GOLF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18965, 12 March 1925, Page 6

GOLF.

NEED FOR MUNICIPAL COURSE A SOURCE OF REVENUE. BY JAMES WATT. . On the waste lands adjoining the seashore in Scotland, golf originated. These wide, open Kpacc3 were called links, and were to the towns nearby what the Domain is to Auckland. Working men formed clubs, made golf courses, and played over these links free of any charge. As the ganie proKreased the city authorities saw a revenue in 'golf and assumed controj of the links, charging each player a feo of Id to 2d a round. Such was the start of municipal golf, which is spreading all over the world. The fees are larger to-day, but the game is growing to such an extent that the increasing ..numbers of players demand more courses and the demand is answered by other courses boing laid down. One large city in America already has M municipal, courses, and two more are under construction. There is a revenue in municipal golf: that is why the demands are granted. Every municipal "course in Britain is self-support-ing, many of them, such as St. Andrew's and the Braid Hills, return clear revenue of hundreds of pounds esch year. In America the municipalities have awakened to the truth that civic go'; adds nothing to the ratepayers' burdens, but, after the initial outlay has been paid off. it, promises to produce a steady revenue to the city treasury. What has been done in Britain, America, and Canada should he done for the public of Auckland. , y Golf is the only sport which will pay its •way ill the upkeep of t.hn playing area. Football, tennis, cricket, etc., have all been catered for in Auckland, but golf has been ignored. There certainly are a few golf courses near the city, but they are for the favoured few. So Auckland should have a public course for the players, and those who woUld like to plav but who cannot afford to jfiin the large clubs. Latest returns from towns in Canada show that municipal golf is forging ahead there. Edmonton had a profit of .CP3O; Calgary was £273 to the good; and on one of the links at Winnipeg -,the return was J8520. This is after paving all wages, upkeep, etc.—clear profit from municipal golf. In Sydney, Moore Park has been a great, success, and this last year *ne amateur champion of Australia started playing golf on Sydney's municipal course. Coming nearer home we have Wellington doing well, with its public course at lierhampore, and there is talk down there of iaying out another near Miramar. Nearly every traveller coming back after his world trip advocates municipal links, yet the Auckland City Council remains silent on the subject. The aim of municipal links is in give the working classes a chance to play golf, at not too great a cost, and the City Council could easily start by laying out a course on the Outer and Inner Domain. In fact, the council could not do wrong to procure s tract of land near the city- in Ihe event of the Domain being too small for a full 38-hole course. This could be laid down as a first-class full course with tennis courts, croquet lawns, and bowling greens attached to the bnks. A municipal course must be Dear the city, and the longer the council •waits the harder it. will be _to procure a suitable place, so as to make it ch'-ap to gM •to, cheap to play over, and still be selfsupporting. ~ , ~ , A golf links would be another '• lung for the city, and na golf is an all-year game, played by men an-j women, young and old, it would be a playing area for all. ,1 heDomain would be worth n- trial, out Ibe lessons of other centres should be considered, And they show that a nine-hole course is too umall 'for a municipal course. The Cijv Council, if it considers municipal irolf, should lay out an 13-bole course- a firsl-class course, and not a patch-work one. Municipal golf must come. How long before Auckland takes its first step iu this payable progwti tion ?.