GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XIX, 12 May 1900, Page 878

GOLF NOTES.

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• The final rounds of the Auckland Championship have now been played, mid, as was generally expected, Mr Gillies is the Auckland champion for 1900. He is playing in great form, and unless some unforeseen circumstance arise, there is little doubt in my mind but that he will come back from Dunedin with the title of K’.Z, champion. His most formidable, opponent is likely to be Mr Arthur Duncan, of Wellington, and I would po a .’ong- way to see the match between these two crack golfers, if the draw happens to bring them together. Air Duncan's long play is, 1 think, superior to Mr Gillies’, but he lacks Ihe deadly accuracy of the latter's short game. Mr Sykes is the only Other Auckland golfer who has gone South to take part in the N.Z. Championship Meeting, and whether he pulls otf any of the tournament prizes or not, we imagine that he will have u really good time. The following account of the semifinals and final of the Auckland championship may be of interest: — The match between Mr J. R. Hooper nnd Mr Hogg in the semi-final of the Champion ship was fought to a finish, being won on the 17th hole. The first hole was halved in 4, and the second taken by Mr Hogg in 3. At the third, Mr Hogg got into trouble in the <*reek, and Mr Hooper played a careful 5, and then took the fourth in 3. The fifth and sixth fell to Mr Hooper in 5 each, making him 3 up.

The seventh and eighth were halved in 5 each, and the ninth taken by Mr Hooper in 4, making- him 4 up. Bull’s Run and the two polo holes were piiyed, and the score still stood at 4 up for Mr Hooper; but Mr Hogg then took the next -three holes in 5,4, and 5 respectively, and retrieved his position. The game then stood at 1 up for Mr Hooper, and three to go. At this stage Air Hogg threw away his chance by a little want of care on the tee. His ball having rolled off, and been replaced, was still unsecure, and his shot was somewhat hurried, with the result that his drive failed. Air Hooper then took the hole in 5, and the next in 4, winning the match by 3up and Ito play. Mr Hogg is to be congratulated on his play in the championship rounds. It is more than possible that championship honours will fall to his lot before very long. The match between Messrs. Kyd and Gillies, which resulted in a win for the latter by 5 up and 4 to play, was a very good one—much better than the result indicates—in spite of the extraordinary fact that Mr Kyd did not win a single hole, and never held the honour except at the first tee. Mr Kyd, though playing a losing game throughout, stuck to his opponent in splendid fashion, and halved nine holes of the fourteen played, the remaining 5 holes being won by Mr Gillies. Air Kyd's start off was unfortunate, for he topped his ball into the creek, and Air Gillies had an easy win in 5. At the second hole a strong wind faced the players, and Air Gillies’ drive landed and remained on the top of the hill. Mr Kyd's drive, however, went away very low, struck the post guarding the first green, and came back some 50 yards to the tee. On examination of the post it was found that the edge of one of the four corners of the post faced the tee, and was severely dented, the pattern of the ball being clearly marked in the wood. The ball, which must have struck the sharp edge absolutely true, was uninjured. Air Kyd by a brilliant recovery halved the hole, owing to careless play on the part of his opponent. The third hole fell to Air Gillies in 4, and the fourth was halved in 4. Air Gillies won the Remuera hole with a perfect 4, which left him 3 up. The next four holes were halved in 5,4, 4,4, and the state of the match was unaltered until Air Gillies won Bull’s Run in 5, a result due to a very perfect full second stroke from a hanging lie. A five at the Pblo hole added another hole to the leader’s credit, and the Upolo, Long Wall, and Bridge holes being halved respectively, in 6,5, and 3, the match fell to Mr Gillies whose play had been throughout of a high order. Every one of his drives was good, and dead on the line, while his seconds were on every green with the exception of the Forest, Bull’s Run, and the Polo holes, where he was on the green in three. As the greens were unprepared, and were covered with worm easts, his score of 64 for 14 holes was so good that one may say he goes to the New Zealand championship meeting in top form. The final of the Auckland championship was played on Saturday, sth Alay, when Mr Hooper met Air Gillies. Each player was in fine form, and a splendid match resulted, Air Gillies ultimately winning by sup and 3to play. It is a pity so few spectators followed the match, for it was a splendid example of fine recoveries on both sides when holes looked irretrievably lost. Air Hooper’s long game was quite as good as that of his opponent, which left nothing to be desired, but the deadly short game of Air Gillies told its tale, when on 5 occasions he holed in 2 off his iron or mashie. Air Hooper, indeed. is to be congratulated on his excellent up-hill fight against a monotonously steady score, which totalled 65 for the fifteen holes played. The round if played out would have been in all probability 79. At the first hole both p'ayers had fine drives, that of All - Gillies being very long and true. Mr Hooper had the bad luck to strike the wire guarding the green with bis third, and the first hole fell to Air Gillies in 5. Both players were on the second green in 2, but ovcr-ran the hole and halved in 5. A grand drive by Air Gillies nt the third was followed by n topped ball by Air Hooper, which went under the wall, but by a very fine recovery, and a long putt, he managed to halve the hole in 4. After a. fine drive, Mr Hooper, playing the odd to the fourth hole was short in his approach, and Air Gillies won the hole in 4 to 5. Remuera proved a sensational hole. Long, straight drives took the players within almost a full iron stroke of the green, but Air Hooper topped his Bfcond and lay short of the live fence. He managed, however, to get his third

