GOLF TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22259, 6 November 1935, Page 21

GOLF TOPICS

CLOSING OF SEASON

COMPETITIONS FINISHED SUMMER PLAY ADVOCATED BY THE BOVKK Although some clubs brought the season to a closo on Saturday, many members will continue to play for a few weeks yet, but it is to bo regretted that officially in those clubs competitive golf is finished for the year. There is littlo doubt that in the near future programmes will provide for the mid-winter months to bo omitted, and the season will probably commence earlier and finish later. The fact that a summer championship staged at One Treo Hill two years ago attracted a largo entry should convince committees that regular summer competitions would become popular and the standard of play in Auckland would improve. The conditions during tho present season wore perhaps a littlo worse than those encountered in previous years, but while golf is considered to bo a winter gnnio on any but sandy courses players' iron shots will always be weak. During the New Zealand championship meeting at Christchurch it was particularly noticeable that the southerners were definitely better with the irons than players from the north There is no doubt that tho reason for this is that during the winter on Auckland courses it is practically impossible to hit an iron shot correotly owing to the muddy state of tho turf.

i CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS STRONG FIELD COMPETES ' During the week-end all local courses were in splendid* order and the main event, the champion of club champions match, created a good deal of interest. Twelve title-holders took part and the field contesting the event was probably a stronger one than in any previous i year. The Otahuhu course, on which it was played, was in really good order, but unfortunately it has not tho length to provide a proper championship test. Individually most of the holes are quite good and those greens which have been bunkered, such as the 6th and the 18th, are effectively guarded. More use might have been made of the lagoon, which is a fine natural hazard, but, as the majority of the club members are in the novice class, the committee considered it wise to modify the original lay-out, which provided lor the crossing of the lagoon two or three times. With players such as E. L. Bartleet, H. 1). Brinsden, B. G. Thomson, L. V. Bryant, J. H. Earle and FJ. Bell in the field, it was expected that a good score would bo required to win. The scratch score of tho course is 72, and_ eight players managed to break 80 in the morning round, Bryant, with a 74, having an advantage of one stroke over Bartleet, Bell and Brinsden. In the afternoon Brinsden's round of 71 was a brilliant effort, and his total of 146 would probably have been good enough to win, even if this event had been open to all amateurs in Auckland. Tho runner-up, Bryant, played well all day and Bartleet could possibly have scored better had he not eased up over tho final holes when he learned that he had no chance of winning. „ „ . Pukekohe's representative, D. Coyle, played consistently all day and, given the opportunity for regular play with low-markers, he would improve considerably. The morning score returned bv Thomson was disappointing, but he did 'better fn the second round, while the local champion, Bell, proved that he has tho ability and will take his place in the top flight later on. H. C. Stevens and W. Cole did not play as well ns expected, and "the youthful Maungakiekie champion J. H. Earle was unfortunately not in a fit state to do himself justice.

CLUB COMPETITIONS POPULAR MIXED FOURSOMES. Competitions were played at Titirangi and Maungakiekie to mark the close of the official season and the events took the form of the popular Canadian mixed foursomes. At Titirangi Mrs Naismith and N. A. Naismith were tho winners with a card of 1 up,.and three pairs finished all square. Miss E. Schnauer and F. Wiseman were the successful combination at One Tree Hill and three pairs also tied there for second place. The fairways at Middlemore are in oxcellent order and the fact that the three new greens have turned out successfully has made members more optimistic for the future. In the Stableford bogey competition, R. B. Wilson played well for his total of 36 points, S. S. Wilson, C. H. Knight and A. J. Friedlander being equal with 33 points. 6. Mills-Palmer beat F. M. Shortt in the final of the C grade championship, the winner playing soundly to win by a largo margin. C. H. Knight had a narrow win from S. Handyside in the final of tho George Cup medal competition, and his success should enable him to play with more confidence in tho future when engaged in match-play. The finalists in the George Cup medal event are H. Plumlev, who defeated F. Macky, and R. D. Wright, and the meeting between tho pair should provide a good contest. With a net scoro of 63, P. Andrew won the medal match at Pupulco, C. H. Palmer being next and J. Aubin was successful at Waitemata in the Stableford bogey. At Akarana, P. Livingstone, who later performed well in an invitation match at Otahuhu, combined well with P. Smith to win the four-ball bogey. Tho Rainger Cup competition at North Shore was advanced a further stage, M. H. Bush, C. C. Robinson and J. I'. McCorkindale each winning a close match, but R. N. White had an easy victory at the expense of C. R. Morley. R. E. Ash won the senior medal match after a count back, L. Harrison being runner-up, and G. E. Harper was the successful junior. The North Shore course is playing very well at present and indications are that conditions for summer play will be very good. •