GOLF AT SEA

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1931, Page 9

GOLF AT SEA

NOVELTY ON PORT HUON. CLUB OF THIRTY MEMBERS. Wherever the ship Port Huon is. in port or on the high seas, there is, also, a wolf course and an enthusiastic club of ° close on 30 members. When the vessel arrived in Auckland on Saturday f-jin New York, via Tampico, the officers said that the only noteworthy incident that had occurred on the voyage —despite their four days at a port so romantically named as Tampico—was the winning of the Port Huon Golf Club’s cup by Mr. Brookes, chief refrigerating engineer. This game of golf that whiles away the tedium of the Port Huon’s long ocean voyages is largely a sport of their own devising, the rules of which were first formulated by a committee of the officers two years ago. Instead of a ball, they use a disc of lignum vitae, about Jin. thick and 2Jin. in diameter, which is struck by a mallet with a head square in section. The course is on the after deck, the holes are chalked circles and the bunkers “the teak streak round No. 4 hatch, the teak streak round No. 4 winch beds, and the ship’s scuppers.” So much did the game appeal to one or the passengers, Mr. A. G. Howes, who travelled by the vessel two voyages ago, that he gave the club a handsome silver cup, the Howes Challenge. Cup. to be played for each voyage. This cup is now held by Mr. Brookes, while the original cup bought by the club when it was founded also went to one of the engineers this voyage. The game is growing popular on other vessels of the line, and when the Port Huon was last in New Zealand waters a match was arranged against a team from the Port Wellington which was at Port Nicholson at the same time. The contest resulted in a win for the Port Huon by three games to two. On her present voyage the golf club of the Port Huon has been able to demonstrate the game in seven countries, England, Belgium, Canada, U.S.A., Mexico, panama and now New Zealand. She sailed originally from Hull to Antwerp, to load basic slag, returned to London to pick Up general cargo, and sailed' for Halifax. Thence she went to New York t> load general cargo for New Zealand, and, en route to Auckland from that port, called at Tampico for a consignment 'of asphalt.