GOLF

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 270, 29 October 1932, Page 2

GOLF

FROM TEE TO GREEN PEEPS'AT THE PLAYERS. ~ COMMENT ON THEIB DOINGS.

(By

“Putter.”

Season 1832 in Hawke’s Bay golf has not been marked by any notable addition of talent. There are indications that in some cases there is a falling off in club strength. From time to time some young players have shown promise, hut they have reached a certain standard and then stopped. Several young players there are at the present moment showing talent, but yet they have not reached a stage of proficiency to indicate that they will go far. At most of the clubs there are players who are discussed as likely stars, by reason either of their styles or steady reduction of handicaps, but to my mind they are not making any headway. Summed up, they are gll striving to accomplish their own golfing salvation in their own way. And most of the players experiment so widely, that they do themselves more harm than good. A Good Four-Ball. R. O’Donoghue and J. Cowan combined nicely in the four-ball handicap played on the Hastings Club’s links pn Saturday last. Their card of six up on bogey was a good one, and was much too good for the rest of the field, Owing to the inclement weather pn Labour Day, the entry for the competitions held on the Hastings links was not a big one. Nevertheless some very good cards were returned in the handicap medal match played during the morning. The trophy presented by the Harvey brothers was won by C. Campbell, with a nett score of 69, which was a bit too hot for the rest of the field.

The four-ball handicap played in the afternoon was another triumph for R. O’Donoghue, who was partnered with E. A. Murley. They returned a card of five up, which was good enough to carry off the honours. O’Donoghue has been one of the most consistent players in the club during the season, and although not a big hitter, he is very accurate, and his work on and around the greens is very good. Although the golf season officially, is nearing an end, one can play the game for some considerable time yet. The Hastings course is in particularly good order, and there is no reason why one should not enjoy a lot of goo<l golf for at least another month. The time is not far distant when the game will hava many regular devotees all the year round. Improvements to Hastings Links* Many improvements have been made to the course during the season, and the greens committee, W. J. White and J. B. Wilson, are to be congratulated upon the way they have carried out their duties. A good course is the first consideration of a golf club, and judging by the improvements shown in the course during the season, it can safely be said that the supervisors have been wide awake in this respect. Candid criticism from competent quarters should always be welcomed. That is as long as the spirit and intention behind it are admirable. At the present time golf is making rapid strides, and great work on the links has been done, but naturally enough the men who do all the work at a club are those who come in for the criticism. Those who sit back comfortably and look on must do something, and they get over the necessity by talking. It is far more admirable to do than to talk. However, it happens often enough that the talking, if it is of the right sort, is useful also.

N.Z. Championships. The entries for the New Zealand championships are well up to the standard of previous yean. Most of the cracks are competing, and some good games should be witnessed in the amateur championship. R. Wagg is defending his title, but on present form he will be hard put to it to even reach the semi-finals. A. J. Shaw is undoubtedly our best golfer, and if he is in anything like his best form, he should just about win the open championship. The big fellow’s chances of carrying off the honours in the professional championship are also rosy. Shaw’s four rounds in the open event played on the Shirley links last year were as follow:— 67, 73, 77, 70; total 287—a great bit of shooting, and if he can get at the top of his form he will take a powei of beating. It is very pleasing to see F. C. Fryer’s name appearing among the entrants for the amateur and foursome championships. He did not compete at the 1931 championships nt Shirley, but previous to this he has been a regular competitor for-a great many years. He is partnered in the foursome event with H. E. Troutbeck. Both are worthy representatives of Hastings, and they should be well in the running. The Bules of Golf. In a recent play-off in the women’s stroke foursomes (12 holes) in the Sorrento tournament, when Miss J. Newbigin and Mil.

F. Gilder were disqualified through the latter teeing off at the tenth out of turn created one of those interesting and seemingly debatable incidents loft for the rules of golf to decide.

