GOLF

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 49

GOLF

By

Divot.

The final of the Knock-out Competition of the St. Clair Club, which was played off between W. Clayton and F. Sherriff, was a good game, in which, the question of experience in match play played its usual important part. Sherriff was at first inclined to press in order to keen up with his long-driving opponent, and as invariably happens, he was unable to get even his customary length, whilst some of his shots were slightly off the line. After the sixth hole, however, Sherriff steadied down, and played up to form, and from there until the end the game was very even, Sherriff being, however, unable to make up the deficit which was the result of the first few holes. The first hole was won by Clayton in 4 (bogey), Sherriff being unable to make use of a handicap stroke. A half in 4 followed, and the long third was also halved. Clayton increased his lead by winning the fourth with a 4. Although stymied at the fifth, Sherriff Was able to attain a half in 4 by using a stroke. By winning the sixth. in 4 Clayton became 3 up, but Sherriff was beginning to play a better game, and he won the seventh in 4, without requiring to use his stroke. At the eighth both Clayton and Sherriff holed out in 5, but a stroke gave Sherriff the victory and left him 1 .down. Both were nicely on the green at the ninth with their tee shots, Sherriff being nearer the hole. Clayton holed a nice putt for a 2, but Sherriff failed to hole his for a half, and Clayton turned for home with a lead of two holes. Sherriff made a bold bid at the next, and was unlucky not to sink a long putt for a 4, the hole being halved. The eleventh was won by Clayton in 4, and the long twelfth resulted in a half in 6. The thirteenth and fourteenth holes were won by Clayton in 4 and 3 respectively, making him dormie 4. Sherriff made use of a stroke at the fifte'enth to keep the game alive, but the end came at the seventeenth, ■where, after both had sent good drives down the fairway, Sherriff put his second into a bunker and Clayton won the hole in 5, and the match 4 iup and 2. In match play Clayton has proved himself to be St. Clair’s leading player this year, having won the club championship, been runner-up in the Otago Championship, and won the Knock-out Competition, which carries with it the Paterson Cup. A flag match for the Marinoto Cup was played at Balmaceweu on Tuesday. Miss Cook was successful, and carried the flag to the eighteenth hole. The final of the Knock-out Competition for the Marie Theomin Cup was played between Mrs Barron and Mrs Carr. Both played good golf, and a close game ensued, Mrs Barron sinking a long putt on the seventeenth green to win the hole and the match 3 up and 1. The second and final round of an Eclectic Match was played by the St. Clair ladies’ on Tuesday. Mrs Paterson was the winner of the senior event, and Mrs Kindley won the junior competition. On Tuesday Mrs Kindley completed the round in 105, thereby qualifying for a reduction of her handicap by 2 strokes. Next Tuesday there will be a Medal Match (L.G.U.) at Corstorphine. Next year the British Open will be played at Carnoustie, abouts 20 mile north of St. Andrews. The course is 6680 yards in length, a*id there are over 300 bunkers. Describing the course, G. W. Greenwood, in the Daily Telegraph, writes: —

“ Though Carnoustie is practically the same length as Hoylake, it is scarcely comparable in playing qualities. For example, there is only one hole —the sixth, 563 yards—on the Scottish links where the player of championship class will be called upon to take a wooden club for his second shot; at all the others he will be aiming at the objective with some sort of iron club, principally a mashie. At Hoylake, there are half a dozen holes wlfere even players like Bobby Jones have recourse to brassies and spoons in the attempt to reach the green with their seconds. In tire event of a dry spell I dread to think what will happen at Carnoustie when the long hitters get seriously to work. The finish is feeble, whereas at Hoylake, St. Andrews, and Sandwich, the last stretch, demands - the best that a golfer can produce. It may not be without interest to golfers generally to reproduce tire card of the course, each hole of which, it will be noticed, is known

THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. A PARADE TO VICTORY. NEW YORK, September 27. Jones won the amateur title, defeating Gene Homans, 8 and 7, in a match that was far more spectacular than was the contest, which was a parade to victory. Jones, however, was not flawless. He was in sufficient trouble during the round to disprove the generally accepted theory that he is a machine and not human. Jones, by taking advantage of his opponent’s willingness, gradually built up a lead which became three holes at the fourth, eight at the sixteenth, .seven at

the eighteenth, nine at the twenty-second, and eight at the finish. Jones covered eighteen in 72, Homans requiring 80, and the final nine in 38, Homans 39. The par for the course is 70.

