SHIRLEY LINKS WILL BE SCENE OF GREAT GOLF THIS EASTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19036, 3 April 1930, Page 4

SHIRLEY LINKS WILL BE SCENE OF GREAT GOLF THIS EASTER.

Kirk-Windeyer Cup Competition Should See Greens In Fine Order. Christchurch golfers are already looking forward to Easter time, when, in addition to the Canterbury Championships. the Shirley links wilt be the scene of the fourth

contest for the Kirk-Windeyer Cup. Both New South Wales and Victoria are making the journey, and the play-off between those teams to meet New Zealand in twill add interest to the contest. Shirley has been the scene of many an historic contest, but Easter’s golf will be unprecedented. In 197.7, the first year of the contest, New Zealand, represented by Duncan, Horton, Ross, Quinn and Macfarlane, won from Victoria.

In 1928 New South Wales won from New Zealand at Miramar. In 1929, New South Wales won again from New Zealand.

The links should be in good order by April 14, when the eliminating round begins. The spell of dry weather, which has affected all Christchurch links adversely, making it hard for the green committees and greenkeepers to maintain their greens and tees, and drying up the fairways, was felt very much at Shirley, where the soil is sand}', and water does not take long to drain away. Some of the greens were in a bad way a while ago. There is a certain amount of clover in some of them, and the polic}’- of keeping that cut right down as low as possible worked both ways, for it meant that the grass on -the greens was shaved, and could offer little resistance to the hot weather. Over the past few weeks the greens have been allowed to grow a little longer, plenty of water has been kept on, and the topdressing that was applied earlier in the season has begun to take effect. Most of the greens have a good putting surface at the present time, and by Easter they should be in first-class condition. At “P'arthest South”, the green is in bad shape. It has been bad at this time of the season for the past four years. At present the play is all on a temporary green and tee. so that the green proper may get the full benefit of special attention. The fairways are greatly in need of a good soaking rain. There has been extensive top-dressing, all the fairways being lightly done, and that work will not gel a chance to bear fruit until the

rain comes. With anything like good [ fortune in the way of weather, how- ! ever, they will be in first-class trim. The Team. There has been much newspaper comr merit locally on the New Zealand team [ from which the final four are to be j selected. The five are Horton, Ross, Black, Duncan and Macfarlane. One correspondent caused a lot of adverse . comment among golfers by his spirited l though very illogical and weightless ad- , vocacy of several players who were not chosen. Such criticism of the selection, | after it is made, cannot do the slight- , est bit of good, and on the other hand might do quite a lot of harm. He | especially attacked Duncan and Macfarlane. Duncan, if his health will stand up to the game, is almost as . good as ever he was, and still deserves . his place. When considering Macfarlane’s right to liis place, it must be borne in mind that the match is being played on his home course. That is a very big consideration. Macfarlane has never been at his best away, but it .is a fact that at Shirley he is. perhaps, the hardest proposition in New Zealand. lie knows the links like the palm of his hand. He knows the effect of every wind, and has the distances to perfection. His excellent putting is helped by a complete knowledge of the greens.

He has been practising steadily, and his rounds have been of such a standard that they show him to be on his very best form. It is unlikely that he will be left out of the final selection. Black, Horton and Ross are in the very first flight of New Zealand amateur golfers, and their inclusion cannot be questioned. Their recent performances are their best advocates. There are always, in the selection of such a team, several players who might be classed as unlucky to be beaten for a place, but on this occasion the selection has been well done. In any event, criticism "after the team has been selected, and which is bitter against any member of a team, is unfair, and can do nothing but harm { to the players. Constructive suggestion before the team is picked is another thing altogether.

The visiting States are each without one or two of their prominent players, but the strength of the teams that are making the trip is great, and New Zealand will •have to fight very hard for victory. In the New South Wales side are Dr Lee-Brown and W. Dobson, who were l

playing when the visitors took tho shield back home with them from Miramar in 1928. Both are very strong players. It will be remembered that: Dobson won the Canterbury championship in 1926, so that he already has an achievement to his credit at Shirley. ,Dr Lee-Brown has also experience of the cpurse. Keene and Hattersley are young players of exceptional ability. Hattersley put up a great performance recently in an exhibition four-ball game against Kirkwood and Hagen. The Victorians are without Ivo Whitton. the open champion qf Australia, but Russell, Ryan, Hancock, Bulte and. K. S. Ross are a formidable quintette. Keith Ross is not to be confused with Dr Ken Ross, who will play for New Zealand.