GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XXVI, 23 December 1899, Page 1155

GOLF NOTES.

(By

Bogey.)

It- is with very great regret that golfers all over the world will read the news that Lieut. Fred Tate was wounded by the Boers in that fearful fight nt -Magersfontein, where the gnllaut Highlantl Brigade was almost annihilated. No doubt inuny golfers who knew that Tate was serving with his regiment, the Black Watch, in South Africa, looked with eager interest to see if his name was among the casualries. To me it was almost a relief to see his name mentioned among the wounded when almost threefourths of the officers of the Highland Brigade were numbered with the dead, and I can only hope that his wounds will permit of a rapid recovery. F. G. Tait, or as he is popularly known to all golfers. “Freddy Tait." is a man'Of splendid physique. Undoubtedly dne of the finest golfers who have et'er held the chanipion.4hip he is also perhaps the most popular golfer on Scottish links, especially at St. Andrews, where he is t he idol of the crowd. Brilliant as his play is he is also a remarkably steady reliable player with a nerve that has carried him successfully through many a big match. He is a very powerful driver, and is credited with the longest drive on record. At St. Andrews iu the winter of 1893, on a calm frosty day. he drove a-tee-shot from the Heather Hole, which carried on to the tableland near “Walkingishaw’s Grave,” aud rolled on a further distance of nearly a hundred yards. The carry was 250 yards, and t-he total length of the drive 341 yards 9 inches, according to an accurate measurement that was made. During the last two years his driving has not been quite so long as formerly, but his second stroke and short game have improved. His father is the wellknown Professor Tate of Edinburgh University, who has contributed a very University, who has furnished a very literature in the shape of a scientific investigation into the nature of the flight of a golf ball. ® ® ® How very differently players will play a ball was very forcibly brought ‘home to me in a foursome in which I took part recently, and in which

M-rate-b pluyers were in each case parfnered u TFh, good partners It was the tiii’ii of one of the scratch men to |duy. The ball lay half buried iu 4< tuft of jrras>. but its near or hitt-ing-spot side w;cs drar. The hole lay some 140 yards off,* and to get to the hole the ball had to pass through the tuft. On Hie scratch man calling for his driver, !iis partner remonstrated and said the niblick was the club. On being ap]s»aled to the other scratch player, and his partner advocated the driving niashic, which in its way was good nd vice. 'Phe player, however, stuck to the driver, and the result justified 'his choice, for the ball reached the putting green. My opinion is that the player was undoubtedly right, for he had a clear stroke at the ball, and he required the stroke which would give his ball the maximum impetus to enable it to overcome the rrsisfence of the grass. The incident was a very instructive and interesting one. On Thursday the prize which Dr. .Lewis had very kindly presented to the A.L.G,C. was played for and won by Mrs W. Bloomfield with 106. Mrs M . B. (bl beck coming 2nd. with 107. • r i he conditions were, two rounds of mine hides in November, and two rounds of nine holes in December, the competitor returning the lowest total •■f 18 holes (the 9 best being taken from e.u*h match) to win the prize. After the first match Mrs Colbeck returned the exceedingly good score of 59, and as she hail a handicap of 11. she •had a very substantial lead. Her handicap was reduced io 5. but her card op Thursday was a very high one, and Mrs Bloomfield's excellent score of 50 deservedly won the prize. The returns we Mrs Bloomfield, scratch, 56 x 50 — 106; Mrs Colbeck 5S (—11)—48 x 64 ( —5) —59—107. The prize is a practical and very pretty silver golfing- chateleine suspended from an engraved clasp. Although she did not win the match, Mrs Colbeck is to be cong-ratu-taited on the fact that she drove the “Long wall." which is 130 yards from tihe present tee. and as her ball was between 25 and 30 yards beyond the wall and perfectly straight, it was a splendid drive. This feat has never before been performed by a lady.

On Thursday next the Ladies’ Club are giving an “At Home’’ in honour of their retiring hon. sec., Miss Amy Barstow, and all golfers will be welcomed on the Links. Several of our golfers have gone South for their Christmas holidays. ® ® ® Golfer to his Caddie (after a foozle): “I don't like the head of that club.” Caddie: “Deed, sir: there’s no muckle wrung’ vvi' that end o’ the club.”