GOLF AT WANGANUI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17159, 1 October 1923, Page 11

GOLF AT WANGANUI.

GOSS WINS AMATEUR FINAL. A GREAT CONTEST. (Special to the “ Star/') WANGANUI, September 29J- Goss, of Wanganui, won the amateur gcslf championship of New Zealand to-day, beating Arthur Buncan, of Wellington. It was a great struggle, and the result was in doubt right to the thirty-sixth green. The game varied considerably, too, so that excitement was maintained, and the hundreds of spectators who followed got plenty of sensation. Goss was three up on the morning round, and the game was all square at the eighth in the afternoon. Duncan was one up at the turn and three up at the thirteenth. He then looked “ all over a winner ” with such a lead and only five holes to play, but Goss finished brilliantly with a three, a four, another four, a three, and a four—five holes in. eighteen just when thev were wanted—and what looked ominously like defeat turned into a splendid victory.

The golf was high class on both sides. Goss started with two fours, beating bogey at these holes, one 418 yards and the other 500 yards. He went out in thirty-eight and returned in thirty-eight in the morning. The afternoon round took him fortv-two for tho first half. At the twelfth hole lie sot into an impossible position and picked *«p. The other eight holes were acco-mnlished in thirty-three.

Duncan in the morning took forty out and thirty-eight in. while in the afternoon he was out in thirtv-eighfc and back in thirty-eight. These scores prove liojv g-ood was the golf. The cards read.— Worn in »—Duncan : Out. 554355553 40: in. 5355354.35 38. fioss: Out, 445474433-38: in. 54444 54.44—38. A fternoon—Duncan. : Out. 554354543 —3BT in. 5434J5544 38. Out. 564355554 —42; in, 63634 434—33 for eight. DTTlvrO AY’fiJ Wf A K PT7TTTXO. But while it can be said, and must be said, that the play was on the whole excellent in quality, some of Duncan s putting was the reverse, and on occasions it was lamentable. Dike I the rest of the disease known as golf, | the putting department is both pe- , culiar and important. There arc days j Tvhen the ball can be sent into the hole without effort; when it can be i sunk from almost any reasonable dis- ] J tance. or even unreasonable: but there are other days when one simply cannot get them down successfully, and when, though one’s long work may be satisfactory, or even exhilarating, the greens become scenes of distress. Duncan’s weak putting to-day unquestionably cost him the championship. In tho his approach putts seemed to drag in a most surprising style considering that he is a player of great skill. Duncan’s driving was uniformly long and straight, and several of his short approach shots on to the green were marvellously well judged. THE NEW CHAMPION. Goss is a native of Wanganui, and in business here. He began to play golf in 1906, and soon progressed. He is a scratch man on the Wanganui Golf Club's handicap list. He won the local championship and the Hawke's Bay championship last year. He has competed in several. Dominion tournaments, has always qualified for the play-off rounds, and usually fought liis way well towards the concluding stages of the championship. He lost the sight of an eye through an injury suffered in the Great War. but the good eye, judged by his golf, must be a good one indeed. He plavs a strong and stvlish game, obviously having become intimate with most of the finer points of golf. Now and then to-day he played expert strokes such as the explosive ” bunker shot, when plenty of sand is struck as well as the ball.

THE EX-CHAMPION

Duncan’s name is, of course. a classic in New Zealand golf traditions. | He belongs to the Wellington Golf i Club, whose links are at Heretaunga. j He first Avon the New Zealand ama- ; teur championship twenty-four years I ago, in 1899. He was also the winner in 1900. in 1901, in 1905, in 1907. in j 1909, in 1911, in 1914, and in 1922. i Between 1914 and 1919, on account of the war, no championships were j played.

