GOLF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3614, 19 June 1923, Page 45

GOLF.

By

Divot.

An acknowledgment of error of judgment on my part seems to be called for. It was indicated more than once in these notes that nobody had a chance against G. I>Wight for the ohampionship of the &t. Glair Club. But C. B. has had to strike his colours and surrender his title to his brother 3V. G. It must be admitted that golf has its uncertainties as well as cricket, but all past performances justified the conclusion that C. B. would easily retain the championship, and most local golfers will not easily be persuaded that the result of the final at St. Clair would be repeated if the match had to be played over again. This is, however, the second occasion on which W. G. has carried off championship honours, for he won the Inverness (Scotland) championship in 1912. During the play in the £ICOO tournament at St. Annes on May 2 a curious experience befell Aubrey Boomer the French champion. At the eighth hole he hit a mashie shot, and the ball struck a bank a few yards in front and went straight up m the air. Boomer looked round to see where it had dropped, when a spectator said “It’s iii your pocket.” There Boomer found it There is precedent for Boomer’s freak. On one occasion at St. Andrews, Horace Hutchison’s ball landed on the shoulder of R. Kirk, the secretary of St. Andrews Golf Club, and lodged in his breast pocket. In a match at the Cassiobury Park course of the West Herts Club, one of the players made a drive from the tee on a misty day and no one could tell where the ball went-. After prolonged searoh in all directions, it was discovered in the “turn-up” of one of the legs of the player’s trousers. lie had carried it in this position from the tee to the hole. . Arthur Duncan is a prince of mashie players, and (writes “Niblick in the Dominion) it was with the mashie that A. Ekstedt (Manawatu) won his first victory over New Zealand’s foremost player. It was by a brilliant spurt at the business end of 33344 that Ekstedt outplayed the Wellington champion. Born at Stockholm 32 years ago Ekstedt learned his golf in Palmerston North. He is one of those who believes that if a game is worth playing it is worth playing well, and he has gone on perfecting his play until to-day ho handles all his clubs with consummate skill. When the Great Wax broke out, Ekstedt answered the call, and was so seriously wounded at the front that golf was qut of tlie question for some time. He is, however, all right again now, and will have to be seriously reckoned with at big tournaments in the future. Ekstedt drives a very long ball, which Duncan ascribes to the length of his arms. NEW AMERICAN CLUBS. LONDON, June 10. The golf governing body has declared that the new clubs with holes punched in their faces to give ‘stop” action to the balls, used by the Americans in their practice play for the forthcoming open championships at Troon, are illegal. The executive’s official statement declares that clubs which are of corrugated or grooved or slotted patterns constitute a substantial departure from tho traditionally accepted form; therefore the executive will make them not permissible for competitions under the rules' of the Royal and Ancient Club. The American golf competitors are of opinion that the ruling docs not involve their clubs being scrapped. As it prohibits jagged ©dge3 the faces of their clubs will be filed smooth. It will not affect their chances, particularly as the Troon greens need the "runup” approach rather than the lofted approach, played with "cut” or “stop.”—A and N.Z. Cable.

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT TROON. LONDON, June 14, The firs. two rounds of the Open Golf Championship at Troon were played in imo weather. Tits best scores were: E. R. Whitcombe, a young Bath professional, first round 70 (a record for the course), and second round 76; A. G. Havers (West Lancashire), two 73’s; W. Hairtn (America) 147, G. Lockhart (Gleneagles) 149, Hon. M. Scott 150, J. H. Kirkwood, Walton, and Fernie 151. June 15. The third round of the golf open championship was played in dull but fine weather. The round produced seme amazing plav and resolved itself into a fierce fight between Havers and Whitcombe (young English professionals), Hagen, M'Donald, and Smith (Americans), and Kirkwood (Australia). The last two jumped to the head of the list, both having marvellous record-breaking rounds of 69. Kirkwood's play from the seventh to th« fourteenth holes was phenomenal, hie iron and mashie shots being so deadly accurate that he had nothing to do on the r ’■ -M-n. He took only 33 for Ihe last nine holes—the most, wonderful golf for the third round of a gruelling, anxious championship on link* like the Troon old course. The scores at the end of the round were: Havers 219, Whitcombo 220, Kirkwood 220, Hagen 221. M’Donald 222, Smith 222. The following was tho final result: A- G. Havers (West Lancashire) 205 W. Hagen (United States) .. 296 M'Donald (.United States) .. .. 297 Smith (United States) 297 J. H. Kirkwood (Australia) .. 296 (? 298) Jjjne 16. Havers is only 25. He is the son of • steward of the Royal Norwich Golf Club, and served for three years with the Air borer during the war. He recently succeeded Beard oe a professional at Coombe Hill. The chief scores in the third and fourth rounds were: Havers 295, Hagen -296, M'Donald and Smith 297, Kirkwood 208, Ferni* and Whitcombe 302, Mitchell 303. K'lkvvood played brilliantly up to the 131 li hole, and looked like winning, then ho unaccountably went to pieces. THE NATIONAL HANDICAP. WELLINGTON, June 12. Two important decisions were reached by file New - Zealand Golf Council last eveniugIt was resolved to follow the English example, and institute a national handicap in the dominion, applying particularly to player* likely to compete in championships. It ia unlikely that the lowest handicap will be below 2, so that the handicaps will be on the same basis as those of British players. Arthur Duncan, who is about the lov.ost handicap player in New Zealand, played level in England with players who are now handicapped 1 or 2 in Britisli handicaps, and this gives an indication enabling British and local handicaps to conform. The council also decided to ask clubs to support its finances, with a view to assisting professionals by an annual tournament, it was thought that it might be advisable for the council io employ one or two professionals, who would be available to clubs now without professionals.