HAGEN-KIRKWOOD GOLF MATCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 14

HAGEN-KIRKWOOD GOLF MATCH.

Sir, —I reeled with shock when I saw that tho price of admission to the course for spectators of the above match is fixed at 10s, plus tax. Surely the royal and ancient game is not going to be exploited in this fashion! My experience at Home is that golf is a religion and the clubs and their members do everything in their power, as a duty, to "spread the gospel" and enrol converts to the game. Here, it seems to me, every effort is made to make the game the most exclusive in the world and quite impossible for anyone with a moderate income to enjoy its health and pleasure-giving powers. A few years ago the Auckland public were responsible for providing about £4OOO for the Titirangi Golf Club for the development of the sport of golf (now unfortunately the sport of kings), since when tho annual subscription has been raised and is again threatened—and in addition the club is now spending close on £2OOO in improvements to the links and elaborate additions to its already palatial clubhouse. I suggest that if the Auckland clubs can spend money so freely they might, when the opportunity arises, as it so seldom does, show a true sporting and educational instinct and invite all golfers and would-be golfers and their friends to follow the match at a charge of 2s or 2s 6d. By so doing they would bo living up to that sporting instinct which is (or was) inherent in all golfers the world over. Twenty Years' Disciple.