GOLF

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 23, 6 December 1911, Page 11

GOLF

This paper has been appointed the official organ of the Ladies' Wolf Union, K(ic Zealand branch.

Secretaries of ladies’ golf club are incited to forward official notices, handicaps and alterations, results of and other matters of interest, to reach the publishing office not later than the Saturday prior to date of publication.

How to Arrange a Match. jl word; on tub importance of the PKKLIMINARY negotiations. Having had the misfortune during the past week to suffer defeat at the hands of three .disinterested sportsmen, I propose to deal with the subject of arranging a match. I do this not because I labour under the delusion that golfers as a body are unable to do so —1 have strong ideas regarding this—but in the hope that any beginner who may chance to read these, lines will take heed lest he fall. The experience to which 1 have alluded may not prove uninteresting. I yielded to the request of three play ers to make a fourth; the next question that arose was the arrangement of the match. It was agreed that I -should play the best ball of the three. Aly handicap was erroneously considered to be plus 4. Tim others were respectively 5,7, and 18. i’he handfeap's having Been settled,, my opponents then proceeded to speak of the excellence of my play. They . spoke of certain rounds, big drives, my experience compared to theirs; in short, reduced me to sueh a state that I felt that' the match was a foregone conclusion. Harbouring this delusion, I consented to play not only the best of the three, but to concede the 18 handicap play er a stroke a hole. Hatters being thus arranged to their satisfaction, we started out. Not to dwell too long upon a painful subject, I lost by seven and six. By calculations I have since made, my chance of winning worked out at about 2,000 to 1 against. However, out of evil cometh good, and I have learnt something of the art of arranging a mateh. In the first place you carefully select your opponent. This is very important. 1 remember once at a professional meeting asking a friend to allow me to play with him and bis opponent. He promptly told me to go away and find a “mug’’ for my self; as for him, he had been pursuing his opponent for two days, and did not intend to allow anyone else to par-

ticipate .in. the good things that he anti‘ipated. You will not, therefore, ask a man to play whom you know is playing A must also select a person "ho has a good opinion, of his , own powers, as experience has taught ,me that this person seldom wins a match. He is usually so susceptible to flattery that he is quite willing to concede a greater start than he should do on proper handicap terms. No golfer ever blames another for being magnanimous unless he happens to be playing with lam as his partner in a foursome, in which case he begs the magnanimous one to let him do the handicapping. AVe "ill assume, then, that you have found Jour opponent, and be it noted that in a < luh where every member is engaged in the search, to find a person who comes "P to your requirements is somewhat dinieult. 'rhe next thing-to do is to compare handicaps, and immediately this is done express your astonishment at the 'berality of his. You can wax indignant '"er this, and throw out the suggestion i. lat ih c handicapping committee are asking for trouble op some future oecasion, such as a medal day or a cup competition. This opinion of Ms handicap "'ll greatly please your opponent, who, "'common with all other golfers, knows Kifcctly well that his proper handicap ''lould lie three or four strokes less, but ""ling to the shortsighted methods of the ““"""■appers, etc. When you have P f ovea to his satisfaction that a win on . "ui part would be in the nature of a macle, you ascertain the number of „ ,n *‘ ".that you must give or that yon (»■? reeelive. If you have to j. him a few, express your opinion .jt iq ridiculous, and. taking into ™ what you have already 1 linn, offer him three strokes less. ' B!l|,l 'e him that your only wish is to ”7* , , nl a decent mateh, which, if . you t.,?' ■?? lawful handicap, would be . "' fHl rntight even ask a friend , the handicap for you. His decision,

