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COURSE IMPROVED

SOME GOOD MATCHES

DEFEAT OF R. M. GEORGE E. L. BARTLEET IN FORM BT THE ROVER The Titirangi course was in much better order for the match-play stages than when the qualifying rounds of the provincial golf championship were played. As a result some splendid contests were witnessed.

The surprise in the first round was the defeat of R. M. George, who won tho title twice just aftor the war, by the youthful Otahuhu player, H. W. Bell. By failing to judge the strength of the greens George lost four of the first seven holes and the position was unchanged at the 10th. George won the next when Bell failed to recover from a bunker and then missed a chance at the next. When 110 holed his putt for a 4 at tho Wrecker and obtained a 3 at tho 14th George reduced the deficit to one. He struck trouble at the 15th when ho hooked his tee-shot, and Bell played safe to win in a 5. At the 16th George's second shot finished on the road and he was unfortunate in not obtaining a win in 4 after a brilliant recovery. A half resulted and the end came when Bell holed a 4 at the 17th, George having hooked his second.

Young and Plumley A good deal of interest was taken in tho meeting between J. H. Young and H. Plumley. Although Plumley held his opponent to tho turn, Young did not at any stage look likely to be beaten. Young took the lead at the first hole, but Plumley holed a good putt at the next to square the match. Each holed a good putt for a 4 to halve tho 3rd. Plumley took the lead when he holed a 2 at the short 4th, Young being bunkered. Young squared when Plumley struck trouble at the next and he became 1 up with a good 4 at tho 6th. Young hit a good iron to the 7th green, but Plumley replied with a better one, Young finally missing a short putt for a half. Following a half at the next Plumley was guilty of an error in tactics at the 9th, when he elected to play a wood from the fairway bunker. Young played two fine shots to the green to turn for home 1 up, a lead which he increased when he holed a putt for a great 3 at the next. Plumley was unfortunate in sfriking an almost impossible position in the bunker at tho back of the 11th and he could only obtain a half after Young played two weak shots. Two halves followed, Plumley missing an opportunity at the 13th and Young became 3 up when he played a briiliant shot to within a few feet of the pin at the next. The 15th and 16th were halved and Young made no mistakes to halve the next two holes and win on the 17th.

Splendid Play E. L. Bartleet played splendid golf to defeat A. E. Browne, as he had a stroke round of 74, the match finishing at the 17th. Bartleet was 3 up at the 7th, but lost the next two, Browne holing a long putt at the 9th when his opponent appeared to be in a winning position. Browne squared the match when he again holed a good 4 at the 12th, but Bartleet became 1 up with a sound 4 at the next. Bartleet was lucky when he hooked his second shot at the 15th, his ball finishing in a mole drain from which he could lift without penalty. Browne was on in two, but required three putts and he lost the hole when Bartleet chipped up close. P. Smith commenced with a 3 against E. G. Tallis, who recovered well to obtain a 4 and Smith became 2 up with a good 4 at the 3rd. Although Tallis required two shots from the bunker at the 4th he halved the hole. He missed short putts at the 7th and Bth. however, to be 4 down. He got one back at the next when Smith played a poor chip. Smith missed great opportunities at the 12th and 13th when he failed to hole very short putts, but he became 3 up with a splendid 2 at the 14th. The next was halved and Smith finished the game when he holed a chip for a 3 at the 16th. J. H. Earle was responsible for good golf in his game with J. M. Coltman and be was in the lead most of the way. Earle was 2 up at the turn, but Coltman got one back when he played a great second to within 10ft. of the pin at the next. Earle again became 2 up when he recovered well from the bunker and holed the putt for a 3. He increased the lead by winning the next two in good figures. The short 14tb was halved in twos, but Coltman was unable to win any holes.

Better Standard Although the golf was good in the morning it was even better in the afternoon and every match had an interested gallery. Bell showed that his win in the first round was justified as ho took the experienced Bartleet to the 19th before he was eliminated. Bell took the lead at the 4th bole, but Bartleet evened at the next. Bell holed a long putt for a 3 at the 6th, Bartleet again squaring the game at the Bth. A fine recovery enabled Bell to obtain a half at the 9th, Bartleet having reached this stage in 37. Three putts on the 30th cost Bell the hole, but he chipped out for a 2 to win the 11th. He holed good putts at the following two holes to win both and become 2 up. Each threeputted on the short 14th and Bell's lead was reduced to 1 up when he hooked his drive at Temptation. Bartleet was a little fortunate to win the 16th and the next was halved. Bell played much the better second to the last hole and narrowly missed a 3, his opponent being forced to hole an awkward downhill putt for a half. Both hit great drives to the 19th, but Bartleet was closer with his second and holed his putt for a win. Although beaten Bell stood up splendidly under the strain and never once let up.

The golf in the match between Young and Galloway was also very good, Galloway commencing with three fours to he 2 up. Young squared the game at the Bth and he took the lead for the first time at the 13th. The short hole was halved in par figures and Young finished the match with two fine fours. Brinsden Beats Smith

Brilliant golf was witnessed in the paine between Brinsden and Smith, Brinsden having a round of approximately 70 to win on the 16th. Smith won the first in 3, but Brinsden took the next two with par figures. The match was square at the sth, where Brinsden took G. but a 3 and a 4 at the 7th and Bth placed him 2 up. The first four holes coming home were halved in 4, 3, 4, 4, Smith having possible chances at thci 12th and 13th, whero Brinsden chipped dead. Brinsden's tee-shot to the short 14th finished within 3ft., but he was not required to hole the putt as his opponent was unable to obtain a 3. Smith had a chance of keeping the game alive at the 16th when Brinsden three-putted, but he was riot equal to holing his putt. In the Earle-Stedman match the former played steadily to build up a useful lead in the early stages. Following a splendid iron to the 11th green he became 3 up and although Stedman reduced the lead at the 13th he was unable to stave off defeat.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19360414.2.120

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22393, 14 April 1936, Page 11

Word Count
1,320

COURSE IMPROVED New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22393, 14 April 1936, Page 11

COURSE IMPROVED New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22393, 14 April 1936, Page 11