GOLF TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22714, 28 April 1937, Page 19

GOLF TOPICS

CLUB COMPETITIONS DIFFICULT CONDITIONS SPLENDID SCORES RETURNED BY THE ROVER Although conditions for golf during the week-end were very difficult, somo splendid scores were returned in a bogey match at Titirangi. As is usually the case a number of players bettered the scratch score by a good margin, L. J- Clifford leading tho field with a card of 3 up. Clifford is a young player who' performed well in the provincial championship a year or two ago and ho is rapidly developing his game. H. D. Brinsden, N. C. McLean, S. G. Alpe and A. A. Babbage all finished 2 up, while -E„ C. Nimmon and It. G. Tappenden were 1 up. Brinsden played an excellent round of 72 and McLean, who won a competition recently, was round in 75. - The standard scratch score at Titirangi is 73 and it is so consistently beaten by a number of players that possibly it L too high or the handicapper is too liberal. Tho bunkering of the course is. by no means severe and if tho greens wero more tightly trapped, probably the scratch score would seldom be beaten. However, under the present conditions it appears that the handicaps of the players should be reviewed. TAYLOR BOWL AN EXCITING FINISH Four matches in tho Taylor Bowl competition were decided and three of them were evenly contested. The game between J. H. Young and H. V. Ganley provided an exciting finish, as three extra holes were played before Young won. The winner was conceding six strokes and although Ganley had the lead in' the early stages, Young became 1 up at tho 10th. He increased his lead at the 12th and held the advantage to the loth. Ganley obtained a brilliant 3 at the next and as he was in receipt of a stroke, Young had no chance of obtaining the half. A good 4 at the 18th enabled Ganley to square the game but after halving the next he missed chances at the two following holes when he three-putted on each green. There was Tittle between P. Harrison and W. R. Vercoe at any stage, Yercoe being 1 up at the turn, but his opponent plaved soundly to win at the 19th. M. Fraser-Smith owed his victory over F. W. Lucas to splendid putting, a department of the game in which he has recently shown great improvement. ; After being 2 down at the turn, Lucas won the next three holes, but his opponent took the lead at the 15th. i Fraser-Smith is one of the longest . drivers in the club, and now that the \ course'is becoming-slower, he has a * good chance of surviving. 1 J. E. Batty had' a comfortable win c at the expense of G. .C. Tollerton and ] he now meets Yercoe in the next round. " 1 r. TEST AT MIDDLEMORE i t POLSON'S STEADY PLAY *

Middlemore provided a fine test on Saturday as a strong westerly wind made quite a number of holes fine twoshotters. The winner of the meda! competition, A.- G. Poison, played steadily, particularly coming home, as he covered the last nine in 41. Two young playafs, K. M. Wilson and G. W. S. Williams, each of whom did " weir at Easter, were next, Williams spoiling an otherwise good card with a 7 at, the 17th. The fact that these two players handled the difficult conditions so well is very pleasing and augurs well for the future. A. W. Gillies, Sir H. Horton and R. E. Horrocks all played steadily but missed chances on the greens. MAUNG AKIEKIE MATCHES PATERSON CUP ROUND . »■ ■ Although the Maungakiekie course is short, the scratch score of 72 is very difficult in a high wind, and low scoring. was by no means easy on' Saturday. W. K. Michael played splendidly to win the bogey handicap, his card of 2 up being a fine effort under the conditions. Michael recently figured prominently in a medal event when, after taking 10 at the 16th, he equalled the scratch score. G. H, Philson was runner-up and J. S. Rankin, C. C. Ewen and J. Earle were next. J. Pelhain had the best gross score jof the day. In the second round of the Paterson Cup competition at Akarana, the meeting between P. G. F. Smith and C. S. Livingstone and y. Salek and V. J. Smith attracted a good deal of interest. It proved to be a fine contest and Salek and V. Smith were successful, the match finishing on the last green. J. E. and L. L. Cashmore, who are brothers,' were opposed by father and son, A. E. and A. B. 0. Saunders, the match finishing in favour of the brothers, who obtained a birdie 4 at the 19th. From a 16 handicap,. S. F. Tucker completed the round in 84 to win the bogey event, A. D. Barber being next,. CAPTAIN'S PRIZE PUPQKE AND NORTH SHORE The match-play for the captain's prize at Pupi.ke "was commenced and the results of most of the matches were in doubt until the 17th. Players who hare recently shown good form in handicap events retained their. places, but W. D, Boss, the club champion, was defeated by JO. A. Carson. Two golfing veterans, E. W. Mills and H. Randrup, beat A. F. Grant and W. J. Skefton respectively, and C. JagEs accounted for J. E. Close. H. A. Craig, who won the bogey match, was also successful in a medal event earlier in thd month and is playing consistently at present, t The field in the captain's prize at North Shore has been narrowed down and in the second round there were a few exciting matches. B. Smallfield beat B. N. K. Swanston at the 20th, while F. W./H. Chambers went to the 21st before accounting for A. Whyte. J. O'Xeil, who scored a record win at the expense of his opponent last week, was himself eliminated by R. M. White. The club champion, A. E. Browne, had little to spare in his match with H. Preston, jun., but another low marker, W. Macindoe, won his match easily. The sudden change in the conditions saw many players short with their second shots, but the "greens were holding and there was little excuse for timid putting.