GOLF.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17750, 29 June 1929, Page 20 (Supplement)

GOLF.

A WEEKLY BUDGET. HERE AND THERE HAPPENINGS. COMING TOURNAMENTS. (By “Niblick.”) „.ates arranged for New Zealand tournaments this season include the following:— For Men. August 27 to 30.—Rotorua. August 30 and 31.—Takapau. September 3 .to 6.—Napier. September 3 to 7. —Waipukurau. September 27 to October S.—N.Z. Championships, Wanganui. October 3,4, s.—South Auckland, at Hamilton. October 17 to 19.—Belmont, Wanganui. October 26 to 29.—Seafleld, Wanganui. October 26 to 29. Manawatu, Palmerston North. For Ladles. August 14 to 15.—Waipukurau. August 29.—Takapau. September 10 to 12.—Napier. September; ,11 to 13. —Hamilton. September 18 to 20.—Miramar. September 26 to October 3.—N.Z. Championships at Christchurch. October 8 to 10.—Heretaunga, October 15 to 18.— Manawatu. October 2 to s—-Middlemore. October 26 to 29.—Wanganui, Belmont.

Bell Cup and Consolation. The Bell Cup and consolation Handicap competitions were advanced another stage at St. Andrew’s on Saturday. On that occasion J. L. Black and W. Wynne, the “back markers” in the cup and consolation respectively, proved equal to conceding their opponents the necessary strokes, and were still in the fuss when hostilities were resumed to-day. Of the other matches in these competitions three resulted in "all square” on the first occasion, and were replayed the following day. In the Bell Cup Hogben, who succeeded in squaring the first game when four down with four to play against W. M. Horton, senr., went under to his opponent in the replay by two and one. In the Consolation Handicap Atkins and Sutcliffe, and N. Ross and Strang finished square in their first encounters, the replays ending in favour of Atkins by five and four, and of Ross by two and one.

Visit of Pukekohe Players. The sixteen players from Pukekohe who visited St Andrew's at the weekend, when four-ball games with local players were engaged in both morning and afternoon, found the local knowledge of the home side rather too much for them, with the result that only one game of the sixteen went the visitors’ way. However, they appealed to be enjoying the day, and were complimentary in their remarks regarding the condition of the course. , fE - Links at Hamilton East. A further step in connection with movement for construction of a golf- course on the municipal reserve at Hamilton East was taken recently, when a deputation of those interested interviewed a committee of the Borough Council, and outlined the possibilities. It is understood that the deputation asked that the council, in the event of its deciding not to enter upon the matter as a municipal venture, should set out terms as to tenure and rental upon which it would be willing to lease the reserve for the purposes of a golf course. The council committee promised to bring Jlie matter before the council in due

course, and there Is little doubt that if suitable terms can be obtained, private enterprise will very st*jn have the project under way.

South Canterbury Champion. The South Canterbury open golf championship was won by B. V. Wright, of Tlmaru, xvith a score of 153. He returned 75 in the morning round and 78 in the afternoon.

BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPION.

SOME OF HIS PERFORMANCES. Cyril Tolley, the winner of the British amateur championship this year, won it in 1920, and reached the sixth round in it in 1923. He is thirty-three years of age, and he combines strength with a free style. When he is at his best, he is hard to beat, but he is like many brilliant golfers in having days on which nothing goes right. They may reach heights no player of the steady, cautious type may aspire to, but disasters throng their steps when they give pledges to fortune on their off days. Tolley has often made it look as though he would never distinguish himself again. Flashes of brilliant play were followed by trips into the rough or “green paralysis’’ when it came to the crucial stages of the match, and though he is as well known as any international golfer abroad, for the last five years his fame has suffered an eclipse in big events because of his unsteadiness. He has won:—The Welsh Open Amateur Championship 1921-1923; Sussex Amateur Championship 1921, 1922, and 1924; French Open Championship 1924; International Invitation Tournament at Long Island, U.S.A., 1922; Gold Vase Tournament at Oxhey 1923; partnered by Miss Wethered, the Mixed Foursome Tournament in 1 923; Silver Cross, King William the Fourth medal, and Glennie Medal (with a record aggregate) at St. Andrews 1925, and the Gleneagles Silver Tassie, with two record scores, in 1925; has represented Great Britain against America and Scotland, and Oxford v. Cambridge. He has two holes in one to his credit. The length of his drive may he judged from the fact that he reached the first green at Troon, in the 1925 Open Championship, a distance of 330 yards, and holed his putt for a 2. Mr Tolley is a member of the Royal and Ancient Royal St. George’s, Royal Eastbourne, Royal North Devon, Royal Liverpool, Royal Portcawl, Rye, Sunningdaie, Stoke Poges, Moor Park, Huntercomb, Bcaconsfleld, Frilford Heath, Gleneagles, Temple, Southerndown, Todmarton Heath, Sonning, Oxford, and other clubs.

