GOLF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3040, 19 June 1912, Page 64

GOLF.

BY BIJLtiKR. Di' Ross and Basil Smith continue their fight for the Otago Club's championship on Saturday. It will be remembered that a fortnight ago they were all square at the thirty-seventh hole, when, darkness coming on, the match was postponed until tho 22nd iriiSfT. A round of 18 holes will be played to dt-oide who shall hold the honour. The St. Clair Club commences the first round of match play for its championship on Saturday next. The following qualified:

To bo stymied five times in a championship must surely be a record, yet this is what recently happened to Mj&s May I/oitch, one of the favourites for the English Ladies' Championship. Much has been said and written in favour of the abolition of the stymie, and this assuredly i 6 a very strong case in support of eliminating from golf this element of luck It is safe to assumethat those misfortunes meant that Miss Ecitch was, for practical purposes, conceding several strokes to her opponent, to say nothing of the ruffling of temperament. Although many of us would regret to hear of the abolition of the stymie, and although the skilful player can frequently loft over the opposing ball, still it must tx> admitted by any unprejudiced person that the stymie has but Jittle to recommend it, save that it has been handed down to us from antiquity. Speaking of stymies, one eminent golfer recently remarked that it was just about as reasonable to permit one player's ball to become- a hazard for an opponent to negotiate as it would to erect small apple dumpLine: mounds within a yard or so of the hole. Golf ifi not a game in which the skill of oho player is used in direct antagonism to the skill of another, as in boxing, football, etc., and in 99 cases out of 100 a stymie means an advantage accidentally gained. J. Braid played splendid golf in winning the qualifying competition for the Sphere and Tatler trophies at Punlev Downs with rounds of 75 and 72; total, 147. E. Ray was second with 74 arid 77—151 ; and Tom" Ball third with 76 and 76—152. The open champion, Harry Vardon, with round of 79 and 80 —151, was the last of the players to qualify. Golfers will regret to hear that the open ex champion, W. Park, was recently examined in bankruptcy at Edinburgh, when the statement of affairs showed a deficiency of £11,507. Park said he attributed

the deficiency to losses at Htmtercombe, where in 1900 ho invested £11,500 belonging to himself and his wife in a new golf course. The venture was unsuccessful, and tho mortgagees had stepped in and foreclosed Tom Ball, tho Itaynes Park professional, relates a curious case of foreboding of success in sport. On the first morning of the News of the World tournament at Walton Heath in 1909. Ball was waiting his turn to drive off in his fired match. As the golfer waited a lady unknown to him said: " Good morning. Ball. Are- you in good form?" "I think so, madam, thank you; but 1 shall bo able to tell you more when this match is over." With a confidence that impressed Ball very greatly the lady said: "Oh, you need not bother about this match. I shall follow you through the competition, and you will win it." Ball tells how, prior to every shot he took during that competition ho saw tho white knit-ted coat of his mascot, who was always up ready to see the line of the ball and the effect of the stroke. The lady had a foreboding that the Raynes Park professional would win, and the astounding thinpr about this victory was that throughout the tournament he was never a hole down to any opponent. In tho latter respect. Ball's 1909 victory must be nearly a record. The Otago Ladies' Golf Club played its senior medal competition on Tuesday. " The following are thj best cards handed in :

The Otago Ladies' Goif Club played its monthly Bogey competition on Friday. Tho following aro the best cards handed in: Hdcp. Miss K. Rattray 4 3 down Mra Mackio 9 7 down Miss D. Williams ...' 8 8 down ST. CLAIR GOLF CLUB. The monthly medal competition was played in conjunction with same. The following are the best cards handed in: Gold Medal Handicap.

A. Porter 105 22 83 GOLF IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, June 15. In the final for the New South Wales Professional Golf Championship Souter beat Lefovre, and in the final for the Amateur Championship Apperley beat Reading-. Souter won by 7 up with 5 to ■ play and Apperley by 6 up with 5 to jolay.

S o 8 3 a s£ 8 o 1 E. J. Drake 82 84 — 166 L. Jardine . ... 82 87 — 169 W. S. Ferguson . ... 88 94 — 182 D. M. Irvine . ... 90 94 — 184 A. Barron . ... 86 100 — 186 E; 'J. Hooking ... -.. . ... 94 94 — 188 W. D. MCurthy ... . 93 96 — 189 Dr Huntc/ , . ... 96 97 — 193 T. H. Glondining ... . 97 96 — 193 J. S. Monro . ... 92 102 — 194 R. Forsyth . ... 93 102 — 195 P. R. Fordham , ... 95 102 — 197 G. Astill , .. 97 100 — 197 A. J. Siso . ... 101 98 — 199 G. Gallaway . ... 94 106 — 200 J. H. C. Bond .. 104 97 — 201

Gross. Hop. Net Miss M. Law .. 104 20 84 Miss Graham . ... 107 19 88 Mrs Sargood . ... 102 12 90 Mrs Butter worth • ... 108 17 91 Miss Mill . ... 106 11 95

G ross. W Net E. J. Hooking ... 94 77 J. Drake , 84 6 78 D. M. Irvine 94 14 80 W. S. Ferguson ... . 94 13 81 Dr Hunter , 97 16 81 Silver Medal Handicap. A. J. Sdse 98 19 79 A. W. Wheeler 108 27 81 F. Leonard 110 27 83