VETERAN GOLFER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23621, 3 April 1940, Page 16

VETERAN GOLFER

HOLE-IN-ONE AT ROTORUA AUCKLAND CLUB MEMBER A few days prior to his 71st birthday, which he celebrated 011 Monday, the wellknown .Auckland, golfer. W. B. Colbeck. holed out in one at the 110 yards "Crater" bole on the Arikikapakapa course at Whnkarewarewa. This was the third occasion on which he has performed the feat, the others being at One Tree Bill, and Shirley, Christ-t-hiirch. Colbeck commenced playing golf at the Auckland Club's links at Green Lane in lt>oa and he was champion of his club in 100<>, lf>o7 and 101 t. In 1!H1."> he was defeated in the final of the New Zealand amateur championship at Auckland by A. D. S. Duncan. Although Colbeck has a number of fine performances to his credit, the one which lie considers his best was in the Auckland provincial championship at Middlemore in 19151. In one of the earlier rounds he was opposed by a player, his junior by :i5 years, who ultimately won the title. The pair produced tiie most remarkable run of figures ever recorded in New Zealand golf. Their best ball for the first It holes was only three over threes. The figure-; were:—», 3, 3, •I. I, a, a, :i, 1, a, the t -ital of ati being no fewer than nine under the then existing scratch score. Colbeck himself was out in a.j to he t up, but be was unable to keep up the pressure and was narrowly defeated by his opponent. At tlie fourth hole another three was -almost certain, but one of the players had two for a win from a distance of about a yard and he made no serious attempt to hole his putt. The veteran player is now entering on his astli year of golf and it says much for the soundness ot liis methods that he can still score well to occasionally break SO. With normal run on the fairways, Colbeck obtains good length from the tees, his iroti shots arc well executed and his short game provides an object lesson to many a younger player. Besides playing golf, Colbeck took an active interest in the administration of the game for many years. Be is a life-member of the Auckland Coif Club and he has ill the past held the positions of committeeman, captain and president.