GOLF

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 September 1930, Page 7

GOLF

HAWERA CLUB NOTES

RECENT MATCHES REVIEWED

PLENTY Of PROMISING NEW PLAYERS.

(By “Donnie.”)

The last inter-club fixture lor the season was played during the wcek-encl when 12 of our members visited Inglewood where, after an. enjoyable day, tihov suffered defeat by the narrow margin .of G games to o. . Lovell and Darlow, playing top Joi lindewood, proved too. .strong for our two, White-head amt Gibson, winning bv good margins in both morning rim afternoon. Hay-MacKenzie and Ritchie, our second pair, were unable, to hold Smith and Sutherland m the morning, losing by 2—l, but after lunch they •rot together and made no race of >t, winning by 7—5. After a good even match Y'innicombe and Meviick lieicl, O’Car roll and Thomson to. an all-square decision, but evidently the lunch provided proved too much for them toi in the' afternoon game they had to lower their colours to the tune of o —4. Harrison and McAnerin had two good close games w ith Grant and TV inter, collecting two wins by one and-two up. Pa be. and Grace, not working m to the best advantage during the morning game, .suffered defeat by 3—l, bub made up for it later m the day by takin 0- the match from Mulholland and Partridge by 3—l. Our bottom paif Robb and Powdrell got home m the first game bv 3—2 against Peacock and Mver onlv to- come m second best by the. same ‘margin after lunch.. . From a threatening morning the- clay eventually broke fine, which made playIhm conditions good and our team ieturned with glowing accounts of an excellent time spent with our Inglewood [friends.

SATURDAY 3IEDA-L MATCH

During the week club members liaye had an easy time, several of those still in the various championships getting a. lew matches off. while the remauicer devoted themselves to friendly fomballs. At the last moment on oatmdav our professional put on another impromptu medal handicap competition which was very well supported bttt unfortunately not a great nuinboi of cards were returned most meinbeiHs appcareil to he playing below term The event proved a comfortable.win W TVG Sutton whq, from the 22 maik, leturned the good card of 89 gloss giving him a net 6<. and in this "as a disastrous 9 at the tlnid hole. • • vuuin' pi aver has been producing holf ot late, but be bat now got < own on to a. mark that will keep .bun bwj lor a time if be hopes to win 1 ti.ithoi lamely. W i] j. er a ] onjj; handicap player returned a gross 96, with- 26 o . giving him a 70 net and runner-up I bis nlaver is quite capable of doing bettei than this and although he suffers; a reduction in handicap, of two lot tins vjforte lie should be able to produce scores of a much lower nature. In this competition all the low handi-v-dlcrt to* do ot their best, . O'C’allaohan returning the best ,_u>_ss IS 83 which was good considering lie was well out of touch for the hist tew holes Little did the first 9 well only t 0 fall completely to pieces «oimn» home Baigent being somewhat sj,milai, while Morpeth, after a bad start, improved but still could arcs be is cap adc ot. v =• . through, it was an altemoon for the long handicap members.

THE CH AMPIONSHIPS.

Daring tiie week 14 cliampioubliip matches were got off, the majority being junior anti limit games. Hi© only one senior event was played a lien Little met Morpeth, and lie maps caused a •surprise l>v suffering a bad beating to the tune of 5 —4. TJiis match was cxpcctcil to be a close game and lor a time it was an even tussle Little, missing Tins putt at , the linst. allowed Morpeth to halve, ! but was' a little fortunate at the second where, after a good inashie, Morpeth missed a six-footer. Exodus looked like Lithe’s hole, only to see .Morpeth retrieve himself with another good masliie, followed by sinking a long putt to still keep the game squire. Morpeth duffed his tee shot at Hummods, while Little, getting a, good one, followed with a good second to become l up. Crater was halved m bogey threes. Little, at Outlook, had a good advantage from the tee, but tailed tt reach the green with a spared brassie and taking 3 putts, allowed Morpeth lo square.• At Sandy Hook Morpeth .rave Little, an opening, which lie failed to take bv not sinking a 2-looter, making another half. Morpeth, using his putter to advantage at Egniont, <u)b the lead and two fours at Lupins chiced him 1 up at the turn 1* torn here on Little seemed to be all to sea; lie let go mi excellent opening at Smoko ior a win. only to see Morpeth sink a long; putt at Plateau for a four and a, win to he 2 up. At Cliff Little s putt hung around the hole to stay out and another loss was recorded against him. At ‘Westward Ho Little, lilting his head on his chip and; 3 putts gave Morpeth another win and with a. nv© at Fairfield l Morpeth took the match .3—4 Through the fairways Little ffsuallv held eoniniand. but when, it came to the 'putting green he was completolv outclassed and on the day was no ma toll for Morpeth who, with the exception of one or two holes, was piay- ; n <r steady gdlf, his figures for the 14 holes working out to 7 over fours—CL

