TOWN TEAM WINS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23112, 10 August 1938, Page 20

TOWN TEAM WINS

POPULAR FIXTURE GREENS IN GOOD ORDER R. GLADING UNFORTUNATE

BY THE HOVER

The teams' match between golfers representing the town and those drawn from country clubs is a popular annual fixture. The St. Andrews course at Hamilton, which is the venue_ of this event, is invariably in excellent order at this time of the year and the city players in particular welcome the opportunity of playing on a course where winter rules are unnecessary. Some of the fairways at the weekend were not quite at their best, but the greens were in splendid order and generally the state of the course was conducive to good golf. The weather was ideal and when a slight breeze sprang up in the afternoon tho links provided a first-class test. Although the country team was defeated, the players were at a great advantage in handicaps, and a number of them performed verj' creditably. The meeting between the North Island close champion, P. G. F. Smith, and the leader of the country team, R. Glading. attracted a good deal of interest and the Hamilton youth did well to take the match to the last green. On the run of the play he was, perhaps, a little unfortunate in not finishing square, as there was little difference between the pair at any stage. The Auckland provincial champion, W. J. Davidge, was too good for J. G. Ferguson, and he had a comfortable win. The local player took tho lead at the first hole but he lost the advantage when he three putted at the next. A fine 3 at the third put Davidge 1 up, and he had a good run of figures to win three moro holes to tho turn. Ferguson reduced his'deficit at the 10th but after a half at the next Davidge again won three holes in a row.

The third scratch player in the town team, J. H. Young, had little difficulty in defeating \Y. Monk, of the Rotorua Club. Young played very soundly throughout the day and his opponent had few opportunities. Monk's club mate, W. Hill, started poorly against B. H. Menzies, who, after, winning the first four holes, held his lead throughout. The match between A. Harvey and C. Bailey, who formerly played at Whangarei, was evenly contested, while A. E. Browne was too steady for J. darken. L. J. Bryant was 2 up on R. D. Harding at the 7th, but the local player squared the match at the turn. Bryant won two of the next five holes and he retained his lead to the finish. It was left to H. V. Holmes, of 'Le Awamutu, to score the Hrst win for the country when .he defeated J. Pelham on the last green. Other country players to win their matches in the singles were A. M. Fahey, H. Wiggins, M. "A". Kelly, H. N. Freeman, C. Blundell and R. A. McKinnon. In the afternoon, the defeat of the Auckland scratch players, Smith and Davidge, came as a surprise, but the Hamilton pair, Glading; and Ferguson, combined well, while Glading was round in 73. Harvey and Browne again produced good golf, Browne's round of 72 being the best of the day. R. Alford and K. L. Caldwell defeated a strong town combination in W. A. Donald and \Y. S. Ralph and two other four-ball matches were won by the country.