GOLF

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19915, 27 September 1934, Page 5

GOLF

NOTES AND COMMENTS Conditions over the week-end were fairly good for glofers although there was not a great deal of activity. At Highfleld a fourball handicap saw some good scores returned and the winners were I. Marshall and D. W. Beswick with a card of 8 up. The finals of the North End championships have been decided and R. J. Moyes won the senior event by 5 and 4 from A. Ross, his driving and putting being the deciding factors. In the junior event J. Wallace got a good lead of 7 up in the first 18 against R. P. Reid and though the latter made up some of the leeway later on the handicap was too much to wipe off and the game ended on the 32nd green with Wallace 6 up and 4 to play. The women’s senior final was a close contest and Miss V. Todd and Mrs F. Cox were all square at the 33rd, but Miss Todd took the next two holes anq the match 2 and 1. The women’s junior also was very close, all square at the end of 18 holes and Mrs J. E. Barnard kept in front to gain a win at the 35th by 2 and 1 from Mrs E. Edyvean. A one club match found A. Provan the winner with 82-16-6 nett in the men's section and Miss C. Wilson with 102-36-66 nett was a long way ahead in the women’s division.

At Glen-iti a Stapleford bogey match resulted in a win for R. -Johnson with 12 plus 20—32.

The Timaru Women’s medal match saw Mrs Hawkes win the senior section with 86-9-77 nett and Mrs Skinner with 110-27-83 nett took the junior medal.

The New Zealand Women’s championships at Titirangi have seen some good scores registered and much excellent golf. Miss Kay once again has shown her decided superiority with card and pencil by annexing the Mellsop Cup which she has held since 1926. Her score was 240 for three rounds. Miss V. Fleming of Christchurch was only 2 strokes behind and her play at the tournament has been very sound and consistent. Miss Barnes-Graham broke the course record with a 75 and Miss Kay in one of her matches actually did a 73 which however does not count as an official record. The semifinal between Miss Kay and Mrs Robinson, the Australian champion, should prove a great match. The other semifinal is between the two New Zealanders, Miss Gaisford and Mrs Alison of Titirangi. Miss O. Stevens of Auckland staged her long distance matches beating Miss Barns-Graham at the 21st and then losing to Mrs Robinson at the same green. Miss Stevens looked to have the latter match won when she was dormy 2 up, but one never can tell in golf. The championships have been favoured with warm summery weather. The Geraldine Club accomplished a good performance by annexing the Norton Francis Cup at the Shirley links tournament, the annual country club’s team event. J. L. Mackay of Timaru put up a good round of 75.

The semi-finalists in the Timaru women’s senior championship are Mrs W. A. Scott and Mrs Hawkes, Miss Horwell and Miss G. Campbell. For the Australian open in October 135 entries have been received including Saragen and Kirkwood.

It is not possible to tell a golfer by his clothes. More often than not the more gorgeous the raiment the worse the player. Some years ago when an important professional match was on at Royal Melbourne and a referee was urgently needed, one who seemed to be a member of the green staff was asked to officiate. At the end of the round (it was a very hot day) the two principals and the "discerning gallery of one” were much exercised as to how they would get a bottle out of the very efficient referee. After the last shot was holed out, he quietly asked "gentlemen, will you join me in a drink?” Then it was learned that not only was he a well-known member of Royal Melbourne of long standing but one of the most famous surgeons of Australia.

Recently a 10-years-old girl ventured out for a ride unaccompanied. Between the East and West courses the horse threw the girl. Two gallants came along and rescued her. On being safely returned to her parents, she related that she had been "saved by two kind workmen.” Further inquiries revealed that the workmen were Mr Justice Macfarlane and former Australian open champion Arthur le Fevre!

One of the outstanding features of golf is that the more forceful an attempted blow, so long as it is a blow and not a swing, the less success is achieved in the way of distance. And so we hear the oft repeated advice ‘‘don’t press” which is of course all nonsense and will not bear the slightest examination. For the pressure forbidden is an action one employs to smash something with a hammer, which is altogether alien to the practice of scientific golf. On the other hand the urgent pressure by whipping or swiping a clubhead, of which the essential elements are swiftness combined with rhythm cannot be applied too forcefully. Walter Hagen for instance whisks his driver for all he is worth and no finer driving or brassy shots than his have ever been seen her.e. The effect of a heavy blow at a ball, delivered mostly from the elbows with the upper parts of the arms and shoulders braced stiff may through a miracle of timing be at the utmost a 200 yards shot, but that distance is easily within the range of the real swingers mashie swung lightly without any apparent effort. It is very important to acquire this valuable rhythmic swing. Just feel the weight of the clubhead right through the stroke and especially after the ball is away. With flexed arms and a relaxed body no difficulty will be found in so swinging the club and any how it will propel the ball! (Western Mail.)

As showing how necessary it is for players to check their cards carefully before handing them in is the recent unfortunate ending in the Western Australia championships. The holder of the title. E. Cassidy, after a stern struggle through four rounds just managed to gain the lead in the final round by two strokes, and after receiving the congratulations of his opponent it was reported that his marker had entered a 3 at one hole where he took 4. Although the difference of one would not have affected his win the rules of golf could not be waived and the winner after all his trouble was disqualified. It is not reported what happened to the marker but players should note that the onus is on them to check all figures before carls go in, even where markers are appointed.

Query: In a foursome A and B are partners. Their ball lies in a bunker. It is A's turn to play. B makes a practice swing to show A how, in his opinior. the ball should be played. He strikes the sand in the bunker about three yards from where the ball lies and does not in any way interfere with

the ball or its lie. Do A and B lose the hole?

Answer (R. and A.): The object of the words "The club shall not touch the ground” in Rule 25 is, inter alia, to prevent a player from testing the consistency of the soil. B’s practice stroke might have conveyed this information to his partner A. The committee therefore considers that in equity A and B should lose the hole.

Competitions at Glen-iti are drawing to a close but the finals of the second doubles knockout between Healey and Johnson and Joseph and Satterthwaite and the Johnston Cup between Miss Stewart and Steele and Miss Bradley and Johnson are yet to be decided. The club championship finals are to'be played over 36 holes this week-end. Saturday’s fixtures are as follows. —Card match and consolation for men, and for women a consolation handicap and putting competition in conjunction with the September L G.U. medal.