Golf Notes

Evening Star, Issue 23657, 17 August 1940, Page 8 (Supplement)

Golf Notes

by Slice

Otago Club. The scoring in the Canadian foursomes Stableford bogey played last Saturday reflected the ideal playing conditions and many good cards were particularly by the short-han-dicap pairs. G. B. P. Wilson and J. H. Fulton combined well to lead the field with a total of 40 points, from an allowance of 13, the runners-up being T. W. Wight and J. A. M'Causland, with 39, from 4. The latter pair had the best score off the stick (35), equivalent to a medal round of 74. Next in order were three pairs, D. T. Poole and I. Manley, T. B. Ferguson and W. A. Mitson, and K. Ross and W. G. Wight with 31 points. St. Clair Club. The links are in first class order, and competitors in last Saturday’s four-ball bogey event fully appreciated the ideal conditions, some excellent scores being returned. A. Mackway-Jones and J. O’Donnell, both on extensive handicaps, were in form, and combined -well to secure first place, with the excellent score of 8 up. J. O’Donnell had his best round,_ a net 61. F. W. Dixon and his junior partner, A. Jones, jun., combined well to finish second with 6 up, Jones using his handicap to advantage. H, S. Ross and J. A. Templeton, F. W. Duthie and W. H. M'Ghie, all with 5 up, returned scores above the average. Six other pairs returned cards of “ all square ” or better. A team of eight players met a team of eight from the University Club on Bal mace wen during the week-end, a real good day’s golf being enjoyed under ideal conditions. The result was in favour of St. Clair.

Several members and ex-members of the club on leave, during the week visited St. Clair to renew acquaintances, among them being Lieutenant I. H. Penrose, Second-lieutenant A. Wren, and Privates Norman Skinner and V. J. Eavenwood., Members will also be pleased to learn that A. H. Jeavons and J. W. Bain have passed through the military school at Trqntham with the rank of second lieutenant. Members are reminded that the annual meeting will be held on August 28, Belleknowes Club, In the single Stableford bogey played last Saturday the top cards were quite good. !R. Bruce-Smith carried off the honours with 29—11—40 points for a medal score of 69—14—55, which was a particularly good effort, and his success was pleasing. For second place there was a tie between A. I. Murray (5) and F. B. Clarke (15) with 39 points, and on the count back the former got the decision. Alex. Murray’s 33 off the stick was the best, his score on a medal basis being an excellent 65. H. V. Huntley was next with 27. In the play-off over 18 holes between J. F. Byers and A. I. Murray to decide the winner of the C. R. Smith Cup the latter returned a 65 to secure a clearcut win from his opponent, who turned in a 73. The first nine holes was covered by Byers in 32 to Murray’s 34. but iii the second nine Byers took 41 to Murray’s 31 (bogey). In the final of the single knock-out for the A. M'Millan Cup between J. F. Byers and B. R. Rogers, the former was hard pressed to get out on the last green by the narrowest of margins after being dormy 4 up. “Never say die” has been his motto throughout the event, and in several of his games he has come from behind to win. This was further exemplified on this occasion when he fought back strongly to win three of the last four holes, and had a good opportunity of squaring the match at the eighteenth, but made the mistake of attempting a run-up shot from under the green instead of playing a pitch, and a possible win dwindled into a half, and victory went to Byers, 1 up. The latter, although playing steadier than Rogers,-was perhaps more fortunate with the breaks, especially at the ninth and eleventh holes, where he holed his approach shot for the win, after his opponent was in a position for the safe half. His success was due after being runner-up last year, and congratulations are extended to him

and also to Ben Rogers, who did very well to get into the final in his initial ‘‘ try-out.” With match play experience ho should go still further in the game and might even rival his brother Harold, the Invercargill Club stylist. During the week-end some of the second round matches in the four-ball knock-out were got off, and in one of these W. H. Masters and R. M'lvcr in their match with H. A. Coxon and E. G. Hasell were taken to the twentyfifth hole before they got out to enter the next round. N. R. Driver and A. L. Mac Gibbon combined well to score a comfortable win over F. G. 'Haigh and R. M. Wilkinson, the first-named doing most of the damage. J. F. Byers and R. Bruce-Smith generally had the call over E. J. Simpson and J. M. Somerville and earned the right to continue in the event. W. S. Roberts and S. A. Stannard, after losing the first two holes to their opponents, E. Berwick and G. Gregory, settled down and at the eleventh had reversed the position to eventually win at the sixteenth. W. Anderson and S. J. M'Causland were too steady for E. H. King and lan Randle, and were victorious at the fifteenth. The third round will be played during the week-end. Chisholm Park Club. The Trengrove Cup competition has now assumed an interesting stage. With one round to go E. Roche is at the head of the list with a net IC2, and off a reduced handicap he may find it difficult to better these figures, but even so he will be hard to shift. J. Gillan, playing off the limit mark, is 165, and he has every chance if he can turn on a good final round. Level with him is D. Grant, who must give the “colonel” a licking in his last round to clinch matters. Having played only four rounds, C. Gray with 129 is a possibility, though he again will find the going difficult in view of his reduced handicap after his win last Saturday. Turning on consistent golf throughout, D. Sime is handy with 172, but he is set an almost impossible task. It is unfortunate that G. Burns, through sickness, has been absent on two of the match days, as his score so far consisted of net bogey figures. In the semi-finals of the Manning Cup two even games were decided during the week-end. Turner overhauled Pink after the turn, and the issue was in doubt till the last hole, where Pink clinched the game 2 up. Turner is a vastly-improved player this season and performed well in this competition. Mora took the first hole off Pollock with his stroke, and the latter subse-

quently could not set it back. This match again went to the last hole before Mora could obtain the decision. A fine match should ensue between Mora and Pink in the final.

In the Megget Cup semi-finals Kenyon had a surprisingly easy victory over S. Riddell, who, unfortunately, could not. strike form at any part of the game. Meldrura, who is a surprise packet in this comp°tition. accounted for the improving Crawford by 3 and 2.

The committee has decided to introduce an intermediate championship this season, ns under the present system the two grades are somewhat lopsided. Members should note that the first qualifying round of the championships will be played on August 31, not on August 24, as set down in the programme.

Macandrew Bay Club. The conditions were once again ideal for the match last Saturday, when a four-ball Stableford bogey match was played, The winners were F. Waller and C. Blackman, with a total of 34 points. Waller plaved fine golf for the first eight holes, being one under bogey, but on the short ninth he was in the rough and could not do better than a 5. Blackman improves each week, and he should earn a handicap reduction before long. IT. Foote returned a good card, and with C. Palmer finished second in the competition with 31 points. Other good individual performances were bv R. S. Twosc, J. W.'Allan, and G. White. Port Chalmers Club. Conditions were perfect last Saturday, when the first of the two qualifying rounds of the senior and junior championships were played. The second round was to bo played to-day, and the first eight with the best combinedscores in each section will qualify for match play. The best scores in the seniors, were those of R. E. Hayward 72. C. Osborn 80. G. Groves 82, F. Young 84, G. Ellis 85. F. Roberts 86, J. D. Edgar 87. J. B. Ouaile 87. P. E/ Hunt 88. J. Broadlev 88, 6- Blue 88, S. Jack 89. T. M'Carten 91. In the juniors A. J. Shaw was the leader with 84, the scores varying to the last man, T Tomkins, with 106. The stroke hnndicnn held in conjunction was won by H. C. Wells with 85— 22—63, followed by A. J. Shaw with 84—20—64. Several of the members are playing well to their handicaps, and as the bogey for the course is 66 reductions should soon come their way.