on the edge of tlie green. Mr Gillies? second lay about 35 yards from the hole, and he ran his third right up to the hole, and would have got a 3 but that the flag-stick kept the ball from going down. Mr Hooper remarked, while putting from the outside of the green: ‘’There goes another hole,” but the ball curved round and holed, giving Mr Gillies a putt of 3 inches for a half in 4, which he holed. The Forest was well played by both, but Mr Gillies gave Mr Hooper his first hole by carelessness over a 6-inch putt. Both had good drives at Bamford’s, but Mr Gillies’ ball kicked off to the left and lay on the Gap tee. He was thus stymied by the big tree. Mr Hooper played his second ball on to the green. Mr Gillies' second lay some 35 yards on the right of the green, and a perfect third laid his ball stone dead. Mr Hooper was evidently disturbed by this fine recovery from an almost hopeless position, and took three to hole, thus losing the hole in 5 to 4. The match was now very interesting, Mr Gillies being two up, and this lead was reduced to 1 up at the Gap, where Mr Hooper got a 4, his opponent’s short putt being defleeted by a worm cast. A very fine forcing drive against the strong wind took Mr Hooper across the Lilies, but the wind caught Mr Gillies’ ball and took it almost into, but short of, Stuart’s garden. A marvellous low running shot of 70 yards, which just skimmed the fence, and yet kept under the boughs of the trees, hud the ball within two club lengths of the hole, and a fine putt gave Mr Gillies the hole in 3 to Mr Hooper’s 4. Two perfect drives at Bull’s Run gave Mr Gillies that hole in 5. Mr Hooper was in trouble with his third, but played a great recovery on to the green with his iron from the bed of the creek, but could not hole in less than 6. The Polo Hole fell to Mr Gillies in 5, Mr Hooper having topped his drive. This left the leader' 4 up and 7 to play. Both players were on the Upolo Green in 3, and the hole was halved. Both players carried the long wall from the tee, but Mr Hooper topped his brassey stroke and Mr Gillies holed a perfect 4 to Mr Hooper’s 5, and left him dormy 5. Mr Hooper played a fine 3 at the bridge, his second almost going down, and won the hole in 3to 4. Mr Gillies, was not. however, to be staved off, as he played the 15th, or Home Hole, in a perfect. 5 to Mr Hooper’s-6, and won the match by 5 up and 3 to play after a fine struggle. This is the fourth time Mr Gillies has won the championship. Last year,Mr Burness held the honour, Mr Gillies not- competing. The only other winner of the Auckland Championship is Mr Kyd, who defeated Mr Gillies in the final of 3 years ago. ®© ® $ _ TABLE. WITH RESULT OF CHAMPIONSHIP. " FIRST ROUND. — H Mr Kyd beat Mr Walker, 3 and 1. Mr Colbeck beat Mr Peel, 1 up.

Mr Gillies beat Mr Cmt, 7 and 5. Mr Burness beat Mr Turner, 4 and X Mr Hooper beat Mr Sykes, 1 up. Messrs .Lawrence, Hogg and Reea had byes. v . , SECOND ROUND. \ Mr Kyd beat Mr Colbeck, 3 and 2. \ Mr Gillies beat Mr Lawrence, 7 and X Mr Hogg beat Mr Burness, 1 up. Mr Hooper beat Mr Reed, 2 and L THIRD ROUND. j Mr Gillies beat Mr Kyd, 5 and 4. Mr Hooper beat Mr Hogg, 3 and 1. FINAL. : Mr Gillies beat Mr Hooper, 5 and 3. ® ® ® The chief event of interest in thfl A.L.G.C. at present is the championship meeting, which is to be held on May 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th. During the week the following competitions will be held—the clul) championship, driving competiion, putting competition, handicap doubles and handicap approaching and putting competition. A large number of entries have been given in, and the competition should be very keen. This is especially the case with the championship, five of the competitors—Mrs W. Bloomfield, Miss Gillies, Mrs Colbeck, Mrs G. Bloomfield, and Miss Maud Wilkins all playing a very even game. The conditions of the match are 18 holes match play. Until now the ladies have always used the men’s tee at the Long Wall, which was a great disadvantage to the long drivers, as a good drive was always punished by being under the wall. Now, however, the tee has been moved forward to within about 110 yards of the wall, which will make the hole a much more interesting one. ' ® ® ® 't ' - WANGANUI GOLF CLUB. The first monthly match of the season was played on Saturday, April 21, under medal play rules. Though the weather was threatening, there was no wind nor rain, and there should have been more than ten competitors. The course was in good order, but the necessity of playing on improvised greens made the scoring badl The match was of course under the new rules. The following are the best scores:—

Mr Greenwood was declared the winner owing to an irregularity in Mr Taylor’s score. The greens, which have been lately-top-dressed and. repaired generally,

are coming on fast, and should be playable next week and in capital order for the tournament on the Queen’s Birthday and the following day, 1 am forwarding you programmes for this; all events' are open. It is astonishing that so few golf players are even, decently posted in the rules, and one of the moat difficult things in connection with the management of the game is the attempt to enforce them. Even the oldest players show the most extraordinary ignorance. A case came under out notice the other day. Scene: Teeing ground. Ball teed; mighty swipe; great damage to teeing ground; ball not displaced. Sympathetic partner agreeably surprised at unwonted complacency of futile swiper. Five minutes later. “Oh, you’re three (3) strokes.’’ Three (3)1 no, only two.’’ “Oh, but you missed the ball, don’t you remember?” “Oh, yes, but 1 didn’t displace it; there’s no penalty for that, you know.” But his partner did know, and registered it. ® ® © The Christchurch news has unfortunately to be held over this week for want of space. -

J. .C. Greenwood 116 22 94 H. Taylor 132 38 94 E. B. Heywood 122 22 100 I>r. Saunders • 125 22 103 D. Meldrum 104 scr. 104 J. D. Greig 113 9 104