NATIONAL GOLF TITLES

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1930, Page 14

NATIONAL GOLF TITLES

-• PLAN OF HOKOWHITU LINKS THE COURSE HOLE BY HOLE. PROBLEMS FOR THE PLAYERS. • ■ • -.V -."?■=• • • • With the New Zeq.land’jGolf Championship approaching, and the ■ great growth in the general, interest’in golf as indicated by the increase'ifirth© number of clubs affiliated with, the Golf Council, it was thought that it would he of general interest to many players , of the game to have a fairly/detailed knowledge of the course on which the New Zealand championship will b 4 h played, and which would doubtless 'assist them in following the account of the play from day to day as it is reported from Palmerston North. The plari\.of the course shown here, in conjunction, with the account of the course, shotim "enable players to follow the games very tloeely. i In addition to some native bush plan-

tations, other planting has been done which adds to the attractiveness of the course. Being on the banks of the River, the nature of the soil in some places distinctly sandy, and in others of a semi-sandy nature, so -that it takes a great deal of rain before the conditions of play are detrimentally affected.

Bunkers ar© so often shallow that not infrequently bells run through them, but the bunkers on this course are dis-

tinctly severe, and ar© of a depth on the average of 2ft. 6in. to 3ft.,.and have an overhanging lip on the .eide approaching th© pin, thus preventing a rim through and making a proper bunker shot necessary to get, put. ißunktere immediately surrounding 'the .greens are hacked right in the mown portion of. th© green, thus necessitating a good ..’•niblick shot. The player is given a good, large green, the average being about 20 to 25 yards across by about 35 to 30 yards ‘long. Also, all the greens have mounds at th© back which are worked into them and clearly define them. 7 . Th© mown portions'of th© fairways have an average width of two chains, and a feature that is deceptive very 'often to a newcomer to th© links is that, whereas the course looks almost all mown, the grass between the fairways is allowed to grow to about two <»r three inchestin' which, -a ball can

fee found; but it is a surprising handicap fo the player getting into it, as it takes a forced shot to get- out, and takas off the distance very considerably. This occurs on various parts of tie course, but particularly about Nos. 13 and 14 holes. ‘ Ko. 1 Hole'.—-This tee is close to the clubhouse. The fairway of this hole ip wide, and the hole, being 320 yards, is a definite drive and'pitch. It will ■be noticed that the green is completely surrounded by bunkers. The one at the badk is a ehallow trip bunker, but the distance between the front crossbunker and the back bunker as 50 yards,' giving good landing space. The ■blinker at the back of the green is meant as a trip bunker to penalise an overplayed second. The bogey is 4, and direction is the main feature. ; No. 2 Hole.—This has bunkers on each side of the fairway, about the of-a good drive, to-catch misdirected shots. There is a difficult bunker right across the fairway at about 2fio yards, which is of soft sand. The green is defined by a mound with two bunkers at the mouth, giving a IS y?rds entrance, and the hole is a comfortable 4 with a nicely.-placed second shot. No. 3 Hole.—AVith a bogey of 4, being 367 yards, this does not present many difficulties. The green is weu. defined with a mound, and flanked on both sides with deep-lipped bunkers, but it-has quite a good entrance. Nm 4 Hole.—Length 168 yards, bogey 3. Here a cross bunker has to be carried which is close to the green, with , other bunkers supporting it. It has a. pronounced mound at the back which aids in holding. With the prevailing westerly wind it is not always easy to «tay on the green. No. 5 Hole. —This is the longest hole In the'Cduf.se, being 363 yards, with ,’ft.hw && Ih9 main featur ® oi thlfi

hole is the much discussed oross-founk-ers, which are about 375 yards from the tee, and ar© fully visible, but make it necessary to get a. good drive away to get in position to carry these crossbunkers with the second. If th© player does not get a good drive,’'he then has the worry of. deciding what to do with his second. ’The old natural, deep impression which was just in front of this green has been, filled so as to give good approach; but good deep bunkers have been hacked on both sides into the green,' which is backed by a mound, A good result at this hole depends on the ekill of the first two shots. Nd; 6 Hole.—-This is a 410 yards hole. "With the fairway open for a. straight drive, with some rough on the right and bunkers on the left for a misdirected shot.' It requires a good second on a calm'day. to reach the green without finding: the 'bunkers flanking the green, but with,a. westerly it is a harder proposition, as it is a cross-wind at this hole. The .bunkers are both deep and weir lipped and need a good shot to recover from them.

