GOLF TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23034, 11 May 1938, Page 25

GOLF TOPICS

WEEK-END MATCHES

PLAY ON HEAVY COURSES

SOME GOOD SCORES RETURNED

WINTER RULE AT MAUNGAKIEKIE

BY THE ROVER

Heavy morning dews and the absence of drying winds resulted in the majority of local golf courses being rather heavy during the week-end. However, the weather conditions were almost ideal and the scoring in the various competitions was generally good.

Players at Maungakiekie appreciated the privilege of cleaning and placing the ball, a rule which was adopted for the first time this season. This was probably the main reason why scoring was low in the medal events. In addition the 13th hole was considerably shortened as a temporary green was in play pending the re-turfing of tho proper one.

The winner of the senior competition, J. L. Gregory, is a consistent performer on his mark and his round of 78 was a good effort. Gregory is capable of playing very fine golf, but at times he is inclined to close the club-face unduly. G. M. Truscott, who lost on the countback, had a good record last year when his performance in club events resulted in his promotion to the ranks of the seniors. K. G. Moffitt has not been in form lately, but his round on Saturday should help to restore his confidence. G. Bennett, J. Moir and H. Morpeth all broke 80 and the veteran, D. MacCormick, was also responsible for a good round.

CAPTAIN'S PRIZE TOURNEY

DEFEAT OF THE HOLDER

The captain's prize tourney of the Auckland Club is always a popular event at Middlemore, and a feature of the first round was the number of remarkably close finishes. The results of the majority of the matches were in doubt iintil near the home hole, while seven pairs went to the 19th before a decision was reached. The winner last year. G. W. S. Williams, was beaten at the loth by C. I. Nathan, but practically all the other low markers survived. R. 0. Gardner, after being 4 down to R. D. Horton in the middle stages, recovered well to win at the 19th. C. A. Pittar was 1 down to E. \V. Friedlandcr, going to the last hole, but he squared the match with a fine 4. His opponent, however, successfully negotiated a semi-stymie at the next to settle the issue.

R. D. Wright appeared to have his match won when he was 3 up with 4 to play, but 1?. J. Graham took the loth, *l6th, and 18th holes in good figures. At the following hole, Wright was equal to a long putt for the win. R. W. G. Anderson, A. G. Poison, J. A. Gow and A. McC. Clark were all forced to play an extra _ hole before winning their matches. The youthful lan Wilson won his game on the last green but his brother, W. Wilson, Found K. M. Wilson too steady. W. M. Bell and W. K. Paterson inflicted heavy defeats on their respective opponents, while C. V. Mark and J". McK. Wilson each won by a large margin. BALLIN OTJP

SEMI-FINAL MATCHES

The conditions at Titirangi were conductive to good scoring as the greens at the present time are excellent. Xbe semi-finals of the Ballin Cup wero decided, H. T. Jaffrey defeating F. A. Pezaro on the last green, while H. 1). Brinsden accounted for L. E. It. Wakeman at the 15th.

Pezaro commenced by winning three of the first four holes, but Jaffrey settled down to take the next holes in a row. Pezaro reduced his deficit to one by the time the 17th was played, but he was unable to better a five at the last hole.

The scratch player in such a competition ae the Ballin Cup has a very difficult task, as he has only to be a stroke or two below form to be beaten. To reach the final, Brinsden has played consistently good golf. lie was conceding 13 strokes on Saturday and a fine outward half enabled him to become 3 up on Wakeman. By the aid of strokes, Wakeman won two holes to the 12th, but Brinsden settled the issue by winning the next three. In winning the senior bogey handicap. A. Harvey played one of his best rounds for some time. He was 3 up after the 17th, but was unable to obtain a 4 at the last. W. J. Davidge played a splendid round of 74, but he lost a chanc? of finishing 1 up when he three-putted on the 18th green. AKARANA TROPHY SECOND ROUND RESULTS The Paterson Cup event at Akarana is progressing, and in the second round results were much as expected. r lhe favourites, P. G. Smith and L. J. Bryant, played a brilliant round on Saturday, and they had little difficulty in accounting for their opponents. Smith and Bryant commenced with two threes and, after reaching the turn in 37, tliev came home in even fours. H. Cullen and A. J. Martin, who were receiving five strokes from A. 13. Barber and A. B. Saunders, paved the way for a comfortable? win by reaching the turn in 41. C. N. Allpress and L. Bayley went to the 19th before defeating their opponents. S. Booth and H. E Bridgens had a narrow win and they will meet Smith and Bryant in the next round.

GAMES AT OTHER OLUBS TIE IN MEDAL EVENT The captain's prize competition was continued at Otahuhu and there were gome interesting matches in the second round. The club champion, J. L. Clark, had an easy win, but W. B. Eustace had little to spare, as it was only on the 19th that he defeated 0. R. Montgomery. There was a record tie in a medal event at North Shore, as no fewer than six plavers returned cards of 76 net A. E. Browne had the best gross score of the day, the others equalling his net score being A. J. B. E. Goldwater, J. B. Bull, M. S O'Connor and S. W. H. Chambers. The second round of tho Mingay Cup at Piipuke produced good scoring, and ,T. Lyons, who also played a fine round the previous week, led the field. C. H. Palmer, runner-up in last week's Stableford bogev. was next, and I. Howden and H. M. Ilvder also had good rounds.