GOLF TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 17

GOLF TOPICS

HAMILTON BEATS TITIRANGI LOW SCORING AT PUPUKE GOOD ROUND BY W. A. DONALD Ideal weather for golf still continues, conditions 011 Saturday being well nigh perfect. Low scoring, however, is very difficult owing to the varying strength of the greens. Full wood shots at the long holes if hit with a low trajectory fail to bite on some of the greens and only the high dropping shot can be exploited with safety. At Middlemore, Akarana and Titirangi the pure brown top greens are very bare just now, due to the fact that this grass is almost dormant in midwinter. But those greens containing a quantity of Poa annua—commonly called winter blue grass in America—provide a perfect putting surface. This grass thrives in Auckland in the winter, liut will not stand the hot summer, whereas the Rotorua greens, which are almost wholly Poa annua retain their putting surface throughout the year. This is no doubt duo to the porosity of the Rotorua soil, which enables copious watering to be carried out in the hot weather without scalding. A.n example of the excellence of Poa annua as a winter grass can be seen on the Middlemore fairways. Black and McCrystal The Titirangi Club sent a team to Hamfiton for the annual inter-club contest but, sadly- misjudging the strength of the home side, suffered severe defeat. H. D. Brinsden was not available for the singles, so R. McCrystal met J. L. Black and after a very fin© game finished all square. A heavy cross-wind made the golf tricky and aIP shots to the green had to be played with great firmness. Both missed putts at the first hole, but went on to play the next three holes in par figures. A the sth Black was trapped with his second, but squared the match at the 6th, where McCrystal failed to hole a short putt. The 7th was perfectly playod and at the Bth, with the wind behind them both were able to reach the green with a mashie, McCrystal being dead for a 3 and Black from 10ft away missed his putt for the half. The 9th was halved and McCrystal turned for home 1 up, being out in 38 to Black's 39. McCrystal won the 10th in 3, but lost the 11th to a 4 and missed an easy putt for a win in 4 at the 12th. Black squared at the 13th with a great 4 and went into the lead with a perfect 2 at the short but difficult 14th. The 15th and 16th were halved in par figures and McCrystal squared the game at the 17th, where he chipped dead to get his 4. Long drives went away to the 18th, but Black was short with his second, while McCrystal was through with an iron. Both chipped well and after McCrystal had failed with an 8-footer Black missed a 3-footer for the match. Fine Iron Player McCrystal is to be congratulated on his effort and with plenty of hard match play should go far in the game. His swing is beautifully controlled and as an iron player ho has no peer in Auckland, his only weakness being in the short game. F. C. Colbeck, who appears to revel in the Hamilton conditions, was too strong for E. G. Tallis. A. J. Good proved to be the only winner in the singles for Titirangi, accounting • for that good match player, Dr. Blundell. W. Lawson, a newcomer to Titirangi, who plays off the seven mark, produced some glorious golf in his match with H. T. Gillies, and only the great generalship of the last-named enabled him to win on the 18th. Brinsden partnered McCrystal in the four-ball match against Colbeck and Black, which provided the spectators with golf of a very high standard. Black and Colbeck were each out in 36, McCrystal being one stroke worse, but Brinsden played erratically. When the match finished at the 15th Black and Colbisck each needed three fours for a 71. Brinsden seemed unable to control his long seconds to the green. • \ At Middlemore the second round of the 72 holes medal was played when W. A. Donald returned the best net score of 72. His card of 76, 4—72, together with his 78 of the previous week also places him in the lead for tne best gross score. Donald is playing exceptionally well at present, his putting having greatly improved. M. M. Louisson, who was only one stroke behind Donald, had a bad break at the. 15th. His tee 6hot finished up against a tree, and in spito of all his efforts an eight resulted, ruining what promised to be a great card. The medal match at Ptipuke was won by A. Brady, who completely outstripped the field with a card ol 84, 22—j62, and sympathy can bo felt for L. Harrison, 77, 11 —66, and E. Mills, 76j 9—67, who both played excellent golf. Tlie scratch score at this course is 69, and although it contains a number of short holes it is a, dangerous course oil which to give strokes. Stedman Still Winning J. E. Stedman continues his winning ■ way at Glendowio, finishing ono up on bogey, and will now play off the nine mark. In th<; third round of the captain's prize. B. J. Smith, G. -Biss, J. Coltman and A. Finn won through to the semi-final at Akarana. Smith had a hard match with D. Hay, but both Biss and Finn won comfortably. Coltman started with 4, 3, 4, 4, against Greenbank and was three up, but last the sixth with a stroke, to turn for home two up. Coltman won the 10th, lost, the 11th, and again became throe up with a birdie three at the 12th. The end came at tjio 15th, where Greenbank looked up on his approach. Smith will find it difficult to give Biss 11 strokes next Saturday, as the lastnamed is the most improved player in the club, having had his handicap reduced from 24 to 14 this season. He drives a very long hall, and if lie could be persuaded to curb his desire for length would soon earn a single figure handicap, ('oilman, now on four handicap, continues to play class golf, and should ho and Smith meet in the final a great game will result. At Maungakiekie the third round of the Klliffe Cup was played, at least three of the matches going beyond the 18lli hole for n decision. J. Rankin had a desperate battle with F. Roslgard beforo prevailing at the 20th, and 1). D. Holland beat I H. 0. Wiles at the 19th. I The most sensational finish was that staged by R. (). Gardner, who beat, W. K. Michael at the 19th. (lardner conceded 13 strokes and faced with a dormy -three down pos tion and two strokes to come his chance looked hopeless. Howevei\ Gardner has seen sonio remarkable things happen at- golf and knows that a match is not los' until it is won. He played the 36th carefully for a win in four, but the, end appeared imminent at the 17th, where he was through in two while his opponent was on the green in the like. As Gardner went forward to play his third shot he remarked that his only chance was to hole out his approach, and ho did it. The loss of this hole obviously upset Michael, who played the next two holes badly to lose at the 19th. A four-ball bogey was held for Dr. Craven's trophy by the NortH Shore members. 11. Whitley and H. Bartlett, combining perfectly, won with the good card of five up.