GOLF TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20174, 7 February 1929, Page 13

GOLF TOPICS.

COTTON'S FIRST SUCCESS.

AMERICAN RYDER CUP TEAM.

OMISSION OF MEHLHORN.

by fairway

Harry Cotton made his mark in American golf right from the start. His first important open tournament was the Sacramento open which finished on December 18. Tho usual full field of American tournament professionals was competing there, including Tommy Armour, Johnny Golden, Al. Espinosa, Bill Melilhorn, H. Ciuci, and Ed. Dudley. Although ho had not had much experience in tournaments of the kind young Cotton finished third, threo strokos behind Johnny Golden and seven behind T- D. Armour. Cotton's third round was 69, the only score under 70 in that round. In his last round he declined somewhat and took 78. Here aro tho detailed aggregates of threo leaders in tho Sacramento open:—T. D. Armour, 74, 66, 74, 75—289; J. Gojden, 74, 69, 77, 73293; T. 11. Cotton, 74, ,75, 69, 78 —296. In this same tournament three other American Ryder Cup team nominees scored as follows:—Horton Smith, 297; Al. Esninosa, 300; Ed. Dudley, 303. About the same time, playing on tho private golf course of Harold Lloyd, at Beverly Hills, California, Cotton finished in 13th place in an 18 holes match. His round was 74. Walter Hagen, in this select tournament, inado a new record over the Beverly Hills course. Ibo course is short, and par is 64- Hagen achieved a 61. Bill Mehlhorn and Leo Diegel tied for second place at 65. More should bo heard about Cotton as he plays in these spectacular "big money" tournaments throughout January and February.

Ryder Cup Team. It is worth noticing that Bobby Cruickshank, after a period of retirement from golf, owing to a slight operation, is now back among the travelling tournament players. Cruickshank expects to sail for Britain before March, in order to visit his homo and his friends in Scotland, as well as to tako part in the British open championship, at Muirfield, in May. British critics have one inevitable comment to make upon the American Ryder Cup team, and that is that Bill Mehlhorn has been left out of the team. The Ryder Cup match has been played twice and Mehlhorn on both these occasions was a member of tho American team. In 1927, in the United States, he met Compston and defeated him by 1 hole. In 1926, at Wentworth, when tho first Ryder Cup match was played, Mehlhorn was the only man in tho American team who won his match. It is hard to see why the Professional Golfers' Association left him out this time.

Tho omission is all the more noticeable becauso Mehlhorn has been playing wonderful golf since tho American Ryder Cup team nominees were announced. Early in December he won first prize in tho new open tournament staged at Honolulu, Hawaii, for which quite a crowd of lead ing American professionals made the trip from San Francisco and back. Then, early in January, he created a new world's record at El Paso by doing four consecutive rounds of tho 6600 yds. long course there in the unparalleled aggregate ot 261. Bobby Cruickshank, playing great golf, was second at El Paso; but lie was as many as 13 strokes behind Mehlhorn.

Four-Round Record. Mehlhorn's golf in these four rounds must have been quite unique, surpassing even -Bobby Jones' finest four-round record. In order to siring together four rounds within the limits of .261 strokes one needs the following scores or their equivalent6s, 65, 65, 66. So far as f know this has never been done before. It sets a new standard in first-class professional golf. Now, news is to hand of Mehlhorn's victory in the open tournament at San Antonio with an aggregate of 277, that is, three strokes under an average of 70 per round. This is Mehlhorn's third important victory within a period of six weeks. His achievements are certainly speaking loudly to tho Ryder Cup team selectors. Horton Smith, the youngest member of the American Ryder Cup team, was second to Mehlhorn, with 281. Dudley, another new member of the team, was also well placed in this tournament.

I notice that Miss Gleniifi C'ollett, women's golf champion of the United States, recently went round No. 3 course at Pineliurst in 73 strokes. The par is 71, and this 73 is an extraordinarily fine score for a woman player. The American paper which reports it contains tho comment that it is probably the best round over played by a woman golfer. I can think only of two rounds to compare with it, and these are tho 72 and tho 71 achieved by Miss Joyct Wethered on the "ourse of the Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Scotland, about two years ago. Tho par of tho Dornoch course is also 71.

The mention of these two outstanding women golfers reminds mo of the fact that five thousand dollars have been provided in America in order to help the promotion of a women's Walker Cup match between Britain and the United States. It would be an international event of importance and of great interest if tho leading women golfers of the two countries should meet in a match of this kind. It is possible that Miss Wethered might, in such a case, play for Britain. A New Tee.

A few years ago Dr. Harold Gillies, (he New Zcalander, who is so well known in London as a doctor and in Britain as a golfer, aroused much interest and discussion bv making use of an artificial tee about 9m. high. For most players that meant going too far, but wo all go tho length, to-day. of employing the small peg tee. Some of us, indeed, who may have been slow, at first, to take up with such a contrivance, now feel somewhat at a loss if wo find ourselves on tho first teo without a supply of the convenient peg tee. Wo have become used to the peg toe and havo given up the uso of sand. On tho peg toe the ball does appear to sit up m a very definite and inviting way, and tho uso of this teo is much more cleanly than tho old method of handling sand. Tho method has come to stay. Tho wooden teo, however, is not the last of its kind. One hears of a new kind of artificial tee, which takes the form of a small rubber mat and teo combined, the two being moulded in one piece, and tho under side of tho mat being corrugated to grip the ground. No doubt wo shall presently see examples of this new model in New Zealand. The statement which announces tho new tee claims that it ensures clean hands, ball and tee, gives greater driving power, secures uniformity of height, obviates lost tecs and protects tho ground into tho bargain. The dates of tho, American golf championships in 1929 are as follows:—Open (holder, Johnny Farrcll), at New York, Juno 27, 28, 29; amateur (holder, R. T. Jones), at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, California, September 2 to 7; women's (holder, Glenna Collett), at Birmingham, Michigan, September 30 to October 6.