertheless, Wight is more, than capable of winning the title. W. Clayton had a disastrous 85 in his second round, hut may find his true touch when he has greater need of it in the match play series.

In contrast .to the Otago Olub, St. Clair has few promising youngsters, and most of those who qualified are experienced campaigners. A few new names in the qualifying list would be all to the good of St. Glair _ golf. One hundred and eighty-one was the highest score to qualify, but the new course is not yet playing at its best, and possibly added many strokes to otherwise excellent rounds. F. Sherriff headed the intermediate section with 166, and this section produced a relatively - better standard of scoring, IS6 being • the highest score to qualify. H. S. Ross arid W. G. Aitken are fancied winners of this championship. H. Greenwood gained pride of place in the junior championship with an aggregate of 179, and must be well in the running for this title.

Otago Ladies. Mrs Dodgshun is to be congratulated upon again -winning the club championship after. her indisposition. Mrs Dodgshun was out in 40, and, was much too strong for her opponent, Mrs Breeze, who, however, produced excellent golf to reach her first final. Mrs Dodgshun finally won, ,6 and 5; In the junior championship Mrs Walker was just beaten by Miss Dutbie, 1 up on the twentieth, after a very close and interesting contest. .