GOLF.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17223, 5 October 1927, Page 11

GOLF.

GENERAL NOTES. HAMILTON CLUB HAPPENINGS.

(By "Niblick.")

In the second round of the bogey handicap in connection with the Gilbey Cup competition played on Saturday the best card put in was that of Pembcrton (7 up), closely followed by Guy (G up). As the lastmentioned was 1 up on the Colonel the preceding Saturday he. now shares with Pemberton the lead in this competition so far as it has gone. The next in order are Wynne, MacBeth, Atkins, and Pounlney, whose aggregates are 4 up. The trio first mentioned recorded their tallies last Saturday when Pountney added a one to the three he was up on bogey the week before. As there is still another round, and only two out of the three count, there is yet opportunity for other players to gather up the leaders. At the same time, Guy and Pemberton appear to be bowling along comfortably in front, and 'if they can manage to stay on moderately well somebody will have to put in a great run from the back to hold them out. Visitors from Auckland. The third round for the Gilbey Cup will not be played on Saturday next, which has been set aside for the inter-club match between Auckland and Hamilton. Twelve" senior players are coining from Auckland, and the names of the local representatives selected to oppose them will be published later this week. The visitors will practise at St. Andrew.'- on Saturday morning, and the singles matches will be played in the afternoon. The foursomes are to take place later in the week-end. Tho Aucklanders gave the Hamilton playcvs a royal time on the occasion of their visit lo Middlemore earlier in the season, and it is hoped to render the return visit to St. Andrews equally pleasurable to the Northerners.

A "Colt" Gallops Well. T. N. Pemberton, who only recently succumbed to the lure of the links, administered a sound thrashing to Colonel Bogey last Saturday, when that estimable gentleman endeavoured to concede him a stroke a hole. Pemberton, who finished 7 up, went round in 92, which included sixes at the 10th and 12th, and sevens at the loth and 17th. Had he finished as well as he began, his performance as a "colt" player would have been even more remarkable, seeing that he went out in 42, only exceeding bogey at the sth and Gth holes, where he got fives instead of fours. On the return trip a visit to the right-hand bunker at the 10th cost him a 6, and foozled drive and subsequent trouble resulted in another 6 at the 12th. With his second five yards from the green at the 15th an ovorstrong approach went right through into the rough, and a lamentable 7 was recorded, while bad second and third shots at. the 17th after a good drive resulted in a similar figure there. A fourth at the short 14th gave Pemberton a half there, and bogey figures at the remaining four holes ensured him wins, and left him square with the Colonel over the latter half of the journey. One can see Pemberton higher up in the weights for future events.

Hamilton Course Bunkers. The bunkers on the Hamilton course were in good condition during the championship, judged from the viewpoint of inland, not seaside, hunkers (writes "Bunker" in the New Zealand Referee). They are more formidable than the hunkers at Shirley, Miramar, or Wanganui. One always had to play a true recovery shot at Hamilton to get out of the bunkers through the green. From those near the green a putter has been used on more than one occasion. There is one prominent bunker running right across the 12th fairway, which has been cursed and questioned by more than one good golfer.

Judged by the position of certain drives at this hole, the bunker is about 270 yards from the tee—a great high and forbidding bunker. On the right, in close proximity, is an out-of-bounds ditch; on the left is severely punishing rough. Some golfers drive 270 yards more than once in a round. It is contended that this yawning bunker is too cJose to the tee, and

especially so since the right and left sides of the fairway are so closely guarded. The golfer who drives really well should feel free to produce his longest drive, if he can, straight down, the middle. He does not feel free to do so with that great hunker threatening him. As a matter of fact, Kapi Tareha drove over the bunker on one occasion. But that was a freak drive. We do not use it as a basis for argument. The tees at Hamilton were generally in good order, and it is a pleasure to record this fact, because even fine golf courses are sometimes a little lax in caring for tecs.

Divots. Those still left in the Hutt Club's senior championship so far as it has gone are Rana Wagg, S. P. London, J. A. Biss J. L. Black, H. A. Black, M. Blundell, G. A. Tuck, and W. E. Coltman. Of the players mentioned above Wagg and the two Blacks were seen in action at St.*Andrews during the recent New Zealand championship tournament here.

Amongst the outside players likely to take part in the Wanganui Golf Club's championship this week are T. H. Horton, J. C. Bidwill, K. D. Duncan, and D. C. Collins.

L. Ross, professional to the Hutt Gill, is leaving there at the end of this month for Nelson, where he will replace Meltae, who has gone to the Burwood Club, Christchurch. There will not be any Australian amateur foursomes golf champions this year. This was the decision of the Victorian Golf Union, after a review of the happenings during the foursomes contests at Sandringham. For playing wrong balls in the final for the title, Alex Russell, F. B. Headlam, Ivo Whitton, and Leigh Winser were disqualified. At the ith hole each played the wrong ball. The disqualification leaves no others in the Held, as,.under championship conditions, the pairs who tied were compelled to play off. The position is uniquie in golf history in Australia. The competitors made the mistake unwittingly. There was no deliberate breach of the rules, and among golfers generally the opinion is held that the proper decision would have been to order a re-play.

T. D. Armour, who won the United States Open Championship this season after a play-off with Harry Cooper, has since won the Canadian Open Championship, with an .aggregate of 288, one stroke better than Ma'cdonald Smith. The hud-mentioned returned cards of 70 and 09 on the final day of the championship, beating par eight times, and equalling it three times. Smith won this event last year with a brilliant aggregate of 283. The field which Armour defeated was practically as strong as that he overcame at Oakmont, and inoluucd sikm players as Willie Macfarlanc, Bobby Cruickshank, Walter Hagen, Johnny Farrell, Leo Diegel, Al Watrous, Joe Turnesa, and Willie Bourke. The last-named is one of this year's "arrivals" in championship golf. His aggregate in the Canadian Open was 200.