THE GOLF TITLE

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1934, Page 3

THE GOLF TITLE

SIDELIGHTS AT BELMONT A. J. SHAW IS STILL SUPREME. SILK SHOWS IMPROVEMENT. MORTLAND’S SPLENDID PLAY.

(By

“Stance.”)

The feature of the New Zealand golf championships, which were completed on Saturday, was the splendid organisation of the meeting by the Wanganui club. There is no doubt that once more the club committee has set a standard for the management of the big fixture. The secretary (Mr. F. J. Hill) and his assistant (Mr. H. Mortland) were always just where they were most needed with all necessary information at their fingertips. All the other members of the committee pulled their full weight, with the result that the championships proceeded smoothly from start to finish. A. J. Shaw was again the outstanding figure of the meeting. He drew the galleries and provided the thrills. He took the open comfortably. After the end of the second round he was never really in danger of deefat. His long straight driving made the course easy for him. He was not particularly impressive on the opening day, when he was almost scratching for his figures all the way, but in the last three rounds he was playing good golf. At times, both in the open and in the match play stages of the professional, he was inclined to hit a wild second. He will have to overcome this fault if he is to extend the American cracks at Melbourne. The veteran E. S. Douglas did not reproduce his form of last year in the open but improved considerably in the match play stages of the professional. He appeared to have Shaw well and truly beaten in the final until his old trouble with the putter reappeared. He had a great chance on the 36th green, but his putt never reached the cup. It was almost an unforgivable offence as he had nothing to lose by being past, as he would then have had every chance of stymying Shaw. Douglas must have anything but pleasant memories of short putts on the last green. He was faced with one at Titirangi last year to win the open but failed. Last Friday he had a similar experience in the professional. CLEMENTS’ BEST SHOWING. C. C. Clements, Christchurch, made the best showing of his career. From the time he arrived at Belmont he played wonderfully consistent golf. But for a putting lapse over the first nine holes in the second round of the open, he might easily have pressed Shaw very closely. In the professional, he was responsible for a game performance in the semi-final against Douglas when, after being seven down at the 19th, he took the match to the 35th green before having to lower his colours. N. C. Bell made a great showing in the open, beating all but Shaw. He had a chance in the third round of drawing level with the leader but, like many others, he wrecked at Bunker’s Hill. Bell was driving a beautiful ball from the tee and his putter was working soundly. E. J. Moss was not in the best of health, but played three good rounds and one that was a tragedy of the putting greens. Ever since he made his first appearance in the event in 1929 B. M. Silk has been one of the most discussed candidates for the amateur title. However, at Palmerston North, at Shirley, at Heretaunga and at Titirangi he quite failed to realise his admirers’ hopes. But it was a different and a better player who lined up at Belmont this time. His whole game was more impressive, his swing was surer and smoother and gone was that suspicion of tension at the top. His driving was long and straight, but his outstanding shot was his pitch with his four, five, six or seven irons to the greens. He plays this in a manner that reminds one of Shaw and it is doubtful whether Silk does not play this shot better than the open champion. It certainly saved him a good deal of trouble and did much to pave his way to victory over Mortland in the final. His putting, though not brilliant, was always sound. He took the club-head back very smoothly inside the tine every time and let it swing thfbugh. His only weakness appeared to be a long second to a green. He never seemed happy when faced with one of’these and would probably do better if he used a spoon with a good deal of loft on the face. He was the first amateur in the open and then proceeded to win the amateur title. His was a fine performance and a well deserved win. NOT SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED. Though known to be a capable golfer, young J. P. Mortland, Taihape, was not really seriously considered as a possible amateur champion before the fixture opened. However, he was not long in giving evidence that he was going to take a prominent part, for he handed in a card of 75 for the first, round of the open. He slumped slightly in the second, but in the third reeled off the best of the gathering, a brilliant 70 that gave him the Jellicoe Cup. He ran through to the semi-final fairly comfortably, even though the e x-New Zealand, cricket captain, D. C. Collins, pushed him rather closely. He was then faced by that dour match player, L. Cathro, who from the start had been the ruling favourite. Good though Mortland’s form had been, few expected him to be able to account for Cathro. Not only did he do so, however, but he gave the Castlecliff man the most crushing defeat of his career. Mortland’s putting in this match was nothing short of phenomenal and good judges considered the title was as good as his. Good putter though Mortland undoubtedly is, no player in the world can keep on holing them from all over the place. In the second round of the final Mortland came back to earth. His putting had lost its magic touch and with this his confidence seemed to waver. Nevertheless he is a good golfer whose turn will come. At present there appears to be a slight suspicion of a looseness at the top of his swing and he takes the clubhead away from the ball just a little too quickly. These two weaknesses became even more apparent over the last three holes of the final against Silk. L. Cathro would seem fated not to gain the amateur crown. He has competed three times only and has failed in the semi-final on each occasion. , His turn must come, however, for he is a good and consistent player. A bad lapse with his putter in the middle stages of his game with Mortland sounded the death knell of his prospects. ... The big Aucklander, I. Mac Ewan, thoroughly deserved to be a semi-finalist. He thoroughly outplayed J. L. Black in the third round. He did not appear to be quite keyed up in his match against Silk and only produced his best form when he was well down.

The Eltham player, H. P. Dale, was probably the best shot-maker in the amateur field. He pressed Silk harder perhaps than any of his opponents and the Wanganui player was relieved to get Dale behind him. But for three rather foolish errors of judgment on Dale’s part the result might easily have been different. The innovation of the New Zealand Plate proved immensely popular. Those who fell in the first and second rounds were given a second chance, thus giving them a continued interest. The event produced some stern struggles and some

great golf, the winner turning up in A. E. Guy, the Palmerston North “siege gun,” who accounted in the final for an ex-amateur champion, Dr. K. Ross. Guy is a sturdily-built young man, who can send the ball a long way. His short game has improved a good deal since last year and he is now definitely a first-flighter. He and Mortland carried off the foursomes title after staging a courageous finish.