In the intermediate grade two games were played, when Grace got the verdict from Jones by 3 and 2. In tins match Grace took the end at Hie first and. after halving Trough, took Exodus to be 2 up. Tim next Lyo were halved, (lien Jones came in with a win at Outlook. Alter halving two more holes, Grace again became 2 up by taking Lupins, only to lose Smoko. Getting a win at Plateau, then two halves, followed by a good five, at Fairfield, placed Grace 3 up. .1 hough 1 Jones was lighting hard lie could not J get a. hole away from Grace, .and alj lowing Grace to halve Pacific and lieturn. had to acknowledge defeat by I 3 and 2. The standard of golf of hoth players was not quite up to thenusual figures. Tin* other match was a second round one, .Powdrell v. \V. G. Sutton. It was a good, close game, in which the honour changed hands frequently and the marain at any time was never greater than 2. Sutton, beginning in his latest style, soon -became 2 up, but once arjain found the third full of trouble, pulling several balls into the I fence. Powdrell, playing steadily, gradually worked oil the ditlcrenco to I be 1 up. -but it was not long before I Sutton squared and again assumed tlie lead. Taking turns at winning holes, (they approached the eighteenth, with i either holding a winning chance, but here Powdrell managed to come out a winner by the narrow margin of 1 up. The golf was of quite a steady nature, but nevertheless slightly below

the standard they are both capable of. For a match, however, Powdrell’s 90 and Sutton’s 93 were good efforts. In this grade all the first round matches, except the Turner v. Robinson game, have been played, and it is up to these two to hurry, so that no unnecessary delay will be noticed. It is far too•soon to forecast tlie winner, for at a glance the second round matches are very interesting, but it looks as if the semi-finalists might be Turner v. Powdrell and Champion v. Bright. JUNIOR GRADE.

In the junior championship Young aud Bull are the only ones holding up completion of the first round. During the week Emeny got a good win from North, as did Dalgetty from Horner, and McHattic proved too strong for Zinsli. Mortlock, winning Ins first match bv a 3 and 1 margin from Caldwell. later in the week met Emeny m the second round, to suffer defeat by 3 and 2. General opinion leads one to fancy Dalgetty for this event, but lie will find one or two difficult opponents to push aside before he can claim the championship. HE game with Snowsill will be full of interest, and if McHattie gets through to the semifinal he is quite likely to make it difficult. LIMIT OHA MPiON SHIP.

Some progress lias been made in the limit championship, but there is still room for further interest to be shown, as there are still seven games unplaced to complete the first round. Since the last notes Stead lias got one place further on by means of a forfeit, likewise White, while Dalgetty junr. disposed of Sutton by 4 and 3, and Browne of Slater by the good margin of 6 and o. Stratton came out ahead of Wallis, and Walker got his game against Turner, as did Ablet t against Horner.

CLUB’S GOOD MATERIA!

