GOLF TOPICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23100, 27 July 1938, Page 23

GOLF TOPICS

WEEK-END MATCHES

UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS

VARIOUS COMPETITIONS

SOME FINE SCORES RETURNED

HV THK ItOVKR Although conditions for poll' last Saturday « ( >rc most unfavourable, tnero woro a low fino sonros rogistorod I "i cluli competitions. Peculiarly enough, i tlie players who returned the best j cards struck the worst of the weather. : The match coinmittee of the .Maungakiekie Club gave the players taking part in the Bledisloe Cup the option ■ »r postponing their names until next week-end. When the rai„ .eased, p ,i.\ inn conditions were good and the putting surfaces were truer throughout the week-end than on any previous : occasion t his season. I ° nl ' v ;| ,<nv players participated in a Mableford bogey event, which was played m two grades. Starting out in •' downpour. J. ('. Poll,am and .M. 15. I rower played their match in the Bledisloe Cup under the most trying conditions. Although Pelhain won comfortably, his opponent finished well to meet with success in the junior Stablctonl. Pel ha m winning the senior grade I elliam's gross score of 7;) under such adverse conditions is entitled to tank as one of the best performances yet recorded at One Tree Hill. His good scores last season were often the result of line recovery shots and good putting, but of late his shots to the greens have been excellent. He so seldom plays a mediocre round that it is difficult to imagine any player defeat- ■ ing him in his club championship. M. 1 rower, who has played little golf 1 prior to this season, has alreadv performed very creditably in dub Jvents, 1 particularly in the Jvingswell Shield contest. His swing is sound and his succecss on Saturday was well deserved.

THE TAYLOR BOWL GAMES IX SECOND HO I'M) Ihe J aylor Bowl competition was advanced a further stage at Titirangi and , the majority of the matches in the ! second round wore even I v contested 11 1. .J aft rev. li. K. Faweett and W. K.' I > ereoe were forced to play an extra hole before winning, whilo a number . ot games finished on the last green. J. H. Young had little difficulty In re- j turning his place and I'. \\ , Christen- I sen accounted for H.J. Court who won , the Taylor Bowl two vears ago. A H 7 out enabled I{. ]{. M,. Crystal to he- ; ™roe,2 "P X. G. McKenzie and he held Jus advantage throughout. H. V. Ganlcy accounted for the long- ] hitting V. L. Humphreys at the 16th i and R. Laery did well to take his match with H. D. Brinsdon to the last green. Brinsden, who had a medal s round of 14, played very fine golf in c the heavy rain and he was unfortunate in carding a 6 at the 17th, where the club slipped out of his hands. Apart from a lapse at Easter, Brins- c den has played splendidly throughout v the season and he has certainlv jnsti- ;i tied his scratch rating. At present he is obtaining great length from the tees 1 while his shots to the greens are very s accurate. ' (

Jji winning the Stableford bogey, A. Harvey was responsible for an excellent performance, as in spite of a missed short putt he had a medal round of 74. Considering the relatively short time that Harvey has been plaving golf, he has made remarkable progress at the game. To attain a low handicap, he has practised assiduously and he thoroughly deserves any success which may come to him. E. M. Ohlson, I!. J. Hamilton and B. C. Johnston also scored well and Ohlson in particular had a good chance of leading, but he missed opportunities over the last few holes.

OTHER COMPETITIONS HARRISON'S GOOD EFFORT Good scoring was general in a Canadian medal foursome at Middlemore, where the greens were good, but the fairways very heavy. The winners, F. E. R, Merritt and T. Gill, had a splendid round, the only blemish on their card being a 7 at the 9th. R. G. Rainger and T. E. Clark also had a lapse_ at the same hole, but came home in 37 to tie second place with J. W. Gunn and W. K. Paterson. An exceptionally good round of 77 enabled L. Harrison to win a medal match at North Shore. Harrison was I hitting his shots well and the only serious mistake he made was carding a 6 at the short loth. , In a Stableford bogey at Pupuke, H. E. Nicholas returned a splendid total, while M. Walker and C. H. Palmer also played well. Walker was also successful in the semi-final of the Bell Cup as he had a comfortable win at the expense of H. M. Ryder. As a result of excellent golf over the last nine holes, H. Cullen took tho lead in the 36-holes contest for the Ray Fuller Memorial Cup at Akarana and he scored a popular win in the concurrent bogey handicap. The handicap match-play competition for the Ivlwards trophy was advanced a further stage and among those to retain their places were H. E. Bridgens, J. C. Mitchell and A. D. Barber. The final of the Otahuhu Club's Ballin Cup contest was decided during the week-end and A. P. Jones defeated H. Baigent at the 17th. Jones was 2 up at the turn and after losing the 13th and 14th, he won three holes j in a row. This is the winner's first I season in competitive golf and he is to | be congratulated on his success.