GOLF NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 139, 15 June 1932, Page 4

GOLF NOTES

By

"SEAVIEW.")

Principal interest in New Zealand golfing circles to-day and to-morrow will be centred in the performances of the New Zealand team defending the Kirk-Windeyer Cup on the other side of the Tasman. It may be expected that the results of to-day’s play will be known in Wanganui at a fairly early hour this evening. One point on which Wanganui may prid< itself is the fact that B. M. Silk, of the Wanganui Golf Club, has been chosen number one in the New Zealand team, thus placing him above the more experienced, but perhaps les. brilliant, Black and Wagg. Though Silk is matched to play that golf pfodigy Ferrier, he has ability and temperament on his side, dud Wan ganui may look forward with confidence that he will do justice to his selection.

Writing in the Sydney Daily Telegraph on Monday of last week, Mr Hector Morrison remarks: New Zealand’s Kirk-Windeyer Cup team is the keenest combination to visit these shores. No sooner had the teams lauded on Saturday morning than its members were hard at it getting their land legs on Sydney’s courses. J. P. Hornabrook, B. M. Silk and H. Brinsden played a round at Kensington, while H. A. Black and Rana Wagg had a day’s play at Concord with the local champion and ex-New South Wales Cup representative, W. R. Dobson. Silk toured Kensington in 73—a mighty fine performance on his first journey over that testing lay-out. Although Hornabrook did not do so well, his fine style made a favourable impression. As soon as the Kensington contingent had finished their round they set out again for another, without anything to eat. A Kensington caddy summed up the visitors strength when he said, ‘‘Gee, but they can putt.”

From the teams picked New Zealand has a good chance of making at Ipast a very good showing in the KirkWindeyer Cup, comments ‘‘Chipshot” i.. the Evening Post. Ferrier is undoubtedly the pick of the New South Wales team, which should eliminate Queensland, and unless Silk is on his I form he may lose in the singles, but, though nothing has been heard of Silk individually, he must have put in som - fine golf to head the team, and will give the six-foot young New South Wales star a good run for it. The other single games, if our men are in form, should be well matched, if they are to play in the order mentioned. Form in the foursomes may, however, change their positions.

The placing of the New Zealand team comes rather as a surprise in regard to some of its members, and while Australian form has no doubt been responsible, it was not considered likely here that Wagg would become the emergency member. He may be having trouble with his woods, as he had at Miramar shortly before leaving, when he put four balls out of bounds at the eighteenth, owing to a bad slice. Even traces of that malady would play on the nerves of anyone in a national team.

As far as the foursomes are concerned, Silk and Hornabrook and Black and Brinsden should be well paired. It was noticeable at the Hutt that Wagg and Black did not form an ideal partnership, though it must be admitted that on that occasion the faulty play was Black’s. Though they both have the shots, it may be that their partnership in the Cup would not have been one of those perfect ones, like that of Silk and Hornabrook, who are old Wanganui College mates, and strong personal friends. Silk is the best stylist left in the team, as imperturable as Hornabrook, and likely to play within a stroke of his best whatever happens. Hornabrook may always be looked to for some fireworks, especially if, in the rough, or badly trapped.’ He, Morpeth and Cathro are three of the best ever seen in New Zealand for getting out of bad trouble with credit, and Hornabrook is particularly spectacular about it. To this he adds a brilliance when at his best that always draws a gallery. Black and Brinsden should also make a good pair, teaming well. Black is evidently not quite on his game so far, but if he continues not to play as well as during his last unofficial visit to Australia, Brinsden has all the shots likely to be needed, and evidently likes the Australian courses and greens, as he has already unofficially led a field of Australia’s best with a card of <3. If New Zealand wins three of the singles and both foursomes it will retain the cup.

The form of Black and Wagg is definitely fixed by the comparison afforded with Seifert, jnr., and E. M. Genge, whom they should give strokes to. Tallis is an Auckland golfer on about the 3 mark.

The Wanganui Club, having retained the Nathan Cup against Seafield’s challenge, will now have to play Patea next Saturday, these being the next aspirants on the list for the trophy. It may be noted that the challengers have named only half a dozen in their team, and it would not be surprising if they made a bold bid for the coveted cup.

Next Saturday there will be played the first round of the championships at Belmont, while it will also mark the first round of the Consolation Handicap.

In the draw for the first rounds of the middleweight and junior championships, it will be noted that W. Grumitt is drawn to play the top qualifying man in the middleweight and the lowest qualifying man in the junior contest. This was caused by a tie occurring. It is several years since a similar condition existed. On that occasion the leading junior, as a middleweight, “knocked out” the top middleweight player, but was himself outed by the lowest junior to qualify. It will be interesting to note whether history will repeat itself this year, when Grumitt will have a chance to maintain himself in both divisions.

