GOLF.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143550, 15 July 1911, Page 8

GOLF.

(Dy “All Square'.”) \

At Ngamotu on Tuesday next the semi-finals for the Indies’ championship null be played, anti on the Saturday the men will play a pair’s best • mil bogey handicap. * 'Die rirst round of the men’s championships oi the Stratford chib was played last week, the following being die results: J. 11. L. Stanford lieat D, Gardale, 3 up and 2 to play . K N. Fussell beat J. H. Tohmpson, 3 up and 1 to play. IV. Cargill beat E. C. Robinson, N 0 up and 7 to play. ■S. Spenfco beat F. P. Uniacke, 2 up and I to play. The members of the Auckland Golf Club wore not equal on Saturday last to the new bogey for the Middlemore Park links, prepared by F. G. Hood, even with the proportionately increased handicaps. J. B. Busk finished all square on the "Colonel,” and won the match, but the nearest of the other contestants wore H. C. Clark and J. C. Burns, who were both.four down.— New Zealand Herald. This year’s New Zealand Golf Championships will be shorn of considerable interest by the absence of two of the best New Zealand, players, Mr, Arthur Dupcan and Mr. B. B. Wood. Mr. Wood left by the Sydney boat last week oji a-ibusiness trip to England. He will he away about sis months altogether, and will thus miss the championship. M£, Duncan, who is playing a fine game just now, will probably go over to Australia for the championship there, in which case he will not be able to compete in the New Zealand Championship. The Wellington Club is making great improvements in its course in the way of hazards, tree planting, and improves moht of greens and tecs. Special attention is being paid to the links_ in view of the, forthcomng Lades’ Now Zealand Championship meeting. Miss Collins, daughter of the Hon. Dr. Collins, who ,is the holder of the championship, and is now in Great Britain, where she competed in the English Championship, will arrive in Wellington two days before the New Zealand Championship, and will defend her title.—Weekly Press. , WTion James Braid won the Open Championship for the , fifth time it was thought that ho had put up a performance which would never , be equalled by any other player. What Braid did, however, last year at St. Andrews, Harry Vnrdon has just aocomplished at Sandwich, for, after a tie with Arnand Massy, he won the play-off, and thus secured the world's cnomponslnp for the fifth time. The scoring'carer was wonderfully close, as Harry Vnrdon' and Arnnu-d Massy tied for first plr.ee with 303 strokes, Harold Hilton, (amateur) and .Alexander Herd , tied for third place with 301, and James Braid and Howard Bay tied for fifth place with 305 strokes, Vardon and 1 Massy then hint to play cl, ior the championship by 3(3 holes ,oi stroke play, and V imbin wen at the J.jth hole, as Massy retired, \ardon ■aid the 36 holes in 143 strokes, whilst Massy took 118 for 34 liotbs. A tew weeks back, when it was reported that v anion was likely to visit Australia, several golf scribes‘ w rote that u was a pity that some younger and more up to-cliue man was not invited, as i union had long since passed his pi;inic. Each of the last rour or five mails, however, brought along news which showed that Vahion had quite got back to his old form, as he was playing golf of the most brilliant description imaginable, winning the principal pnr.es ami.knocking the bottom out of all the records of the courses w here' he was playing. With this news fresh in our memories we .should not have been surprised to hear of Vnrdon becoming open champion once intro, but many-. people thought that the brilliant viclones which we read about were but flashes in the pan, and that he-would never.again showy his old form throughout the whole or the four rounds of stroke play in the open championship. His long game was known to be practically as good as over, but his putting during the 'last year or so lias been variable, and more frequently than not lie was exceedingly weal; on Hie putting greens. He, however, could not have shown much weakness on the greens or anywhere else in winning with 303 strokes. This victory will'be most popularly received in England, whore Vnrdon has always boon their’ golfing idol. For case and placidity of style, and of. deportment throughout the game, Vardon has always stood pre-eminent. No more serene, unruffled player ever lived. Nothing ever disturbs bis equanimity. One becomes enamoured of Vardon’« game ns you are of no other golfer, past or present, Harry Vardon, James Braid and J. H. Taylor form what is known ns the great golfing triumvirate, and what mighty players they are is shown by their performances in the open championship. During the last 18 years they have between them,- carried off the championship on 14 occasions, the only interlopers being .Harold Hilton in 1897, when Braid was run-ner-np ; Alexander. Herd, in 1902, when Vardon was nmner-np; : Jack "White in '1904, when Braid was Tunticr-up ; and Arnaud' Massy- in 1007, when Thy lor was runner-up. Such-performances are nothing short of miraculous when you consider, that the average number of entries for the event is about 200, amongst them being all of the best players throughout the world. .