GLORIOUS WEATHER

j To day’s contest was the closest on ! record, with one exception, Crosse, or j Napier, having had to fight out his i game against Duncan in 1919 to the j thirty-eighth green. ! The match, like the whole tourney. ! took place in glorious weather. The j gentlest of breezes from the sea softenI ed the heat from the sun, the sky being

j clouclievss. I lie course ana xne greens - j were in first-rate order. The conditions, - j in fact, could scarcely have been im- !! proved upon. The onW thing a fastidi ■ ous golfer could have desired was a dull ! sky for the sake of better visibility, j However, the brightness of the day and [ I the crowds of people scattered about f j the beautiful links made up a landscape I i whose picturesqueness will be to visitors l | an exceedingly pleasant memory. F j The officials of the New Zealand Golf I j Council and of the Wanganui club de ' ! serve a Avord of praise for their excel | lent management of 'the tournament, a j by no means small undertaking. | the morning round. I Duncan took the honour, and sent a - j fine long drive down the fairway, Goss ! just about equalling it. Both were E I nearly on in two, and Goss won the

hole in fopr by sinking a long putt, Duncan being: out in bogey five. Excellent drives were sent off at the second (500yds). also first-rate seconds, and both were on this rather trouble ; somf » green with correct approach I strokes. With the back spin on the ball I Duncan put his approach dead, but ! again Goss cot down a long putt, won | the hole in four to five, and was two up ! on the champion. Goss pulled into the ferns at the : third. Duncan was near Goss, but not 1 quite so far off the fairway. Goss „!ay«d a beauty on to the Breen and Duncan put his second just on the lefthand edge, sent alone a beautiful jip- ! preach putt to within eighteen inches of the pin. and won m four to five, j Goss’s putt was rather weak. (toss ' one up. . . , . _ 1 The fourth (160yds) was nicely halved m 4fc T the fifth Duncan drove straiehi down the centre of the fairwav where as Goss sliced into the third fairway Duncan’s second was m a bunker guard inn the green, and Goss topped his Duncan C ot well out of the bunker tc the green, and won the hole m five .< ur » na Goss having plaved verv rav j ee.dlv both to and on the green O 1 ! his seven strokes, sis were full el | faults. This, as events proved subse * quentlv. was the worst-played hole o

} the day. The pair were now all square. After good drives at the sixth, Dun- . can’s second was short, whereas Goss, with a very stylish stroke, was eight feet from the green. Goss' won in four to five, and was one up. Ui IjonSi ®4-raight drives were 6ent off he seventh tee. Duncan’s second was lust through the green, whereas Goss was nicely on. Duncan’s third was ten feet short, and his fourth past the hole. Goss won in four to five, and was two

up % I rom the eighth tee Goss despatched a long drive. Duncan went out of bounds, his fifth “out” from this tee during the tournament. Goss’eseconl va.s pulled, but luckily bounced from the top of the bunker on to the green, and, though Duncan had made a good recovery from his error. Goss took tho hole in lour to five. He was putting with confidence, and this time sank an eighteen-foot- one. Goss three up. The ninth (174yds) was halved in three.

At the turn the only incident at the tenth, which was halved in the regulation five, was a A-ery fine approach by Goss from a bad lie in the rushes.

Goss was in a bunker over the green at the short eleventh, whereas Duncan played a pretty shot from the high tee, the ball stopping on the green. Goss got well out of the bunker, but Duncan won in three to four. Goss two up. Duncan duffed his drive at the twelfth, failing to carry the hill in front, and his second was not much better. Goss won with a well playe i four to five, beating bogey and becoming three up. Fine drives were played from the thirteenth tee. Goss put his second into a bunker, and Duncan’s was on the edge of the green. Goss, with a really skilful stroke, was out of the bunker to within six feet of the pin. Duncan’s weak putting cost- him the hole which Goss took in 4 to 5, making him four up. Both took wooden clubs at the fourteenth (210yds). Goss’s stroke was checked by. striking the t°P of a bunker stretching across the green, whereas Duncan’s was well up and he won in three to four. Goss three up. The fifteenth was halved in a rather scratchy five. Goss sliced his tee shot into long grass, but got well out of the difficulty, and Duncan duffed his drive and pulled his second, a brassey. The sixteenth was nicely played by both, and »• half in four resulted. \ Duncan won the seventeenth, a four, bogey hole of 357yds, in three to .four. This was a perfectly played hole—a long straight drive, a high pitch on, and one putt. Goss two up. Both were on the eighteenth in two and the hole went to Goss in four against five in consequence of Duncan’s £>oor putting. Thus the morning round ended with Wanganui stocks rising fast, Coss being three up.

