NOTES BY BULGER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 36

NOTES BY BULGER.

The New Year tournament held under Ihe auspices _of*the Otago Club has, since its inception, been an unqualified success, and I majr safely say that this year's competitions have quite held their own with -their predecessors. The entries^rere much larger and the competition as keen, but the Veather, although fine, was very windy, which accounted for some very inconsistent rounds on the part of the scratch men. The course was in excellent order, the greens especially being perfect, although the abnormal growth in some places caused endless trouble to the player who got oft the line. The management was above reproach, and the genial .secretary, Mr Crawford., is to be congratulated on the efficient manner in which he carried out his arduous duties. No matter how busy he was, he was always ready and willing to answer any -question and help any stranger in of . local knowledge. He has the -happy knack of managing things without -the 'slightest -friction, as no matter how busy he was. and anyone was seeking information, they felt that they were not infringing, simply by the courteous manner in which, their .wants were supplied. The ".▼isitora were loud in their praise of everything' connected with the tournament, and on the last day it was no uncommon thing ■So hear all round one: "Well, we have -had. a good time! I wish this was the ■first day instead of the last." The tournament commenced on Monday afternoon, when a Bogey handicap was flayed, 85 competitors taking part, including visitors from Wanganui, Hawera, Wellington, Christchurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Invercargfil, Balclutha, Clyde, and Alexandra. In this -event Alick Roberts, with a score of 4 iro on Bogey, was easily first. This was an excellent^ performance, his actual strobes for the Tound being 78, made up as iollows: — N 0ut— 453544545 (39); in— 454664343 (89). and equas the record for the course which -he himself created in last year's BruntsfieW medal competition. H. D. Stronach and W. 43.. MacGregor tied for* second place ■with, -2 up, and in the play-off— decided on the best score in the second Bogey handicap— Stronach won. By the way, Stronach was one of the most consistent players at the meeting. The second Bogey handicap was responsible for another good score, W. T. D. Harman, of Christchurch, ■who 'played off with Gollan for the Zealand Championship in. 1906, finishing 4 — the Colonel, and -doing the round "^liowing jg-re particulars of his ,41544 (38), in— 464554453 (40), 78. not lose one hole _in the To_.^i. He was unfortunate in tieing with f a long-handicap man in" Park, ' a young "playerj who has come on remarkably the ' last^T few - months. - Other player* who "finished close up were E. W., Oardate (3 op|--and -C. G. Scolon (2 up), H. D. Stronach and J." A. Gow (1 up). -The tie in this, --event was decided on the net score 'in the first round- of the championship. -.Everything lieing in "Park's favour, he won easily, Harman falling away and taking • 98 Go do the round, whereas Park did it in --97 The first round of the championship saw -Roberts and Bias at the head of the list "with 83 each; Hamilton Smith Jiext with 85, and his brother (the holder of the championship) only 1' stroke behind. Roberts had Dut up such ari excellent"' score in the "first Bogey handicap" that he was tW popular pick for the -final, although the Smiths were nlways .considered danger-ous.-"MacEwan, who is always reckoned a hard man to beat in any event, was right out of form, and spoilt whatever -chance .he had by doing a round of 105. - In the second round Roberts still main--taiced his lead for the championship by an 82. He played with W. W. Hyslop, a young player from Scotland, who was - one of the early tips for the championship. This .must have been an excellent game,"' as the cards handed in were: Roberts, €2; Hyslop, 83. Salmon did the best Tound (80), but having taken 91 in :the first round was not reckoned to have "a chance. The two Smiths — Hamilton and Basil— were still in. ft with S5 and 86 respectively, repeating their scores in the - first round. The thkd round saw Roberts fall away •slightly, the T-ound taking him 88, while Hamilton Smith, with an 83, drew level Sith him, and Basil Smith, with 82, was only one stroke behind these two. -The fourth and final round was played T>n Thursday morning, when the ' weather was. airy thing but .favourable, a strong sou.west gale blowing. __ It was predicted by --those who were "supposed to. be judges that none of the leading men would break 90. "As it £urned out, .they .were right in -their prediction as regarded all but the .young Otago player, Hamilton Smith. He started out equal with Roberts and only ri stroke ahead of hie brother, a player note, and one who woiild be likely to <core under adverse conditions such as prevailed ;- but, daunted, _ he. drove : off with confidence, and playing every shot ' \%ith care and accuracy finished a brilliant round-in 81. His card read: -_ Out^-654554644 (43), in— 554653343 (38), 81. -To anyone who ,was not on. the spot this ■ ccore -may,, not- appear, anything to enthuse " over, -but who played under jfche same' conditions will say thair it ' was one of the best performances ever put up in the Dominion. Some of New Zealand's -best" players were present at the meeting and the next best score on the day was -92, so that is evidence In itself that the "conditions' could not have been. ,of the "best. _JJamilton Smith is the young player who created such a good impression at the last New Zealand Championship meeting, when he played Duncan in tne "semi-final, and put up such a good "fight against the redoubtable . Wellington player. He was runner-up to his brother Basil for, the laat Otago Championship. Until the final round lie was not considered in the hunt, 'but "Oomjng in with a .card of 78 he jumped Into second place, and shares with Roberts §ie honour of holding ' the record f 6t the nks. Although .ousted 'from his position -as . champion, • Basil Smith is to B§ congratulated on his consistent rounds* &$ owing to a strained shoulder he has riot been able to' get the practice necessary . for a championship contest. H. Salmon.! 80 in the second round of the championship was the best gross score at the meet .Ing, and he was unfortunate in being beaten for the medal handicap by a big handicap . man. , Not the least; enjoyable day of the tour- ,

