GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue IV, 27 January 1900, Page 163

GOLF NOTES.

(By

Bogey.)

Rain is verjr badly wanted on the links. The pond at the Long Wall hole is dry, and the creek will not hold any ball prisoner unless it fairly trickles into the trap. Any halftopped ball is perfectly safe to get over the hazard, provided it is hit with a fair amount ot force. Even the foozler may reasonably- expect his ball to clear the "Long Wall" either on the first or second bounce. The grass is, however, very short, and the only thing necessary- to put the links into beautiful order is a good soaking. For the man who can with his driver top his ball consistently the present is a glorious time, for a well-topped drive will leave one with a good carry- far in the rear. On Saturday- I had the misfortune to be giving Mr Hogg a stroke at the first hole. My holing the ball in four was utterly useless, for my opponent holed .in three. Now to expect the scratch man to hole in two in order to halve with his opponent is too severe altogether, considering the hole is a Bogey- 5. Later on in the afternoon my partner and myself suffered exactly the same fate, for our opponents (Dr. Stuart Reid and Mr Hooper) holed a perfect three to our four. The handicap committee might well observe Mr Hogg's handicap, which at present stands at 10. Now, a man who can do. and has done, the round in 92 certainly merits a lower place on the handicap list than "double figures,” and apropos of this same subject, I might remark that, there are several men who want re-haudi-eapping. It is staid that they will be. reduced before next medal day, but as the Club does not play matches in the summer, they are meantime pl-ty-ing havoc with their opponents, and th - committee should cut tle:r elaws as soon as- possible.

Mr C. T. Musson. a member of the Richmond Golf Club. New South Wales, has been spending a la**ge pjrt of his Auckland holiday on the links. The improvement in his phiy has been most marked, and 1 shall e\|.«ect to hear of his home club reducing his handicap very shortly. .Mr Musson plays a very steady and consistent game, and if he continues to improve as of late he will come very nearly to the Sydney scratch mark. Playing against Mr Hogg last week, he did a very excellent performance for the first nine holes, viz., 37, consisting of S successive fours and a 5. Such play admits of no mistake, and it is hardly to be wondered at that he turned for home 6 up on his opponent, who had not won a single hole. Coming home Mr Hogg played really good golf, won six of the holes, and halved the rest, thus halving a very extraordinary match. Query. \Vas Mr Musson in the second half oppressed by the sense of his own good score for the first half? The totals fur the round were: Mr Musson S 9, Mr Hogg A new ball has made its appearance bn the link*, viz., the Helsby. and f can speak highly of its qualities, both as to flight and lasting power. The ball is beautifully nicked and painted, and the gutta is all that can be desired. When are golfers going to get that long-looked-for sixpenny bail? The new Maponite ball seems to be a step in the right direction. Mr Horace Hutchinson has recently won two medal competitions when using the ball, and judging from his performances there seems to be no doubt that the ball is a good one.