GOLF NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue VIII, 22 August 1903, Page 520

GOLF NOTES.

(By

“Stoney Dead.”)

We have been very lueky this winter in our Saturday’s weather, hut last Saturday was an exception. Kain had fallen all Friday, and had not cleared off by play-time on Saturday. The semi finals of the championship were put off, and will be played on Wednesday'. Owing to there being no spare Saturday before the N.Z. Championship, the matches had to be played on a week-day. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather a goodly' number of enthusiasts went out to the links and played round with cleeks and irons. They got what they wanted, viz., some exercise and a swing or two of a club. But they got no more. It does not do one any good playing on such a day. The ground is so slippery one is “all over the place,” and the ball is hit more by luck than good judgment. To hit a ball from various degrees of contortions! positions may be very amusing and interesting, but it cannot be said to be practice for the game under normal conditions. Then, again, one's clubs are not improved by the wet. To get one’s clubs and grips (the English, not the American) thoroughly wet means that-the next round is spoilt owing to the rigid conditions of the drying leather. One might as well be playing with strange clubs. There is also an even greater penalty for playing in the wet. A driver or brassey that one has consistently, but lovingly foozled with for years may very likely be brought to a sudden end by the effect of getting water in its vitals, and consequently cracking. These reasons are to my mind more potent than the mere personal discomfort of being soaked to the skin.

A competition that I fancy I have not referred to yet in these. columns commenced this month, and runs on to the autumn of next year. It is for a prize presented by Messrs. Haig and Haig. The conditions are: The winner is the player who returns the best aggregate of four returns, 18 holes, against bogey. One is only allowed to take out one card a week, which must, be done before commencing play. But ns many cards may bo taken out. as one pleases. The handicap is the player's elub handicap at time of play. H. Macneil, ex-ehampi; < of Australia, reports that the golf of the Old Country, and even of America, is much too good for him. He has played in several coinpetitions, one of them being the St. George’s Challenge Cup, but has come in nowhere. W. J. Travis, the American champion, was giving him six strokes and beating him. SCOTS LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP. An exciting contest was seen on June Iflth. in the final of the first Scots Ladies’ Championship Competition, which had been in progress during the past week at St. Andrews. The pair left in were Miss Glover (Elie and Earlsferre) and Miss M. A. Graham (St. Rule). At the end of the first nine holes Miss Glover was one up, and although subsequently her opponent drew level and they were all square at the seventeenth', Miss Glover won by one hole. .. A hw The second qualifying . round of the Men’s Championship sas played at Miramar. Owing to the'-boisterous weather the scores were not good.’ The following are the Shires’ of the first eight in both rounds:

The following is the draw for the first round of the championship to be played at Miramar on Saturday next: A Duncan plays R. Dunean, F. A. Kebbell plays (’. Ij. Cadell, F. H. Latham plays W. B. Lees, A. J. Abbott plays D. Pryde. L. Cadell, F. 11. Latham plays D. Pryde. In the play-off for the. monthly eleek F. A. Kebbell won. F. A. Kebbell, 100— 8—92; C. Gore, 108—4—104. The semi-final round for the championship of the Christchurch Golf Club' was played on the. Shirley links on Saturday (says the “Weekly Press,” August 12), and resulted as follows:—C. K. Sams beat C. Treweek, 5 up and 3 to plav; R. L. M. Kitto beat J. W. If. Wood,' 4 up and 2. The Ladies' Championship of the Wairarapa Golf Club was played at the Rototawai Links on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 3rd, 4th and sth- August. The weather the first two days was cold and wintry, but tiie concluding day was beautifiilly fine. Members from Wellington and all over the Wairarapa competed. Mrs Bidwill again won the championship, and on her form in the final she will take some beating at the New' Zealand Ladies’ Championship. The following are the results:—Championship— First round: Mrs Turnbull beat Mrs Stewart, 9 up 7 to play; Mrs Tweed beat Miss Beetham, 8 up 6 to play; Mrs N. Beetham beat Mrs F. Pearce, 4 up 2 to play; Miss W. Hannay beat. Miss Bidwill, 1 up. Second round: Mrs Bidwill beat Miss Harcourt, 2 up; Mrs Turnbull beat Mrs N, Beetham, 6 up a to play; Mrs Tweed beat Miss W. Hannay, 1 up; Miss Monekton beat Miss Bunny, 6 up 4 to play. Semi-finaSs: Mrs Turnbull beat Mrs Tweed, 7 up 6 to play; Mrs Bidwill beat'Miss Monekton, 8 up 5 to play. Final: Mrs W. K. Bidwill beat Mrs W. 11. Turnbull, 5 up 3 to play. Handicap Medal Match: Ist, Miss Bidwill, 125 (28 hp.), 97; 2nd, Mrs F. Pearce, 12.3 (22hp.), 101. Driving, won by Mrs F. Pearce, 2nd Miss G. Monekton. Lofting and Putting: Mrs W. E. Bidwill. Putting: Mrs W. If. Turnbull. Consolation Bogey Match: Miss Bunny, hp. 20, 4 up; Mrs Tweed, hp. 4, all square. The ladies then handicapped the men. who were helping at the meeting, and gave a trophy for the best score in 9 holes, J. O- Bidwill. 51, hp. 7. 44, winning from six others. This concluded a most successful gathering.

The Richmond (England) magistrates had a case before them recently which illustrated a not infrequent Incident of golf. A dismissed caddie was charged with stealing a golf ball, which he had fished from an aquatic hazard on the Mid-Surrey golf course. The caddie master, Mr Spooniski—a name which (as a London paper remains) shows the area of golf to be extending—explained, to. the amazement of the Bench, that caddies were allowed to sell to professionals balls they found on the ground as part of their remuneration. The prisoner was bound over under the First. Offenders Act. The caddie master’s explanation was correct. That is the law of the game from St. Andrew's to Seaford, where the Speaker of the House of Commons lost a few costly Haskell balls during Whitsuntide. When a golfer losses a ball—by no means a rare occurrence—and his eaddie finds it after the ball is given up for lost—as the ctiddic very often does, the eaddie calmly pockets it. and then disposes of it to the professional at a fixed price. The professional may boil it down for his mould of “remndes,” or play with it, as he* pleases. Fishing in ponds that lie readily for bad drives is the caddies’ constant occupation when golfers are scare* ■tyss ■ - ■

.5 1st. 2nd. Tl. A Dunean . .. 79 91 — 170 F. H. Latham 88 8!) —. 177 A. J. Abbott.. 92 89 181 1). Pryde .... 8K 98 —- 184 K. Duncan ,. 80 101 187 F. A. Kebbetl 8ft 100 —. 189 W. B. Dees .. 92 98 —. 190 C. L. Oadell.. 91 101 —— 192