if you have taken the necessary precautions, will convince your opponent that in taking hie full allowance he would be guilty of sharp practice. If he still seems inclined, to stand out for his proper allowance, go and scrutinise the handicap book; this for the purpose of mulcting sure that- his handicap is really what he claims it to be and you again express your surprise. If these things are carried out properly he should offer to take a little less: even if it is only one stroke your tfime will have been well employed. You have now arranged the mateh, and who knows, the question of a small wager might possibly arise. There is no reason why two golfers, if they feel so inclined, should.jiqt have a trifle on the result. AV e find plenty of players who profess to be quite as keen lif playing merely for the honour of. winning the mateh. Aly only answer is that these same persons would be far keener if half-a-erown was at stake. The honour of winning is doubly sweet if, after the mat'.-h, you have' the pleasure of paying for his tea or any other refreshment w:th the means that he has so kindly provided. You feel, that in relieving him of a portion of his superfluous wealth you are doing good—to someone; and you know of no more deserving person than yourself. _ Far be it from me to assume that keenness over a game cannot be raised without a wager on the result. 1 have played golf for the past twenty years, and I once met a person who was keen even without a wager on the game, His handicap was about 50. If, then, you decide to have a small wager on this game that you have so carefully planned, see to it that you arrange it in the approved Yorkshire manner. It took me a few years to understand what this really meant. I now know that it is asking for the odds. If you ever meet a player who is prepared to concede you & slight shade of odds, call the mateh off, for your ehanee of winning is infinitesimal. If I was ever asked to play' in an important mateh, I should ask a certain player of niy acquaintance to act as my representative in the preliminary negotiations. I have never yet known this player start out in a match without possessing an oddson •chance of winning, and I’m duly grateful to him for the little I know of match-making. I have dealt thus far with the ' arrangements for a single;’ those for a foursome are slightly different. Yery few players understand the method of arriving at the proper handicap. If A and B are collectively 14, whilst their opponents C and 1) are 20, the usual method employed is for C and J) to demand fl strokes, and for A and B to offer three. The correct number to which C and D are entitled is 4 (? —Ed.). Golf is the -only game where a player does not receive his full handicap. If a player owes another 30 at billiards, he gives 30; a runner has to allow another competitor so many yards start; but a scratch man at golf does not give a sixhandicap player six strokes, except in stroke play. In match play he would give four. Why thia is ao I never vet could understand, but • there are many things connected with golf equally ‘curious. The arrangement of a foursome is very difficult. It is similar to that of a single with double the preliminary' arrangements, and it can be easily understood that an hour can be spent in arriving at a satisfactory understanding. Even then one player will assure his partner that he has been too lenient. But the novice might reasonably ask why all this talk and precaution when each player has his proper • handicap. But no player was ever properly handicapped, and all this of whi'ch I have written is quite necessary before starting for the first tee. The player is quite justified hi seeking to retain his halfcrown as Tong as possible. and tI(C novice should therefore take heed of my advice. I’ve experienced the follv of hasty arrwnirements. and a match well made is already half won.. - ... . HARRY FULFORD.

A Greens Couimmittee Meeting. The members of the Quagmire dub, having read of the improvements effect ed at Mid Surrey by the construction of grass hazards, decided that the time had arrived when their Green Committee should be approached with a view to the construction of similar hazards on their course. The Greens Committee, having been "driven” to it by this ■•approach” on tlie part of the members, are on the course “putting” their heads together, as it were. Jones: Here, for instance, is an ideal spot for a trap. Just the place to catch a topped second. Smith: But what I should like to see is some hazards jusf where a decent drive lands. J was at St. Andrews Major Blobbs: Damn St. .Andrews! The others: Hear, hear. Jones: Wc must not have tlrenr where it punishes the straight driver; rather should, we indict some penalty on those who are erratic ami scarcely ever play a second shot with any other eln-b but a niblick. Smith (the most erratic player in the club): I don’t agree. Th.*. -urrect line to the hole is not always-as-the elow Hies, and—-— Major Blobbs: Damn the erow! Brown: Personally, I'm in favour of guarding, the greens more; ours are too naked. 1 don’t think the straight player should be punished; and as for the erratic ones, they are sufficiently punished by the long grass. Therefore—and not because I’m the best mashie player in the club —I vote we guard the greens. Smith: What about the straight, “topp”?' Shouldn’t they be punished? No! I suggest v.e construct some grassy mounds right in the line of play. This will make a man play more with his head. Golf is a game that requires brains, and—-— Major Blobbs: It has always been a mystery to me, Smith, why you started the game. - Smith: If I was to take notice of persons who shall be nameless we should be here all day; so let's get on with it. Jones: Get on with what? Smith: . Planning hazards,'l presume. That’s . what we’re wasting a glorious afternoon. for, isn’t it? Major Blobbs (to Mae, the greenkeeper): Drive a stake in here, and another 30 yards to the left. When you make ’em keep your eyes on that range of hills in the distance, and reproduce their outlines. Mae: What if it's a foggy day when I make ’em, sir? Major Blobbs: Damn the fog! Bet’s move on to No. 0. Robinson (who has just arrived): Sorry I’m late. What are you supposed to be doing? Oh! planning hazards. But surely We don't require any at this hole. It’s difficult enough as it is—at least I’ve always -found it so. 1 • Smith: But that doesn't ’ prove that a few more hazards will spoil it. My idea is this: If we have a few more right across the course— — ■ - Brown: Or around the greens Jones:. Or at the sides -. Major Blobbs: Mae, what do you think about it? Mae: Don’t want any at this hole, sir. Major Blobbs: Any other hole that requires a few hazards? Bet us get on with the business. Jones: . No. 12 requires them badly. (They proceed to No. 12.) Smith: Now, then, where shall we have them? Major Blobbs: -Don't want any; the hole is difficult enough. Biown: Then what on earth are we out here for? Major Blobbs; To spoil the course at the request of a few idiots. Jones: 1 don't agree. Take this ho?“, for instance; if I top my drive—— Major Blobbs: If? Jones: Well, assuming 1 top my drive, and you, my dear Major, get one of your long ones, you. are-really no better off than 1, -because, 'being a fairly short hole,, I can reach it in two. Now. if I were punished, as 1 should lx-, yon would have .vvon a hole to. which vour, good drive entitled you. Major Blobbs: Mae, drive a stake in here. . Brown: Ami what almnt a hazard at the back of the green? Some of those big rough mounds, a few hills and dales—very nice in the summer. Major Blobbs: M’e’re «<r!fers : —not butterfly ratchets; I've a kitelve-i garden at home. Smith-: And say that hills attract’ the rsiir. ~ ” Bolulismi:-Well. I giro-*-, st- fjiwt a» We've decided on we hnnt at this hole, we can proceed to No. 14. where