Though returning a score of 48, which would easily have placed them the leaders of the three pairs contending in the play-off, Miss Newbigin and her partner were disqualified under rule 3, which leaves no ambiguity on the subject; and so as to dispel all doubts on the matter, a recent parallel case in England (in which a stroke ’foursome was concerned) was referred to the rules of golf committee, qnd the disqualification uphold. At first it might seen as though rule 14 might apply, enforcing merely tho penalty of two strokes for playing out of turn, but this rule distinctly states that it applies only in cases “where not otherwise provided for” in the rules of golf. Had rule 14, however, been allowed to apply, Miss Newbigin and her partner, who had a comfortable margin of a dozen strokes oyer the leading pair, would doubtless have run out the winners. The application of such a rule would lead to the interesting speculation as to how many strokes in all they would have been penalised; for as the error was nm discovered at the eleventh -toe, they continued to play out of turn also at this and the next hole, which would presumably have meant a total penalty of six strokes. Tho incident and the speculations to which it gave rise are just another illustration of the importance and value of the rules of golf, and their provision for some of its intricacies which reveal themselves even in a simple foursomes stroke competition. THE HASTINGS CLUB. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. The annual general meeting of the Hastings Golf Club was held last evening, Mr G. N. Pharazyn presiding over a large attendance of member?. The report and balqpce sheet were adopted In speaking to the annual report the president said that the club had had an extraordinarily successful season and that the finances pf the clqb were on an excellent footing. He also made reference |o the excellent response made with regard to the triplex mower fund, and ‘ spoke in eulogistic terms of the good work that had been done during the season by the caretaker and his assistant, and the caretaker’s wife. Mr Pharazyn said the club had been fortunate in its membership, which was the biggest in the history of the club. Ho also expressed regret at the loss of Mr W. J. White, who waa not contesting a seat on the committee, and made reference to the great work that he had done during his term as greens committeeman. Mr H. G. Harvey moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr White for the yeoman service rendered to the club. This was carried by acclamation. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the ladies’ club for the lively interest that they had taken ip the club's affairs, and the opinion was expressed that the club was enormously indebted to the ladies.

The election of officers resulted as follows: — President, Mr G. N. Pharazyn; vice-president, Mr M. Greenwood; club captain, Mr J. B. Wilson; honorary secretary, Mr E. A. Murley; honorary treasurer, Mr E. Moore; honorary auditor, Mr L. A. Denton; committee, Messrs F. S. Candy, H. GHarvey, G. Saunders, C. H. Slater and A. S. Tonkin. Mr Walker’s appointment as club professional was left in the hands of the committee. The chairman introduced the question of telephone installation. The matter was left to the incoming committee to consider.

PARKVALE LADIES’ CLUB. CLOSING DAY HELD. The closing day of the Parkvale Ladies’ Golf Club r s season was held on Thursday, October 26, when the weather was fine and the links in ideal order* At the conclusion of play Mrs 0. J. Baker in the absence of Mrs H. M. Campbell, presented the prizes. The list was as follows:— Championship: Mrs Orerar. Runnerup: Miss 1). Thompson. Campbell Cup: Mrs C. Torr. Pinckney Memorial: Mrs Nicoll. Douglas Cup: Miss D. Thompson. Murray Bowl: Mrs McLeod. L.G.U. Silver Medal: Miss D. Thompson. L.G.U. Bronze Medal: Mrs Toothill. President's Shield: Mrs McLeod. Four-ball Bogey (Mr Walker’s trophy): Mrs Crerar and Mrs Nicoll. One Club Match (Miss Thompson’s trophy): Mrs J. B. Wilson. Mrs Davies’s Trophy: Mrs Hill. Mrs Hulbert’s Trophy: Mrs Nicoll. C Grade Competition: Mrs Ewing. Closing Day (Miss Baird’s trophy): Mrs Murphy. , , , C Grade (Mr Harvey’s trophy): Miss Cooper. Putting (Mrs Brown’s trophy): Mrs Toothill. L.G.U. Medal Matches; Mrs McLeod (2), Miss Thompson (2), Miss Giorgi, Mrs Mclntosh, Mrs Crerar, Mrs Hulbert, Mrs Symonds, Mrs Hill, Mrs Toothill. WINTER CUP TOURNAMENTfbyeb and troutbeok ELIMINATED. Wellington, Oct. 28. In the second round of the Winter Cup golf tournament on the Hutt links this afternoon, J. L. Black (Hamilton) beat H. E. Troutbeck (Napier), 1 up; A. G. Sime (Westport) beat W. G. Fisher (Hutt), 9 and 8; T. R. McGregor (Hutt) beat W. R. Clark (Hutt), 1 up; 8. A. Black (Miramar) beat F. 0. Fryer (Napier), 9 and 8. The semi-finals and finals will bo played to-morrow.