Gossip From The Golf Courses

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 227, 26 September 1935, Page 5

Gossip From The Golf Courses

AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS PERRIER’S AMAZING PLAY AGAINST RYMILL The semi-final matches for tho amateur championship of Australia at Seaton (Adelaide), produced somo of tho most amazing golf over witnessed. Perrier played with an almost uncanny skill to defeat tho local champion, Eyxnill, 7 and 6. Going out in S 3 in the morning and coming homo in 34, ho had an approximate round of 67, and a lead of four holes. Ho maintained his brilliant form in tho afternoon by repeating tho outward journey in 33, a performance unequalled at Seaton. His record of 8 under fours for 30 holes has never been excelled in an Australian championship. The record for Seaton is 69. VICTORIAN STATE TITLE “SOUTHPAWS” CONTEST PINAL What's this old game of golf coming to? (writes “Back Spin” in tho Sydney Referee). Left-handers aro in a hopeless majority, yet Victorians witnessed the spectacle of two “southpaws” fighting out the State amateur championship final. Harry Williams, defending title-holder, and Alee King wero tho finalists, and in somo respects they provided spectators with tho most dramatic final in the history of the contest. Wiliams eventually won, 2 up and I, after a gamo of fluctuating fortunes and miraculous recoveries; a gamo favoured with what must surely have been tho finest finishing hole ever played in any Australian championship. Briefly told, tho story of tho match is this: Williams over tho first 18, brilliant, relentless; King, nervous, listless. Result, King nursing a six-holo deficit at lunch hour. Then a dramatic change, with King “shooting tho works,” Williams slumping, and eventually just holding on long enough to scrapo home. Williams might havo had a bigger lead at lunch time, but in a burst of generosity ho conceded two putts of G to 8 feet—a fact he possibly regretted later in the match when he was back to 1 up. Lacks Zest to Play. Behind his win lies an interesting story (continues “Back Spin”). Lately Harry has not been concentrating on golf as he did when a youngster. Although ho still studios the game keenly, ho lacks tho zest for play, so much so that although ho was the defending title-holder, ho did not even bother about entering. His mother found out about the closing date and attended to tho details. It is a pity that he should lose keenness, for* undoubtedly he is a wizard. I drove down to tho Kingston Heath links with M. J. Ryan on the final day. “Mick” was deploring Harry's absence from Adelaide. “I feel sure,” he said, “that Harry is the best golfer in Australia. '' “Better than Perrier?” I asked. “If Harry would concentrate on golf as Perrier does, I'm sure ho would be better,” was his definito reply. “Why that boy has tho golf sense of a veteran

of 35 or 40. His knowledge of the mechanics of the game and his mature judgment in shot-making are a revelation,” added the former open champion, WHO IS GREATER? Since my return from the national championship meeting at Royal Adelaide (writes J. M. Dillon in the Melbourne Herald), I have been asked if I consider Jim Terrier a better golfer than Harry Williams. I consider Perrier the best golfer in Australia. He is to golf hero what Bobby Jones was in U.S.A., and if he develops as he has in tho past year, he may reach the eminenco that the great Jones did. I followed, observed closely, and enjoyed the epic struggles between Williams and Perrier in Sydney four years ago, when they were both 16. Then 1 was convinced that Williams was the greater golfer. Perrier has como along the faster.

Harry Williams probably kas no keener admirer tkan myself. I kavo admired him since I first saw him as a boy of nine. He is a brilliant and potentially great golfer. But Perris is now our greatest golfer.

KING’S RISE TO FAME

Alex King’s rise is interesting. Only about sft. in height, ko kas gradually come to tke front over tke past two seasons. In company with M. J. Ryan he won “Tho Australasian” inter-club foursomes shield in 1934, and was very successful as a pennant player. Ho was also runner-up to Ryau this year iu tho club championship after getting away to a first-round load with a perfect 69. Ho earns the wherewithal to buy golf balls and caddy checks by blowing hot jazz music from a trumpet at tho St. Kilda danco palais.

WHY MISS BAR,TON WAS NERVOUS

Only a few of tko onlookers appreciated why Miss Pam Barton, of tho British touring team, was nervous when she addressee her ball on tho last green at Canberra, in her record-breaking round of 71.

Tho ball was only a yard away from the hole, and the putt appeared to bo a simplo enough proposition, but sho looked at it from ail angles, and delayed making the shot for an appreciable time iu an effort to regain her composure.

But the task was beyond her, for, when sho did screw herself up to making tho shot, it was a weak affair, and never looked like going in. What the bulk of the gallery did not know was that if Miss Barton had succeeded iu touring the eourse iu 70 strokes, her handicap would automatically have gone down to scratch. There are many who will hope that sho will succeed in her ambition before tho tour is concluded. POUR CONSECUTIVE TITLES LAWSON LITTLE'S AMAZING RECORD Iu retaining tho United States amateur championship at Cleveland, Lawson Little capped a remarkable performance. He kas now won kis fourth consccutivo amateur championship, including two British and two United States titles. To do tills he had to securo 31 consecutive victories in major championships at match play. Reviewing Little’s chance of performing this unique feat, Grantland Rice, editor of “The American Golfer/ listed his qualities in this order: — 1. A superb tournament temperament, especially for match play. This means coolness in a crisis, the ability to concentrate on every stroke, uubrcakablo determination, and no tendency at any time in tho direction of discouragement. 2. Unusual length and straightness from the teo which leaves the greater part of his approaching range between a four and an eight iron. On most holes, after his long drive has travelled far down tho fairways, he can reach the bunkered carpet whero tho flag flies with a No. sor a No. C. Ho is rarely called upon for the harder No. 2 or for tho spoon or brassie, as so many others are. |

3. Improved control in his iron play. 4. A winning short game, from the short chip to any variety of putt. Littlo has an amazingly cleft touch with the pin in sight. His approach putts are usually close up and the shorter ones are usually in from a distance around four feet.

5. lie almost never plays a careless, hurried or worried shot.

C. He is powerfully built with all the stamina needed to play at top skill through a week, no minor factor in allday contests. Nine Hundred Entries. The enormous strides taken by golf in the United .States is shown by the fact that this year’s amateur championship drew an entry of more than nine hundred players. Sectional elimination rounds reduced the field at Cleveland to two hundred. GUNMEN ON THE LINKS

According to a New York cable, a match of five players was recently held up and robbed by three armed and masked men on the course of the Ridgewood Country Club, at Paramus, N.J., on which the Ryder Cup match is to be played at the end of this month, and which is in a well-populated district only about fifteen miles from New York.

The golfers with their caddies had just reached the eighth tee, about half a mile from the club-house, when the attackers, with women’s silk stockings tied across their faces for masks, stepped out from some denso bushes, and, brandishing pistols, ordered them to put up their hands. Nobody resisted, but one of them, Dr Prather, took an opportunity when ho was unobserved to toss his wallet into bushes. While two men kept the party covered, the (third searched the players, but left the I caddies unmolested. They found no money on Dr. Prather, and when he ' told them ho had thrown his wallet away one of the men, angered, shot him

in. tho thigh. Then tho throe thieves ran several hundred yards to where they had a car hidden in an abandoned cemetery, and got away.""