CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 13 September 1927, Page 6

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF.

SLOAN MORPETH WINS THE AMATEUR.

BAD PUTTING COSTS HORTON THE GAME.

SPECIAL TO THE STAR HAMILTON, Sept. 11. The amateur golf champion of 1927 is Sloan Morpeth, who also won it on the same coarse in 1920. In 19-.0 Morpeth won the championship, beating 1L Boss on the 30th green; this year he won it on the 31st by heating T. H. Horton, of Masterton, who was champion in 1925. Heavy rain spoilt the play to some extent, but as golf it was not to be compared with the semi-finals of the day previous. Those semi-finals will be remembered for years to come as great displays of super golf, but, like many finals in sport, it was too onesided to be good. Horton, after his great game with Nome Bell m the semi-final, seemed to have the sting taken out of his green work; he was tired. Morpeth played with mucii o-reater confidence, and if there was any luck, and that does come, it came his way, and in saying that it does not detract in any way from his victory. It is interesting in passing to note tfiat in the eliminating rounds Morpeth put out H. Tidmarsh, P. Grey and Alick Sime, while Horton eliminated J. Goss, Morgan Duncan and Nome Bell. Sloan Morpeth learnt his golf as a boy of 14 in Waihi on nine-hole course which was very rough, but it gave him a good grounding in the ancient game. Then at twenty he went to, the war and while over there he played on all the championship courses of Great Britain. Also took part in the Inter-Allied golf tournament at Sandy Lodge, near Eondon, winning against qll-comers. On his return from the war he went farming in 1919. Then in 1920, after a fortnight's practice, he won the amateur championship, beating Dr Ken Ross, of Dunedin, and • also tied for second place in the Open with a stroke score of 315. This is the third New Zealand championship he has taken part in. He was beaten in the semi-final in 1914 by Arthur Duncan, and as -*a boy. he won the Auckland provincial championship. T. H. Horton learnt his golf in Blenheim, his birthplace. He was amateur champion in 1925. Heavy rain fell throughout the game, and after lunch it was a question as to what hole the game would finish at. Morpeth went on to win and Horton went on to lose; that sums up the history of the afternoon round. The 19th went in half for threes, which is bogey; then Horton sent away a badly pulled drive to the 20th and, faling to recover, the Maungakiekie man took the hole in 5 to 6. To the 21st both were on the green with their seconds, sinking the fourth in good golf. Horton pulled his tee shot to the 22nd, the ball landing in a bad lie, while Morpeth pushed his out, and a half in fours was satisfactory. Horton took the next hole, Morpeth hooking his drive and being short with his second; Horton, taking advantage of this, holed in 4 to 5, taking one off his opponent’s lead, which Morpeth recovered at the next, where he laid a pearl of a stymie and Horton could not get round it, the hole going against him in 4to 5. Going to the dong hole Horton pulled to the rough and his second was worse, taking four to reach the green. Morpeth drove a long straight ball here and was on in three, sinking in 5 to 6. Morpeth found the rough at the next and was short with his second against a head wind, while Horton’s second was a dandy. Morpeth’s third was just level and they tossed for honours. Horton won the hole in 4 to 5. They had equal drives to the 27th, but Morpeth plumped a fair beauty into the basin two feet off the pin, while Horton was very short with his approach and after missing his putt picked up. After getting in a bunker to the next Morpeth made a clean chip out, narrowly missing a two. Horton again missed his putt, Morpeth taking the hole in 3 to 4. Horton sliced his drive and the ball fell on the tee side of a creek, but recovered well, and Morpeth approaching badly the hole was halved in fives. Horton sank a long putt at the next hole for a half in fours, but the end came at the 31st, Horton approaching short, and finding it useless to play the hole, picked up and so Morpeth won the amateur championship of 1927. The prizes were afterwards presented by Dr Douglas, president of the Hamilton Golf Club. A special word of commendation must be given to Mr Sutton, the genial secretary of the New Zealand Golf Council, for all the work put in and also for the very excellent score boards, which showed at a glance the position of the various games. THE CARDS. Morpeth’s—Morning rounds: Out, 3,5, 5,4, 4,4, 5,5, 4—39. In: 3,5, 4,4, 3,6, 4,5, 5—39. Total 78. Afternoon rounds—Out: 3,5, 4,4, 5, 4,5, 5, 3—38. In: 3,5, 4, 5—17 for four holes and 55 for 13 holes. Horton’s Morning rounds: Out: 4,5, 4. 5, 4, 3,5, 4, 5—39. In: 4,6, 4,5, 3,5, 4,5, G—l2. Total: 81. Afternoon rounds—Out: 3,6, 4,4, 4, 5, G, 4, 5—41. In: 4,5, 4, s—lß for four holes and 59 for 13 holes.

ARE THEY TOO STRENUOUS?

SOME OBSERVATIONS. SPECIAL TO THE STAR. The 1927 golf championship tournament is over and before it fades from memory and is in the timber of the past, «i ohsfei'vation or two might be made. Tire fir<st and foremost impression which strikes the onlooker is the length of the gathering, it seems too Jong drawn out altogether. -Aire not the 36 holes in etuuh of the elimination rounds of amateur too many? It has to be remembered that those taking jnirt have just emerged from the .exacting days of the “open.’’ One only had to look at the .semifinalists and to look was to see they were tired completely out. O'ne prominent competitor lost eight pounds in weight notwithstanding special food and extra rest. In the same connection is the expense of coming to these gatherings. There must be quite a number of good players—quite as good as those who. trike part—all over the Dominion who would like to* take part, but cannot afford either the time or tlie money necessary for twelve days on the scene. So* does not both the physical and the financial side require

the consideration of making the- elimination rounds, say 18 holes, which would cut down tlie time, these tilings are worthy of consideration by the powers that be. There is also* the question of the* behaviour of the galleries at semi-finals and finals. Where a crowd collects and come to see a golf final, there should be some allowance for human nature, it simply must explode and one of course remembers that the players are keyed up to concert pitch. But one hardly dares to breath, and standing by some of the greens during the past ten days, everybody hail to keep still, but the old Waikato; did not stop flowing—anil it was in the line of their eyes remember—because Air. Go) lor was getting bis stance for u drive or putting on a. green, nor did the trains slop whistling nor motor cars stop their touting and rushing down, the road opposite, and to those sounds Ai r. Golfer took no notice, so looker-on wonders whether or not the oppressive silence is not rather overdone. Of course there is a difference between loud talking and quiet remarks, one instance came under the notice of the writer, two gentlemen were* talking quietly and 50 yards away a player complained he was put off his shot—it scorns <all too much savouring of self consciousness. Anyway thats how things .strike the ordinary onlooker and "common sense man of the street.