GOLF

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12247, 19 September 1925, Page 17

GOLF

The links are gradually showing signs of improvement, and with a few days line weather will be in excellent condition. The Wellington Club's links at Heretaunga have been reopened after its winter hibernation, and are in fairly good condition. Incidentally, an excellent score was put up by*J. Parker in the club's bogey competition during |he week-end,' which he won 4 up, going round in 74. Parker's handicap is 2. Douglas Whyte was second with 2 up. • * * * Conditions at Ranui during the weekend were not over satisfactory. Saturday was decidedly sloppy, and Sunday, although fine overhead, was still'. wet underfoot. The championships of the club have opened, but so far members show no inclination to play; waiting until the links are in better before risking their club standing. Since it has been decided- to continue play throughout the summer, there is no call for haste, and a week's fine weather will make all the difference to the course. Next month promises to be a very full one for the club, as besides the championship games, marches will be played for four trophies recently presented to the club. * % * * Mclntosh, the Hutb professional, is playing particularly well at present, and if no can maintain his standard at Shirley, will be hard to beat in the professional championship. His scores last week were all better than 73 of the club's bogey, and he is reported to have made more than one 68. * * « * Next Saturday Otaki will play the return match against Ranui on the Ranui links. At the match in Otaki the games finished all square, and the indications are that Ranui, on their somewhat difr ficult country,-will prove too strong for the up-Country club. » * * * The first qualifying round of the Waiwetu Club's championship was played during last week-end, the best eight players to qualify. Thesis were as follow, the gross scores being given:—K. Cooke 80, W. F. Taylor 84, C. F. Pulley 86, H. K. Adamson 87, W. M. Walker 88, A. N. ICennaday 89, W. Whitehead 89, and J. J. Gilbertson 91. The draw for the first round, to be played to-day, is as under: K. Cooke v. Whitehead, Pulley v. Gilbertson. Ivennaday v. Adamson, Taylor v. Walker.

* * * * K. Cooke, in the Walker and Hall com-

petition at Waiwetu on Saturday last* playing on a 6—5 handicap, returned a net 74 against a bogey of 80, or a gross score equal to the bogey of the course. His card read as follows: —Out: 5,4, 4,5, 4,4, 4,6, 5—41. In: 5,4, 2,5, 4,4, 4, 6, 5—39. • * * * Messrs L. D. Hunst and J. H. Drake have been appointed delegates to represent the Miramar Club at the conference to be held in connection with the New Zealand championship meeting at Shirley next week. *«‘ * * Out of the 56 entries received for the Walker and Hall competition; some 20 clubs have returned results to date, and of these two have achieved the possible, viz., 12 below bogey for the team of four. A number of cards have been returned which indicate either unusual brilliancy on the part of players during the playing of this competition, or else very careless handicapping on tho part of their clubs. For instance, one man, playing on a 24 handicap, returned a net 69 against a 79 bogey; another beating tho colonel*-with the assistance of his handicap—by no loss than 11. The wisdom of the stipulation in the rules that any player returning a card which is more than three better than the bogey of liis course, automatically reducing his handicap to that figure immediately becomes apparent; were it otherwise, a score of this sort would operate to reduce the aggregate score of tHe club team to such an extent that even considerably better players, but on a short handicap, would be hopelessly prejudiced. It will be interesting to watch, should these reliandicapped players succeed in reaching a tie with another club, if under the penalty they will reproduce their former form, * * ♦ * The New Zealand championship meeting, which opens at Shirley next week, has naturally engrossed the attention of golfers throughout the country,. andl the chances of the various competitors are being freely canvassed. Prophecy has been defined ns "the most gratuitous form of error," and to venture a guess as to who will carry off the amateur and professional titles, would, in view of Quin's surprise victory last year, be, to say the least of it, risky. On known golfing form, however, Hie choice becomes fairly limifed amongst at most a dozen in the amateur and half Uuit number in the professional class.

The coveted open championship will draw such stalwarts amongst the amateurs as Arthur Duncan, Dr. Ross, J. L. Black, H. B. Lusk, E. McFarlane, and Quin, whilst among the second flight may be mentioned H. J. Drake, Conway, T. H. Horton, and C. Bidwill. McFarlane is a hard ngan to beat on his own links, and will certainly be a man to be reckoned with. • « • * *

Arthur Duncan and Ross, the lowest handicap men in the event, are, however, on their recent showing, the most likely candidates. Black has been playing exceedingly good golf lately, being consistently under 70 on a 73 bogey course. It is open to question, however, if his experience will enable him to reproduce this form away from home. Twenty-three professionals have entered for the event, Mclntosh's chance being most fancied. Shaw will undoubtedly be a serious competitor, and if playing up to form will give the Hutt man all he can manage, Moss and Hoed must also be seriously considered: but - here again it must he remembered that with the largo entry anything may happen. Previous to this the largest number of professionals entering for the event has been not more than a dozen, and amongst, the new men may be dark horses, whowill upset the prophets' calculations.