GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XXV, 20 June 1903, Page 1715

GOLF NOTES.

(By

Stoney Dead.)

Owing to the very heavy rain that has fallen lately the course is in a very wet condition. On "Wednesday and Thursday it was so wet that had I not seen it with my own eyes I should not have believed a true description of its state. But the marvellous part about our course is the rapidity with which wet disappears and the course dries. By Saturday the ground was comparatively dry. I suppose one must account for this by the fact that we have a scoria subsoil. If the old course at Green Lane got into the state that One-tree Hill was on Thursday, it would take a fortnight’s dry weather to get it into anything like a playable state. Since writing last week’s notes Mr Hooper and Mr Harry Gillies have played off their tie for the prize presented by Mr Hanna. Mr Hooper won the match by 3 and 2. It was an interesting match. Mr Hooper jumped into the lead by playing the first hole in 3. The match continued even till the seventh hole, when Mr Hooper started a run of wins by securing 4 out of the next five holes, that, too. by very sound golf. Mr Gillies reduced his lead, but 4 down and 7 to play is too much weight to carry. Mr Hooper played very good golf/ hue he caught Mr Gillies on rather a lucky day, for though Mr Gillies was not playing his best, yet his game was very good but unfortunate in this respect, that his good puts were coming off when they were not required, and he coulfl not hole when he did want to. This is the only match that has been played in the senior division. In the junior division several matches have been played, but, unfortunately, I have not got the particulars.

On Saturday about 60 players journeyed to One-tree Hill. The occasion was the Club Foursomes Handicap. A large field started, but the majority did not return scores. The winners proved to be Mr R. A. Carr and Mr Rhodes. Their net return of 87 was a good one, considering the state of the course. They won comfortably, as the next best return to their’s was 93 in three places as the auctioneer says. The following are the complete returns: —

Amongst those playing were the Hon. Mr Hill-Trevor and the Hon. Mr Butler. Mr Butler plays a fair game at a handicap of 12. His younger brother, the Hon. Brian Butler, plays a very good game, and no doubt the one in New Zealand would play just as well were he to have enough practice. Mr Brian Butler has what is known as the cockscrew or pig-tail drive. At the top of his swing, instead of the indispensable pause, his club-head makes a figure of eight in the air. Of course the corkscrew only appears in a full shot. The corkscrew is discussed in all works on golf, but it is very rare certainly in sueh a decided wav as Mr Butler has it.

At Miramar last Saturday Mr J. B, Coates won the monthly eleek with a score of 97—12—85.

On Saturday week the Wellington G.C. held an open day, and » mixed foursomes match a g a inst bogey was played for prizes presented by Mrs Collins. Miss Brandon and Mr A. J. Abbott returned the winning score of one tip against the old gentleman.

A typical colonial thing was done the other day by some Sydney lady golfers. A visiting team missed the trap used to convey golfers to the club-house at Rose Bay. The ladies adopted the only alternative, i.e., to walk. To their joy, however, there appeared on the scene a rabbit-seller and his trap. The ladies seized the opportunity of chartering the trap, and arrived at the club-house peeping out from a bower of dead rabbits. Fancy an English team thinking of such a conveyance, and if they did so fancy them arriving in it at Ranelagh, or one of the fashionable London

Mrs Braithwaite, who has been over in Auckland the last two summers, was successful in a mixed foursome competition at Lindfield.

I notice that Sydney ladies have an institution similar to “croquet picnics” here. On fixed days one club receives another club, gives the visitors luncheon, and fixes friendly matches with the members. Thus a very pleasant day is spent. I don’t think it is much use advocating it here on the old principle of first catch vour bird.

The Manawatu Golf Club has lately been strengthened by the arrival of an English amateur. His name is Mr Nicolaus, and the handicapping committee have started him at plus 2. So far he has not reduced the record of the bourse, but probably will do so soon. If one knew his English handicap and club one eould easily know his quality. We will soon know when he has tackled the redoubtable Mr Arthur Duncan. Wellington’s new professional seems to be a good player. On Saturday week he beat Mr Arthur Duncan by 3 and 2, and that too when there was a gallery. Cuthbert’s best round to date is 74. He has got to knock off 3 strokes to beat Mr A. Duncan’s record of 72.

