GOLF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23647, 3 November 1938, Page 5

GOLF

By Divot

BT. CLAIR TITLES A. Lawrence's First Win A, Lawrence won bis first St. Clair Club Championship over the weekend, and had to play some very good golf under difficult conditions to do so. He had a hard battle in the semi-final against D. C. Bennie, whom he beat 2 up by virtue of a grand stand finish. W. W. Clayton met C. B. Wight' in the other half, and came through to £lay Lawrence by winning 1 up. awrence and Clayton were both round in 76 in their game, cards which were good considering that the weather was so boisterous. i The golf in the final, played in a high wind and unfavourable overhead conditions, was of a high standard. Lawrence finished the morning round 3 up, and held his position in the afternoon, to win 3 and 2. The golf in the morning was steady rather than brilliant, but both players had purple patches in the afternoon. Lawrence began the second round with a birdie 4 against Clayton's 5, the latter finding trouble with his drive. He found the green at Spion Kop_ with his drive, however, and Lawrence had to sink a 20-footer for a half in regulation 3's. 'Cliff was halved in correct 4s, and Lawrence carded another birdie at The Valley, where he ssnk another long putt. Porridge Pot was halved, neither player finding the green with his tee snot, but Clayton won the long sixth; He had another win at Sea Vjew With a correct 4, and ran down a ' long putt at Centre to win with a birdie 4 and leave Lawrence 2 up. Both players were out in 39.

Lawrence's lead was reduced to 1 up after Midway, where Clayton sank another long putt for a birdie 4. There were two long drives at Boundary, and Lawrence found the green with his "second, Clayton was short, but narrowly missed his putt for a half in 4. Furthest South was correctly played into the strong head wind and halved in s's.. Clayton's drive at The Ridge found heavy rough, but he recovered well, Lawrence hit a beautiful drive, but. chipped through the green. He holed his return chip, though, and a birdie 3 was a win. Gums was halved, and the match was over at the long sixteenth. Both hit good drives, and Clayton's second stopped below the left of. the green, while Lawrence was short on the face

of the hill. Both Shipped on and Clayton had to hole his putt to keep the game alive. He missed, the ball running round the edge of the cup, and Lawrence holed out for a half and to become the 1938 champion. This was his first, win in the Club Championsjuji, but Clayton has held the title on three occasions. The Junior Championnhip was also decided over the week-end, and E. W, Bolwell went on from a good win in the-semi-final, when he accounted for A. G. Bayliss 4 and 2, to a 4 and 3 win in the final against G. A. Terapletpn. Both players found it difficult to play their best golf under the conditions, and Bolwell was the steadier, The Intermediate final has still to be played. A. B. Watt scored a comfortable win against W. N. Satterthwaite in the semi-final, and now meets E. N. Elder in the final. OTAGO CLUB TITLE W. G. Wight Eunner-up for Fifth Time The fates seem to have decreed that W. G. Wight is not to add the Otago Club's championship to his list of successes. His »natch against T. C. Tyrrell last Saturday was his fifth final, but after finishing the morning round 2 up, lie lost some, of his customary accuracy over the second half, and had an odd spot of bad luck, with the result that Tyrrell retained his title 2 and 1. Conditions were anything but pleasant or easy, although the course was in great order, and the greens a treat. The match has been sufficiently described. Wight had his opportunity, but lost something of his touch at the crucial stage, and had the misfortune of a series of bad lies, and Tyrrell's greater consistency .'earned him a win on merit. Still, Wight's record of five times runner-up without a win is something unusual. ■ C. W. Glover rounded off a good performance in the Intermediate Cup Competition by beating E. F. Barr 1 Up, but A. McMillan did not extend A. W. Barnett in the Balmacewen Cup The Otago Club entertained a team from the Invercargill Club over the week-end. The visitors were not at full strength, and the home representa- ■ tives had a margin of five matches at the end of the day. It was a pleasant day, despite conditions that were v not very.favourable. The Invercargill players had many nice things to say about the condition of the course. CHISHOLM PARK CHRISTENED The distinction of scoring the first hole in 1 at Chisholm Park has fallen to L. Wright. The fourth, of 174 yards, was the chosen hole, and it was a popular feat by a popular player A NOTABLE VETERAN Mr Walter Blackwell, the 74-year-old golfing veteran, died at St. Andrews on September 14, four days after contesting the final of the Jubilee Vase of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews. Mr Blackwell was taken ill during the competition, but refused to withdraw. In the semi-final he defeated a man half a century his junior, Mr J. T. Blackwell, a Londoner, who was not related to him. He put up a -great struggle next day in the final, when he was defeated 4 and 2 by Mr A. L. McEwan, of St. Andrews, who is in his twenties. None of the crowd who watched him realised he had a temperature of more than 100. Mr ' Blackwell was removed to a nursing home suffering from double pneumonia. MURRAY'S GREAT FORM The Auckland professional golfer and 3 ormer Dominion open champion, A. . Murray, was responsible Sor anotfce*