Never in the history of golf in Hawera has the local club shown such improvement in the standard ot plaj of its members. It has been fortunate in gaining several new members from other parts of New Zealand, tho outstanding names being, Morpeth, Pratt aud Diligent. These three members have considerably strengthened our team and, since joining up with us, have worked themselves down on to lower marks and become welcome additions to our ranks. Not only these, but voting players of last or recent years, have shown great improvement, doing deeds on the field of play that have warranted much reduction in handicaps. Among these can be classed Champion, Anderson, Harrison, Hunt, McKenzie, Pease, Simpson, Sinclair, Sturrock and Syme. Oi this list I expect the ones wlio have -shown the greatest improvement are Syme and Sturrock this season, while the remainder have continued on from their efforts of last year but not quite to the extent of the other two. This is all most satisfactory, but it is perhaps from the long handicap or beginner class that the greatest improvement is noticed. From the point of the club’s future and to the pleasure ot many of the older members, it must be very gratifying to see these young members coming along to take tlieir places. When one looks around and sees players such as TV. G. Sutton — who lias come from the 2(> mark to senior grade: in one year—and Grace from 30 to 20 and quite likely to be lower very shortly in the same time, well supported by S. Anderson, Lawn, McFarlane . G. F. Powdrell and D. S. Ryan there is no occasion for.our leaders to be pessimistic as to who will take their places or to the success of the club in the future. Besides these, there are at least a dozen more who are developing on the right lines and very shortly will be filling up our lower handicap marks. The committee last year broke out in a new place when they engaged a residental professional and though it perhaps proved an expensive luxury, it is, J consider, mainly to this departure, that our standard of play lias improved. At the beginning of this season the committee engaged another coach in G. TV. Ritchie and a great deal of this season’s advancement can be traced to this quarter. It lias been most gratifying to see the way our professional’s services have been made use of and J think I’m quite safe in saying that if you take any member who has shown improvement, the progress can be traced to lessons followed by steady practice on the lines advised by the professional.

A large number of members who have had coaching this season have as yet not come away as fast as a few, but they should not despair, for it is being noticed daily by those able to judge amongst our older players that a vast improvement in style and swing is showing itself, and in a great many cases onlv requires a little further practice with an odd lesson to bring the desired result.

It is most encouraging to those in charge of the club’s affairs to see the marked interest displayed by members in their club’s activities and thenown. individual progress, and while this spirit is about nothing but_ success will come our way. An intelligent interest in' one’s own game, coupled with the desire for further improvement. not onlv lifts that pel son out of the ruck, but- leads others to follow and so it gradually spreads until not onlv does the individual take a new lease of life, but he unknowingly begins to take a greater interest m the club and his fellow members, and before others are fully aware of it they are 1 endeavouring to follow in his footsteps. Last- season and this year, particularly, our club lias boomed, but members must not think we have reached the height of perfection, for Vimi■ goal is a long way off; but with further interest, further use of our profession id's services. assisted by steadv practice and' general vim, we can ccrtaiiil v rise up a few more trades in that direction. T know at times it does perhaps feel waste of time or hopeless when improvement does not appear to come, but by all means don’t throw in the sponge; that object you are striving for may be just round the corner and the game is well worth going on with. T have tried. T think, most games and must admit it is the best of all. Goodness knows, we all experience setbacks and trials, no matter how proficient we become; but it would take a lot to make us give no the game. Be a trier, it’s well worth-it. and the day niav not be very far distant when untold pleasure will be derived from the game bv those who are now labouring under the difficulties of grasping the first essentials.

lIA;WET? A LADIES’ OLUB

Tlu, results of tho two-day eclectic competition, which was completed last week, was as follows : Mrs McAnerm, 94—21—70 .Miss EL .Burgess, £6—12—74. Airs Dickie, 91—16—75. Miss G. Death, 93—15—75. Alts Vipnecombe, 106—410—76. ; Miss R. Pease, 101—25—76.

On Friday the September monthly medal round will be played. The draw is: Mrs GBaigent v. Mrs Gabites, Mrs Thomson v. Miss El. Hawken, Mrs Hawthorne v. Mrs Corey, Miss D. Richardson v. Mrs Dalgetty, Mrs Dickie v. Miss'E. Burgess. Mrs Gibson v. Mrs Walk-lev, Miss G. Death v. Mrs Whitehead. Miss It. Pease v. Mrs Ritchie, Mrs .Cayley v. Mrs MeAnerin, Miss D. Meyriek v. Mrs Hall. Miss W. Huggins v. Miss J. Powdrell, Mrs Davy v. Miss J. Easton. Miss M. Haw-ken v. Mrs T. McKenzie. Miss E. Buist v. Mrs Rota, Miss V. Death v. Mrs Vinnicombe, Mrs- Hunt v. Mrs Fearon, Miss Spagg v. Mrs Rudge. During the week Mrs Walkley succeeded in further reducing her handicap by returning a- card of Sb, which gives her’ a handicap of five. Handicap reductions were also made by Mrs Hunt, 110 —31, and Mrs Rota. Mrs Rota put in two cards during the week. the first (106) giving her 29, and the second (102) bringing her down bo 23.

Players are reminded that the second round of the championships must be completed by September 23.