No. - 7 Hole, “Riverside.” —48 4 yards. This has been altered and improved to mak© it, a. definite 5 bogey hole by adding about 90 yards. There ar© bunkers on the left, about the distance of a. good drive, which give trouble to a •player trying to draw to get length to enable him to get well up 1 -or his second. If. .wind is behind a good second often gets one down close to the entrance, but normally it requires a good chip with the third to the green. Here again the bunkers are both deep and well lipped with a mound for definement.

No. 8 ’Hol?,' “Munro’s.”—This green has been brought forward to bring it to a definite 3 bogey of 196 yards, with a cross-bunker at. about 135 to 140 yards. Well-lipped and, deep bunkers are on both sides of the ‘green, with big trees on the dut-of-bouridA fence on the right, which trouble a not'infrequently sliced ball. This ip facing straight into the wind arid, requires go'bd judgment as to the club used and control of direction. No. 9 Hole. —'Thi© is the .shortest hole on the course, normally being 136 yards, but it can be lengthened to 150 yards for the Opefij The actual width at the entrance between the protecting bunkers is' 16 yards. First there is a deep cross bunker to foe negotiated, but there is ample landing room between the cross bunker and the entrance to the green. The bunkers protecting this green are also troublesome in a. wind which blows across the hoi© here. No. 10 Hole.—This has been made dog-leg by a large island, bunker being cut out of an undulation in the ground in a direct line between 'th© .tee and

the pin, with an out-of-bounds fence oh the right. The best line of play run* slightly to the right of this bunker thus well ,opening up the entrance to the green, which was completely remodelled and stands out attractii ely. With a pulled shot anybody endeavouring to take the course round the other side of the main fairway bunker has to negotiate two bunkers guarding the green, calling for a well-played shot, because with -an over-played shot from tha.t direction there is a trip bunker at .the back. Should an easterly be blowing, the long- drivers need to take care with choice of club oil the tee, a» the road can be reached. No. 11 Hole (Land’s End).—This is a much altered hole from its old style, being played from a. clump of native bush, over rough marshy ground with two carry bunkers at 170 yards, about at the bend of the out-of-bounds fence on the .-.right- ' Flay is then half-right on to a plateau green surrounded on both sides with trees and trouble. The confident driver usually takes a course over the trees at the corner of the out-of-bounds fence, thus gaining considerably in distance and making an easy shot to the pin. However, if not pre-pared-to take that, risk he can play over -the hunkers, where the fairway is also good, but it makes a longer shot to the pin. In a strong westerly this hole 'becomes, a difficult proposition. Care is. required on the approach to this green, as there are trees and long on both sides and back of the green. No., 12 Hole—This hole of 140 yards, with bogey 3, is played from a raised tee surrounded by a lagoon on to a green on the crest of a, small hill. This green is nicely graded to give sufficient hold to the shot and yet gi'c normal putting surface. Close in on the right entrance to the green there is a deep catch the sliced shot. Io negotiate thio InuiKer it requires a

very good bunker shot, and is a very definite handicap. A pulled ball requires a good chip to the green up a 10 or 12 foot bank.

