GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XX, 16 May 1903, Page 1355

GOLF NOTES.

(By Stoney Dead.)

The ladies’ tournament was continued last week. Though the weather broke at the end of the preceding week, yet it pulled itself together for Monday, and the ladies enjoyed .as good weather for the second week as they had done in their first. To get a fortnight of good weather, let aloue almost perfect weather, is very lucky at this time of the year. Wednesday to Saturday of last week was as near perfection as one cou’d wish. Clear bright days, lovely sunshine, little or no wind, and the air fresh and bracing. The greens were in good condition, though the wonneasts are troublesome this time of year. It is extraordinary how quickly a green becomes bad through wormcasts. One plays over a green, and it is in beautiful order, and one comes to it again after even two hours, and it is almost spoilt by this pest. I understand that there is a method of treating greens which will kill the worms, but it is expensive. So far the committee have not felt justified in going to the expense of adopting tuis method, but perhaps now with the increase of subscription, they may go in for it, and it seems to me that money so expended would be well spent, not only as it would improve the greens so enormously, but also as it would save the green-keeper’s time. Without wormcasts the greens would require very little attention, as the grass grows slowly at this time of the year.

On Monday of last week the teirifinals of the handicap foursomes took place. The result was that the scratch pair, Mrs W. B. Bloomfield and Miss Lewis beat Miss Shuttleworth and Miss Draper by 5 and 4, notwithstanding Pie handicap of 7 strokes. Miss E. Pierce and Miss Torrance receiving 10 strokes, beat Mrs O’Rorke and Miss Gillies by 4 and 2.

On Wednesday the scratch pair played and beat Miss E. Pierce and Miss Torrance. The latter received strokes at sixteen out of the eighteen holes, and it was generally expected they would win. However the moral effect of playing two scratch players in a final of a competition told its tale. Probably had these pairs met at the same odds earlier in the competition the result would have been different. As it was a very close contest took place. The scratch players were two down at the turn, but they settled down to it on the return journey, and just managed to win by one up. Mrs Bloomfield played particularly well.

A handicap medal match was played on Tuesday. The results were:—Miss R. Buckland, 110—20—90; Miss M. Cotter, 120—30—90; Miss M. Richmond, 107—11 —96; Mrs W. B. Bloomfield, 99 —scr. — 99; Miss Fenton, 130—30—100; Miss B. Gorrie, 115—10—105; Miss G. Gorrie, 117 —12—105; Miss Torrance, 120—14—106; Miss Draper, 137 —30—107; Miss J. Richmond, 123—16—107; Miss E. Pierce, 127 — 18—109; Miss Barstow,l24 —14—110; Mrs O’Rorke, 132—20—112; Mrs W. Heather, 175 —30—145; Miss Ching, 178 —30 —148. Miss R. Buckland and Miss M. Cotter tied at 90, and they are to play off the tie one day this week. Miss Gillies returned a very fine score. She was mt playing in the competition, as she was playing with a Haskell with the view to getting accustomed to the cored ball for her match against Miss Lewis two days later. Though it is not against the rules ladies have got Haskell’s, Miss Gillies undoubted advantage to be had with them at some holes, and as few of the ladies have got Haskell's. Miss Gillies thought it fairer to consider herself as not competing. Her round was 87. This lowered the record 10 strokes, Miss Lewis and Miss Gillies holding between them the previous record of 97. Miss Gillies’ score in detail was:—4, 5, fl, 8,5,

5,5, 4,4, 4,3, 4,6, 5,6, 4, 5. 4 —-87. 1 expect this will stand as a ladies’ record for some time.

