GOLF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 December 1924, Page 10

GOLF.

, The Summer Cup competition is increasing the interest which had been very keen since the summer season commenced; The matches are being played, and in view of the continually improving state of the course there should be some very good rounds recorded.

Play is being continued on the Wellington (Heretaunga) And Miramar courses ahd both are in exceptionally fine order, but the rough of the fairway, especially at Miraihar, is severe Punishment for the player who cannot keep Straight. The fairway is lovely at both clubs and the greens, more particularly Heretaunga, are perfect. Heretaunga altogether is a wonderful course.

Many a seafaring man is a- keen golfer and takes his clubs with Him all over the world. Such an one is Captain Kershaw of the Ocean going steamer Manana'. The writer had a round with the gallant skipper at Miramar, and found him, as expected, one of the best, a prince of good fellows aiid as keen on golf as oil his profession. ; ‘‘Dunedin, with no Uncertaiii voice, claims the first New Zealand golf club, and the records of the Otago Golf Club go back to the 60’,s, with a list of dub champions dating hack to 1872.”—N.Z. G'olf Annual.

A s handsome rose, bowl presented to the Wanaka Golf Club by tlie late Sir Peter Mackie, of . Glenreasdell, chairman of White Horse Distilleries* has.arrived in New Zealand, The howl will be open for competition by the members of clubs in Central Otago. , . New Year tournaments will be held this year at Miramar arid Shirley as well as at Balmaceweri. The Miramar tournament will be a handicap oiie, worked on the flight prihcipfe, the players being divided according to handicap, and playing off ih grOupk, each winner in a group receiving a .trophy. In addition there will he the usual medal and bogey competitions, with probably a foursome and a four-ball.

A visitor to New Zealand, who played a few rounds at Ralmacewen last week, was enthuisastie in his praise of the links. He had played on northern links where he seems to have had a severe experience in the loss of balls in the young grass which has come oil this year with a great rush. In Dunedin itself the fierce growth of new grass has added fresh diffieultiesto golf, and the great patches of daisies with which portions of the fairways are lavishly carpeted made the retrieving of balls very speculative, especially at blind holes. The players in a four-ball match at Ralmacewen last Saturday week lost 16 balls between them! One of them, a short handicap player, whose strokes do not commonly land him in the rough, lost three balls off four successive liits! In a mid-week match another short-handicap player- lost five balls,! So that the bane of the young grass has, in combination with the wealth of daisies, been exercising the tempers of the players at Balmacewen pretty seveielv.

“it is a wise golfer who* recognises that there is a' weakness in his game, and a brave one who acknoivledges that this Aveakness exists, and therefore attempts to remedy the failing.”' A AvellknoAATi amateur, Avho Avas somewhat notorious for his poor putting, made a study of nutting. If lie could not follow;, his studies on the golf course, he followed them on the drawing-room carpet. “It’s a hard labour, and d—>—d had Avork.” he remarked; “hut I think it is worth it, . as the improvement is remarkable.”—Mr Hilton.

GOLF PROVERBS.

A good round heeds no explanation, and a bad one deserves none. The angry golfer opens his mouth and shuts his eyes. May as well seek wool on an ass as. sympathy in golf. The 90 man is a good ’un among dubs, and a dub among good ’uns. He conquers twice who conquers himself in victory. But not the spur to a flying horse, noy press a winning game. Why compare bad courses? There is ; small choice in rotten apples. Rashness is not valorous play. Boldness in golf is the first; second, and third thing. No relying on wine, women, and putters. In golf, past and future seem best; things present worst. One swallow makes not a spring, nor one mistake a wasted round. One has choice to begin golf, but never to end it. If defeat be galling, the fault lies not in defeat but in jtourself. Cup-hunters’ shelves are rich; not they. No garden without its weeds; no round without some regrets. Better play a silent grouch than against a grouchy silence. Worse than any pit is the fear of it. Golf is a mirror, in which we see the best and worst of ourselves. Never cackle till your egg is laid. To believe a shot impossible is the sure way to make it so. The worst hazard on any course is a garrulous companion. Everyone can cure a slice but him that hath it. There is no room in a bag for a trumpet. SOUND MAXIMS. To brag little, To show well. To crow gently if in luck, To pay up, To own up and To shut up when beaten Are the virtues of a sportsman.”

HEAD STILL Reference /was made the other day to certain Manly players who used a machine, some time, ago, to toil them when they moved their heads. It is really a splendid idea* yvhich was invented by a. pupil pf Harry Vardon. The story is to the, effect that a certain Col. Quill obtained a hollow brass post about 3ft. long. One end he fashioned to a point so that it could be stuck into the ground. Down the post, from the top to within a few inches of the bottom he made a narrow, incision in the metal—a gap about a quater of an inch wide. Some strong thread, a small piece of tin, and. a fish hook completed the articles of manufacture. The thread was slipped through the post, and to the end of it was affixed the piece of tin so tfiat the latter rested outside the upright. .The other end of the thread was sufficiently long to reach the cap of the player as he stood in proper position for a shot. It was fixed to the cap by the fish hook. “I have not,” says Vardon* “the slightest doubt of its value. It is an extraordinary effective. means of practice for the indifferent golfer—or even the good one who finds that he is doing badly and knows not why. .... This contrivance enables the player to decide, when shuts do not come off in practice as they ought to do, whether of not he is moving his head, which is the fault productive of most bad shots.” Again, Vardon says that he has submitted the simple contrivance to many tests. He has tried full swings, and followed through to the fullest extent. When playing well-, there was no suspicion of a tug at the thread, and consequently no warning ndte from the indicator. “I say, in all sincerity, that it is the best form b'f preparation that I know for an indiffereht player who suffers from the common failing, and wants to improve.” I made ahd used the machine some years ago, but When practising With it met with so inuch ridicule that I had not the courage to persevere.