ON THE LINKS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18536, 5 April 1930, Page 16 (Supplement)

ON THE LINKS

By “DRIVER.” (“Driver” will be pleased to receive notes of interest, locaj or otherwise, from the golfers of South Canterbury). The match at Highfield to-day will be a Card Match. Entries will be received at the Clubhouse. One Sunday a member of a golf club turned up in a new suit of plus-fours, the colour of which was distinctly cheery. The funny man of the club gazed at the vision and then inquired. “Docs your wife pick your clothes?” “No,” replied the owner of the suit, “only the pockets.”

A record crowd attended the opening of the Gleniti links last Saturday. Conditions were ideal and golf of a high standard was played.

On M. Macbeth, the Shirley player, falls the distinction of being the first player this year in Christchurch to incur the penalty for “holing in one.” In a friendly game he accomplished this feat at “Old Nick,” the thirteenth hole at Shirley. His partner in the round was quite off his game, nnd when the thirteenth tee was reached Macbeth jocularly remarked: “This ?s how it should be played.” The result exceeded his most sanguine expectations.

Leo Diegel, who has just won the professional golf championship of America, is the man who startled British golfers during the championship on this side with his quaint putting style. Diegel stretches out his elbows stoops so low over the putter that the top of the shaft nearly touches his chin, and then swings a pendulum. He is a very effective putter, but it is in spite of and not because of his style. He found mimics because of his successes, but the Diegel style is never likely to be adopted.

Playing at Highfield Club last weekend, R. G. Wilson put up what must be something in the nature of a feat of putting, taking only 25 putts over the 8 holes. On eleven greens he putted only once, and of these “ones,” nine were at consecutive holes.

Colonel Bogey is not at all popular with Walter Hagen and Joe Kirkwood. They think he has served his day, and should be pensioned off. The prominent place the Colonel occupies in Australian golf has annoyed them considerably, as they consider he is harming the game over there. They say that it is much better for golfers to attempt to play up to par than to play up to bogey. They also assert that any reducing of par by setting the yardage less than 250 for a par 3 limit, and 450 for a par 4 limit is just playing with the game, in ordinary conditions. Make the standard high, they say, and the good ones will work up to it.

Considering the fact that last Saturday was the first time out this season for the majority of Gleniti players, the standard of the golf played was fairly high, and if this form can be maintained throughout the season the Club should find its team strength greatly strengthened.

When a newspaperman noticed a whimsical smile on Walter Hagen’s face, he made investigation, and found that some wag had been putting over a golf story. A young couple whose engagement had just been announced were enjoying a quiet round together, and, at one point in the operations, both balls had been driven over the brow of a hill. The little lady, not being used to the walking part of golf, had lagged behind, and it thus happened that the happy swain, being some distance in advance, on surmounting the rise, was alone in the discovery of the position of the two balls. In his excitement, he faced his sweetheart, and hailed her with the news, “I say, honey!” he exclaimed; “what do you think of this? A stymie; a dead stymie.” “Good gracious me!” she called back; is that what it is. I was just wandering what I could smell as I was getting up the hill.”

E. Ziesler had a meritorious win last Saturday against A. L. Marshall, when he came in with a gross 73. This was a good performance, especially in view of the fast greens, which had suffered a little from the nor’westers which prevailed during the earlier part of the week.

It is claimed that the Goodna golf course (Q.) since the addition of more holes is the longest in Australia. It is 3283 yards out, 3303 yards in, and a total length of 6586 yards. With other alterations the exact length will be 6666 yards. At the annual meeting of the club Dr. H. B. Ellerton, a pioneer of the club, and enthusiastic worker, was presented with a replica of the Ellerton Cup.

American clubs, as might be expected. have quite a reputation for eccentric contests in which the result has rested on a bet. One of these was decided at Pittsburg, in 1G59, on which occasion 26 members of the Alleghany Club wagered 4000 dollars that their best player could drive a golf ball through five miles of the city streets in 156 strokes. The champion not only did this, but he actually got round in 30 strokes under the minimum. As, however, he contrived to do over £IOO worth of damage to windows and conservatory frames en route, his pecuniary profit must have been seriously affected.

This season at Highfield a novel scheme is being introduced in regard to the Ringer competition. There will be two competitions—one up till June 30th, and the other up till closing day. Several players last year needed bogeys to be in the running for the prize, but left it too late and could not get them before the competition closed. The scheme in all Ringer competitions is to make sure you have rung each hole early in the season, and then to better the figures as you go along and so avoid being cheated of the prize.

“Sandy” Herd, the veteran professional of Moore Park (Eng.), has holed out in one on no fewer than 18 occasions. His latest was at Moore Park, the distance being 146 yards. He had previously performed the feat 13 times at Coombs Hill, and once each at Royal Portrush, Islay. Ganton, and Huddersfield. His nearest rivals are James Braid and Mr W. Herbert Fowler, each having performed the feat on 11 occasions. When Herd holes out in one for the 20th time he will win a solid gold putter, promised by an American player. Where the ball should be played in relation to the feet depends altogether on the shot that the player wishes to make. Take three positions—left, with the ball opposite the left foot; right, with it in front of the right foot, and centre, a point midway between the two. In taking the stance the feet should always be placed at the proper distance from the ball. This should be governed to a great extent by the length of the particular club which you use. For the drive, play the ball nearer the left foot; for the brassie, move the ball a little bit back towards the centre point, and even a little more so for the spoon, while for the iron clubs, ranging fi'om the driving iron up to the niblick, one should place the ball relatively nearer the right foot. The No. 4 iron or the mashie should be the club which will take the ball at about the dead centre position. If you wish to hit a pitch shot with back spin, the ball should be played near the right foot, and the club should make the impact while descending. For a high pitch shot with a “cut” on it, use a lofted club and play the ball nearer the left foot, hitting the ball immediately after the club has left the bottom of its arc in the down-stroke. If one wishes to play a long low shot, play the ball near the centre or off the right foot with the straighter faced clubs, either wood or iron. Hit the ball a descending blow with the hips moving forward, parallel to the direct line at impact and beyond, and finish with the club closer to the ground than in the ordinary stroke. The opening of the season of the Geraldine Golf Club takes place to-day. The course is looking in better condition than usual for the start of the season. All the fairways have been cut and the greens mown. After the new president (Mr A. A. Readdie) has declared the season officially open, mixed foursomes will be played.

Poultry farming is increasing so rapidly in Norway that that country is now exporting thousands of hundredweights of eggs every year, whereas 25,000 cwt. of eggs were imported in 1923.