CLASSIC GOLF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21615, 6 October 1933, Page 10

CLASSIC GOLF

NATIONAL CONTESTS MEETING AT TITIRANGI PLAY FOR OPEN TITLE > FIRST STROKE-ROUND TO-DAY What bid fair to bo tho most memor-, able golf contest? to date in tbo Dominion begin at the Titirangi links this morning. Never has a New Zealand championship meeting attracted so large an entry, and of the outstanding contestants in recent years few are absent. Tho holder of tho amateur title, Rana Wagg, is unfortunately among the absentees, but in this section of the contests there is a veritable galaxy of stars, from the veteran Arthur Duncan to a group of young players so rapidly achieving distinction in their own clubs that one or other of them may spring a surprise victory. Thus tho amateur match-play, to follow the qualifying rounds of the first three davs, will bo full of interest. A. J. Shaw, holder of tho open and ths professional championships, will defend his titles; and so will J. L. and H. A. Black in tho amateur foursomes and E. S. Douglas and J. A. Clements in tho professional foursomes. E. J. Moss, who holds the Jellicoe Cup for tho player returning the best single rpund in the open championship rounds, is .also on hand. Other events —an inter-club contest, stroke and bogey handicaps and a driving competition—will add to tho interest of these testing days. Course in Fine Order Tho presence of so largo a field of amateurs and professionals is itself notable, significant of tho growth and excellence of golf in the Dominion, and there should bo some classic struggles for supremacy. Many of the visiting entrants have been in Auckland for somu days, trying out the course. It is in splendid, order, although fairways and greens will be found so fast, as a x - csult of a succession of sunny days, that delicate touch will be required quite as much as prowess "through the green." The conditions likely to rule at the commencement will thus put competitors approximately on a level, any advantage usually enjoyed by long hitters being reduced somewhat at many holes. . ' Yesterday the course was closed, in order to ensure uninterrupted treatment by groundsmen, but very little remained to be done, so effective has been the steady care to justify fully the choice of Titirangi, for the first time, as the venue of the national championships. An Extensive Programme Beginning with one round of 18 holes to-day, the open title will be contested in four rounds of stroke play. A second round will be played to-morrow. Then, for the remaining two rounds, to be played on Monday, a reduction of the number of contestants will be made, the leading 70, with any tieing for the 70th place, fighting out the finish. These four rounds of stroke play for the open championship will serve also as qualifying rounds for the amateur and professional titles. Thirty-two amateurs and 16 professionals will thus become eligible, through their returning of the lowest aggregate scores in their respective classes, to compete in match play. This match play will be begun on Wednesday, the first and second rounds then being decided. Tuesday will be devoted to the championship foursomes. The final match of the professionals, over 36 holes, will take place on Friday next, together with other events, and the meeting will conclude with the 36hole amateur final on the day following. Play on the first four days will begin at 9 a.m. MANAWATU LADIES' TITLE SEMI-FINAL STAGE REACHED [by telegraph—press association] PALMERSTON NORTH, Thursday The Manawatu ladies' open golf, championship was continued to-day in fine but windy weather. The semifinalists are Miss Oliver Kay, who meets .Miss M. Guy (Manawatu), and Mrs. D. Stout (Heretaunga), who meets Miss Bessie Gaisford. The final will be played to-morrow afternoon. The surprise of the day was the defeat of Mrs. H. C. Collinson, ex-New Zealand title-holder, by a young Feilding player, Miss I. Seifert.