LADIES’ GOLF.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 1, 5 July 1911, Page 10

LADIES’ GOLF.

AUCKLAND. The first round of the Eclectic match for Mrs. Carr’s trophy was played last Alonday. when nearly 60 players took part. Some of the best cards handed in were those of Miss Ethna Pierce. Gwen and Rachel Gorrie, X. Vpton, and W. Cotter, all of whom had a fair sprinkling of 4’s and 3’s. The second round of this match will be played on Alonday. 10th. The duly handicap medal match was played on Monday, July 3, in glorious weather, and resulted as follows: —Mrs. W. Colbeck, 124—40—84 (winner); Aliss Alay Cameron, 123 —38 —85; Aliss Winnie Cotter, 104 —19 —85; Aliss Thorp, 123 — 31—89.

Waitemata v. Maungakiekie, The lady members of the above clubs played a match, ivhieh resulted in a win for Waitemata. The following is a list of the matches played: Aliss Souter (M.) beat Miss Gudgeon (W. 1. 4 and 3; Aliss Alaeklow (Al.) heat Aliss Craigmill (W.) 1 up: Aliss F. Duder (W.) beat Airs. Ferguson. 2 and 1; Aliss Bray (W.) beat Aliss Gordon (AL). 4 and 2; Aliss Xcwell (W.) beat Aliss Barstow ( M.), 1 up; Aliss Kirkel’ and Miss G. Graham, all square; Airs. Alartin (IV.) beat Airs. Hardy, 3 up.

CHRISTCHURCH. A golf match was played on Alonday afternoon at the Shirley Links between teams which were picked by the captain (Mrs. Boyle) and the secretary (Miss Nora Campbell). The competition resulted in a rather easy win for the secretary’s team.

MANAWATU. On Tuesday the seniors played a stroke competition for a trophy presented by Mrs F. Seifert. Following were the results: — Aliss Sylvia Abraham. 106, 23—83; Mrs L. Seifert. 107. 22—85: Airs Adams. 121, 33—88 : Aliss Aloore. 108, 19—:89 : Aliss Wray. 93. scratch—93.

Napier v. Manawatu. The above match was played at Palmerston North between teams of six aside on Friday morning, and resulted in a win for the home team by 4 games to 2. The results were as follows, Alanawatu players being mentioned first: — Aliss Sybil Abraham 0 v. Miss Hindmarsh 1; Airs L. A. Abraham 0 v. Aliss M. Hindmarsli 1 ; Mrs Alellsop 1 v. Alias Cross 0; Aliss Aloore 1 v. Aliss Macfarlane 0; Miss Sylvia Abraham 1 v. Miss Clarke. 0; Miss E. McLennan 1 ¥. Alra Kelly 0.

INTERPRETATION OF RULES. (By ‘ DOKMY.”) There seems still to be considerable laxity in adopting the new Rules of Golf as amended and adopted by St. Andrew’s two years* ago. The point as to whether a club may grounded on permanent grass in a “hazard” is one that has been troubling both English and colonial clubs. The definition of a hazard in the old code (now superseded) used to read:— ‘‘A ‘hazard' is any bunker, water (except casual water), sand, path, road, railway, whin, bush, rushes, rabbit scrape, fence, or ditch. Sand blown on to the grass, or sprinkled on the course for its

preservation, bare patches, sheep tracks, snow, and ice, are not hazards. Permanent grass within a hazard is not part of the hazard. In the new code (now in force) the definition is altered to read thus:—“A hazard is any bunker, water (except casual water), sand. path. road, ditch, bush, or rushes. Sand blown on to the grass, or sprinkled on the course for its preservation, bare patched, sheep tracks, snow, and ice are not hazards.” The words and clauses given in heavy tvpe above in the old definition are not omitted in the later one merely by accident or because they were superfluous. Committees are directed to provide local rules to deal with railways, rabbit scrapes, and fences, but no further reference is made to permanent grass in hazards. The inference from this is that permanent grass is part of the hazard, and must be so treated in accordance with rule 25 (new code). As a further support of this view, the following query and answer from the column “Points and Problems” in Golfing (19th January, 1911) may be quoted —Query: “Is one allowed to ground one’s club on grass in a hazard, or does permanent grass in a hazard now form part of the hazard? Answer: “Permanent grass in a hazard is part of the hazard.” The answer seems to have been taken as correct, as no exception to it has appeared up to date 18th May. Again in Golfing, 11th May, 1911, several decisions by the. Rules of Golf Committee were given. The Sundridge Park Golf Club submitted to the committee this point: —“H. Hummocks, groups of hummocks and grass bunkers have been artificially formed on this course. May the club be grounded on these hummocks and in the grass hunkers? ’ Answer: —“A ‘bunker’ is a depression in the ground where the natural soil is exposed and sometimes top-dressed with softer soil or sand. It is the duty of the authorities in charge of the golf course to define its hazards by local rule. In the absence of a local rule defining these hummocks and grassy depressions as hazards, the club may be grounded.” This answer surely makes it plain that if these places had been declared “hazards” by the club authorities, clubs could not be ‘grounded even though the whole hazard composed of permanent grass.