I’m deternimed to ban- some *ort of fc trap.*’ Jones: Before st* finish with this ho’e, I thiqjc we ought to hate a bunker to vat ch a pulled drive. Major Bloblis: Bunker! My dear sir, bunkers are obsolete. There's not such a thing nowaday*. Bough ground, and plenty of it. Build huge hills around a Hat green and yon t ivrn it into a punch bowl. Quite easy. Mae! Mae: Yes, sir. .Major Bloblm: Do we want a h.iz.iid for a pull at this hole? Ma •: No, sir. Il yon null twenty yards you are out of hounds over the wall. ■' ‘ .Major Blobbs: Nest h.de: were get ting on. Forward, marsh. Robinson: Here we are: his is what I’ve been waiting for. What I ‘ay it this: If a man hits a good drive lie shouldn't be punished by getting into this bunker just where a good drive gets to; so I suggest that we do away with this, and'put it another 50 yarns further on, where it will catch a tnp|s ! second. Smith: What about the Prim-jpai’s Nose at St. Andrews? Thai’s bang in the line of play, isn’t it? Major Blobbs: Danin the Principal's Nose! Smith: But, my dear Major, you can not condemn every hazard just Jiecausq you personally do,not agree with it. 5 ou will admit that the Quagmire Club can learn a bit from others? Major Blobbs: Yes, decidedly. V\ a profit .by the mistakes of other Green Committees. Jones: I propose we enlarge this, green; for a two-shot hole its too *ma’.!. Brown: We’re planning hazard*. . . Ma jor Blobbs (sarcastically): W e are. Robinson: Well, let us plan ’em. Are we, or arc we not, going to remove this bunker? Mac: If I might make a suggestion, gentlemen, I should say' that we have quite enough at this hole. Another thing, I’m the only person employed on the course, and we can’t afford to taae on extra hands, so yon must take thk-t into consideration. Again, it’s no use planning bunkers, or whatever you like to call ’em, at this time of the. year; for turf won’t knit, and I’ve all my' work cut out to keep the greens mown and the long grass down. Whatever you arrange now won’t be carried out until the autumn; so what’s the use of doing anything when Major Blobbs: That's done it, I’m off. Jones: But what can we tell the members? They expect us to do something for them. What are wc ou the Greens Committee. for? Major Blobbs: Ask me another! Robinson: One year we build up. the next wc pull down. When shall we have finished improving? Major Blobbs: When the Bank forecloses —which will be very soon, 1 should imagine. Brown (who is secretary): I forgot to tell you that I received sjx resignations this morning, which leaves us with only a few playing members. Jones (the treasurer): And the Bank has intimated to me that they expect us to substantially reduce our overdraft. Majo. Blobbs: Gentlemen, let us return to the club house. - They depart, leaving Mav with an arnv ful of stakes, ami speculating as to the probability of drawing his wages much longer. HARRY FULFORD, in ‘Golfing.” MISCELLANEOUS. WHY IS IT? That your own 15ft. putt was perfectly played, while your opponent’s was a lueky gobble? That, when one by a phenomenal streak of fortune turns in his record score, that score stands as "his game” for the rest of time. The Drought in Scotland. —Owing to the continued drought,, the I coon ( bib took the unusual course of closing its golf links and postponing an important com-, pet ition. . , ~ , Muscles and Morals.—B i* 'aid that, 'once Professor T;ut was instructing Hi Oliver Lodge in the rudiments of the game at St. Andrew’s, and sententiously observed: "You don’t play golf with your muscles; yon play with your moral'B.” "But 1 hope,” retorted Mr Oliver, promptly, “that my morals are not as bad as my golf.” Sherlock’s -Smile. -Sherlock has been de.scrited as "the only man who ever smiles before, putting out on tbe W green **