GOLF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23213, 10 June 1937, Page 4

GOLF

By Divot

FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY St. Clair —Third Round Knock-out Competition. Otago.—Teams Match, four-a-side. best net aggregate. The weather has been so wet this season that golf courses locally are scarcely playable, and only very little traffic on the greens and fairways is necessary to cause considerable harm. The conditions last week-end were quite impossible, and the pessimistic attitude of those responsible for the postponement of the match between the Otago and St. Clair Clubs was quite justified by the outcome. The prospect of the course being in suitable order for the coming week-end is not hopeful even if from now on the weather was of a drying nature, consequently the fixture has not been set down for this date. The teams match which is on the programme of the Otago Club for Saturday is an innovation to Dunedin, but it certainly has many attractive features which will no doubt tend to make it a very popular club fixture. There will be keen rivalry to see which of the customary week-end fours play the most outstanding golf on a handicap basis. We suspect that experience should count and will not be surprised if the winning four will comprise a majority of sincle-figure handicap murks Some British experts class Bobby Locke as the world's greatest amateur golfer. Certainly Locke has had a very successful career, and his recent double victory in South Africa, where he annexed both the Open and Amateur titles in no uncertain manner, would tend to give greater credence to this belief. In the Open, Locke had a margin of 11 strokes, his scores on the East London course being 72, 70, 71, 75—288. C. E, Olander, another amateur, filled second place with 299. S. Brews was not a contender, but even if the famous South African had been he would have been fully extended to keep the pace set by the brilliant young amateur. In the Amateur, Olander put up a good fight against Locke, and at luncheon was only 1 down. Locke, however, was obviously superior, and won by 4 and 3. In the British Amateur, Locke did not come up to expectations, but he will no doubt be competing again in the British Open. NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL The monthly meeting of the council of the New Zealand Golf Association was held in Wellington on Monday The following new clubs were elected members of the association:—Aorangi Golf Club, Mangatahi; Hapuku Golf Club, Kaikoura; Ohutu Golf Club, Raetihi; Oxford Golf Club, Oxford; Piopio Golf Club, Piopio; Purua Golf Club, Whangarei; Tauhoa Golf Club, Kaipara Flats; Waitahu Golf Club, Reefton In regard to the British amateur championship, members of the council commented upon the scanty news cabled out. and it was resolved to see whether anything can be done with regard to getting the newspapers to give reasonably full descriptions of important events in Britain. A report of tours arranged to date showed that good support was being accorded to association professionals, and it was resolved to advise clubs that there were still dates available in the latter portion of the season. A letter was received from an affiliated club, asking that the council should try to arrange for a professional to do a tour of its territory (in which there were a number of clubs) practically throughout the season, and it was resolved to look into the question of the number of clubs that would be affected and their membership, and see what steps could be taken in the direction indicated. In regard to the King George V Memorial Fund the secretary reported that the amount received up to Saturday last was £335 12s 6d, which included a first instalment of £79 6s, received from the New Zealand Ladies' Golf Union and collected by them from the ladies' clubs.—lt was decided to circularise a large number of clubs, which had not yet replied, telling them that the council was desirous of closing the list forthwith. An application for reinstatement as an amateur was before the council, but it was decided that the council must adhere to its definite rule, which is that it cannot consider an application for reinstatement until the expiration of three years from the date of the last act which would constitute professionalism. A letter was received from the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews indicating that for the future caddies who accepted cash prizes in caddies' or in other tournaments would thereby forfeit their amateur status. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club pointed out that in this definition there was no age limit fixed, as there was in clause 2 of the amateur definition, which clause dealt with caddying; this latter permitted participation up to the age of 18 years without affecting amateur status. The Otago and St. Clair Golf Clubs wrote advising that the following had, been nominated as the Advisory Committee for Otago:—Messrs J. R. Gallender, J. A. Scouler. and D. C. Bennie. The council resolved that these nominations be approved and that these men should act as the Advisorv Committee in Otago. Two letters were received from affiliated clubs, expressing warm appreciation of Mr W. H. Horton's services in connection with their clubs, and it was resolved to send copies of these to Research Greens Committee at Palmerston North. It was resolved to write to the secretary of the Internal Affairs Department, advising that the Council of the New Zealand Golf Association was prepared to co-operate with other sports bodies so far as was possible I in the formation of a National Sports Council. Standard scratch scores were allotted as follows: —Hanuku 66. Ikamatua 70. Karori 70. Kerikeri 68. Kimbolton 72, Piopio 71 Waikaremoana 72. Waipu 76. TOURNAMENT DATES Forthcoming tournaments, of which the New Zealand Council has received advice, are as under:— Methven Golf Club.—Open meeting for amateurs, July 11. Greymouth Golf Club—West Coast Championships, July 14, 15, and 16. Takapau Golf Club.—Annual tournament, July 22. 23, and 24. Ellesmere Golf Club—Open tournament. August 22. Hastings Golf Club—Annual tournament. August 26. 27, and 28. Poverty Bay Golf Club (Gisborne).— Annual' championship and handicap tournament. August 24. 25. and 26. Rotorua Golf Club—Rotorua open amateur handicap tournament. August 24. 25. 26, and 27. Rotorua Golf Club—Rotorua veterans tournament. August 30 and 61,

September 1,2, and 3. , Tautanga Golf Club.—Annual'Bay,'of Plenty open championship, August 28 and 29 Waikare Golf Club (Te KauwhajaV.— Lower Waikato amateur chattipionship tournament, August' 15. Waipawa Golf Club.—Annual tournament, August 7 and 8. Eltham Golf Club.—Annual tournament and Central Taranaki Championship, September 25, 26, and 27. Napier Golf Club—Hawke's Bay amateur championship tournament. September 7 to 10. New Zealand Championship Meeting. —Hamilton. September 30 to October 8. Ohaupo Golf Club.—Open tournament, September 26. Timaru Golf Club—South Canterbury open championship, September 25. 26, and 27. Waipukurau Golf Club.—Annual tournament. September 2.3, and 4. Wellsford Golf Club—Men's open • championship and handicap tournament, September 27. Wairoa Golf Club—Annual tournament. September 25. 26, and 27. Fitzroy Golf Club (New Plymouth).— North Taranaki championship and handicap tournament. October 23. 24. and 25. . Hutt Golf Club—Annual tournament. October 23, 24, and 25. Featherston Golf Club.—Annual tournament. October 23. 24, and 25. Manawatu Golf Club (Palmerston North).—Annual championship tournament. October 23 to 25. Maraenui Golf Club (Napier).—Annual tournament. October 23. 24, and 25. Seafield Golf Club (Waneanui).—Annual tournament. October 23. 25. and 26. BRITISH PROFESSIONALS Padgham does not yet appear to have found his putting touch. Last year when he was definitely the best of the British professionals, his putting was at times so deadly that to many his accuracy appeared to be sheer wizardy. Padgham lost touch in South Africa, and has not yet shown any appearance of regaining his lost ability In the meantime, Cotton appears to be playing as well and consistently as he has done at any time, and although he has not been outstandingly successful, he has produced good golf which took almost super golf to beat. Cotton has been well up in the running in all the major tournaments, and will probably constitute the mainstay of the British defence of the open tournament. Others who will be in the limelight are Mahon. Cox, Perry, and King. P. J. Mahon, the Irish professional, has clearly proved himself to be capable of golf of the most brilliant order