THE AFTERNOON ROUND. In the afternoon the pair started pulling their drives. They both were on the edge of the green with good seconds and halved the hole in five. At the second good drives were followed by a beautiful long low brassey by Duncan and a still longer stroke by Goss. Duncan’s third was on the slope of the green, and rolled back off it. Goss was on the bank three feet above the green. Duncan played a pretty little pitch to the green and sunk his first putt. Goss missed with his second putt by about three inches, the hole being Duncan’s in five to six. Goss two up.

The third was correctly played and halved in four.

A half in three resulted at the short fourth. The fifth was halved in five after Cfoss had duffed his tee shot and Duncan had put his second into a bunker by the green. He was rewarded with a round of applause for a very clever stroke from the bunker to near the pin, while his putt for four missed by only a few inches. Goss out-drove Duncan at the sixth. Duncan was forty yards short with his second, and Goss ten yards short with his. Both thirds were well pitched little strokes. Here, for once, Duncan holed a. long putt and won in four to five. Goss’s putt missed by two inches. Goss one up Duncan drove a real hummer from the seventh tee and played a splendid midiron stroke on to the green. Goss pulled this drive into long grass, was short with his second and on in three. Bad putting by Duncan enabled Goss to get a half in five. Duncan won the eighth in four to five. Goss having sliced liis first- and pulled his second, and the match was all square. The ninth (174yds) wag won by Duncan in three to four, making him one up at the thru. At this stage it began to look a® if the Wellington man would win, for i i\ half a round he had improved his position remarkably, namely from three down to one up. Duncan won the tenth, a long and difficult hole, in five to six, a. feature of his play being a beautiful pitch shot on to the green and close to the pin. When thoroughly on his game “ Arthur,’’ as nearly e\*erybody calls him, to his face and otherwise, makes quite a speciality of the approach, I which certainly is one of the most important and difficult of the operations involved in playing a hole. At the eleventh, the shortest hole on the course (140yds) Duncan wa® over the green in a bunker and Goss on the left hand side of the green. Duncan played a masterlv stroke to six feet from the pin, but missed the putt, and Goss took the hole in three to four. Duncan one up. The twelfth wag a gift to Duncan. Goss pulled his tee shot badly, also his second, which appeared to go out of bounds, so he played another. Duncan put iiis second within six feet of the hole. Gos® found that his second* Avas not out of bounds, but it was in\ an unplayable position and lie forfeited the hole. Duncan two up. At the thirteenth Duncan drove a long ball and Goss a medium one. Duncan’s second was on the green and Goss’s in r bunker to the right. Duncan took the hole in four to -six and AA’as three up.

DUNCAN LOOKS A WINNER. The result of the match now appeared to be a foregone conclusion. Everybody agreed that the veteran must win. Fancy the situation : Three up and fire to play ! Why, a win and a half would give Duncan the championship. It was “ All Lombard Street to a- china orange ” on Duncan. But the fates, plus Goss’s skill and courage, willed otherwise. Duncan’s tee shot at the fourteenth AA as rather near the boundary and the ball Avas checked by a branch of a tree, falling into a ditch about three feet Avide and two feet deep. Goss’s tee shot reached the green. Duncan played a superb stroke from his wretched position, but Goss putted correctly and won in three to four. Duncan" two up and four to play. Duncan’s tee shot at the fifteenth lacked length and his second was short of the green. Goss was on the edge of the green in two and, although Duncan played a high-class pitch to the green, he missed the putt and Goss a von the hole in four to five. Duncan one up and three to playExcitement was increasing and rose to fever heat when Goss won the six-

teenth, through Duncan misdirecting his second into a bunker, a mid-iron stroke, too, which ought to have been straight. So they were all square with two holes to play. Duncan despatched a long ball from the seventeenth, but it was trifle off the line and lying in a hollow, in long grass. Goss’s drive was long and straight. Both were on in two, Duncan having got out from the bad lie with the skill of a true golfer. Goss then roused the gallery to the heights of delight, for they were mostly his fellow townspeople, by sinking a. long putt and winning the hole in three, one Tinder bogey, to Duncan’s four. Goss one up and one to play. A half at the home green and he was amateur champion of New Zealand. THE EAST HOLE.

