GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXII, 2 June 1900, Page 1023

GOLF NOTES.

(By Bogey.)

The following account of the match between Duncan and Gillies in the semi-final of the New Zealand championship (clipped from the "Otago Daily Times”) may prove of interest to our readers:—“D. won the toss, nnd both players started with good drives. Gillies, using his brassey, put his second on the green, and D. with his iron went a little below. His next stroke brought him on to the green, but G. holed out with a splendid pull, G. 1 up. At the second hole G.’s drive went to the right, and D.’s to the left, into long grass. D.’s next brought him on to the green, and G.’s ball fell short. The Aucklander’s next did not bring him up, and D.’s ball ran round the hole. G. ran over and D. holed out; all square. Good drives led the way to the third hole. D. using his brassey went low and short-, and G. repeated the performance. G.’s ball lay in a hollow, and he lifted it over the hill with his iron. D. took the ground and got on to the top with his iron, landing in rough, broken ground. From here he got well on to the green, and G.’s ball lodged in good grass well up. D. putted slightly past the hole and G. also missed. Both holed in 6; all square. G. drove down to the right, and D. followed in the same direction, a little stronger. He then got well up, and G. landed in long grass in the same direction. Both ran past in putting-. and holed in four; all square. D. got away with the best drive, and G. used his iron to get up the hill. The Wellingtonian, also using his iron, landed on the flat, and G.’s next took him past the hole. D. came on to the green, and G.’s next brought him within a foot of the hole, with the result that D. was stymied. He played past, and both holed in 5; all square. The game now became intensely interesting, and every stroke of the players was eagerly watched. Both had good drives to the 6th hole, G. stopping in grass and D. in a hole in long grass. Flaying with his iron he got on to the green. G. played short over bumpy ground. D.’s ball laj- dead,

and G. holed out with a good’ putt; G. 1 up. G.’s drive took him to the top of the hill and D. went well over. G.’s next went past ou the left, and D.’s next brought him nicely on to the green. G. came up and putted short. D. ran past, but holed his next- ami brought the match all square once more. The Sth hole fell to G. Going to the 9th G. got out of some long grass with a beautiful shot and ludved the hole, which many thought would go to D.; G. 1 up. Both players made good drives along the hillside, but in crossing the ereek separating them from the hole G. got into trouble among the rushes. D.’s second took him over the danger spot on to the edge of the green. G.’s ball was lying in the middle of a big rush and he resigned the hole; all square. Good drives took the players well on towards the tlth hole, but again G. had the misfortune to get into the rushes. D. holed in 5; 1 up. 1). had the advantage in the drive, G. landing in more rushes. A good shot put D. in the green. G. went to the right. The hole was halved in 5; D. 1 up. The 13th was won by D. in 4. and the game stood D. 2 up. The 14th was halved, and the game now practically hung on the 15th. D.’s drive away to the rightcleared the hill, and from here he lifted his ball out of a bad lie on to tho green. G.’s drive was also good, bnt he did not reach the green in his seeond. Again he played short and missed his putt. D. holed out, which made him “dormy”; D. 3 up and 3 to play. On the way up to the 16th fine drives by both players lifted the balls over the hill. D. having slightly the advantage. G. played a nice shot on to the green. and D. lifted his ball over a stile, lodging it a few feet from the hole. The ball lay dead iu his next, and G. missing his putt D. holed out and won the match amidst a round of applause. Score, 3 up and 2 to play. The general opinion among golfers at the Dunedin meeting was that it would be a very tight match between the two players, and the Southern men slightly favoured Duncan’s chances, and the Wellington men also held to their own champion, with a very respectful fear of the Aucklander. It was a very keenly fought game, and the crowd that followed was so interested that every stroke was watched in silence and quietly commented upon. There were not many bad or pqor strokes either: the scores. SI and 85, vouch for that. The details of the play at the several holes have already appeared, and, speaking generally of the play of the two men. in this particular match, it may be said that both Gillies and Duncan failed in the early portion of the game in that most important. branch of the game putting.. Gillies started by holing a hot one at the first hole, and it looked as if the “putting inspiration" was on him; but directly afterwards he failed in holing several times at distances which . a player in the first flight ought to be almost certain of, and at times when the stroke would have given him the hole. Many of his approach putts, too. were short. Duncan also was not. certain in his putting, though he managed to save holes by halving after Gillies had an advantage. Dunean’s

driving, as is well known, is very little fehort of perfection. A free easy swing, with all bis body in it, a little gallery kink.pf the knee, graceful in its way, and a powerful down stroke, resulting in a very long ball, seldom out of the line. It is a feature in a man’s play that might put off an ordinary driver, though in this game I imagine it made not a very great deal of difference, as Gillies drove a consistently straight, good ball, and made up in his iron play any deficiency required. For the first nine holes it was a ding-dong “go,” with the advantage on Gillies’ side, if anywhere, though the game was ail square at the tenth hole. The eleventh, or long hole. Duncan got in 5, a score good enough to win at any time (Bogey bring 7), and from this stage on his play was so accurate that Gillies couldn’t possibly overcome it. © © © ( HRISTI 111 R( 11, May 23. The Bogey match, which was played on Saturday, resulted in a win for Mr. W. 11. Burton, who was 5 up on the Colonel. His gross score was 86, and In* had a handicap of 8, which combined with most consistent and steady play, enabled him to win comfortably. 1 have on previous occasions referred to Mr. Burton’s steady improvement, and he has reason to be proud of his performance on Saturday. On Monday there was a very large muster of both ladies and men"on the links, and although the full IS hole course was available, it was a common sight to see two or three couples waiting at the same tee. 'rhe writer does not remember ever having seen such congestion on the full course before. A half-holiday had been proclaimed in honour of the relief of Mafeking, which accounted for the large turn out of the sterner sex. I was pleased to have an opportunity of having a chat with both Mr. Gillies and Mr. Dunean on their way through from the championship meeting. Mr. O’Rorke took them out to have a look at his proposed new links, on the road to Xew Brighton, and from what I can gather they are both charmed with the country. The report of the sub-committee will. 1 understand, be brought forward this week, and T think I ain safe in predicting that it will favour the acquisition of the new site. If this is the case, and their recommendation is agreed to it will mean the abandonment of Russley, which course has already absorbed a considerable quantity of money, and would always be an expensive one to keep tip, whereas the new site could be kept in order with a comparatively small expenditure. 1 will keep you posted as' to what is decided. On the Queen s Birthday iwo sealed handicaps will be played on Ha gley Park for small prizes. Given fine weather, there will probably be a record attendance. Several members have undertaken to provide luncheon and afternoon tea on the ground, and a most enjoyable day may be looked for. NIBLICK.