nament was Saturday, afternoon, -wfeen the T Mixed Foursome Handicap was held. There was a large entry, and as the day was perfect the general verdict was that it was one of the most successful competitions of its kind held by the olub. The winners turned up in Miss Campbell and Mr Fryer, of Chrislchnreh, who finished 7 up on the " Colonel." The writer was greatly impressed with the play of Miss Fothenngham, of St. Olair; who, with her brother, finished second, being 5 up on Bogey. She had never played on the links previous to this match, and showed by her driving and putting that with a little more practice and experience she will be hard to beat in any match in. which she competes. < She has a fine free style, and drives a ball that would not disgrace any man. • An innovation much appreciated by members of^ the Otago Club is the 6-hole putting green laid down in, front of the club house. During the tournament cards were issued for a putting competition over 18 holes, and after the rounds each day the green was crowded almost until it was too dark to see. This is a move in the right direction, -and Mr Cnpps, who, i believe, was responsible for it 3 inception, must feel amply repaid for his forethought by the evident popularity of the new green. , The ladies' tournament comenced after , the men's tournament had concluded^ and was a success in every way. . This is the first year a ladies' tournament has been held at New Year. The weather was ali that could be desired, and everything was favourable to a successful meeting. Miss K. Rattray won the Championship of Otaeo ■ with an aggregate score for the two rounds of 199, Miss Scott and Miss Wilson (Christchurch) being equal for second place with 204. In the play-off for second honours Mis 3 Scott prevailed, doing the round in 102, as against Miss Wilson's 111. The scores are exceedingly good when one j takes into consideration the fact that th<i competitors were playing almost the same round "as the men— the only difference being that six of the tees were a few yards in advance of those used by the men. Nearly half a million .golf balls are required each week to supply the" needs of devotees of this game in Britain alone. In these biographical days, it is not surprising to learn that there has been published a "Life" of Old Tom Morris, probably the greatest golfer the world has known. He started life as an apprentice to Allan Robertson, who was for many years Scotland's champion golfer, and one of the greatest figures the ancient pastime has prodhioed. "Old Tom" played golf for nearly 80 years. He was custodian of the Prestwick links for 14 years, and year after year there he engaged in. great struggles with Robertson, Willie Dunn, and Willie Park- The* last-named was his' greatest lival. .As time went on the rivalry between the champions became more acute, and Olympian tussles for £100 a-side served only to. cause the loser to determine to fight it out", again as early as may be. When" Tom went back to St. Andrews in 1863 to take charge of the links, the struggles between. Park and himself became a fight for civic superiority between Musselburgh and the little Fife town; and local feeling reached a temperature never chronicled even in the rivalries between Liverpool and Manchester. In one of the famous Morris versus Park fights it was urged that a magistrate should be asked to attend for the ■purpose of reading the Riot Act if necessary.