GOLF.

Southland Times, Issue 20664, 20 April 1929, Page 18

GOLF.

(By

“Cleek.”)

April 26-27 —Britain v. America. Ryder Cup international (professional) at Moortown, Leeds. May 6 —British Open Championship, Muirfield. May 13 —British Ladies’ Championship, St. Andrews. May 27 —British Amateur Championship, Royal St. George’s, Sandwich. June 27 —American Open Championship, Winged Foot, N.Y. Sept. 2 —American Amateur Championship, Pebble Beach, California. Sept. 30—American Ladies’ Championship, Oakland Hills, Michigan.

Playing members of the Invercargill Club get to serious business at Otatara to-day, when the contests for the club's championship, senior and junior, begin with the first qualifying rounds. The opening ringer match played by the Queen’s Park ladies on Monday resulted in a win for Mrs Ford, who returned a score of 117—36—81. Mrs McCallum 121 —36— 85 was the nearest competitor. Although J. McCreary was (he winner of the flag match player! on the Park on Saturday three other seniors were handy, being either on or close to the same green.

With regard to the venue of the next New- Zealand open and amateur championships, the New Zealand Golf Association’s professional, J. Lambie, will inspect the Belmont course at Wanganui early next month and a final selection will be male at the next association meeting on May 6. Christchurch plays Wellington for the Tuson Cup at Heretaunga next Saturday. Though Christchurch will not have the assistance of either the club champion, L. H. Campbell, or Donald Grant, it should be able to put a team in the field with a good chance of winning. The light showers of rain which fell early on the afternoon of Saturday and Wednesday last were of slight duration and did not inconvenience to any great extent the Queen’s Park Chib members taking part in a flag match on those days. J. McCreary set his fellow seniors a severe task by planting the flag in the hole on the 19th green. This was the best performance amongst the Saturday players and was not bettered by the Wednesday men. Among the juniors S. A. C. Darby went one better, finishing about three feet from the 20th pin. last week a trial of a Fordson tractor, of a later model than that in v:c at Otatara, was held on the Park with a view to possible purchase. The machine met all the demands made upon it and subsequently a purchase was effected, delivery to be taken early next. week. The fairways on the Park are in good order even now-; with the tractor in use they will get even better attention. The members of the club should congratulate themselves on having an executive committee with the courage to embark on such a heavy expenditure in the interests of the club generally. The Deputy-Captain (Mr. Eustace Russell) of the Invercargill Club "sparkled” once or twice to some purpose in his match with J. E. Cuthill in the teams match at Otatara last Saturday. Mr. Russell got rather an indifferent drive at. Dunn's Road but banged a spoon shot up to within three or four yards of the pin and holed the putt for a “birdie.” At the Club House he again played rather a j>oor shot, from the tee but, followed up with a peach of an iron which dropped on the green and ran true (o the cup for an "eagle” 2. At both holes Mr. Cuthill got. regulation fours in a proper and decent way, but. they were of no use to him. Per contra, Cuthill hit. two great shots up to the Eastward Ho green and was down in 4, and followed up with another “birdie” at East Neuk. Russell’s score, for the round was 76, a good effort, and he won his match on the last two holes.

The teams match, Captain v. DeputyCaptain, at Otatara last Saturday was a great success, no less than fifty players turning out at short notice. Of the twenty-five matches twelve were won by the Captain’s side, ten by the Deptuy-Cap-tain’s, and three were halved. Counting by holes the games were very even, each side claiming 33. The Captain and Deputy are to be congratulated on the way in which the sides were arranged and handicapped and the event organized and carried through. After the game over forty of the players sat. down to an excellent dinner in the Club House, the losers acting as hosts to their conquerors. The toast of the winners was proposed by Mr. E. Russell, skipper of the losing side, and he took the opportunity of commenting upon the value of such teams matches in the club and on the keenness which the players had shown when the event was mooted. He thought that more of such events could be arranged with advantage to the club, a remark that was heartily applauded. Incidentally Mr. Russell observed that the mistake he had made was that he had picked too many lawyers on his side—they had nearly all lost their matches —and he would know better next time. The Captain, Mr C. A. Masters, indicated tactfully that he was not at all surprised at. the result as he had picked all the best players, and the losers, considering their calibre, had really done remarkably well. Mr. “Masters then gave some particulars of the programme for the match season. The toast of the losers was proposed by Mr. M. H. Mitchel and responded to by Mr A. E. Wish, and the chaff and banter exchanged were appropriate to the spirit of fellowship and good humour which pervaded the gathering. The whole thing was most enjoyable and members look forward with feelings of pleasure to the next event of the same kind

