GOLF.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1929, Page 11

GOLF.

HAWERA COURSE. Summer golf has been played more or less 1 regularly by a number of the members of the local dub. Since’ Christmas, however, thei grass has been a difficulty in some of the holes, but .the grass has not got away badly. _ If the mower can bo used a few times it would improve conditions. From now onwards' should be a much more enjoyable time to- play than during the heat of December and early January. In previous seasons the ‘ ‘ out of season” pray has been very popular, especially with the Summer Cup to com-i pete for, and there is no reason why it should not be so. at present. With good condiitons it is certain the number of members would increase considerably. Some critics aver that golf should be played mainly in the summer in New Zealand. . , , An excellent hint is given by Karkwood to. his fellow golfers. He says: ‘ ‘ Playing round after round is no,t .prac-1 tice. * Those who. just want to get fun out -of the game can keep on playing rounds all the time. They will get fun, but they will not improve their golf. Those who desire to attain a high place in .golf must practise: —and practise, as those who, have tried it know, means hard work. Whatever success has come my way has been due directly to hard and concentrated practice. Ido not see how anyone can succeed any 'other way.” In the course of a farewell message to his Australian friends) prior to sailing for America, Joe Kirkwood said: 1 ‘ After an absence of eight years I was surprised and pleased to discover the many new clubs and courses that have sprung up round the capital cities, and that the number of followers of .the vame has very greatly increased. Both Fn the States and Britain golf is becoming more of a national game, and it ap-. pears to me that it will not be long before the same state of affairs prevails in Australia.” SLICING AND HOOKING. "One of tkei steadiest of the amateurs, who' comes under that ancient rating, ‘a close student of the game,’ says ho can correct or handle most of his golf faults' through the medium of the grip. ‘lf lam slicing,’ he says, *1 merely get my left hand well over the club, and keep my right well under. Tf I am hooking, I reverse this process ■to a certain extent. I don’t put my left hand so' far over, and I no. longer keep my right well under, but almost Over the club.’ George Duncan once said that ho frequently, in' the course' of a round, used a change of 'grip to slice or hook, to pull or fade. " ‘Nearly every good! golfer,’ he says, ‘I mean among the best of the pros., has his left hand well over the club shaft. It is for this reason largely that nearly every star golfer lias much more of a tendency to, hook than to slice. Good golfers are rarely bothered by a slice, but most of them have to keep a keen eye fixed on hooking or pulling, specially with a long iron.’ ‘‘These are points' wliaeh the average golfcT might bear in mind. They may •not always correct a. slice or a book, but they may help a. bit where ‘any port in a storm’ is one of the niakims of the march of .a, dpffcr who is in one storm after another.’’—Grantham Rice.

HOW TO SWING. Now is the time to have a little regular practice so as to keep the eye. in and the swing in good order. The following hints should be of use: — In golf footwork is as vitally important a® it is in the boxing ring. The feet control the weight, and on this depends the body movement, which ensures a proper swing. As the famous English player, George Duncan,, has pointed out, a swing which has been started with the hands is almost bound to be productive of a 1 bad shot. ‘ ‘ The initial movement of every .good golfer consists of a small but definite thrust of. the right foot which presses the weight against the left side. In doing this, however, you must be careful not to increase the weight on the. left side, which only braces. ‘‘Then, without any stop, the left side, is thrust against the right side by means of the left foot.

‘ 1 This pressure of the left foot on the ground should bo resisted by the j right side. “The left lcne-e will bend, and the left heel will leave the ground. “The down: swing is- started by the left foot, the heel of which returns tothe ground. “This brings the club down to the l position -at which act-ual hitting begins In the case of a drive, the hands will bejust below the right shoulder. “With the whole of the left foot on the ground, you are- braced up against th-o oncoming clulb.” It is important that there should be no movement that is lilcely to upset the balanicei or cause a loss oif control. Often one sees a player move as foot in finishing a stroke, or jump off -both feet. This kind of movement is destructive of d rhythmical and; complete “follow through.” Following through to- the full 'extent- -of the stroke is essential in practically every shot. It is commonly this failure to follow .through which causes loss of distance and other 'troubles which beset the average player. GIRL GOLFER’S £IOOO. Damages amounting to 1 £IOOO and costs wore awarded at Liverpool Assizes to Miss Helen Tripler Pratt (20), of Bhira'lell sands. La ncashire, against Messrs*• Joseph Foster and Sons, ironfounders, of Preston, for injuries received in an '.accident last February. It was -stated that Miss Pratt, had been, educated ais a poster designer. She was a keen golfer and a lacroLSise and hockey player, and her carreer was ruined by the accident. Miss Pratt was driving through Blackburn behind a steam waggon -belonging to Messrs Foster. The waggon was pulling two. trailers and carried a crane which overhung by .about five feet, when the stenim -waggon .stopped in a- thoroughfare and the crane backed into Miss Pratt. Messrs Foster declared that she ran into it. Mr J. C. Jackson, K.C., for Miss Pratt, said .that she would never again be able to raise her right arm to her lips or twist the. | wrist. Disfigurement was also visible when .she wore evening dress.