BOBBY JONES VICTORIOUS. NEW YORK, September 27. Bobby Jones defeated Eugene Homans, of Englewood (New Jersey), 8 up and 7, thus winning the United States amateur golf championship and completing an unparalleled grand slam of four major titles. He has won the British open and amateur championships and the American open arid amateur championships in the present year.

HAWKE’S BAY CHAMPIONSHIP.

DANNEVIRKE, September 24. The Southern Hawke’s Bay Ladies’ Golf final was won by Miss B. Gaisford (Marton), who defeated Mrs H. C. Collinson (Palmerston North) 6 and 5. In the Tahoraiti Handicap final Mrs Fowler (Dannevirke) beat Miss Craig (Takapau) 6 and 5.

MANAWATU TOURNAMENT. PALMERSTON N„ September 24. The Manawatu golf tourney was concluded to-day.

In the championship J. Goss (Wanganui) beat D. C. Collins (Wairarapa) on the twentieth green after a hard-fought contest.

In the Hokowhitu Handicap H. Bradmore (Waverley) beat E. W. Clark (Levin) 1 up.

OTAGO CLUB.

The Otago Golf Club commenced its annual competition for the club championship on the Balmacewen Links on Saturday afternoon. The weather conditions were good when the first players started, but rain set in early, and continued throughout the afternoon. The rounds of a number of competitors were very good considering the conditions, whilst several of the net scores were phenomenal. The leading gross scores are:—K. Rose 73. E. A. Reed 75, J. W. Trewern 75, S. L. Wilson 75, C. T. Irvine 76, L. H. Marshall 78, D. H. Butcher 79, J. L. Wight 79, T. D. Adams 80, G. C. Henderson 80, J. R. Laidlaw 80, N. G. Hay 81, J. Spence 81, J. R. Burt 82, J. G. Dick 82, E. W. Gibbs 82, J, W. M'lntosh 82. The trophy for the best net score on the first round was won by S. L. Wilson, who returned'a net score of 61, his gross score being bettered only by K. Ross. The leading net scores were:—S. L. Wilson 75—14—61, E. W. Gibbs 82—14—68, W. G. M'Clymont' 88—20—68, C. T. Irvine 76 —5—71, L. H. Marshall 78 —7 — 71, J. W. Trewern 75—4—71. ST. CLAIR CLUB. The St. Clair Golf Club’s Four-ball Bogey Match on Saturday was won by R. H. Rawlinson and R. Sherriff, whose score of 7 up was a good performance considering the unfavourable weather conditions. The following were the best cards returned:—R. H. Rawlinson and R. Sherriff 7 up, C. J. Wood and J. W. Mardon 2 up, W. Clayton and W. M'Kenzie 2 up. P T. Wren and K. Chalmer 2 up, E. H. Ferguson and O. L. Garden all square, G. M'Gregor and F. V. Drake I down, G. North and J. Fahey 1 down.

by a descriptive name. > No. Name. Yards. Par. 1. Cup 400 4 2. Gulley 432 4 3. Jockie’s Burn . 345 4 4. Hillocks 370 4 5. Brae 377 4 6. Long 563 5 7. Plantation .. 390 4 8. Short 150 3 9. Railway 425 4 Out 3452 36 10. South America . 400 4 11. Dyke . 370 4 12. Southward Ho 412 4 13. Spectacles 442 4 14. Lucky Slap . 415 4 15. Barryburn . 339 4 16. Island . 335 4 17. Ditches . 150 3 18. Home . 365 4 In .. . 3228 35 ■ — — ■ Out .. < 3452 36 Total . 6680 71