GOLF NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23444, 8 December 1939, Page 4

GOLF NOTES

[By Si.ice.J

Otago Club. Conditions were decidedly better for the second qualifying round of the dub championship, played last Saturday, although rain affected the late starters somewhat. Nevertheless, the scoring showed a general improvement on the preceding round. Dr K. Ross, with two steady rounds of 75 and 7C, heads the list with 151, and is to he congratulated on his sterling performance. He has played golf for so many years, and his successes have been many. J. N. Lemon, with four strokes more, fills second place with a praiseworthy effort of 165, which with a shade of luck might have been better. The third and fourth places are held by T. W. and W. G. Wight, who played good golf for the figures of 156 and 158 respectively. Next in order are A. G. Sime and J. N. Falvey, with creditable 159’s, and S. H, M'Kechnie with 160, the scores ranging to the last qualifier, T. C. Tyrrell, with 167. A prominent player not mentioned in the list is J. A. Scouler, who qualified for sixteenth place along with W. C. Romeril, J. G. Dick, and T. C. Tyrrell. It was the committee’s intention to have this quartette play another four holes to decide who would fill this position, but as one of the four ' was not present, the names wore put into the hat. and Tyrrell urns the fortunate one. It was a great pity that Balfour Ferguson was unable, to take part in the second round owing to a poisoned arm. Had ho done so, it was more than probable he would have qualified, as he had only to better 84, and this would have obviated the above position. Another who failed to make the grade was it. B. Whinam, the present holder of the Briintsfield Medal, which is virtually the stroke championship of the club.

The president’s trophy for the lowest aggregate in the two rounds was won by K. Ross, who will hold the challenge cup for the year, and will receive a replica whicli goes with it. The honour of returning the best gross score in the second round goes to J. N. Lemon, who carded a fine 73. Playing the eighteenth he was unfortunate in being bunkered with his second to the green, as a 4 would have given him a 70. However, the opportunity slipped when he allowed the possible 4 to dwindle into an inglorious 7. Tn the concurrent medal, E. B. M'Donald set a fairly torrid pace to win with an excellent score of 85—20—65, and would seem to be a better player than is suggested by his handicap. Other good net scores worthy of mention were those of J. A. Bevin. R. F. Barr, and N. A. Year, with 70’s.

Over the coming week-end the first and second rounds of the match play series will be staged. In the final of the series of quarterly matches with the St. Clair Club, played last week-end on the St. Clair links, victory rested with Otago by 7$ games to 4J, and it thus regained the challenge cup by 4 matches to 0. In the match between the B teams, which is played on handicap, Otago was also successful by 14 J games to diSt. Clair Club.

Once again, as with all branches of sport, golfers had disappointing weather for their matches, and a large number of the competitors in the monthly medal match at St. Clair abandoned their game. Only a, few of the hardier ones or those with a chance of finishing with scores below the average completed their rounds. J. W. Delbridge is making the most of his present handicap and is playing good golf, again winning the A section of the week-end match with a score of 81—11—69. No doubt his performances over the last few -week-ends will earn him a further reduction in his handicap. W. D. M'Kenzie and S. C. Gourley tied for funners-up in the A section with net scores of 70. is starting to show a return to form which previously entitled him to play from a much lower handicap than his present one.

In the B section quite a number of competitors finished with scores well within their handicap, Stan. Crimp securing first place with 85—16—69 and T. W. Grimsdale 94—24—70 being second. Quite a' number of the competitors in this section would have little difficulty in returning more consistent scores if they would have a few lessons from the professional or put in some serious practice.

At present the handicappers have a hard job to allocate handicaps to the average player, as most of them seem to improve with the summer conditions, and in some quarters it is suggested that the system adopted by North Island clubs could be adopted to advantage—namely, that these players be reduced to their bogey handicaps for the summer months. The committee has decided that a match be arranged for the caddie boys, and this will take place prior to the New Year. Good prizes have been allocated for the event, and 1 the committee desires the co-operation of the members in supplying what clubs may bo necessary for the boys to play in the event. The programme for the annual New Year tournament to be held at St. Glair is now available.

Belleknowes Club. In the semi-final of the four-ball knock-out competition, Ted Lucas and Merritt Wilkinson kept up their winning sequence, although they were hard pressed to stave off Rod. M‘lver and Don Mackay. The game was even in the early stages, but gradually the former pair took control to be clormy 2. At the penultimate, M‘lver kept the game alive by sinking a “ dinnyhazer ” for a 3 to give his side the win- to reduce the deficit' to 1. At the eighteenth Mackay almost squared the match when his putt balanced on the lip of the cup for a 3, a half in 4 resulting when Lucas putted safely to get his side out with a 1 up margin. In the other match, W. S. Roberts and Lionel Sceats were always on top against Bill Devlin and Jack Somerville, and had the game won a long way from home. The latter pair did not play, up to the standard of their Srevious rounds. The final should be eenly contested. Last Saturday the Ladies’ Club played its final match for the season, when an L.G.U. and a flag match were played in conjunction. Unfortunately rain marred the play, and only a few completed the round. Mrs Cramond was the winner of the L.G.U. match on the count back after a triple tie with Miss R. Rothwell and" Mrs M‘lver. In the flag match Mrs MTver was successful in winning the trophy donated by Mrs H. Lawless. In the putting competition seven players tied, aud in the play-off Miss Jefferson was the winner. During the afternoon opportunity was taken to make a presentation to the ladies’ captain (Mrs N. Falconer). Returned Soldiers’ Tournament, Last week-end the_ Otago links were the scene of a mimic war when the

sixth annual tournament was held, and as usual proved wonderfully popular. At 0830 hours, 72 members of the “ Turf Diggers’ Battalion ” paraded under Major Smeaton for tactical exercises, and moved off in fours to attack the 18 strong points held in force by “ Coloney Bogey.” At 1700 hours an armistice was declared for the _ presentation of awards to the speciallyselected survivors as follows:—Championship, 1 H. Penrose; Dawson Memorial Cup (best net score under 12 handicap), J. C. St. George; tin hat (best net score, handicap 12 and over). A. G. Bayliss; shell cases (four-ball bogey), A. N. Haggitb and A. E. M’Dougall • tin mugs (highest gross score), C. Mathew; special sealed pairs handicap, A. G. Bayliss and A. E. M’Dougall; tin mug (highest net score), L. M’Millan.