Among those who dined at the Otatara Club House last Saturday after the Captain v. Deputy-Captain teams match was Mr. James Mackintosh, who relinquished the position of hon. treasurer at the last annual meeting as he had in view’ a trip to the Old Country. The time of his departure from the Dominion Is now near at hand, and on Saturday the opportunity was taken to say good bye to him and present him with a pipe as a little memento of the regard in which he is held by his fellow golfers. The presentation was made by the President (Mr. R. J. Gilmour) who wished Mr Mackintosh good health and good luck on his trip and assured him of a hearty welcome on his return. Mr J. B. Thomson was very happy in proposing the toast of Mr Mackintosh’s health, “bringing down the house” more than once, and very happy also, as were a number of others, in-interjecting during Mr. Mackintosh’s reply. “Mac.” received an ovation on rising and feelingly acknowledged the present that had been given to him and the nice things that had been said about him. While away there was nothing that he would miss so much as his golf at Otatara. He stressed the value of the property to the club and the great future before it, and hoped that the year would be a satisfactory one in every way. He urged members to pull together and keep

tilings moving forward. He had many friends at Otatara, and he would look forward to seeing them dll again in the best of health on his return. The presentation and the speeches made a particularly pleasant interlude.

The performance of Mrs Francis W. Capper holing two consecutive holes in one stroke apiece on the Brookline, Mass., U.S.A., golf course, is one beyond adequate description by the employment of any adjective or adjectives in our language. It is said that those, present greeted the.performance in silence, and we are not at all surprised. The magnificent match between S. Morpeth and J. L. Black, in which the former won the Auckland provincial championship at Easter, roused an Auckland golf writer to great enthusiasm. In commenting on the game, which was anybody’s after the sixteenth hole, though Morpeth eventually won 2 up, he wrote:—“The match between Morpeth and Black was a game such as has never before been witnessed in Auckland. It was blowing a veritable gale, yet players had absolute control of their shots. Morpeth’s terrific iron shots up to the greens amazed the spectators. It, seemed almost impossible for Black to stand up to such an onslaught, but his long brassie. shots reached the greens for all that. The game progressed in this fashion for the first nine holes, where Morpeth held a slight lead; he had reeled off nine consecutive fours. The more the onlookers realized it, the more they marvelled that Black could play such tenacious golf. One, a little more excited than the rest, could not help venting his feelings at this stage, and was overheard to say; ‘Believe me, this fellow Black is made of steel.’ It was a fitting reward, and did not flatter the player, as he was fighting against big odds all the way.” The Otago ladies’ open championship took very much (he course that if. was expected to lake; that is to say, Miss O. Kay and Mrs Dodgshun went through to the final to fight yet another championship final. In the semi-final Miss Kay defeated Mrs McCarthy 2 and 1 and Mrs Dodgshun beat Miss M. Stevens 1 up. The semi-finals were good matches, but neither Miss Kay nor Mrs Dodgshun was at the top of her game. In the final Miss Kay turned on the fireworks. Par for the first nine holes of the ladies’ course at Balmacewan is 38 and Mrs Dodgshun was out in 39, which is very close to sound scratch golf. But she was 4 down to Miss Kay, who played the first half in 34, thanks, as usual, to top-notch putting. Miss Kay began by sinking an 8-ft. putt on the first green, following it with a ten footer on the second and a fifteen footer on the third. She sank a 10-ft putt for a half in four at the seventh and a 6-ft putt at the eighth. Her figures for the nine holes were: — 4,3, 3,3, 4,4, 4,5, 4—34. Mrs Dodgshun’s golf was not at all bad. In fact, as her figures showed, it was quite good, but it looked weak, inevitably, by comparison with Miss Kay’s. And after the ninth Miss Kay did not let up. The Mount (the tenth) was halved in 3’s. At Tipperary, a very long hole, Miss Kay was on in three and down in a “birdie” 5. JfcGlashen s was halved in 4’s. At Manuka Miss Kay hit a great tee shot over the hill and was up to the edge of the green with her second. And so it went on. Mrs Dodgshun got no opening, and when the match ended on the fourteenth green. 6 and 5 in Miss Kay’s favour, the champion was two under even fours for the fourteen holes played. It was great golf, and to be beaten 6 and 5 by such golf was no disgrace. Miss Kay won the Canterbury and the Otago championship last year and she has retained them both this year by victories which demonstrated decisively her superior, ity to the rest of the field in each province.