GOLF

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 23 (Supplement)

GOLF

“A RETROGRADE STEP” MAKING GAME TOO EASY ALTERATION.' AT -T. ANDREWS COMMENTS ON MEDAL ROLIN'D (By "Fyfe Scott") Conditions for last Saturday’s medal rrund at St. Andrews w-ere still hard and fast, resulting in some very lownet scores again, particularly by the middle and longer handicap players. The best card of the day was a net 64 by J. L. McDonald from the 24 “Mac" must have decided to hit them on Saturday and he ought to continue his success as he is capable of playing good golf if he will stick to a few' essentials. The senior division first place was a tie between G. Tapper and F. W. Groom, both having net 68's from the It mark. Tapper reduced from 14 to 11 a fortnight ago and 1 see lie has got another rap over the knuckles for last Saturday’s performance and now has n handicap of 9. Fred. Groom has also been reduced to the same mark—the. fruits of perseverance. Another one to get a rap over the knuckles was F. Mathers who accounted for the intermediates with a net 66. He scored a 78 off the stick, a nice round, and earned for himself a new' handicap of 8. The Drain at the 13th The best gross scores over the weekend were a 72 by Gordon Seccumbe and a 73 by Gordon Burgess, both these players losing strokes by driving into the drain at the 13th. which reminds me that I believe the drain is to be filled in and the fence line is to constitute the out-of-bounds boundary. To me this appears to be a retrograde step in that it is definitely making the course easier. Every day one sees phenomenal scores being made, Jue no doubt to improved golf balls md belter equipment, and the result, is hat club committees are making every mdeavour to tighten up their courses. Should this alteration be adopted at Bt. Andrews, the course w-ill definlely lose a bit of its class an-d inrigue as any one w’ho plays St. AnIrews seldom stands on the 13th tee vithout feeling a few- qualms and sincerely hoping for a straight one. This is what makes good golf holes, vhen you can get a player on his toes, ro stand on a tee and be able to blaze vith the knowledge that a wild shot 3 not going to get you into trouble, loes not make for good golf. If this vork is carried out, under normal conlitions a reasonably long hitter will iave to slice one very badly to go over he fence. I have lost many a stroke t this hole by being in the drain or ust over but I have always considered hat I deserve-d to be penalised simply ecause I did not hit a good enough hot off the tee. Why Spoil a Natural Feature ? Another thing: The fairw-ay has been widened on the left and if one does ot want to take the chance of cutting ne into the drain, there is plenty of oom on the left. I don’t think there ; any question hut that the player ;sho hits a straight one at the 13th ets more- satisfaction out of the tee hot than any other, so why spoil one f the natural features that have been istrumental in gaining recognition for fie course as one of the finest tests f golf in the Dominion W, M. Horton’s Visit A visitor to St. Andrews at the veek-end w r as W. M. Horton of the Ireens Research Board who advises us hat given twenty-four hours rain we vill certainly see the grass grow. ,et’s hope he is right, as some of the airways at present certainly resemble he Sahara and where yoiur second to he green is going to finish is more or ess in the lap of the gods. Mr Horton had the privilege of witlessing the North Island Championhip final last week at Palmerston. Of | 11 the golf matches he has ever seen le considered it the best. Glading, he ays, was an odds on favourite to win he final, hut Graham played inspired rolf to win a strenuously fought out fame. Conditions at Lochlel A good round at Lochiel last week vas a 73 by Jack Pountney. Jack’s dggest success last year was his Waiiato Champion of Champions win and n any big local event this season lie .3 sure to make his presence felt. An mproving player at Lochiel is P. H. Lee who did a gross 80 last week with file result he is now on the 11 mark. Conditions at Lochiel are rather difficult just now and these two cards were rather meritorious as players are losing countless strokes on the greens owing to the dry conditions. Players at St. Andrews can be thankful that they have water laid on to their greens and appreciate this advantage over their confreres at Lochiel. We hope, however, that rain will not be long delayed. Personally the role of water-carriei lias iosi its charm lor me.