GOLF.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 64

GOLF.

NOTES BY BULGER.

Monthly competition (Bogey) next Saturday at Balmacewen. The match President v. Captain was played last Saturday at Balmacewen, and resulted in a victory for the President by the narrow margin of three games. There was an exceptionally large entry. The first qualifying round in connection with the* St. Clair Club's Championship was played on Saturday, and was remarkable for the poor cards returned, the day 'bein<* beautifully fine, although I believe the wind was a little troublesome up on the hill. Some of the best scores were: J. Forbes 82, W. H. Irvine 87, J. Fotheringham 89. J. Drake 89, and E. Denny 92. The second round will be played next Saturday, when the best 16 (on the two rounds) will play off for the championThe reputed hospitality of British golfers has been seriously impeached by an attack just made upon it by Mr W. J. Travis, the American player who gained the amateur championship at Sandwich in 190*. The woret- feature of this impeachment is that apparently for six years Mr Travis has been nursing his wrath against British golfers, and that now, for reasons which are but inadequately explained, he is constrained not only to decry our hospitality but our cood feeling as sportsmen. The ooniplaint~of Mr Travis is that all through the playing of tne amateur championship at Sandwich the atmosphere "had been markedly frigid," that he and his American friends could not "get any of the big men to play against as in. practice," that tbe American visitors at Sandwich "had to flock together inside and outside, and not a finger was lifted nor a single step taken by a soul to make us escape the uncomfortable feeling that we were pariahs." "Why," he exclaims in indignant tones, "I could not even get a looker," and' "my changing had to be dona in the common hallway and my clubs left in the professional's shop." He further complains that he could secure as a caddie only "a natural born idiot, and cross-eyed at that," scornfully winding up his indictment: against British golfers by declaring "I shall never compete in Great Britain again, for your golfers are such bad losers."

This is a comprehensive indictment against British golfers for their lack oE hospitable considerateness to visitors; and for their failure to observe the courtesies and traditional good feeling of fjportsmen. It was admitted at the time the amateur Championship was played in 1904 that Mr Travis and his American friends were not overwhelmed with hospitality or effusive ■wannth during their sojourn at Sandwich. Indeed, some of the British golfers who were there formally complained in letters that were published at the time that there was a prevalent disposition to "cold shoulder" Mr Travis and his friends, and praying that some more consideration should be shown to them as visitors. It was not easy, of course, for the outside goffer to understand the real cause of the smouldering feeling, but Mr Hilton. who was a player during the tournament, and one of those whom Mr Travis beat, gives a reasonable explanation for its existence. It is that Mr Travis gave him "'the impression that he had no desire to mix freely with the other competitors," that lie would not ever allow Mr Hilton "to stand him. a drink," and that it could not be said that Mr Tiavis "in any manner went >ut of his wav to' make himself while "hi* taciturn manner and nbnipt style of meeting any advances made to him caused people to be very chary of approaching him again. . . . He- wouid not allow men to understand him, and a man who is not understood cannot become popular." It is evident, indeed, from all the circumstances of that memorable Sandwich championship which Mr Travis won that there was in no quarter the slightest desire to boycott him or any of his American friends. The hand of frank hospitality was held out to him and them, but it was not taken. The British golfer is seen at his best in such a gathering as the championship. <ind no golfer present begrudged Mr Travis the honour that he gained. Everyone admired his powers as a. patter, and his shots were frequently applauded, a notable demonstration of warm congratulation and applause being forthcoining on the part of the spectators when Mr Travis won his hard match against Mr Horace Hutchinson at the sixteenth hole. When Mr Travis eventually won the final i -.gainst Mr Edward Blackwell, our longest driver, he was very heartily congratulated by air present, and he had to hold a sort of levee on his way back to the -rhibhouse. The prevalent feeling of frank admiration and welcome was also re-echoed in the felicitous speech delivered by Lord Northbourne on the lawn when presenting the cup and medals. Believing, 'moreover, that not so much was made of the American risitors as should have been the duty of British golfers, a number of the Sandvyich players invited Mr Travis and his American friends to dinner after the close of the championship, with the object of complimenting him on his victory. It was only because the arrangements of the American visitors tor 'eaving for home had been all completed, and could not be altered, that the dinner was not held. British golfers at Sandwich, therefore, ' did as much for the American visitors as time and their own inclinations would allow, and there stand his own \vords of confutation against his present attack in a letter written by Mr Travis himself after nis win, expressing his "keen appreciation of the warm sentiments displayed by personal friends, comparative strangers. and absolute strangers—but brothers all." The puerile nature of Mr Travis's charges may be seen iron? the tenor of them. Neither in golf nor in any other pastime is it the habit of the "big men" to devote their leisure time to practice with visitors, either from. America or elsewhere Why should they? Mr Travis was an entrant like the others, and ho had his own g-olfi.i-'- frencjs like the. others, and

