HOCKEY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 June 1936, Page 11

HOCKEY.

NEWS AND NOTES. Saturday’s fixtures concluded the second round of the local competition for the Burnett White Cup, Pacific and Cobden, the leading teams both winning after interesting and even contests with Wesley and Mawhera respectively.' With three games to go Pacific and Cobden have a commanding lead in the competition, with ten points each, and the next meeting of these teams should settle which club will hold the 1936 championship. The competition ladder is as follows: — Goals

Keen Struggle: The Cobden-Mawhera clash, as expected, turned out to be a keen struggle, with either side likely to carry off the honours. As a team, Mawhera played better hockey, but were unable to finalise their movements, and as in previous games, Cobden relied more on individualistic efforts to score goals. Improved Game: Wesley played their most improved game to date, and, at half-time, had earned their 2-1 lead over Pacific. However, with defeat in sight, Pacific rallied in the second spell, and by several fifte forward movements, put the issue beyond doubt. Star Player: The goal-keeper, Tindale, was Wesley’s star player, and, on Saturday he saved his side repeatedly. His judgment and anticipation were perfect, and his clearances left nothing to desire. Coast V. Canterbury: Endeavours are being made by the West Coast Hockey Association to arrange a match for the Coast representative team against Catnerbury, at Christchurch, on September 12. Mr. W. Newton has been-appointed sole selector for the West Coast. Tireless Worker: ♦

Peek, at centre-half, was lira best of Wesley’s players out in' the field, and was a tireless worker throughout. Individual Scorers:

Individual scorers so far this season are:—Coffey (Pacific) 7, Eatwell (Cobden, Perrin (Mawhera), Heaton (P.) 5 each, D. Knapp (P-), Butler (C.) 4 each, S. Knapp (P.) 3. An Acquisition: Dixon, who turned out in Jarvis’ place for Pacific on Saturday, showed that he has more than an elementary knowledge of the game, and, with another match or two, should prove an acquisition to the side. Consistent: One oi the most consistent players in the Pacific eleven is Seguin. This player can always be relied on for a sound game, and is making a good fist of the full-back position. Fixtures: Fixtures arranged for Saturday next are:—Cobden v. Wesley, at 1.30 p'.m.; Mawhera v. Pacific, at 2.45 p.m.

GOLF NOTES. RECOVERY SHOTS. At one tournament in which I was playing last year a spectator came up to me and said, “I do not consider you one whit a better golfer than myself apart from the short game, but I should like to know how the deuce you continue to get down in two shots no matter whether your approach has left you on the green, in a bunker beside it, or on the rough on either side,’’ writes A. H. Padgham in “Golfing.” Well, this, was hardly an accurate description of my performance, but that spectator had got hold of the right idea. The difference between a good player and a mediobre one lies in the fact that one can draw out that little extra which enables him to recover position while the other has to be content to drop a shot or more each time his ball lands in trouble. In the recovery shots played from round about the green, the first thing you have to learn is to play for the pin instead of playing for the green. I know how easily the player in such a case can feel tempted to play sate rather than run the risk of making matters any worse than they are already, but too great a readiness to write off bad shots as bad debts will not win championships, nor monthly medals either. How often does it happen that you decide to play a safe shot on to the green, but nowhere near the pin, and see the ball land exactly where you aimed. You play the shot so successfully that jou have the vexation of realising that if you had aimed to lay the ball beside the pin you could have brought it off just as well! These second thoughts would be all very useful if the player were allowed a second shot at golf in the same way as the tennis player is allowed a second service. As an exr champion once said: “If I were allowed to have any shot over again, what would be the use of anyone else competing in the championship?” It is a Elrser waste of time learning to play the shots if you are never going to risk trying them when the occasion arises. Of course, there are times when to play “pawky” is the wiser plan, but when there is a real chance of saving a stroke it pays to take the risk. Having made up your mind to do so, you must play the shot with decision; a half-hearted policy is worse than useless. When you are bunkered near tnc green, the best shot to play will depend very considerably on the nature of the bunker. If the ball is lying in loose, dry sand, the explosion shot is always “on,” and here all that is needed is a. good heavy niblick and a full smooth swing without more footwork than can be helped. lam myself in favour of an open stance for this shot, but that is not an essential point. Some players find it easiar to cut out the footwork by standing with the left foot slightly forward, though I do not recommend this. When a shot from quite near the green has to be played out of long grass or w'hen there is a high bank to negotiate, 1 would play a very si/nilai sort of shot to the shot out of sand; but if tho lie is inclined to be- tough i it is necessary to grip the club much . tighter. Tho idea is rather to I squeeze the club up in the finger-tips Iso that a firm grip is obtained without i too much stiffness.

MAKE UP YOUR MIND. . Above all things, make up your what sort of shot is the most

suitable before even taking the club from the bag. AU these fluffed -approaches and missed shots out of sand are the result of feeble, half-hearted dabs at the ball, due to the fact that the player is in two minds about what he is trying to do. The ” ot merely that a shot is wasted, but the next shot is approached with a feeling of panic that makes it impossible to' judge the shot. I know too well what can happen with a recovery shot from a. lie in a bunker yards from the pin. • lhe ball „ocs about eighteen inches with our effort, but tho second time it tiavels about eighty yards.

Of course, the idea is to play >’ our shots so that the recovery problem dees not arise. Skill in avoiding bunkers is even more useful than ski , in getting out of them. I hit even the straightest hitter will sometimes find, the'ball taking an unlucky "kick hom| a perfect stroke, nor will he be able to, avoid taking part in an occasional; foursome, no matter how lllllc , like this form of game, and he must be prepared to play the recovery shots from his partner’s mistakes even if he makes none of his own. The chief point to remember in a recovery shots is to be perfectly definite in making- up your mind what club to use and what type of shot you mean to play. Don’t let the risk o running into other dangers balk, you once you have made up your mind what you have to do. Lfcarn to relj on the correctness of your judgment of the shot and you will 1)3 able to extricate your ball from any place you may land in.

1’. W. L. F. A. Pts Pacific Cobden .. 6 .. G 5 1 22 1 15 11 10 10 Mawhera 1 ■1 11 11 Wesley 5 0 5 3 21 0