GOLF

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 July 1925, Page 12

GOLF

NOTES Golf and football enthusiasts who remember what tlie weather was like in Hamilton a. fortnight ago must Have been rather cheered to read that Southland on the same day was suffering from a shortage of rain, and that part of the town of Invercargill had been put on short'rations as regards household water supply. It is only fair to add that this was partly due to 14 degrees of frost breaking many taps, with the, result that a million and a half gallons of water ran to waste. Think of a drought when the Waikato River was up to the Hamilton Rowing Club’s shed. But then, of course, Invercargill is a- “dry ’ town and Hamilton jsn’t—yet.

MacDonald Smith, who the other day won the British, open golf championship, learned his gull at Carnoustie, in Scotland, and though he has for a number of years lived and practised in the States, he is not an American to the Scots people. He iva s selected “on performances’ - as one of the most dangerous contenders for the championship, and his iron shots aro considered- marvellous. Accompanying: MacDonald Smith were- J. Drirnes, Loss Die gel, Tommy Armour, and Johnny Farrell. Hagen, who has been called “the Napoleon of the links.’’ by reason of liTs instinctive generalship and decisive play, did not compete in the open championship.

It is extremely gratifying to hear every week some member oF the club or a visitor express approval of and a.n increased liking for what has been called so far, the new course, but which must now be recognised as the Hawera Links. As improvements are steadily made, we feel sure this enthusiasm for the course will continue to increase. >lt is quite certain that fewer balls are lost now than when members first commenced play there. Knowledge of the course and also, no doubt, a realisation that more care must be taken with the shots, and especially that keeping one’s eye on the hall and following through are essentials on a course where there is not" always room to slice or pull at will, will, obviate losing balls and, in addition, lead to mu£h better play and lower scores. All these points are to the good of the game and of the course. Butrin,.;; spite, of all this some more protection " against lost balls in the swamp would it is certain, he highly appreciated. It is. had luck to lose both bal] and shot perhaps at the end of a shot which, though good, is a trifle off the fine. And in quite a number of places the hole runs down the slopes nearly all the length of one or two fairways. Inter-club matches are the life blood of a club, and ar e of immense bene--1 fit and interest to member s of alj embs. They lead to the meeting of players in stern though friendly contests, which often set up lifelong friendships of congenial spirits. They widen the scope of the golf camaraderie and serve to immensely popularise the game generally. 1. •

It is therefore good to see two more of such matches on- the men’s club itinerary, with a probability of two more later. Hawera- will visit Waverley on July 18, arid Patea or Wanganui on June 25!. These will all he jolly interesting trips, -and will be enjoyed by all who can get .away on those days.

Plus-fours fof lady golfers are on the increase in many countries. And they are coming on and with decided advantage to the members who have the “temerity” it jnight he thought in some quarters, to wear them. The rigout is essentially a common-sense move similar in some ways to the latest riding costume. Think of the advantage on a windy day. Last week quite a number of lady players so attired were counted on the Hutt (Wellington) course.

No longer could the old old story be told against the lady-player of the caddie’s instruction to her when taking stance for a drive in a high wind. “Naw, Miss, a nice steady stance, keep your eye/fou the ha’ and a nice easy •swing.” And -the lady player is shown as unable to see the ha’, which is hidden from view by her dress blown out by the wind.

In a. recent issue of an Australian illustrated paper are s ome vignettes of scenes from a current musical comedy “Kij in boots,” and one is a golf scene where “Kid” is being initiated into the mysteries of putting at golf. It caii he considered pretty certain that that comedy attracted golfers.

THE ENGLISH CHAMPION. James Barnes, who won the British Open Golf Championship recently, was born at Lei ant. Cornwall, and lia s been in the front rank of golfers for a number of years. He served his apprenticeship to the game as a caddie and when in his teens he went to America, winning the American Open Championship in 1921. He was the American professional champion in 1916 and 1919, and a. finalist in 1924. Barnes .is a great player with the irons, and is known as the Braid of America. H© is now a naturalised American, and is professional to‘the Pelham Club, New York.

KIRKWOOD. THE CHAMPIONSHIP. In view of the frequency with which Kirkwood, and in fact all first-class .golfers, make mistakes as compared with the very few errors we have seen Kirkwood perpetrate when giving an exhibition of trick shots, his own explanation of the incongruity, as given in a recent article in the Metropolitan Golfer (New York), will prove interesting. He writes: —‘‘Qu itc-freqnenl-ly someone ask s me why it is that I don’t win every championship that 1 play in. They watch my exhibition of trick shots and go away wondering how it can be possible to play the different shots that I play in practice, or rather in exhibition, and not make a birdie on every hole that I play in competition. For performing tricks there is everything in having the stage set. I .im able to employ every outside means necessary. You will observe that I always make my tee, and one cannot do this when playing through •the ..fairway. This .is a big advantage in 'making any shot. There is another important fact that my gallery does

not take into consideration. I am never aiming for a particular object. When 1 call out that this will be a slice, or a hook, I just let fly down the fairway, never caring where it timshe s so Jong as I make the shot correctly as I call it. If you have, seen my exhibition recently you will probably recall hearing me say, 'Here goes one straight down the course'; this is. the hardest shot of them, a11,.’ And what is more, 1. mean it. If I am sure ot hitting one down the fairway straight as a string I have done something far more difficult than bringing about a slice playing a ball off a watch or friend’s toe. 1 have no doubt but what a lot of golfers could do all my repertoire of tricks and a Jot more if they were willing to devote the time ami attention to practice that if requires. There is rio mystery about them. We can all dir wonders with practice, do everything, perhaps, but the one big thing in golf, and that is winning a championship. No one yet has been able to perfect his game to such an extent that he can make sure of this. It must he- remembered that while science and skill are necessary there is a mental side to competition and a. strain that is lacking i n an exhibition. This is why so many golfers do well playing in a four-ball match when there is nothing particular at stake. When 1 play my exhibition shots I have no one opposing me. but when I play in a big" championship two or three hundred other players are just as anxious to win as I am. Winning a big chamnionship will never be easy; in fact, I am sure it becomes moredifficult every year.”