GOLF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11950, 26 April 1902, Page 6 (Supplement)

GOLF.

The first 18 holes of the Autumn Match for the George Cup was played last Saturday, when a field of ?A players competed. In spite of the fine weather and the course in good order the scores returned were perhaps. without exception, poor. It was anticipated that the leading scores would range from $5 to 90, but the best score returned was

that ol M.. D'Arcy. who returned 89 not. Mr. D'Arey's handicap has been cut down severely during the last, mouth, but even with his present handicap of 10 he managed to gain first place last Saturday, and from the manner in which ho is playing it looks a. ii he should be the holder of the cup. Mr. D'Arcy has only been playing i few months. lie has made, very rapid strides at the game, ami he gives promise of being a player who should at some time not very fai distant lie seen on the scratch mark. Mi. R. Horton, with a handicap of t ,O, returned 91 net, and if he can avoid any big blunder in to-day's match ho should bo'very nearly a winner. Messrs. O'Uorko and Lawrence, who returned 94- each, must also be considered to have a very good say in to day's result, and the determination ol the holdership ol the cup is still very open. ill. Lawrence and M.. D'Arcy were the only two players to return a, score of under 100. The following is the draw for to-day's match:—Gilfillan and D'Arcy, Anderson and Sykes, Turner and Peel, Rhodes and Payton, Bruce and Heather, Bam ford and Lawrence, R. Horton and Car-, Roberton and Lennox, H. Horton and J. 11. Hall. A large part of the course has been cut during the week, and there i* now no reason why good scores should not be played. The professional, F .G. Hood, has been very busy lately, and has been engaged most of the days teaching ladies. Any players who Wish to avail themselves of his, services before ho leaves foi the South in Jure, should make then arrangements with him at once. in view or the semi-tournament week next week the leaders have been practising a good deal, and some of their; show » greatly-im-proved form, and various matches will be played during the week, the first round of the championship being played on Monday » and the second round on Saturday.

Next Saturday the men will play their usual monthly medal handicap. An election of members will take place at the clubhouse to-day. Says " Foozler" in the Sydney Mail of April 19:—The uncertainty with regard to the venue, of the Australian championships has been set at rest by the R.M.tx.C. deciding to hold the meeting at Sandringham about September. It was Melbourne's turn last year, but because Sandringham was not ready it was decided to play at Botany. This year Melbourne had again the call, but many R.M.G.C. men were of opinion that Sandringham not yet being at anything like what it is hoped to make it, they proposed to give Adelaide the turn, which but for last year's change would have belonged to Sydney. When Mr. Macneil was in New Zealand recently he got promises from the island cracks to come over if the meeting were held here, and so, as delegate to the Golf Union, urged that in the event of the R.M.G.C. not taking the meeting it come to Botany instead of to Adelaide. Now the R.M.G.C. has settled the matter by deciding to take its turn. Evidently th..- heavy rains they have had in Melbourne have given the southerners greater hope as to being able to bring Sandringham up to championship form, but it seems rather a. pity to force things.