each and all were &*, liberty to play with whom they could arrange a match. Golf is not such a serious business, even in the championship week, that the home contingent must feel themselves constrained to forgo the genial round with a friend "'>n single or foursome in order to devote their energies to hard practice with American visitors. There is more than enough of this hard practice in the subsequent matches- themselves, and golfers will feel that it is somewhat. of an idle charge to bring against them as being, a deficiency in courtesy. Neither will general credence be given to the charge that Mr Travis was compelled to change his .clothes in "the common hall.vay." If he means no more than that he changed hi? walking jacket for his playing jacket in the entrance hall, it is quite certain that h« only followed a habit largely practised here among all classes of players during the crowded days of a big tournament. But British golfers accept a clubhouse's limitation® of accommodation with practical good sense, and do not interpret the deficiency as a slight designedly east on their golfing dignity. The same holds good about the complaint that "I could not even get a locker." The lockers are provided for the members of a club, not for the visitors, strange as tt many seem to Mr Travis; and the authorities at Sandwich could not be reasonably expected to turn out the clubs of members in the lockers ever to oblige Mr Travis. That, too, is a circumstance at tournament times which is accepted by the British golfer with patient good sense, and is never made the occasion of unnecessary querulous complaint. The charge that Mr Travis was deliberately saddled with a caddie who was "a natural born, idiot, and cross-eyed at that," cannot be believed, even in America. Even golfers there must know that a player who is dissatisfied with his caddie has but to complain to the club authorities or to the caddie master to secure a orompt remedy. The palpable exaggeration of Mr Travis's charges against British golfers recoils upon himself. They do not prove that the players at Sandwich were in the least deficient in the honoured traditions of sportsmanship, but, at the worst, that they were a little stiff and punctilious. That, however, is a defect of our national character. —Field. The following were among the best cards handed in after Tuesday afternoon's competition for the Otago Ladies' Golf Clubs junior medal:

ST. CLAIF LADIES' GOLF CLUB. The following were the most successful competitors in the St. Clair Ladies Golf Clubs senior medal match, played on Wednesday afternoon —Mrs Gilray, gross score, 106. handicap 21, net 85; Miss Fotheriwgham, gross 96, handicap 7, net 89; Mrs M'Arthy, gross 99, handicap 10, net 89; Mrs. Gilray was also the winner of Mrs T. K. Sidey's trophy (a silver rose- bowl). OTAGO LADIES' GOLF CLUB. The following are the best scores in the Coronation Medal Handicap :

Gross. Hp. Net Miss Forbes . 103 29 n Miss Orbell . 112 30 82 Mrs Gilray ... .. 110 20 90 Miss F. Rattray.. . 120 25 95 Miss M. Sise. . 124 27 97 Mrs Finoh . 130 30 100 Miss Roberts . 112 11 101 Miss Douglass 127 25 102

G ross. Hep. Net Miss Gould ... 88 4 84 Mrs Roberts ... 107 22 85 Mrs Fergus ... 95 9 86 Miss M. Law ... 104 18 86 Miss Forbes ... ... 106 18 88 Mrs Gilray ... 108 20 88 Miss Denniston . . ... 108 19 89 Mrs Ward ...... ... 98 7 91 Miss Douglas ... 116 ' 25 91 Mrs Mackic ... 105 13 92 Miss V. Reynolds . . 109 17 92