fine effort at the Titirangi links last Saturday, when he broke the course record by four strokes. He went round in 65. The previous record, 69, was held by B. G. Thomson, of the Auckland Golf Club. Playing a remarkable first nine holes he required only 31 against the scratch score of 37. His card was, bogey figures being given in parentheses:— 3 (4), 3 (4), 4 (5), 3 (3), 4 (5), 4 (5), 3 (3), 3 (4), 4 (4). Murray came home in 34, against the bogey figures of 37. His card was:— 4 (4), 3 (3), 5 (5), 4 (5), 3 (3), 3 (4), 4 (4), 4 (5), 4 (4). Playing in a friendly four-ball match

at the Fupuke Golf Club's links last Thursday Murray lowered the course record by five strokes. His form recently suggests that his presence at the New Zealand championship tournament is going to be very noticeable indeed. LOCKE IN AUSTRALIA Lessons Given and Received The visit of A. D. (Bobby) Australia was most acceptable, for, according to "H.W.S." in the Sydney Mail, he taught much and in turn benefited from some of the lessons given him by local players. "Australians did not see the real Locke, in my opinion, simply because it is impossible for any man, young and old, particularly young, to race over the country, and day after day play on different types of courses and greens, without in some way having his game thrown out of gear, 'he writes. " But those who followed him closely were convinced that he is really a very fine player, though in some respects lacking the all-round skill of some of our famous visitors of the past. "Locke's strength was unquestionably his amazing accuracy. The writer had the privilege of seeing Locke in most of his exhibitions and matches in this country, and was struck by the small number of bunkers in which the South African found himself. No player has ever been, more accurate or hit-the ball with such energy-saving ease. "From the tees and through the greens Locke rarely deviated from the fairways. On the occasions that he did, he brought off shots that were spectacular and brilliant, revealing his masterly shotmaking ability. Sydney galleries got a glimpse of this n his memorable match with J. Ferrier at Manly when they were playing the thirty-first hole in the afternoon. He had slightly hooked a ball near a tree, and had to play a long shot with draw to the green. There were other shots, too, that revealed his skill. Short Game " British critics have the .highest regard for Locke as a player, one and all pointing out his wonderful short game, He has been described as the best putter in the world. He did not show that here, and could not be compared to J. Ferrier, D. J. Davies, H. L. Williams, or T. S. McKay. But perhaps it is not fair to judge him on his efforts here. He had played different greens every day during his tour, and in addition was tired mentally and physically by his travelling, matches and lectures. , • , . "We, of course, are comparing him with the four best amateur putters in Australia, but we must not forget that we have never seen them on different greens day after day. Our estimates of their skill have been made on greens on which they had practised for perhaps a week before. Give Locke the same opportunities and I am convinced that we would have seen a great putter, though not one with the thistledown touch of the old master. Walter Hagen. fi . . "Locke's chips and pitches were not nearly as deadly as they should have been if he is world's championship class. But British critics rate him very high in this department, and here again. I am sure, the best Locke was not on view. His victories over Cotton and Padgham are too recent to remind us that he must be well equipped in this department. Ferrier himself has referred to Locke s great skill in chipping and Putting.- Ferrier saw him in England, but out here Locke's short game certainly lacked consistency. Some days he amazed by nis sense of strength. Other times he disappointed even long-markers. Achilles Heel "But the South African's bunker play was definitely weak, and them were times when he seemed torn between two desires—to chip or to explode—with the result, that too often the shot lacked decisiveness, with disastrous results. Lockes .mends point out that when in form he is never in bunkers, and that is the reason for his weakness in them. "Unless the South African idds sound bunker play to his armament he can never hope to be regarded as a versatile player or one capable of following in the footsteps of Hagen, Sarazen, and Co. For your champion is armed at all points. Locke, due to his accuracy, has an Achilles heel-weak bunker play—and perhaps he would have been an even greater player if he spent more time in bunkers and learnt how to get down in two shots instead of the three he generally needs now . "That is the lesson that the Australian players can teach Locke. They give him all the credit and praise for Bis wonderful long game and his long irons They are willing to concede him points for his putting knowing that he has scored too well at times for him to be a weak putter. But as bunker-players Ferrier and von Nida could give him strokes every round and still bea* him, thanks to the lessons taught by Gene Sarazen. Whiteombes tor Golf.*