GOLF

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 21 July 1928, Page 13

GOLF

COMING EVENTS. July 28.—Naper v. Manawa'tu, at Napier. August 9, 10, and 11.—Dannevirke Club’s Annual Tournament. August 28 to 30—Annual Tourney at Rotorua. August 29 and 30—-Takapau Ladies’ tournament. August 31 and September 1. —iTakapau Men’s Tourney. September 6,7, and S. —Waipukurau Annual Tournament. September 'll, 12, 13, and 14.—Napier Annual Tournament. October 10 to 20—N.Z. Clvampionsliips, at Dunedin. LOCAL AFFAIRS. The weather has been ideal for golf during this week and all aa-Tio Avere able, have taken full advantage of the excellent eondtions, both as regards the Aveather and the course. The hard frosts will serve to make the fainvays ever improving, and to harden Ithe ground and so make play faster and shots longer—for those of course Avho hit them properly. The course should steadily iinproA’e from uo.av until the end of" the season.

Mu|ch enthusiasm is being shown by in.mr of the new members and in several eases a marked improvement is the result. The professional, N. 11. Puller, a player Avith an easy and graceful isttyle, is proving himself a good tutor and all avlio ha\’c had lessons have benefited .much by his instructons. Practice, hoAvevor, is essential if permanent improvement is to be secured.

Endeavours arc being made to bring about a scheme that Avas proposed some years ago as an ideal for this district. It is the co-operation of all the clubs in South Taranaki, so as to share the services of a resident professional, who would go from course to course, staying for some time at each. The scheme has already been received favourably by some of them and it is hoped all will join in a plan which Avould be of general advantage to the game in this district.

NOTES. Tavo new clubs on Ithe West Coast (AAvatere and Buller) and Te Ivuiti have joined up with the New Zealand Association. The Manawatu Club lias decided to proceed with the work on the course recommended by Mr Redhead at a cost not to exceed £IOOO, if -finance can be arranged, and the rules provided to provide increased subscriptions and levies on members. “Mid Iron” in the “Bulletin”: The ■golf mania seems to be spreading in Britain, Avlicfe one Avould have thought that the game had fairly reached saturation point. None of the great London department stores is uoav complete AA'ithou-t it miniature golf links,. Teal tuTf being laid doAvn, and a staff of professional coaches employed to lure peophvtes to attempt the -game and depart,‘ infected, after buying more than a sufficiency of clubs Avhieh most of them will neA’cr be able to utilise effectively. It is said that out of -100 balls recovered Avhcn a water hazard on a ( Scottish course was drained 99 Avere repaints.- The other Avas identified. a 3 having belonged to an English visitor who had played a few rounds on that course. “Wherever there are golfers, especially new devotees to the game, there will divots be,” says a northern critic. “It is easy to differentiate between divots made by players -of experience, and others, at 'least, in the majority of cases, and the number. of gaping holes ori any link's that indicate not in the slightest, that, any effort, has been made to replace the turf that has been,.removed leads the writer to the conclusion that some of the youthful players have not yet. learnt, their lesson. The surest, wav for this is for one of them to find his or her ball in an unplayable position on the fairway in the middle j of an important match. Hoavca'Ct, they will not be playing important matches yef, so I Avill appeal to them to imagine the consequehc.es and to be a little thoughtful for others. It does not take a very great, deal of time to replace turf that, has been taken with a shot and it is one of the most important parts of gfolfi etiquette, fthat much abused list of unAvritten laAvs.” Writing of the play of the oldest member at Pupuke ( Auckland) a. northern critic says: Mingay’s putting furnishes a fine example to champions and S'trilgglers alike, his slogan “'this for the hole” (or may be for ,a possible half), even though you be dead and he a stroke more and twenty feet aivay, being admirable. Incidentally it is remarkable horv many putts lie holes, and it is -all centred in the definite attempt —in other Avords, confidence. Did you ever see Walter Seifert putt? Like' Mingav, he is not Avorrying AA’hether his left elbow is aslant or avlicther lie is coming back and through directly on the line, but hits the ball with one object in mind—to hole it. In claiming to knoAv something of the psychology of putting I -give it unhesitatingly as my opinion that a ball hit. at the lrolc in a natural manner, and a mind undivided as to the ‘merits of pendulum action or othcrAA’isc, As-ill ensure the greatest success.. Bad putting bv accredited golfers is attributable to semi-paralysis Avhieh is nerves, or to call a spade a spade blue. funk. Two-thirds of it is bred in trying to bring principles to bear, Avhieh. cause a stiffening or loss -of flexibility or timing unnatural and -consequently is fatal to the individual.”

