GOLF

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 August 1926, Page 13

GOLF

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS,

An interesting stage lias been reached in the senior, and will soon be reached in the .junior championships of the men’s club. Pour only—the semifinalists —are left in the seniors, while most of the second round has been played in the juniors. The value and efficiency of the automatic draw is strikingly proved by the position of the seniors now. Had that been in operation this season, the semilinals -would in all probability have been reached with the top men still in and the final would have been contested almost certainly by the two. strongest players. As it was O'Callaghan went out* in the first round and either Beechey or J. Quin will be eliminated in the third. Still the winner of this match has to meet the winner of Little v. Sutton, and if the latter is on his game he should make the former go for the win.

THE BACK COUNTRY.

The country where the new holes are being made is beginning to look quite clear, while the new greenware coming on well, so that when the change is made it should.be very nice. The turf out there is always crisp and good, a joy to the long player, ensuring mostly a brassie shot. The only drawback is the chance of a lie on top of a hillock, or right below it, with the player right below or above, or of being tucked away behind a tussock. "And that, at the end of a good drive when one's opponent has driven short and got a perfect lie, is, to say the least, very trying. But while the course is in the making cannot be avoided. All that the player can do is to exercise his ingenuity in playing good shots out of bad lies. Much can no doubt be done towards that end. It takes a long time to make all players remember the "replace the divot" rule, and one still sees very practical evidence which convicts some offenders unknown, and, in fact, one sees the actual commission of the offence at times. Every player should try to be very particular for the sake of others coming after.

THE RECORD IN HANDICAPS,

What must be the record handicaps in the Dominion appear to be in force at a certain golf club in North Canter.bury. A report of a stroke handicap match over .18 holes for seniors, juniors, and beginners, played recently on the club’s links, contains some astoundingfigures. The player with the lowest handicap in the senior divison on that day (there may be others in the club with lower handicaps) was on the 12 mark, and he took sixth place in the competition, with a net score of 105. The winner was 94—16—78. In the junior grade, the winner’s score was 132—36—76. It is in the "beginners” class that the cricket scores creep in. for the handicaps are shown as ranging from 65 to 90 —five strokes "a hole! The winner’s score was 168 —90 —78, and the greatest gross score was .181. The cards would be interesting.

A LOCAL BODY GIFT

Near Sydney a fine pavilion lias been erected by the City Council for the convenience of members of the Moore Park Golf Club. It i.s matter for wonder that any local body is able to make such a. costly gift.

LONGEVITY AND GOLF.

Mr J. D. Rockefeller, now S 7, still plays his daily game of golf, and this pastime lie expects to carry him past the century. Sure, ’tis a wonderful game to evoke such confidence. It is recorded that he, had a game of golf on his last birthday, but the scores were not published.

ABE MITCHELL

Abe Mitchell, Britain’s best known golf professional, has many great performances to his credit and to-day, though 39 years of age, can l go round with the champions. Mitchell served during the Great War as a gunner. THE AVERAGE GOLFER. The value to the game of the medium handicap players is stressed l iby Harry Vardoir in one of those interesting articles on current topics. Fie is talking of the tendency to lengthen courses shown in evei-y golfing country and the consequent premium put upon slogging in the effort to reach even the longest holes in two. He adds that it is playing into the hands of the young short handicap players, for it enables them to give odds to the older opponents. Even if they battle manfully\ with them for a time by means of good approaching and 1 putting, they will eventually lie almost certain to be walked off their feet. But, says Mr Vardon, he is a small minority in golf.' The mainstays of nearly every club are the medium and long handicap brigades who cannot drive far enough to find perfect recreation in a. test of tramping and hard “collar work” with brassies through almost every green. Moreover, on a hot summer’s day, it is apt to lose its charm as an invigorating influence. Would 1 cricket he as good a. game; as it is if boundaries were abolished, the ball went half as far again as it is capable of doing now, and batsmen ran out .Vs and (Vs* while fieldsmen were constantly going lor long sprints in pursuit of the ball V The average cricketer would come to the conclusion* that half the .science* of the game had 1 been sacrificed to the mere covering of ground on foot. CHIP PHOT AND PUTT. AMERICAN THOROUGHNESS. The Americans, said an Australian golfer, recently returned from the English championships, make a business of golf. They studied the short game more and. took a long time about it. When putting, if they missed a fouryard put t, they would stop and practise till they got it. They did this even in the championships. POPULAR SHORT HOLES. It is a sign of the times that, nearly everybody like short holes (says a leading authority). They are things of jov and fonts of hope to most golfers of the rank and tile, weary of the-competi-tion with distance. At one time, it

was considered sufficient to have two short holes on a course. Later, four became a common number. There arc nine courses in England with as many as six holes that can bo reached from the tee. .Tn point of fact, there aTouone that show the skilful golfer to greater advantage than short holes, but, if they are something of a delusion to the moderate player they are at least a respite for him. They lift from him the strain of his stern struggle to get the distance.