GOLF

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 February 1929, Page 10

GOLF

NEWS AND NOTES. H. P. Dale, of Elthiam, Taranaki ■champion fast year, is getting into roim to defend fits title, tie has been down to Dawera and is so pleased with the course in its pie sen t state that he is arranging to liave regular practice and play here. ’ J The annual general meeting of members of the New Plymouth Golf Club has 1 been fixed - for Thursday, Eebruaiy 28, and no doubt the tournament wiJjl be one of the most important functions discussed. The club has had a good, season and has been open for summer pi ay. ' > GOLF AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Golf , is a game which has increased largely in popularity at the public schools of England, and it is also very popuiar at the high schools in New Zealand. One of the high school 1 ® at which large numbers of boys play regulafily is the Auckland King’s College, which is conveniently situated next to the Middlemore course. In the football season one often sees the boys come from a Rugby match, bath and change and go over to the golf course. The future of golf is assured when such, interest is taken by the boys. In England there is an annual Old Boys’ tourney, and it is played at Dea|l, in Kent, in March. It is reported that the Old Boys' Clubs are increasing rapidly, and premise to be a big factor in the world of golf in England. A similar encouragement to go>lf by boys is giiven in the States. BROTHERS TIE FOR MEDAL. The tie between Bob and Keith Withers for the February medal, which occurred last week at Common wealth, (says H.C. in the ‘Australasian”) was somethin o- altogether out of the common. Probably such happenings are as rare a] 1 most as the three “ones” in an afibernoon which Sydney golfers achieved on Saturday last. At any rate, in the higher circles of golf, so far as I have been able to ascertain, there is not a single instance of brothers tieing for an important prize. Even tire three famous Whitcombe brothers, who are all first-class golfers, have not yet been bracketed in first place, and they have been playing regularly in ail) 1 the more important contests since the wan*. A near approacli to the performance was when Harry Vardon and liis elder i brother Tom headed _ flie 1903 British open championship list, Harry, having ! been the winner and Tom the runnerup. A closer case still was witnessed at Durban last year in the finish for the South African open championship', which J. Brews won. So nearly did a tie occur that the winner, needing a 72 to defeat his brother, S. Brews, airrivodl on the last tee under the necessity of scoring a two for victory, and that at a bogev four hole. To Brews’ eternal credit he hit a magnificent drive light on to the green, and then holed a five-footer for the titfe. THE CADDIE'S FAG. Though it may seem to* be stating a paradox, there is no autocracy so omnipotent as the democracy of golf (remarks an exchange). The other day I was submitted! to the attention of a caddy who has the habit—to me a hateful one—of hanging a half-smoked cigarette from the outer edge of Ms nether lip. How the deuce he manages to do it and why the cigarette is always half smoked 1 , naturally give rise to those disconcerting imaginings which put a man off his game. Maddened at

last, after a run of calamity due to inability to concetnrate, I demanded that lie throw the beastly thing away.. “Not on yer life,” satdl he. “I’m ’ere as a caddie j not one of yer shycoiergist experts.”

“GOLF” IN 1817. An cj'd sports booh, written by a professional gambler, gives a quaint picture of golf in 1817 : This game of Goff is the favourite amusement in Scotland. It is played with olubs and balls. Of clubs there are five sorts used by proficients, viz., the common club, when the ball! lies on the ground; the scraper and half-scraper, _ when in long'grass; the spoon, when in a hO'low ; the heavy iron -club, when on the surface or shingle or sandy ground. The balls are made of horse leather, stuffed with feathers and boiled. Light balls are used when playing with the wind, and! heavy ones against it. The balls -which are played off at the beginning of the game must not be changed until - the next hope is won, even if they should happen to burst.