FAIRWAY AND ROUGH

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1935, Page 9

FAIRWAY AND ROUGH

qualifiers at ngamotu

SENIOR FINAL AT ELTHAM.

YOUNGER PLAYERS OF PROMISE.

(By

“Stance.”)

The high standard of scoring of the first qualifying round of the New Plymouth Golf Club championship was not maintained in the second last Saturday. Though several factors contributed to this, the main reason was that in the boisterous weather during the week it was not possible to cut the greens often enough and they were very slow, making skilful putting out of the question. In addition the course was slow after the rain and there was no run on the long shots. Of the first round leaders G. M. Chong was the first to set off and, reaching the turn in 37 by sound golf, he seemed sure to make a good score. He commenced the inward journey with a six and a four but then experienced a run of bad luck with his putting, taking three on four out of the next five greens. A great four at the last, nevertheless, enabled him to record a 78 for the round and a total of 154 for the 36 holes. Conway, following about 40 minutes behind him, started well with a four at the first but lapsed irito a six at the second. Three fives followed and then a fine chip enabled him to obtain his three at the Dell. The next cost him five but he holed a 14 putt for a four at the eighth, and a three at the next saw him reach the turn in 40. This left him two strokes behind Chong but he picked one up at the 10th with a five, only to lose it again at the next. However, he holed an 11 footer for a three at the 12th, obtained a good four at the 13th, recovered well from the rough on the right at Moses for a three and sank a ten foot put for a four at the 15th to pull four strokes back from Chong. He dropped one at the next and picked up another at the 17th, and he obtained the necessary five at the last to hold his first found lead of one stroke. R. A. Boon also returned 78. After an ordinary 84 in the first round it appeared as if he might experience difficulty in qualifying, but a 39 out and a 39 home made his position secure. He handled the difficult greens well.

The greens had F. E. Quin in trouble all the way, and despite his first round of 76 he was unable to threaten Conway’s position at the top of the list. F. D. Johns needed a 36 home to lead the field but 36 home was not on the cards on Saturday. The Taranaki provincial champion, D. V. Sutherland, was expected to make a bold bid, but his usual steady stroke making was not functioning on Saturday and he took 88, which just enabled him to tie for the last place. The slow greens did not suit his smooth putting stroke. He will meet A. E. Conway in the first round on Saturday, and the game should be the highlight of the day’s play. At present Conway has struck a putting patch, and if this continues he may be able to revenge his defeat in the semi-finals last Easter. H. P. Dale Eltham Champion.

The final of the Eltham championship, which was held at the week-end, produced an epic struggle between H. P. Dale and H. P. Wills. Wills, fresh from his win in, the South Taranaki championship at Hawera, put up a great struggle only to lose at the 23rd hole. Wills is not the shotmaker that Dale is but he . is the happy possessor of a wonderful match temperament. Nothing can perturb’ him and his great physical strength enables him to stage some remarkable recoveries. Nevertheless, Dale’s win was well deserved and did not come but. of its turn, for he has played with exasperating luck in championship golf during the last two or three seasons.

Medley’s Win At Westown. The Regent Theatre Cup at Westown, a nett aggregate event played over 54 holes, produced a great finish. At the conclusion of the second round C. Sole had a handy lead of two strokes from a group of three, N. Sole, J. Medley and J. Harkness. He made a game effort to hold his position by returning a nett 62 to give him a grand total of 185, but Medley did even better, producing a nett 59 which enabled him to head Sole off by a single stroke. Harkness had a nett 61 which gave him third place two strokes ahead of N. Sole, whose form was not up to standard. The first round of the J. B. Mac Ewan Cup, which was played at the week-end, was productive of good scoring. Miss Ruby Sole and C. Clarke with a fine nett card of 65 are leading the field, though Mrs. Montgomerie and N. Sole, Miss Mooney and H. Leighton and Mrs. Neilson and J. Kirwin are all within striking distance. The second and' final round, which will be played in conjunction with the closing day on Saturday, should produce an interesting finish. Play At Fitzroy. In the annual contest between the teams of the captain and secretary at Fitzroy last Saturday both Sam Holden and Stan Clark produced great golf, but unfortunately Clark’s best holes did not come until the game was practically won. With four young players of the calibre of Holden, Clark, Jeffries and Pullen, Fitzroy is going to be a force, to be reckoned with in a year or two’s time, and their ranks will be strengthened next year by the addition of Holden’s younger brother, who even at present can go round in the 70’s.