A player at Belmont who has made a constant endeavour to record a two at one of the holes with a particular brand of ball, was surprised on a recent round. Despairing of obtaining the coveted two at Outlook, the standard scratch score for which is 5, he drove off with another ball. A beautiful long second soared away to the green, struck tho pin as it lost pac«, and trickled inlu ihe hole. Had the

player in question used the particular brand specified he could have obtained a new ball on recording his feat. It is understood that as a result of not maintaining the standard which he had displayed up to the seventh hole, the player mentioned fell away to such an extent that he returned a card of just unde a century. This statement has not yet been verified, however. The card which was returned by U. G. Williams in making his exceptionally good score in the third qualifying round of the championship at Belmont makes interesting reading. Here it is:— Out: 43552444 4—35 In: 25344345 5—35 Total: 70 Sealfield’s challenge for the Nathafl Cup failed by he narrowest possible margin, for the defenders retained the trophv only by reason of the fact that level scoring prevented Seafleld from being able to claim the cup. The teams were faily evenly matched, and in spite of the fact that in a couple of instances Wanganui won by wide margins, the game was generally decided at the last couple of holes. With the team offering from Seafiel’. better matches could scarcely have been obtained. Perhaps the challengers would have done better had they put in a team of six or eight instead of a dozen. Though it would not be right to suggest that the Nathan Cup match was lost by any one player, the narrow margin between victory and defeat is emphasised by the fact that a missed putt played no small part in the ultimate result. At the 18 h hole one of the challenging team had placed his fourth within six feet of the pin. His opponent was well out with his third, but played a beautiful approach to get up within two feet of the pin. A downhill putt resulted in the Seafleld player missing by inches only, and when the Wanganui man sank his putt and thp hole was halved, it remained for a tallying up to disclose how much depended on that 6ft putt.

The Seafield Club will play a novel match with the Seafleld Ladies’ Club on Saturday. It is designated a Leap Year match. All the men’s names will be placed in a hat and from this the ladies will draw the names of their partners for the match. This unusual method should prove highly satisfactory in a match which aims more at the social side of golf. Seafield players will journey to Bulls next week-end for the inter-club match with the Rangitikti Club. The first qualifying round of the Castlecliff Golf Club’s championships was played last Saturday, but the scores were not what one would expect on such an occasion. Perhaps an incentive was lacking. One explanation advanced is that conditions were so good that players were unable to play up to them. It may be that when the next qualifying round is played on. July 9 a decided improvement will be noted.

Next Saturday the first round of th# Power Cup Fill be played. This is match play on handicap, and members should not that the round must be played on Saturday. A decided improvement has bees effected as a result of the lengthening of No. 7 hole. This has met with the approval of members, who are looking forward to the improvement of other holes later on.

The two courses on which the quail* fying rounds for the British open championship were played adjoin each other on the coast of Kent st Sandwich. The older of the two. Royal St. George’s, is as fine a course as there is in the world. Princes course is of much later construction and figures in the open championship for the first time this year. It is, however, a magnificent tost for golf champions and is longer than any of of the other championship courses. Royal St. George’s has Princes on one side and on the other Deal, another championship course, the home of the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club. These three championship courses, contiguous eack with the other, form a cluster of gems on the belt of superb courses that girdles England and Scotland.

Miss Enid Wilson is ladies’ open champion of Great Britain for the second year in succession. Despite the strong American team in the field, strong enough to beat Great Britain in the international though the British side included Miss Wethered, it was an all-British final. The cables did not tell us who put Mrs Vare (Glenns Collett) out but she did not survive the third round. One of the invaders, Mrs Cheney, better known in American golf as Mrs Leona Pressler, got through to the semi-finals. There she met Mira Wilson and that was the le * of Mrs Cheney. Miss Wilson may have had some anxious moments in the earlier matches, but she was not seriously troubled in the final by her opponent, Miss Montgomery, Scottish lady champion in 1924. It was a tight enough affair for the first 18 holes. With S holes played Miss Wilson was one up and the next nine holes were all halved. Then the champion struck her gait and played the first nine at Sannton in 35-— a good professional’s score. Miss Montgomery could only get three halves and was 7 down with nine to play. Three more holes end the championship was Miss Wilson’s 7 up and 6 to play. At Portmarnock last year she boat Miss Wanda Morgan in the final by exactly the same margin. Leaving out Miss Wethered there is no doubt Miss Wilson is the best British woman playing to-day. She went after ths U.S.A, championship last year but failed to produce her true form in the States. It is understood that she proposes to try again this year. The American ladies will have to key themselves up for another effort to win the British ladies’ championship. It is the one great national golf title that America has not succeeded in winning. Mrs Vare has now tried for it six times. Twice she has reached the finals, to be bested once by Miss Wethered and once by Miss Diana Fishwick. Khc is n great player and has won tho championship of her own country five times. Miss Hicks, Miss Orcutt, Miss Van Wie, Mrs Cheney—all are in the first flight, and all capable of winning on their day. 8o fgar the great prize has eluded them, but they will challenge again and the struggle for success certsitrty adds piquanev to Iks c'*e|