GOLF.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 18 September 1909, Page 4

GOLF.

(Continued from . Yesterday.)

On 12th July last four great golfers—J. Taylor, J. Braid, A. Massey, and J. Sherlock— played round at Stoke Pogis course on the occasion of the formal opening of the club. The course is on one of the most picturesque estates in England, and is rich in historical associations. Men- [ tion of it is made in the J)omesday Book, and the old Manor House, part of which is still standing, dates from tho sixteenth century. Close to the present house, built by John Perm in 1790, stands a monument to Sir Edward Coke, owner of the manor, and Lord Chief Justice in the reign of .Tames I. The poet Gray lived in the neighbourhood, and wrote his famous elegy in the grounds of Stoke Pogis Church, Which stands within the park. Tho garden, laid out by George Perm, is rich in lawns and fine trees. As to the g olf <? ourse U " self, it covers an area of 250 acres of splendid turf and undulating ground. A couple of city men wore playing golf, -when they saw an old gentleman of clerical mien, looking at them wistfully. They asked him to join the game, which he did -with alacrity. He was iriild in speech and manner, and played well. But once, when he had made "a "fbozJe,.be ejaculated vehemently,,tj« word "Assouan!!' A few moments later, when he $ad made another bacl play, J>? repeated "Assouan!" -The fourth time he said 'this, one of his now-made friends said, "I, do not want to be inquisitive,' but -will. tell me why you say •Assouan' so 'often?" "Well," said the old gentleman, "isn't that the bio-gest (Jam in. the world?" Qolt week" in Auckland, which starts on Monday (says the Auckland "Herald"), will' bring in its train an inundation bf knee-breeches and clubs Passengers ir, trams may prepare'" to be" treated to cbWTsnt>ons''of the most. Waving HW- ' T] f » 0 ' everyone yijo understands ««'* m *' any ijior*. All™ «* S^ is '- *aBB>PI» apppal to tho nnlYPrsp at largf as hoin" mnsleal. However, what will bo" Crook to tho uninitiated will bo of absorbing interest to the wielderx of 'Iforassey" and the "deck.'' We may look" for animated discussions on games won and lost; lamentation as to "short putts" missed, enthusiastic descriptions "f*f ' : "|P"S 4™™s achievedi' and "woffii. ■yel-sjencea to "stymi-V and oth« bays to champion B nip'>nonrg. ' ty?n ihe amaUcr fry aw likely to beequiß afflicted. With "go'lfitis" during golf weak. The caddie master bas notified tb<> Auckland* Golf Club thai; he wiH require 150 boys every day,' Now, aa the school holidays" are not due, how js this demand, to be met? The E**o-! "b'lem is to Itnow where to get these necessary boy?. It is to be hoped that the ttrtiiit officer U'ft golf ''enthusiast. One of the joys of the golfer is the intelligent caddie, who knows instinctively whether' to hand over the "driver," the "iron," the "mashie," the "putter," or tho^ "niblick." Some caddies, moreover,* improve a<nian?s g'a'ino.' T-lfc'y aVf watchful, critical, Tp makp'ii mess of an awkiwavd stroke is to fall in the eyes of this kind of caddie. Hence his presence is a spur to effort. Undoubtedly, therefore 150 boys must bo found.

The •championships are to be play

1 ed rouud the beautiful and interestI ing course at One-treo Hill. The tec > chosen for the driving competition is almost on the summit of the hili. One may readily conceivo the pleasurable sensation ip stpre for visitqrs and onlookers -stflliding pn thp top of this eminence — -whioh commands so magnificent a vi'ow — and watching *the flights of the little white 'balls for probably ovor 200 yards down towards what is known as the amphitheatre green. Tho following hint is worth remembering if you -find yourself in the trying position of not being "able to put for nuts." It is this. Draw an imaginary circle round .the tin, a circle about a couple of feet in diameter. Try to eonyinep yourself that; the hole is not the maddening thing' _of ' merg'lnihos that it really is, but that it is the circle you havo drawn. Then 'try to gpt thp' hall ■within the circle. Thp long pntt that goes down is usually more or less of a fluko. But it should not bo diffioult to got B long putt within this circle. There is always the chance that the ball will go down, ami if H d»esn't, it ought to j be in safe position for tho next shot. Sinco we are allowed two putts on every green, this plan is calculated to keep us ""from chasing our ba'l up and down the green. The story is going the rounds of a party of Scots golfers who had lunched well, but unwisply, giirt who started out to play their afternoon round. The ball of the first member of the party to drive off was teed up, and he had begun to address it, when he exclaimed in alarm, "By gosh! I have never saw such a thing before — I am stymied on tlie tool "