CONCEDED PUTTS. Tilte easiest shot in golf needs no ettiaiboraitioin. It its the. 'conceded putt. Mininy years algo the Rules of Golf Comimmttee recommended thait there should ibe no putts given, am opponent. A serious suggestion is mow being nuaido that the recomimendation should be exiailfted inlfoi an atetund rule.

Naturally .thane is some, ■oppasitniom,espeoi'ally flrom the so-called ‘ ‘sporrtlsanien,” but. one is entitled to an quire ('says the. golf writ er of the. Auckland ‘‘Sun”) where tire spoHsimainisliip comes in. Pari wh.O' give! questionable putitis in Ifihe hope that they an lay receive a. like (eomeessiein, the ‘‘npproxamiaite sewers ’ ’ and a. few others oppose the move. Tliose 1 who can see 01 little [further thait their -own ©ammes will realise that no ih'e'rw rule ejould have, a batter prospect of good results. A large; share of the blame for the present foaid putting .peculiar to the British gtumie, coin be laid to .the bad habit, of comeeding pulttis—*a> (habit. which has becemio. so bald that a. player concedes himself a shorlt putt almost ais a right, and without even enquiring if his opponent requires it * ‘'earthed. ’ ’

■Shell a rule might have, an alrbitoalry effect aind even lead to congestion amid walste of time, but it could be given theaanie Sitaudihg as' the stymie rule, which

may be waived in friendly inheir-hdaim mi latches. For the reason 'mentioned a)t the end of the Jals't paragraph, I aUi ime,limed to favour the effort which the United States Golf Association is reported als ilikely to innaiko to' have such a rule put into operation. If cioncediiug putts' i's a> proper procedure, why stop there? A mam is more likely.to miss a 200-yard' drive thaJn a 2ft putt. - Why not icon'cede him the drive? • FLEXIBILITY. The balsas of all successful golf strokes is flexibility (says the ‘ ‘ Ausittrialaisi'am.’ ’ critic). Any bracing up or sltiiff'einrng, especially of the sbouMcirs or hips, renders impossible any movement of the club head, which would result in a really 'effective shot, and this romna'lc applies to the short as well als to- the long game. Pivoting is one of the most difficult details of the swing to minister just because the averaige golfer, when addressing the ball, stand's and swings with more or less stiffened hips. Even when this pivoting is operating in a fairly .proper manner, the results 'are frequently spoiled by the player bralcdmg up his shoulders just at the moment when their complete mobility is dll-im-porhaut to the freedom of the follow through upon which, of course, the success of the stroke almost 'entirely depends.

Am indication thlalt a correct follow through has been made is the position of the left, arm just after the ball has been, struck. That should silicic sltnaaghit out from the shoulder with the elbow pointing towardis the- flog, or whatever 1 pant, of the eourtsie may Ifiaa-o been. the. objective of the shot, when Ithe eluibhleald hais ftni'sihed over the left shoulder. Alll these Important amid necessary things will happen in due course, and almost of their own accord, if the player will but permit them to db so by mniultaiLmhig fl exed muscles during the swing. An old Scottish authority on all matters reTaJtimg to the manner of making the correct strokes said that tine most valuable preparation for hitting a good tee or other full shot was to ‘‘shake yourself well down” before beginning the stroke. T.hlbt advicci hit's the nail right on the head. For when the clubheaid begins to move back for the stroke, the flexed !shoulcl;er wiili move along with it, and the flexed hip will follow suit in