Both were on in two, Goss’s being nearer than Duncan’6 to the hole. Duncan’s first putt was past the pin. Goss was well up with his approach putt, scarcely a missable distance, and here an exceedingly pretty and pleasant finish took place. Duncan picked up Goss’s ball, handed it to him. shook him heartily by the hand, and congratulated him upon his victory. Better spirit could not have been shown. Goss had played the last and critical five holes in eighteen strokes. Whatever advantage he may have gained through Duncan’s inferior putting, especially in the morning, he deserves the highest credit for a magnificent finish. It was a performance not often seen on a golf course to turn a three down and five to play position into one up at the finish, and with golf brilliant enough to beat bogey at three of the five holes. Goss’s club mates rushed to the green and carried their hero shoulder high to the golf house. He deserved it. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP. 1893 J. A. Sommerville (Otago). 1894 H. M’Neil (Otago). TB9o—G. Gossett (Christchurch). 1896 M. S. Todd (Otago). 1897 D. Pryde (Wellington). 1898— W. Pryde (Wellington). 1899 A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1900— A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1901— D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1902 S. H. Gollan (Napier). 1903 K. Tareha (Napier). 1904 A. H. Fisher (Otago). 1905 A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington) 1906 S. H. Gollan (Napier). 1907 — A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington) 1908— H. C. Smith (Otago). 1909 A. D- S. Duncan (Wellington) 1910— H. B. Lusk (Christchurch), now Auckland. 1911— A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington) 1912 —B. B. Wood (Christchurch). 1913 B. B. Wood (Christchurch). 1914 A. D, S. Duncan (Wellington). 1915 —No championship, owing to the war. 1919 H. C-. Crosse (Napier). 1920 S. Morpeth (Hamilton). 1921 A. G. Sime (Greymouth). 1922 A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP. 1907 A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington) 1908— J. A. Clements (Wanganui). 1909 J. A. Clements (Wanganui). 1910— A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington). 1911 — A. D. S. Duncan (Wellington) 1912 J. A. Clements (Christchurch). 1913 E. vS. Douglas (Nelson). 1914 E. S. Douglas (Wanganui). 1915 —No championship, on account of the war. 1919 -E. S. Douglas (Wanganui). 1920 J. H. Kirkwood (Victoria). 1921 — E. S. Douglas (Miramar, Wellington). 1922 A. Brooks (Wellington). FINIS. The presentation of prizes by Dr Earle, president of the Wanganui Club, concluded a tournament that had been a success in every way. It was characterised by glorious weather and unusually high quality golf. B.AGLEY CLUB. The closing day of the Hagley Golf Club was held on Saturday afternoon. A raised four-ball competition bras played. There wba a large entry of members, and the results were:- -Miss Inglis and T. VV. Lewis, 5 up; Miss M. Robinson and H. S. Penlington, 3 up; Mrs Burns and G. R. Stevenson, 3 up; Mrs Hobbs and F. W. Hobbs, 3 up; Miss M’Farlane and R. A. Bradshaw, 3 up; Miss R. Wood and R. A. Ronald son, 2 up; Mrs Gresson and F. A’Gourt, 2 up; MJ.SS Atkinson and W. N. A mixed putting competition was also held, and was won by Mlbs Boulnois and J. R. Montgomery, 36. The runners-up were Mrs Gresson and F. A’Court. 37.

HAEEWOOD CLUB. The monthly medal match was played at II are wood during the week-end. In the senior division, C. R. J. \\ ard and A. R. ' Blank tied with net scores of 78. Y. Donald won the junior division with a net score of 78. The following were the best

