GOLF

Otago Witness, Issue 3782, 7 September 1926, Page 56

GOLF

By

DIVOT.

The Otago Golf Club’s knock-out competition this year produced a meritorious victory for a young player, W. B. Reilly, who joined the club only a few months ago and who, because of his youth, was indulged with a perhaps too generous handicap. In the preliminary rounds he achieved rather handsome successes, and in the final he came up against Dr Ross, the club champion, who had to concede 10 strokes to him. The results of the final rounds in the club championship matches of the past three years would have suggested that Ross, in his best form, was canable of giving a shade over half a stroke a hole to a young player. In his match with Reilly, Ross put himself in a good position in the early stages, being three up after four holes had been played. Reilly had contributed to this by pujling two balls out of bounds at the third, exhibiting in this instance one of his weaknesses—that of occasionally hooking his tee shots. Ross did not, however, maintain his form. lie had a bad patch at the seventh, eighth, and ninth holes, and Reilly, aided by the handicap, wore him down and placed himself at the fifteenth in the happy position of being dormy. Reilly, though a new player at Balmacewen, has played on the municipal links at Belleknowes, and, when he has cured himself of various defects, should prove a highly useful member of his club. The annual tournament under the auspices of the Roxburgh Golf Club was thoroughly successful in all respects. The course at Roxburgh is undoubtedly tlie best of the country courses in Otago and Southland, and the surroundings generally are most attractive. The tournament was excellently run by the officials of the club, and the president (Dr Gilmour) and the secretary (Mr Sydney Robb) were unremitting in their attention to the convenience and comfort of the competitors. The weather conditions during the two days of the tournament were satisfactory, and the various events created the greatest interest and enthusiasm. The open championship was won for the second time by Geoffrey Henderson, of the Otago Golf Club, w’ith a satisfactory score, and the Goldfields championship was annexed by Sands, captain of the Roxburgh Club. The best gross score during the tournament was done by Dr Hunter, of the St. Clair Chib, with an excellent round of 79, which, with the deduction of his handicap of 10, made him winner of one of the handicap events. There is assured success for the future of the Roxburgh Golf Club. The bogey has been fixed at 69 by the council after submission to that body of the length of the course and some of its features. It is quite evident that a mistake has been made in- this respect and that, had the council authorities been aware of the difficulties of the course, apart from its length, the bogey would have been fixed at something like 75 or 76. One effect of a 69 bogey is that the local handicaps have been arranged on that basis, and the captain of the club is handicapped at 17, and others in a corresponding relation to the bogey score. It was obvious to visitors from other clubs that the play of the captain of the club indicates that his handicap should be from 10 to 12. Some of the greens are very difficult, and a player is reminded of the professor’s definition of the game as being one in which an attempt is made to put small balls in little holes with instruments ill adapted for the purpose. It can be safely said that for any Dunsdin players who require a change of scene and surroundings for their golf, a trip to Roxburgh and play on the links there would prove for them a very delightful outing. Two long-standing records of the Richmond Hill Club, Christchurch, were broken during the w-eek-end. The first, 77 tor 18 holes, w’as held by ,T. L. Lawrence, sen., for some years, and this was equalled by A . D * Lawren <*> jun., in the first qualifying round of the club championship. He followed this up w’ith a 76 in the second qualifying round, and subsei quently during the week-end turned in a 71, this being 11 strokes under bogey, which is 82. The best-ball four-ball record, which for a long time has stood at 70. was reduced to 68. The final of the senior and junior ladies’ and men’s golf championships were played at the Ashburton links on Saturday week last. In the final of the men’s seniors, D. Christie beat N. Pigou on the 37th green, and the ladies' senior championship was won by Miss Stew’art, who beat Mrs H. Sehlon, 3 np and 2. It may not be generally understood that those who intend to enter for the open or amateur championships at Miramar next month must af ply to the council of the Golf Association through their club secretary for a national handicap before September 15. This has to be complied with even though the competitor may have had a national handicap certificate last year, because, of course, players’ handicaps are always being altered by their clubs. During the year closed on July 31 seventeen clubs joined the New Zealand Golf Association, and three have resigned (two of the resignations being due to clubs having merged into a new club). The membership at the close of the year stood at 123, as against 109 last year and 101 the previous year. The total expenditure of the Golf Council for the year amounted to £995 0s sd, and the revenue from subscriptions and interest fllo9 7s 2d, showing a surplus for the year of £ll4 6s 9d. and bringing the accumulated fund at the close of the year to £370 Ys 3d. The reverfue in the current year will be reduced by £2OO to £3OO, but as against this an amendment of the rules which (vas passed at the last annual meeting will make about a dozen clubs liable to pay in respect of their lady members who were not liable under the rule as previously drawn up. The greens at St. Clair are undergoing a systematic overhaul in an attempt to eradicate the daisy which seems to have got a fairly firm hold during the winter months. After a few davs of treatment a marked difference is to be seen on the greens and when the gross takes root again they should have their usual summer coating. ST. CLAIR—SOME VIEWI—SOME LINKS t Fresh air! Give me fresh air Where the wind blows strong and free, With a bag of clubs out at St. Clair On the links overlooking the sea.

A magnificent view of sea and land At the end of a short hill climb. And one’s eyes traverse from the Nuggets to Mount Grand To revel in God’s works sublime. In the far distance the Islands and Heads Stand out on a clear, fine day Then closer the city and workshops spreads A mantle of smoke to the Bay. The Peninsula so green is a wonderful sight Rising up from the Flat to a peak And its rugged Pacific side is white With the lashing of waves as they beat. Pine Hill, Flagstaff, and away beyond As I sip at afternoon tea, The snow-capped peaks of the ranges 9hone Out white to the dark blue sea. As I drive to Pines from the top of the hill White Island stands out bold and clear. And I feel I could smite that wee pill To the Castle with the cliffs very near. No wonder that folks come and go again To this bright breezy spot with a smile And even if playing right off their game Never say that it’s not been worth while. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP. PERTH, September 2. The Western Australian open championship was won by E. Cassidy w’ith a score of 310. R. Forbes and W. Rees, the runners-up, tied with 315. PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. WANGANUI, September 2. An attractive championship for professional golfers will be staged at the Seafield Links, Wanganui, on October 25, 26, and 27, immediately following the national tournament at Miramar. The Wanganui Chronicle Newspaper Company has made a professional championship possible by offering £250 in prize money for the main event. LOCAL MATCHES. A medal match was played on the Bn!macewan links last week. The best scores were: Senior. —Mrs Callender, 97, 20—77; Mrs Cook, 86, 6—80; Miss O. Stevens, 92, 12—«0, Mrs Caffin, 99, 18—81; Miss D. Kyle, 100, 13 —B2; Mies M. Stevens, 92, 6—86; Mrs Dodgshun, 89, —B9. Junior.—Miss E. Hart, 115, 35—80; Mrs Jenkins, 117, 36—81; Mrs Milne, 109, 21 — 88; Miss Young, 116, 27—89. The St. Andrew’s Cross competition, played on Balmacewen Links on Saturday afternoon, was won by S. Wynne with a score of 2 up. The best scores were:— S. Wynne (8), 2 up; H. L. Cook (9), 1 up; J. S. Monro (4), all square; G. C. Henderson (6), all square.