THE RYDER CUP. BRITISH DELIGHT AT RECOVERY. “I am indeed a happy man,” said Mr Samuel Ryder to “Fairway,” of Sporting Life, immediately after Harry Cotton “came home” with the victory we needed to defeat the might of America for the trophy that carries with it international supremacy in golf. And to the delight of the donor, who has done so much for the game, our victory was enthusiastically acclaimed by a cheering crowd of at least 15,000, who, when the decisive putt was holed, roared their appreciation of a wonderful victory—and did so for many minutes on end. And it was a wonderful one in every respect. With a definite lead in the foursomes, America had only to win four of the eight singles to retain a sporting honour which Walter Ifagen told me is now regarded in the United States as the most coveted one to which they can attaip. Inspired Golf. That they did not do so/was due

mainly to the magnificent lead given to our Learn by Cum ms Whitcomuo —who is indeed a wormy No. 1 in our national side —and tne inspired, devastating golf played by ueurgo Duncan, who simply overwhelmed Waller Hagen by ms brilliance. in saying this, i uu not forget what Archie Gompston, Aubrey .Boomer and Harry Cotton accomplished, hut the early decisive deieais of johnny Farrell, the reigning American champion, and tiie inirmtame Hagen so snoon tne moral of our greatest rivals that they "wilted” under the pressure put on them, and won hut two of the eight matches.

Abe Mitchell and Fred Robson, who won our only foursomes match were singularly enougn the only ones of our team to fail. But Mitchell did so in dramatic circumstances.

The golf played by Leo Diegel against the Englishman was wormy of "Bobby” Jones in irresistible mood. Mitchell was perfectly sound, very accurate—in fact, he returned a 70 in the first round —hut he was treated to such an avalanche of the most glorious shots imaginable that his efforts were of no avail, and he was decisively beaten.

Before the match Diegel was the recipient of innumerable congratulations on his thirtieth birthday, and he smilingly remarked that on such an occasion it would not be appropriate to make many mistakes. He did not make the semblance of one in the 26 holes which it took him to win the match. He went out in the morning in 32, he had a single putt on eight separate 1 greens, and lie was round in 65, thus breaking the record for the course for the second time within the space of a few days. And he continued like this to the end. “I am perfectly satisfied with my game,” said Mitchell, "hut what can one do against such miracle golf? I have never been up against anything quite like it in my life.”

Had Hagen Guessing. George Duncan played similar golf against Hagen, who for once wore a worried look throughout' the contest. ■ It was the Duncan we know so well. Apparently careless in all he did; playing his shots with lightning-like rapidity, and putting almost disdainfully from any distance, he had "the master” guessing from beginning to end. Eight of the first nine holes were halved,' Duncan winning the third, but George came back in a blaze of glory to be six up at "the turn."

What happened after this simplystaggered Hagen. This man of iron nerve,-the most dominating personality the game has ever given us, the man who is never defeated until the last putt is holed, was beaten and battered at his own game. Duncan was merciless when he commenced again. He went out in 31 —a stroke less than Diegel—he won six consecutive holes in twenty strokes, and he finished the match on the 26th green by dramatically holing a putt "half way across Europe," as I heard it described.

Perfect Stroke Play. Farrell, the American champion, did not have a chance against Charles Whitcornbe from beginning to end, although he won the fourth and sixth holes. Whitcornbe then proceeded in his methodical, unruffled way by the most perfect’stroke play to return a 69, and to become six up.

After this it was all over, and Whitcombe had the honour of giving us our first singles victory. Of Archie Gompston and Harry Cotton one cannot speak too highly. They both had to battle extremely hard to outwit their respective opponents, but in neither instance did they fail their country.

Against Gene Sarazen, who went out in 35 to become one up, the tall, fairhaired Englishman with the American temperament reminded me rather of the athlete who, in a race, allows the other fellow to set the pace for the greater part ol* .the distance and then goes to the front to win- as he likes. Compston did this. . He- watched Sarazen with almost demoniacal interest. At the 25th hole the American faltered, and, as if this was the opportunity for which he was waiting, Archie forged ahead, hitting approach after approach right up to the pin, to the utter discomfiture of his rival.