GOLF TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 18

GOLF TOPICS.

THE CAPTAIN'S TOURNEY, TAYLOR BOWL COMPETITION^ RECORD MADE AT GLENDOWIE, The captain's tourney at was advanced a further stage on Saturday, some excellent matches taking place* The survivors, a mere handful now in numbers, comprise a formidable lot. They are W. S. Ralph, E. Ij. Bartleet, H. B.i Lusk, C. N. Jacobsen, A. Boddington, ; W. P. Bell, and L. P. Leary. A cool southerly wind on Saturday tested the players over the long holes. H. ; B. Lusk registered another win by defeating A. B. Lawrence during the week.He left shortly afterwards for a holiday in Christchurch. In the next round lie will meet Bartleet. It is hoped ho will be back in time to play this match, which should prove an interesting one as Bartleet is now playing well. Lusk's victories to date in this tourney can be traced to some wonderful golf on his part. In nearly every match he has played his figures to where the game ended have been level fours or better. It is a great pity the selectors of the New Zealand team for Australia have not witnessed Lusk in action lately, for on his present form he would be a tower of strength to anv side. Plumley must have felt in winning mood, as after a strenuous match with Dr. Macky he also played C. N. Jacobsen, but was beaten on the last green after" a disastrous exhibition by both players. It is hardly fair to lay stress on perhaps the only bad hole that, these two played. Plumley's score in spite of this fact was 75, and Jacobsen's 82, but it was an astonishing reversal of Plumley's play compared with his finish in the previous match with Dr. Macky when he nearly holed out his second shot, a full iron. Macky got his four but it was all in vain. Last Year's Winner Beaten. Dr. Macky owes his defeat to two rather indifferently played holes on the homeward journey—not to forget Plumley's wonderful " get out " at the 15th, where he negotiated an Bft. stymie with his mashie for a half. So Jacobsen is responsible for the defeat of last year's winner of this event. Jacobsen possesses a style all his own. He appears to hit the ball as he is walking up to it, but behind it all there is a wonderful eye and from all accounts a putter of some ability. Fifteen and twenty footers appear to bo all in a day's march for him. Ross Martin, who had established a good lead on W. S. Ralph up to the Bth, went astray on the greens for the next five holes. Ralph, on obtaining the lead, adopted an old practice of his and played safe and so let the other man strive for miracles, the match ending in his favour 3 and 2. There was no excuse for bad putting on Martin's part as the greens were slow and easy to handle. As was anticipated E. L. Bartleet did not have it all his own way with Dr. Brown. Believing in the theory of getting in early Bartleet had a lead of 3 up at the sth. It was just as well he had, as it turned out, for Dr. Brown, with 2. 4, 5 for the 7th, Bth, and 9th, made the match all square. The homeward half saw both players striving hard for the lead "and the position was still even at the 17th. At the last hole Bartleet led his opponent to believe /he was taking a 5 when from well outside the green he ran his approach within inches of the pin, securing a 4 and the match. 1 up. Dr. Brown had a safe 5 in hand, which was food for him against the wind. Bogey Unbeaten. The critics were right when they said no player would beat bogey on Saturday. The best cards returned wero three all square, namelyH. Tidmarsh, G. F. I oote and J. E. Russell. It is pleasing to note such players as Foote and Russell taking a- prominent part in matches again. A record for the Glendowie was put up on Saturday by C. F. Allcott, who went out ,in 36 and home in 39. making his gross score 75. It might 'be mentioned that this player is on the 10 mark so it can be imagined what chance the rest of the field had. Incidentally Allcott and his partner, J. Hall, won the four-ball bogey handicap on Saturday, being 7 up. Dr. Horton and A'. G. Graham, a colt in his first year, returned a very fine card of 5 up. J. R. Rendell it was thought would be a hard proposition to beat after his fine effort in the first round of the eclectic medal handicap. Ho finally ended up with 63.net, but, this was bettered by H. O. Thompson, who on. the limit mark returned a card of 56 net. Even this was not good enough. A. C. Johns, who is playing his first season in matches, returned 80, 27—53 net. G. L. Taylor Bowl. The first round of the G. L. Taylor Bowl was played at the Titirangi links on Saturday. No fewer than four matches being continued beyond the 18th hole to gain a final decision. R. McCrystall and R. J. Hamilton went as far as the 21st, where the former gained tho verdict by sinking an Bft. putt. H. Brinsden had an unfortunate experience at the 19th while playing H. M. Rogerson. In addressing a ball while in difficulty it rolled and the hole was forfeited. It was subsequently found that the ball in question belonged to an outside competitor. However, owing to the fact that Rogerson was on the green in two it is problematical whether the result was affected. Others winning at the 19th hole were A. Tysoe and G. Tallis, who beat A. McArthur and J. Francis respectively. The holder of the bowl, H. A. Randrup, did not survive the first round. J. MacCulloch, with the aid of his handicap, proved much too good on the day's play, his putting being particularly sound. Last Saturday the second and final round of the president's prize played by members of the Pupuke Golf Club resulted in a win by 6 strokes for Miles E. Thompson, the genial secretary. Thompson is a very improved player as his medal re'suits during this season's matches will prove, and the clipping of 2 strokes off his handicap still leaves him very generously treated on 10. The Pupuke Club is at present in the position many other clubs have had to face—playing over tho course while reconstruction work is in progress. It is necessary the club committee frame rules immediately defining ground under repair, as this caused many arguments during the past week-end. A Rare Event. The flag match played at One Tree Hill on Saturday resulted in a tie, two players, F. Newell and A. French, both earning the right to plant the flag in the 18th hole. It is not an easy matter to decide who should be, the winner in the circumstances. The fact that the two are on different handicaps complicates the position. It must be a rare event to have exact equality between two players in such a contest. As it happened, the result of the afternoon's match all centred round the 18th green. The flag was first carried to the edge of tho green by L. H. Norton, who won the bogey the previous week. It was then planted on tho green by C. Schnnuer and remained there until almost all the players were home again, when the two claimants appeared close on one another's heels. It happened, too, that one of the short handicap men might, have made the party a trio, but intent on playing off an old tie with his opposite number, he dropped the stroke that could have complicated things oven further. That the flag was taken no further must be accepted as another tribute to the now conditions and figures on tlii» courso.