ON THE LINKS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18847, 9 April 1931, Page 5

ON THE LINKS.

WEEKLY JOTTINGS (By “Driver.”) Saturday’s Fixtures. Highfield.—President’s Team v. VicePresident’s Team. Glen-iti. —Card Match. North End.—Opening Day. The card matches held at Highfield over Easter proved very successful and attracted a considerable number of visitors. Several good scores were returned, and judging by the enthusiasm of players, the season promises to be as good as any of previous years. In the bogey handicap on Saturday morning J. P. Steven (10) and B. L. Blodorn (18) tied with 3 up. J. Mackay and M. F. Ledingham tied in the medal match in the afternoon with 68 net. Monday morning’s bogey match was won by N. S. Cramond (6) who came in 6 up. H. V. Sharp (17) was second 4 up. The medal on Monday afternoon was won by A. J. Allport (18) whose score was 69 net.

Both Jack Mackay and N. S. Cramond played good golf throughout Easter. Both were regularly in the seventies and should, if their form holds, be very hard to beat this winter.

Golfer: “What are all these birds following us for. caddie?” Caddie: “To pick up the worms, I suppose.” Mr C. W. Wood, president of the North End Club, has donated a challenge cup for competition among the ladies of the Club. At Highfield this year the par has been reduced to 70, while the bogey for the course remains at 73. The effect of lowering the par is that of tending to improve the golf. An example may be shown where a player at a hole where the bogey on his course is 5 but which he knows is only a par 4, is not satisfied, or should not be, if he drops a stroke when he knows a four is well within his reach. Thus by making the player extend himself, the lowering of the par must eventually improve golf as a whole. It is perhaps unfortunate that the Geraldine Club decided not to alter the site of their course this winter. At present their links, although very picturesque, are on the short side, and do not call for long shots. The greens, too, are extremely small. “Always concentrate on seeing your putter’s face hit the ball; then wait to hear the ball rattle in the tin.”—Geo. Gadd. The North End Club will hold its opening day on Saturday when mixed foursomes will be played. The fairways have been mowed and the greens topdressed, and the links generally are reported to be in good order. B. V. Wright was runner-up in the Canterbury championship at Shirley. “Pip” was three strokes behind the winner, J. D. Millard, whose total of 154 was creditable considering the state of the links. According to reports from Christchurch, Shirley is in decidedly poor shape, the links being practically bare of grass. The chief trouble with which players had to contend was approaching to the greens. Owing to the hardness of the ground it was practically impossible to judge how far an approach would run.

“Cut out the tee shot from golf and there would not be enough lift to keep the game going. You might as well take the whisky out of the soda.”— Alex. Herd.

North End will commence the season with a membership of 64, a considerable increase over last year’s figures. In view of the increasing membership and the resultant conjestion, it has been decided to restrict the membership list to 80. The Club’s officials this year are:—President, Mr C. W. Wood; vice-president, Mr T. Gilbert; club captain, Mr H. J. Washer; secretary, Mr F. E. Wilkes. These officers with Messrs J. Barnard, A. R. Clark, I. J. Bradley and T. Edyvean constitute the committee.

The extent to which golf has gripped the business man of America may be judged when it is seriously contended by an ex-president of the American Railway Association, Mr R. P. Stevens, that the joke that more business is done on golf courses than in office buildings is not a joke, but sober fact. Backing up the suggestion that young men therefore take golf as an extracurricular study at college if they wish to succeed in business, he says: “Vital things which a young man gets out of college are mental discipline, ability to reason, fundamental knowledge, helpful associations. I am proposing that he take golf at the same time that he is taking languages and sciences, and take it with equal seriousness. While business may not literally be done on the golf course, associations are formed there which indisputably have practical as well as social value. Few men, except occasional geniuses, win unusual success on knowledge, ability, or talent alone. Whether a contract or order is awarded one firm or another is generally determined by the personal relationships among the men involved.”

Following is the draw for the card matches to be played at Glen-iti on Saturday:— Glen-iti.—G. Hislop, G. Gamble, C. Seyb, J. Stevens, A. K. Provan, J. Ferrier, W. Jones, J. Menzies jun., J. Lysaght, S. McConachy, J. Crowley, J. Menzies sen., G. P. Lawson, D. Oram, N. A. Moore, J. Beckingham, J. Whitehead, R. Powell, A. Graham, H. Clark, J. C. Ball, F. H. Osborne, A. M. Shugar, W. Goodwin, W. M. Mantell, W. Skelton, J. A. Morgan, E. P. Salmond, W. Lawson, T. Mitchell, P. McDougall, O. L. Robertson, R. Parker, H. F. O’Meeghan. Hilltop.—W. R. Townsend, J. Skinner, J. G. Johnston, E. Wells, Hunter-Weston. J. S. Jaffray, Rex Jones, J. Satterthwaite, R. McKay, J. Duncan, V. Crowley, H. Loonies, N. a. Leslie, J. Jones, V. T. Nicholas. H. J. Brewer, H. Oram, J. A. Scott, D. Menzies, L. Holden, J. Moffatt. H. McLatchie, M. Crowley, C. A. Haworth, A. Jones, B. H. Low, C. Steele, L. Busbridge, E. Dodd, F. J. Robertson, A. A. Caithness, M. O’Meeghan. Ladies.—Misses J. White, M. A. Crerar, I. Young, Willett, Mrs Robertson, Misses Roberts, Morgan, I Meikle, I. Methven, D. Methven, D. Jones, Mr 3 Manson, Misses D. Beck, Selwood, E. Segar, N. Shivas, Mrs Skinner, Misses Islip, Henderson. Mrs Loomes, Mrs Johnston, Mrs Sinclair, Misses Stewart, J. Robertson, Whitehead, Mrs Low, Misses Eaton, Dickson, Mrs Jaffray, Misses K. Martin, Law, E. Cornwall, Mrs Brewer, Misses L. Buxton, I. Grant C. Beck, Mrs Mantell, Mrs Graham, Miss McKay, Mrs Caithness, Misses Couper, F. Bradley, Bowen, O. Bradley.