GOLF

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 16 July 1927, Page 12

GOLF

NOTES. The weather continues to be most uncomplimentary to the golfing enthusiasts whether they play mid-week or at week-end, and generally both have had a most unpleasant time for several weeks. One really began during this week to wonder if it was ever going to stop raining. The following clubs which have made application for affiliation to the council, have been elected members of the association: Akarana Golf Club (Auckland), Waingaro Golf Club (Waingaro, via Ngaruawaliia), Gore Golf Club (Gore), Temuka Golf Club Temuka), Kaikohe Golf Club (North Auckland), Russell Golf Club (Russell), Mount Herbert Golf Club (Waipukurau), Herrington Golf Club (Foxton), Okoroire Golf Club (Okoroirc, via Auckland).

Bobby .Tones, champion golfer, 'has not been playing anything like so much golf as usual this year, the reason being that ho is slogging at his law course. Ami he seenm to be pretty good at the university as well as on the links. A telegram in the New York papers, dated from Atlanta, June 7, reported that Bobby had completed the Emory University freshman law course, gaining second place on the list one mark behind the leader.

A non-swearers’ golf club has been formed at Barnsley (York, England). The chairman, Mr. Joseph Jones, jwlio is the general secretary of the Yorkshire Miners’ Association, confesses that the idea is revolutionary, but it was hoped to prove that profanity was not a good golfer’s handmaiden.

Dr. Tweddell, the recently-crowned British amateur champion, contested the English title some six weeks ago. He w-as knocked out in the round previous to the semi-finals by one of the eventual contestants in the final J. B. Beddard —who holed a very long put on the home green for a 3 to do so. “The Times” comments upon Tweddell’s plav as follows: “Dr. Tweddell played a “somewhat lifeless game, and was terribly deliberate in his methods. The pair behind were by no means Derby winners, and yet they gave him 10 minutes’ start and caught him up a long way before the end.” In another reference to the Beddard-Twed-dell match the expression “dismal slowness of this procession” is used.

If there is a phase of golf about which a professional is likely to know little or nothing it is that relating to Colonel Bogey,' and to handicapping (remarks a writer in the Australasian). Professionals rarely, if over, play against the colonel, and they rarely it ever play under handicap. let we have Harry Yardon very rashly setting himself up as an authority on the merits of Bogey, and supporting the system of handicapping commonly employed in connection with Bogey play. He maintains that giving the player three-fourths of his stroke play allowance “seems” a sound -working arrangement. The employment of the word “seems” clearly gives the great Harry away. Evidently he has gone into the matter only in a superficial manner. Had he thought it out he would have realised that three-fourths of a player’s stroke handicap is only an equitable allowance in hole play, when he receives the benefit of all his strokes. Instead of that being the case it would be found that the mid-marker —a 12-9 man, say—obtains on thp average assistance from only six or seven strokes. That is to say, ordinarily he loses two or three of the nine holes at which he takes his stroke in spite of the assistance of the stroke. More than that, often he gets a 5-Bogeyed hole, where he has a stroke, in 4. Of course, he loses a stroke there also. So it may be taken that the 12-mark man, instead of enjoying in hole play the assistance of nine strokes, perhaps receives the benefit of 6’ strokes only.

A Home illustrated paper records the playing between July 2nd and 9th of a medal handicap competition among all the clubs in the United Kingdom, the prize being ' a replica of the Shakespearian trophy. The proceeds of entries was devoted to the fund for Hid new memorial theatre at Stratford-on-Avon.

A reader of Shakespeare has contributed an article to London “Punch” in more or less whimsical vein, in which lie suggests that the great poet and dramatist was a golfer and likely enough played regularly after his retirement from the stage. It is believed by many that he drew a picture of himself in Prospero (“The Tempest”), and the writer quotes a number of references to golf in that wonderfully imaginative play. One that will lie read with interest is the line spoken by Gonzalo, “Where now we find each putter out. on five for one,” suggesting the player taking one putt on five greens. Another is a line spoken by the slave, Caliban, when he says of liis master, “I’ll bear him no more sticks but follow thee,” and again, “You taught, iuo language and my profit on it is, 1 know how to curse.” Two other interesting phrases are, “I have no long spoon” and “with his good arm and lusty stroke.” Whether they really prove anything of value or not, the references are certainly of interest.

“See here,” paid the low handicap man to the two novices, “I’ll play your best, ball.”

“Not likely,” said one of the newscomers, producing a moderately white “repaint.” “I’m going to play it nivself. ’ ’

HANDICAPPING. ‘ Mold spirits are seeking to do away with a long-prevailing custom of golf,” says Harry Vardon Christchurch Press article. ‘‘lt is the practice by which, in matches, the player with the inferior rating receives only threequarters of the difference between liis handicap and that of his opponent. Jt is contended that he ought to receive the whole difference, and .similarly flint in competitions against bogey, lie is entitled to all the. strokes of his handicap allowance instead of threequarters of the number. The Felixstowe Club, which has an ancient and honourable history, has

already put this innovation into operation and it is declared that soon the battalions of more or less indifferent players will rise throughout the land and demand equally generous treatment. Nobody knows quite when or how Hie established principle originated {.ertainiv it was not in the Royal and Ancient Club, the governing body, which frames its handicaps specially for each tournament and allows everybody to take his lull quota. But it seems to me that the general practice lias worked very well for generations, and that it is based on logic. Handicaps in most clubs are allotted on the form shown in score-play competitions. The average golfer usually has a few indifferent holes in his round, and in such competitions, every etroke that he takes counts against him. In match play it is no more serious to lose a hole by three strokes than to lose it by one stroke. Whatever the figures, it. is simply a hole lost-. Consequently, the player ought not to need so many strokes allowed to him as in a scoring event Threequarters of the number seems to be a sound working arangemeut.”