GOLF NOTES

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1937, Page 11

GOLF NOTES

> Local Golfer’s Experience: A prominent member of the Greymouth Golf Club gave a sincere de- ’ monstration of his keeness and fair- : ness during the qualifying rounds for the men’s championships last week- , end. He drove off on the long 16th, and his ball swerved out into some re cently burned blackerries about a foot . from the boundary fence. It was an , impossible position, but do or die, the player was determined to play his stroke from where the ball lie, despite the efforts of his partner to entice him to lose a stroke and bring the ball out on to the fairway. So ' the ' fun, went on and after having hacked and cut away the loose and half dead vegetation, the player, who if he had been left handed would prooably nave got a fair shot away, proceeded to take up his position, and believe it or not he was half in and half out of bounds but apparently this is not an infringement of the rules. Anyway, he got his head and one arm through the barb wire fence with assistance from, his colleague and it was a real treat to see all this preparation for the shot, which turned out to be a gain as the ball was lifted out of the hazardous position and pitched about 25 yards further up the fairway. Never let barb wire fences and blackberries get the best of you in playing golf was our friend’s motto, but little did he realise the fun he really created and the publicity and chaffing that would follow his partner’s telling of the story, as he is the type who dearly loves a joke or a humorous situation. ******* High Upkeep: It may interest committee-men to know the cost of upkeep for a firstgrade championship course in England. Last season Carnoustie spent £2,38 1 ., of which £1,456 went in wages. The Committee knew that the Open Championship was being played there this year, so that the

amount can be accepted as heaviei than usual. The amount includes al! incidental expenses on the clubhouse and although regarded at home a: extravagant, the net income was £2.957, thus showing a credit balance of £576. • * * « » * Syndicate’s Faith: When Bobbie Locke, the South African “star,” was beaten at Sandwich by Gordon Peters in the British Amateur, a South African syndicate lost £lOO. The syndicate took £30,000 to £lOO that Bobbie would win the Transvaal Open; the South African Open, the British Amateur, and the British Open. The odds were not excessive anyway. ******** Wisecracks: Extract fi’om a schoolboy’s essay: The golf ball became stuck in a clump of bushes, but with a mighty swipe, she got it with her brassiere. The Eleventh: “That’s eleven, isn’t it?” he asked the bearer of the bag. 1 “Yes, sir!” was the reply, “but in your reserve team.” “What do you mean’—my reserve team?” “Well! it’s your second eleven.” Tight-fisted golfer to caddie: “Surely, my man, you can find some more lucrative employment than this?” “Not my choice, mum. We ’as to take them as the caddie-master gives us.” ******* Nature Studies !: The links afford ‘plenty of opportunity for the study of nature, and still more for the study of human nature —but examples of good nature are'somewhat harder to find. ******* Poor Players: One of the strangest things about golf is that “the rich man’s game,” should produce so many poor players. ******* A Good Interpretation: “Gas Managers at golf,” says a headline in a daily paper. We fancy that a good many golfers would be eligible to join this Society! ******* Doing it Right: x The limit man swung his driver in an arc that disclosed a quite incredible number of cusps, but somehow the middle of the clubface connected crisply with the ball and sent it flying a good hundred and sixty yards down the middle “Quick, caddie,” he exclaimed, turning excitedly to the bearer of the bag. “What was I doing right that time?” - ******* “The Wizard of the Sandhills”: Lionel Munn, born Londonderry, 4th May, 1887, is the first Irishman to reach the final of the Amateur Championship. His career in championships began in 1908, when he won the first of four successive Irish Championships. Playing golf day after day, week after week, he has been called “The Wizard of the Sandhills.” He was an interesting pyschological study. His lugubrious countenance belied his humorous disposition. In the final, as in all his previous matches, he tramped solemnly round, imperturbable to all incidents. He put up a heroic fight. The breaks were evenly distributed, but Sweeny, half his age, had just that greater brilliance to carry him through. ******* That New Zealand Climate: The fact that Gene Sarazen told us so” does not make the knowledge any more pleasant that the New Zealand climate is not suitable for winter golf. Certainly the last few years have rather emphasised the dismal fact, but we are still hopeful that we are nearing the end of the wet cycle. This season has, we think been the worst to date, and the really astonishing feature is that the courses, especially in the North, have been playable at all. It is impossible to play without teeing up, and when that ends we shall have forgotten how to play the ball from* a bad lie.

Great Rejoicing: Great was the rejoicing we have no doubt, all over the Empire at the result of the British Open. Especially after the Ryder Cup matches most people were more or less resigned to an American victory. But when first and second places were taken by Britishers and only three Americans in the first nine places, the lion s tail began to wag furiously. To prove it was no fluke, Cotton followed it up by a decisive victory over Densmore Shute, both playing superlative golf, in what they chose to term the unofficial Championship of the World. There will be very few to dispute the statement that Cotton is the finest golfer in the world to-day. ° *******

Supremacy of Youth: The supremacy of youth, which made its real conquest last year, is maintaining its position pretty well

in 1937. .Robert Sweeny, the British Amateur Champion, is 25 years of age. Frank Pennink, the English Amateur champion, is 22. whilst Henry Cotton, the British Open champion, is only just out of the twenties. There are several young champions amongst the boys at home, so that we can except the youthful element to maintain its position for some time yet.