WOMEN GOLFERS RETURN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 18 September 1934, Page 6

WOMEN GOLFERS RETURN

MISSES LAY AND GAISFOR.D. EXPERIENCES AT CHAMPIONSHIPS. The two New Zealand representatives wliet went to Elngland to contest the British women’s golf championship, Miss Oliver Kay and Miss Bessie Gaisford, returned to Auckland by the Niagara yesterday after being away from the Dominion for seven months. Though their mission was not as successful as had been hoped, both showed that they were first-class golfers, and they think that had they had more experience with the conditions in England they would have done better still. The British championship was played at Porthcawl, Wales, in May, when the country was drought-stricken and the course hard. It was what is known 1 as summer golf—conditions which are not ideal in the Dominion. Consequently the New Zealanders had to adapt themselves to pitch and run shots rather than those tossed on to greens which will held them. A New Zealander player to be at her best required two summers in England, Miss Kay said. She could thus become acclimatised as'> well as familiar with conditions. MISS KAY’S “HOODOO.” Regarding her own performances, Miss Kay had every reason to- feel disappointed, for in three major events in which she competed—British, Scottish and French championships—she did not get beyond the first round. After qualifying for the first round she appeared to have a “hoodoo” on her, she -said, and in each of her matches she struck someone at the top of their form. “I always struck someone who was in great putting mood,” Miss Kay added.

Aliss Gaisford won her way through two rounds of the British championship. In France Aliss Pamelia Barton, the 17-year-old English player, who won the final, put her out.' Conditions for the French championship were particularly trying, for apart from the course being burnt up and brown, the atmosphere was stifling. On such a course where the fairways were broken by play, it was impossible to replace divot®, and good tee shots were often penalised by striking a bad lie.

AUSTRALIAN CHAAIPIO'N

Miss Gaisford’s performance would have been rewarded had she won the Australian championship and brought back to New Zealand the title Avhich Miss Ivay Avon last season. However, Mrs Robinson, after defeating Miss Kay in the semi-final, also beat the other NeAv Zealander in the final. Mrs Robinson lias steadily her game this season, and against Miss Gaisford Avas putting excellently and had but one putt on each of 15 greens during the match of 36 holes. The two Noav Zealanders Avere highly appreciative of the hospitality extended them abroad and in Australia. Both are in excellent- health, Miss Kay in particular being much more robust than AA-hen .she sailed in February last.