To-Day's Big Golf Contest

NZ Truth, Issue 1035, 26 September 1925, Page 11

To-Day's Big Golf Contest

Players and Prospects Reviewed

: ' (By "Sammy.") To-day the struggle for the Open will be m its final stages, and some fine golfer will perhaps be struggling to hold his place; perhaps he will be playing a safe game to win the greatest honor of New Zealand golf. When E. & Douglas won his Open at Shirley he handed m cards of 70, 76, 83, 73—302. It seems fairly certain that with kind weather conditions that score would be too large to 'win this year. The event is to be much more open than it has been for many years past and there . are many who "like -their chances."

A,mong the amateurs there are several players with records worthy to win, and first of them all is Arthur Duncan. This great golfer is playing 1 as fine golf as ever he did, and his form at the meeting will be watched with interest. He has everything & champion should have. He has the shots, the experience, the temperament, but he is not so young as he was. THE GREAT COMPLIMENT. Arthur Duncan is always the golfer the professionals play against m the | open and that alone is the greatest compliment that could be paid to this brilliant exp6nent of the game. B. Wright is a youngster whose play will create keen interest. He has won open stroke and medal competitions, and is making his first appearance m the senior event of the year. To win the open may be a task beyond him, yet the task. of trying to do so should prove him. H. McFarlane, of Shirley, is talked about as a px*obable winner. It is not likely; \ He could not win at Easter and against' the larger field and ;rack golfers, his .■ play /will be at breaking point all through, ' and his swing will ?npt stand that. Jack Black^ is a dangerous medal player. His records m the Opens ire good, but Shirley as it is, demands the high pitch; \ Jack has a preference for the low ■unning shot which on Shirley m preBent condition is not a good stroke, so ■we drop the chance of J.L.B. I H. B Lusk, v H.'Horton and K. Tareha lare possibilities,'. but A.D.S.D. can hold' them all safe and will be the most likely amateur to>win. , . The turn dut^of professionals is wonderful ''Practically eyery pro. m the country .will'; be at r Shirley, J andall the arrivals to date are full of praise for the course. ; ' THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. I Moss, the open champion, knows the Ishhiey course, and at last open here Ihe finished second to Douglas with ■31, 78, 76, 76 — 311. That score won't K>e much use from a < winning point ftf view this year. I Moss has had health worries H lately, but that has not injured B his game, as he is playing well. Bshirloy is a vastly different course H> Middlemore,, and that difference Hay make the play of. the champion Hot so perfect as last year. B He will not have the advantage of Bnowing the course sstq t perfectly as- he ■id last year and the greens of Shirley Ire certain to be much better than Bhey were twelve months ago. Moss Bill not have such an easy passage ■his week-end. He will have to put up ■creat scores to win and there is just ■he possibility he is not fit enough to Bo them. I F. Hood always can, be relied upon ■to play himself • into form at such a (meeting. I He has had winning chances before land threw them away. If you cannot ■hold what you have m golf you go ■down. I H. Blair the local pro. has been I playing excellent golf and knows I the course well and a . win for I Harry would be exceedingly popuI lar. Trying too hard may upset I the game of the local professor. ' I If he, just plays a steady game his ■knowledge of the course would make Ihim dangerous. ' ; B A. J. Shaw has disappointed so, often Bthat one really . cannot treat his form «s consistent. ■ His length would make the course Basy, yet he does not seem to take Bhat advantage and his short work alBvays fails him.,, B J.. A. Clements has been showing Hood form, but a tendency to hook off Hhe tee may trouble the Hagley pro* B CAN CLEMENTS DO IT? B He has every chance this week if he Han rise to the occasion to win another H>pen, but lack of play «iay crack him Hip m the end. B L. Ross the Council pro plays a ■came similar to the method of Moss |Knd a course of coaching as he has jftone this season would not be conductHive to good golf. B His play shows that he would be exBieedingly straight and it is hoped he Hnakes a good entry into New Zealand ■competitive golf. B F. Branch another new-comer H hits a ball a wonderful distance, B but he seems just to try to hit B every ball as far as he can and the H chap who does that does not win.

Still, he may employ different .methods m competition, as will be seen when the final scores are up. The majority of the other pros, have all been too busy coaching or club — making to be really reckoned with. Jack Mclntosh is the golfer who is> -expected to win the Open Championship this yeai*. There is always a reason, for selecting one man before all ' other's m such a competition. - , The writer saw Mclntosh play, his first competition iru New Zealand at Nelson and summed' him up as a golfer, who with a bit of experience would equal E. S. Douglas — the finest golfer New Zealand ever had. His one fault then was green work. That has been overcome and' to-day Mclntosh is fit and well and confident to play the golf of his life. He will do so. At Middlemore faulty green work cost him . a previous Open. The local knowledge then was worth two strokes a round to Moss* as it proved. Yet had Mclntosh putted as well as Moss did, Mac would have won by strokes. To-day he is hitting the ball on the greens with a beautiful touch. He never looks like missing a putt. With that fine free swing, m which the head follows the club round m the up swing, he is hitting the ball further than any player the writer .has seen m practice at Shirley. For instance against wind he was only a few yards short of the ditch at the second. That is a mighty wallop, and what is more he always looks as if he is going to hit them straight. With this great length he is going to make the course easy and will be using a mashie whilst others are on woods and mid-irons. ■ CAN PLAY A. MASHIE. '■ He can play a mashie and that \ means he is going to be putting for threes at a whole lot of holes and he is putting well, so you just know what's going to happen. His win at Heretaunga where he handed m- scores of 79, 72, 73, 70; is fighting Ted Douglas all over again, and with that wonderful temperament of his, this year J. Mclntosh should win the Open Championship.