GOLF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 14

GOLF.

AUCKLAND CLUB. A handicap medal round for the George Cup medal will be played at the Auckland Club's course, Mangere, this afternoon. Post entries will be received.. AUCKLAND LADIES* CLUB. The last monthly medal match of the Auckland Ladies' * Club was played on Tuesday, and was won by Miss S. Payton. The beet cards returned were;—-Miss S. Payton, 89 gross, 7 band-cap, 82 net; Mr*. Dargaville, 97, 11, 86; Miss M. Macfarlane, 106, 19, 87; Miss M. Payton, 95, 5, 90; Miss G. Buddie. 102, 21, 81; Miss I. Ruddock, 121. 52, 89; Miss F. Abbott, 112, 21, 91. Miss Buddie won the junior medal. The tie between Miss M. Frater and Miss F. Abbott in-the championsh'-p bogey match was also played off, the formewinning. The Victory Commemoration Cup, presented by the club, to be awarded for th« four best net scores made during the season, was won by Miss Gladys Buddie, her scores being 70, 81, 81 90—322. She will hold the cup until the end of next season. The next best scores were —Mise Eileen Culling. 80, 86, 83. 82--331; Mrs. Dargaville, 83, 86. 86, 82—337; Mies M. Alison, 87, 88. 85, 82—342. A two-round medal match wi'.l be played next week. The first round will take place on Tuesday, and the second round on Friday. Players may choose their own partners, and post entries will be received. A STANDARDISED BALL. I understand, says the golfing correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph, that at the forthcom-ng meeting of the Rules of Golf Committee a proposition dealing with the standardisation of the golf ball will be submitted for consideration. The propositi is that no competitor playing under the regis of St. Andrews shall be permitted to use a ball other than a floater under the penalty of disqualification. A further suggestion is that, in order to enable manufacturers and the trade generally to unload their stocks of the heavier balls, six months' notice ol the change shall be given before the new rule comes into operation. This would brine; us to the end of March next, when the golfing season of 1920 commences in earnest. A proposal of so revolutionary a character requires serious deliberation, and I hope the Rules of Golf Committee will not be driven to panicky legislation just because a few professional golfers have, by the use of the small, heavy ball, made one or two courses and a few cherished long holes at St. Andrews look rather silly. During the recent celebration championship on the classic links certain very estimable gentlemen threw up their hands in horror when Mitchell, Ray, Vardon, and others were reaching the fifth and fourteenth holes—-so3yds and 516 yds respectively— a drive and a three-quarter iron shot, and driving the green at the twelfth — This, we know, was an outrage. To ignore contemptuously the h'dden bunkers in the centre of the fairway was, of course, a piece of gross arrogance, and should have been suitably punished. I am not 60 sure that it was the small, heavy ball which | was entirely responsible for such abnormal hitting. Rather was it a combination of circumstances. The ball, of course, had i something to do with it, but as I saw those wonderful shots I am inclined to think that the skill of the player in developing the science of long hitting, the condition of the ground, and the prevailing wind, were far greater factors. Mr. Blackwell, in the days of She gutta ball, which nobody would pretend could he driven as far as the rubber-cored, astonished weaker mortals by performing similar feats at the same boles. In those days there was no suggestion that some ball other than the gutta should be standardised in order that one's skill should be kept within reasonable bounds. Neither jwas it thought des ; rab!e to take official ""notice of the incident that took place on the shores of Lake Superior, when two ' bright youths entered into a Ihfcle wager j on the length of their respective drives. ! The balls were teed up on the edge of ' Blackwater Bay, which was frozen over ! with clear black ice, and driven off. There ' was a strong wind blowing, and one of ] the ba'ili. was eventually found tucked up ' against the bank at the other side of the ; bay. It had travelled fourteen miles and | a-quarter, and no doubt would have con- i tinued its gay career indefinitely if snow ! had not fallen and other intervening I obstacles could have been removed. I

AQUATICS. SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP. Ernest Barry and A. D. Fe'ton have settled down to training for their race for the sculling championship of the -world. Barry is fairly fit. He is doing light work and is pleasing his snpporters. Felton is training hard. He has not yet been suited with a boat, and a, fresh boat is be : ng built for him. Pridd'e is assisting him on the river. Archie Priddle, who is assisting Felton in his river workacted ia the same capacity for Harry Pearee on the Thames in 1913. AUCKLAND CLUB. This being the jub ; lee year of the Auckland Rowing Association, the management committee has decided to celebrate the event by a social gathering at the boat house on Thursdav. I __„ r.,_