No. 13 Hol© ("Ti Ti’s”).—This is the second. longest hole on the course, being 498 . yards,. and holds much interest. It is necessary to play this hole out to the left, being forced thereto .get past a large attractive clump of native v trees, , and by a large fairway bunker on th© right of fairway, and it. takes two good shots to get in position for th© third shot to the pin. Th© large island bunker on The right of the fairway catches the long, sliced drive, .and it makes it very risky for a. long hitter to try and . shorten th© way to the pin by going in a direct. line to the pin. Even if he flukes a good lie in going direct, where th© country is rough, 1 e still has to .get a good wood over the large plantation of trees in his way. A westerly is a big help at. this hole and puts two good shots in; a - handy position. The green has two bunkers on the right with the . out-of,bounds fence beyond them, .with a. large bunker on the left of the green. No. 14 Hole • ("Kraal”).— This is. considered to be a much improved hole. Instead of the old straight featureless one, it now requires a good drive over an island bunker at' about 150 yqrds directly on th© line of play. For a pulled shot there is- a bunker at.about 180 wards just off - the fairway,’ and on the right from 200. to 230 yards there is a. large Island’ bunker .to catch sliced drives or players trying to cut the. corner too fine. Fom a well-placed straight drive. the green is . then open •for a good second. . There is a comfortable opening of about 18 yards between sand bunkers -which protect, the green on both sides. No. 15 Hole (“Barrauds”) —This. 390yard hole is played with the clubhouse on the right, and there is no trouble with a good drive, which would probably land on the gently undulating country, but it is better to keep not too far away from the clubhouse, a$ it makes a long second to .the green difficult, if off the line, owing, to the first bunker met with on the left near the f’reeh. This green has a mound about three feet high on the right, with a sand bunker hacked into the end of it at the entrance 'on the right. On ,the left of the green there .are two more bunkers cut right into the green- From the 15th the of the 'lBth is crossed to reach the 16th tee. ‘ No. 16 Hole ("The Butts”) Here again, this 380-yard hole with a. stion-g westerly becomes a lot more interesting. There are three bunkers on a direct line between the tee and the green, • one about 135 yards, another

240 yards, and another about 50'yards from the green, thus forcing the- play slightly to the right over a carry' bunker at about 160 yards, but with room between the sets of bunkers for a well-placed shot. The green is well opened up with a ehot over the carry bunker on the right of the fairway. The green is well defined with a mound and has deep bunkers on both flanks which are particularly troublesome ip a westerly wind. • . '■ No. .17 Hole (‘'Taipo”).—This hole is 370 yards.- 'The line of. play is slightly to the right, . as. if . played straight for the pin there are two bunkers jutting out on the approach to the green on th left, which, require cojne judgment to negotiate, whereas opt -slightly to the right the hole, is well, open. As in the case of most of the other. holes,. bunkers are again hacked into - the green, which- stands up nicely, banked at the back.

No. IS Hole (•‘Abraham’s Bosom”)-— In calm weather this 350 - yard hole makes a nice 4, biit with a wind this is played pretty well into the teeth of it. Here again the play is forced out slightly to the right for a drive, with three sand bunkers on the left of the fairway at about 150 to 160 yards. A good drive shows up an inviting plateau green. The approach has been slightly valleyed out to give a. clear view, with a. .“donga’’ running across the line of play up to the left of the green to two very deep sand bunkers. On the right of the approach to the.green there is also another sand bunker which traps a misdirected shot. The. back of this green is well mounded, with the green working into the mound at the back. Playing the second to the 18th gives a. very attractive view, with the. trees in the distance as a background, thus completing a course full of interest and attraction and fully, testing the skill of the

be available for- play for. a,iweek’iprior to that date. . ' ' '

At a. meeting of. delegates’!to- the Auckland .Lawn/Tennis ’ Association recently- it .was decided, to endeavour to arrange a' match with the 'Taranaki Association during the -coming sen son. It is now-about four.,ye.af.s-sjnce/an Auckland team played ' a provincial 'match against,-Taranaki apd a revival of this shield competition is. a step in the.right direction 3 and .should give 'an»added interest to ' the game.; Last. ■ 'season'the Auckland. Aefociatiqn ■ Wasyprepgred to send a team -in .March,-, but ap tfie -Taranaki Association considered this to be too late in the year the match did not eventual*. ; - ...

■ The', matter of laying down a-hard court at the Bell Block aerodrome wss discussed at a recent meeting of the Committee of. the New Plymouth A ero Club. -. The. suggestion 1 was' given favourable consideration and if carried into effect should' prove -of: considerable; benefit, to the club. It was decided to circularise members asking for their .cooperation in the form of working The question-of-the ‘site-'.of the ; courts had not been decided upon, but was left in tfie hands of Messrs Warnock, Sandford and Clarke. ' NEED FOB. ASSOCIATION COURTS •At the annual meeting of the New Plymouth Lawn Tennis "Tub 'the question was raised whether the club should allow its courts to be used by the Taranaki Lawn Tennis Association for the purpose of conducting ifs. provincial championships and handica,p tournament, and on the motion of Messrs A. W. Diprose and A. G. Johnson it was decided to recommend the incoming committee .that .'the use of the club’s courts be not-granted' to the.association this. year. In. doing so ..the speakers stated that the conducting of the tour-