On Thursday morning Miss Lewis and Miss Gillies played the final of the ladies’ phampionship. Both played extremely good golf. Miss Gillies played particularly well at the beginning, and Miss Lewis shone at the business end of the match. The match was a striking example of the racing adage, “There is nothing certain till the numbers are up.” Several times Miss Lewis’ chances seemed very forelorn, but in the end she won by one up at the nineteenth hole. A large gallery followed the match, and the exeitement was very keen towards the end. The winner deserves all praise for her real plucky game. Many a player would have lost heart and been beaten badly, but she stuck to it really well, and played better and better as the match went on. Miss Gillies won the first hole in three, and at the fifth hole was three up. At the sixth hole both got good drives; then Miss Gillies’ second shot struck a tree guard, which cost her the hole. The next hole (the Outpost) fell to Miss Lewis in a beautifully-played four, and the next hole was halved. Miss Gillies then won the next three holes —the Eastern Crater in live. Jacob’s Ladder in three, and the Angels’ in three strokes. This left Miss Gillies four up, and the match looked as if it would be hers. At the Pah hole Miss Gillies overran the bank, and the hole fell to Miss Lewis. The Ramparts were halved, ami at the Amphitheatre Miss Gillies got a beautiful drive and approach shot., but foozled her putting for the first time in the match, and the hole was halve;l. The match then stood Miss Gillies three up, and the next two holes fell to Miss Lewis in a well-played live and three. The seventeenth hole was halved in four. This left Miss Gillies dormy one At the eighteenth hole both lay on the green with the third shot, and the green, newly rolled, was very fast. Miss Gillies over-ran the hole with her putts, and Miss Lewis laid her putt dead and won the hole in five. This left the match all square at the eighteenth hole. The nineteenth hole was then played to decide the match. Miss Lewis played ami sliced her ball badly, and Miss Gillies foozled hers. Miss Lewis played a good second, and lay on the green with her third stroke. Miss Gillies, with her drive, then got on to rough ground, and .Miss l ewis won the hole in five to Miss Gillies’ six. This made the match one up for Miss Lewis.

In the driving competition all the honours went to the young players. .Miss M. Richmond won with her three drives of 159 yards. 157 yards, and 148 yards, three very steady, good drives. Miss B. Gorrie was second with 150 yards, 142 yards, and 146 yards, also a good performance. To Miss E. Pierce was left the honour of driving the longest ball of the competition. A drive of 169 yards is a very fine drive for a lady. It shows what a good clean, full swing will do. Her other drive was 153 yards, and with a straight one for her third she would have gone very near to winning.

The approaching and putting competition was for three distances of 80 yards, 50 yards, and 30 yards, and resulted in a tie between Mesdames O’Rorke and Bloomfield and Miss J. Richmond, each holing in eight. In the play-off Mesdames O’Rorke and Bloomfield again tied at nine strokes, and on playing off again Mrs Bloomfield holed in nine and her opponent in 10. There were 33 entries.

Owing to the darkness it was impossible to hold the putting competition, and it will be held on Friday next at two p.m., after which Lady Ranfurly will present the prizes at the club-house. Last Saturday the men held the Fry competition. The prize is a valuable trophy presented by Messrs. Fry and Sons, of Bristol, the well-known cocoa

manufacturers. The conditions are that the trophy shall be played for three times a year, 18 holes match against bogey. The winner of each competition receives a trophy from the club, and whoever first records 3 successes wins the trophy outright. The trophy has only been played for once before, and Mr J. Burns was the successful player then. Saturday’s play resulted in a tie between Mr Harry Gillies and Mr Colbeck, both returning a card with the result of one up on it. Mr Gillies’ round was a rather peculiar one. His round was 82, and though only giving bogey 1 stroke he was only one up on a bogey score of 8(1. This was brought about by his getting the first hole in 3 and the Amphitheatre in 2, thus beating bogey by two strokes at two holes. Had his putting been at all good he would have beaten his round of 79 made in the Hargreaves Medal. Strange to say, Air Colbeck's round was also spoilt by bad putting. The greens were in first-class order, and yet l>oth players seemed unable to hole a putt of any length. The tie will l>e played off on a day convenient to both players, ami a very elo.se match is to be expected. A large field Started, but many did not return a card. The full results were:—W. B. Colbeck, one up; H. Gillies, one up; H. Gilfillan, three down; .1. \\ . Hall, three down; the Rev. C. Tindall, five down; E. \V. Payton, five down; C. Heather, five down; W. Heather, IL Horton. E. Dargaville, .1. R. Reed, and E. Turner, each six down: Or. Coates seven down; W. E. Bruce and E. Anderson, eight down; \V. McMillan. L. E. Mair, and C. 11. Pollen, nine down. THE HASTINGS CLUB.

The Hastings (Hawke’s Bay) Golf Club played a mixed foursome match on Saturday, May 2nd. in which Miss FitzRoy and Gordon (123 —scratch) were victorious. Some other scores were:-- -

Miss Beatson and Cross, 131—5 —12f>: Miss Braithwaite and G. A. Braithwaite, 141—10—131; Airs Braithwaite and R. Braithwaite, 102—18—144. It was the opening day. and a large number of members were present.