Shortly we shall have to inaugurate a N.Z. Open Championship. To my knowledge there are four professionals in New Zealand, two here in Auckland, Hood and his younger brother Cuthbert in Wellington, and another in Dunedin, who is not up to the class of the others. I do not think it could be arranged for some time. One has to do so much travelling in New Zealand to get from one town to another' that T am afraid the expense kills it. There is no provision by which one can get gate-money for a golf match. The only way it could be arranged would be by subscription, and I do not think there is the keenness and enough loose eash amongst golf enthusiasts tp raise enough money. Perhaps in a few years, when every place has its golf club, and the larger towns two or three clubs, an open tournament could be arranged.

Levin and Co., in Wellington, is a veritable stronghold of golf. I notice that the firm was to play Wairarapa G.C. last Saturday. This team of six was made up of three Duncans (Arthur, Ken and J.), two Pearces, and W. Higginson, a very fair team.

The annual interprovincial match for the Hamner Shield between Canterbury and Otago resulted in a win for the home team at Balmacewan (no need to ask if that is the Dunedin or the Christchurch course —apropos of this name, the other day I heard an Englishman vainly trying to pronounce it—he would pronounce the c soft, and so could not get within speaking distance of the real thing). The full results were: —A. H. Fisher and J. JB. Macewan (O.) beat W. Harman and Sains (C.). 6 holes; B. -T. Smith and C. Turnbull (O.) beat V. Harman and Wilder (C.) by 8 holes; A. Todd and H. D. Stronach (O.) beat Were and Miller (C.) by 8 holes; D. Meldrum and W. C. McGregor (O.) beat hides and

Olivier (C.) by 6 holes. Otago thus won by 28 holes. One has only to look at the names of the players for the two provinces to see that this match was more than a provincial one; it was an international one. “Scotland for ever.”

An extraordinary general meeting is called for next Saturday night. It is to deal with the financial position of the elub, and there is a motion to reduce the subscription. I think it would be hardly right for me to discuss the questions involved this week, as the affair is, as it were, sub judice, but I will point out one thing, and that is that members must deal with the matter as it is, and not as it might have been.

Several matches have taken place for Mrs Carrick’s prize. Of those who tried to bring off their matches last Thursday only one pair finished, and they got thoroughly drenched. Miss Lewis, giving a stroke a hole, beat Miss C. Draper at the 20th hole. Mrs Bloomfield and Miss M. Richmond (7) abandoned their match at the 14th hole, and so also did Miss B. Gorrie and Miss Pierce (13). Other matches concluded were: Miss D. Stevenson beat Miss E. F. Gorrie by 3 up. Miss J. Richmond beat Miss M. Cotter by 8 and 6. Miss Torrance beat Miss Morrison (4) by 5 and 4; Miss E. Pierce (3) beat Mrs Colbeek by 6 and 5. Mrs Reid gave a bye to Miss G. Gorrie.

C. Rhodes and R. A. Carr.... 101 14 87 R. Horton and D. McCormick 114 21 93 W. Colbeck and H. Peele 95 2 93 C. Heather and W. Heather.. 110 17 93 J. W. Hull and J. H. Sykes.. 101 6 95 E. Horton and E. Anderson... 118 23 95 J. R. Reed and Dr. Coates.... 109 12 97 J. Burns and E. Daraaville.... 108 11 97 E. Turner and C. Pollen 109 12 97 J. R. Hooper and Dr. Gordon.. 103 6 97 C. Gillies and A. Aitken 107 8 99 Rev. McWiliiam and L. E. Mair 122 20 102 Rev. C. Tisdall and W. Bruce.. 126 20 106 P. Upton and R. Horton 125 16 109 Graphic Racing World. —