GOLF WAS PLAYED AT TERRIFIC PACE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18189, 23 June 1927, Page 3

GOLF WAS PLAYED AT TERRIFIC PACE

NEW ZEALANDERS TELL OF N.S.W. EXPERIENCES (Special to the “Star.’ 1 ) WELLINGTON, June 22. “I am quite satisfied that New Zea land golf compares favourably will Australian golf. A scratch man ove; there would be a two man here, foi they don’t get our winds, and this v-

what takes strokes off their handicaps. Besides that, they don't seem to be the stylists that we are,” said Mr T. H. Ilorton on his return from Australia to-day. “Wliitton and Russell are in a class of their own, and two or three strokes better than anyone else in Australia. Russell is a beautiful golfer, and Whitton is very sound on the greens, and when he gets one of his brilliant spasms of putting, is unbeatable. Russell’s iron shots are wonderful. When I met him in the New South Wales amateur championship I was playing my iron well and sending shots to within 15 or 20 feet of the can, yet seven times in every ten Russell not only caught the green, but was four or five feet inside my ball. lie plays for the pin every time. The best score in the morning round of this match was 05, and the only thing good enough to win a hole on this scoring was a three. I met him four times, and he beat me 1 up, 2 up j and 1 up, while once we finished all square. I am quite satisfied that this is the difference between us, yet Hector Alorrison. I hold, is still the best amateur stylist in Australia, though he does not get the results of Russell and Whitton. The boy, Smith, who gained surprising victories in the New South Wales amateur championship, is a great player. He is still a bit fidgety on the greens and takes far too long to get his line, though, once he finds it, he is a very quick putter, and the finest we saw in Australia. “Our win in the Kirk-Windeyer Cup was very popular. When we started we thought we had an even chance, but we were all scared of the foursomes, beciiu.se we had not played together. After having won these, we knew that we had a great chance, and were all very confident. “Duncan certainly had a great chance of murdering Whitton, but lost it when Whitton made a burst. Duncan's long game was troubling him the whole time, and on occasions affected , his short game, when he tried to retrieve strokes lost. He is still our best golfer. In my match with Russell I started scratchily, and he got a break of three holes. After the sixth hole it was solid golf, but although I got one or two good runs, I could not quite catch him. Ross did net lose his match with IJeadlam. They finished i all square at the ISth. and under the rules an extra hole should not have been played, but there was a misunderstanding, and they went on. Ross played' excellent golf up to the finish of the Kirk-Windeyer Cup. Then, when r the strain was over, he seemed to relax and could not get going again. Quin played fine golf and thoroughly deserved his win. llis : inclusion was amply justified. “The Australian courses are beautiful. The fairways are like carpets, but the pace of the play is terrific, and we were simply done after our matches.”