RICHMOND HILL CLUB. There was a large attendance of players and visitors at Richmond Hill on Saturday, when the season was closed, and the prizes won during the year presented to the winners. The president, Mr G. W. C. Smithson, congratulated the club on the past season, which had been good on the whole, although the competitions in July had been held back by bad weather. Mr Smithson also mentioned that several matches with other clubs had been played with a fair measure of success, and altogether the 6t.andard of golf had improved. He hoped that next year Richmond Hill would have a representative of either a lady or gentleman at the New Zealand championships. Mr Smithson then presented the prizes, the prize-list, whi-ch was a lengthy one, being as folMen's.—Opening day, mixed- foursomes— Draw (3). Medals- J. C. Cullinan, F. C. Malpas, J. ,A. Jamieson (2). W. F. Raphael. Bogey handicap (T. C. Evans’s prize), won by A. Rattray. Mixed foursome** (Mrs F. Maddison’s prize), won by 'Miss H. Leithead and A. Rattray. Rawnsley Cup, won by Mrs B. E. H. Whitcombe and G. W. C. Smithson. Men's foursomes (president’s prise j, won by’-G. W. C. Smithson and F. Maddison. Donnelly Cup, won by IF. E. Jamieson. Rawnsley Cleek. won by Mrs J. D. Lawrence and J. I). Lawrence, juu. Senior championship, won by A. Rattray. Evans Cup. won by W. E. Earnshaw. Ladies.—L.G.U. silver medal- Miss 11. Leithead. L.G.U. bronze medal —Mr sG. C. Z. Harris. Medals—Mrs «. C. Z. Marris, Mrs V. Hamilton, Mrs W. E. Best. Miss H. Leithead (2). Mrs B. E. H. Whitcombe. Senior championship—Miss H. Leithead. Junior championship—Miss Peggy Poulton. Special Prizes.--Mrs Whitcombe's prize, eclectic match, won by Mrs A. Rattray. Mrs Best's prize, flag match, won by Miss 11. Leithead. Mrs V. Hamilton's prize, won by Miss V. Barlow. Mrs Smithson's prize, one club match, won by Mrs G. C. Z.Harris. Mrs Harris’s prize, American Ringer, won by Miss 11. Leitliead. Bogey match, prize presented by Ladies’ Committee, won by Miss H. Leithead. Miss Jones’s prize, won by Miss K. Johnston. Ladies’ foursomes, for Mrs Hamilton’s prize, won by Mrs J. D. Lawrence and Mrs C. de Pass. cmyasrasxrncn czttb. At the Shirley golf links on Saturday, the final of the match play handicap for the oa plain's prize was won by fi. !?..

LYTTELTON CLUB. In the final round, of the Lyttelton Golf Club's junior championship. R. Rhind defeated U. Derbidge at the eighteenth hole. DIAMOND HARBOUR CLUB. N. Greenland was defeated on Saturday, in the final round of the Diamond Harbour golf championship, by 0. Mazey, by 3 and 2 to play. The match was played over thirty-six holes. The champ ionshii’ carries with it the Miller Memorial Cup. The game was a rather trying one on account of the length of the grass. Sooub were employed to keep a look out for the balls in order to save time. HAWKE'S BAY LADIES' CHAMPIONSHIP. Phr. Press Association. NAPIER, September 30. In the final of the Hawke’s Bay ladiesgolf championship, Mrs Oliver beat Mias Cato, 2 up and 1 to play. PROFESSIONAIa tournament. By Telegraph—Pres* Association —CopyrightAustralian Mid S.Z. Cable Association. XFTW YORK. September 29. At Pelham Sarttaen wen the professional golfers* cbampionsbip. defeating Hagen over tliirty-eight. holes.

Gross. Hep. Net. C. R. J. Ward . . 83 5 — 78 A. 11. Blank . . . 85 7 — 78 Y. Donald . . . 102 24 — 78 J. X). Bay butt . . 106 ‘24 — 82 XI. R. Sellars . . 98 16 — 82 W Whit<J . . .106 24 — 82 G. P Steel . . 105 18 — 87 O. L. Neale . . Ill 24 — 87 A. T. Bell . . 112 24 — 88 J. Hutchins . • . 100 10 — 90 C. S. Thomas „ . 115 24 — 91

Slacfarlane. who beat A. W. Clouston, two U1 In the bogey handicap the best cards C. K. J. Ward (i) * . * . 3 up D. Hoare (9) • • ■ » • ■? G. W Havcrfield (3) • » • 1 U P M. M'Beth (1) I U P C. K. Sands (4) .... Hquaie V. W. Russell fill .... Square C. W. Hodsclon (2) .... 1 down J. H. Early (5) .... 1 down S. Paterson (7) 1 down R. Francis (8) - . . . • 1 down I. Bennington (5) . . .2 down G. G. Burns (.6) 2 down G. Aitken (6) ..... -2 down A. R. Blank (7) 2 down F. A. Brittan (9) ... 2 down j A. Gow (21 2 down J. O H. Tobin (14) . . . 2 down C. R. J. Ward won the senior medal and D. Hoare the junior medal.