On the Golf Links

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 19, 8 May 1912, Page 8

On the Golf Links

Tfcu has been appointed /At' official organ of the Ludies* Golf Union, Vrtr Zealand branch, Secretaries of ladies' golf clubs are incited to forir*rd official notices, handi-i-ups and alterations, results of compo titicns and other matters of interest, to tench the publishing office not later than the Saturday prior to the date of pu bl lent icti.

AUCKLAND. a EKY keen interest was taken In the Y / Auckland Golf Club's match, Op17 tain v. Treasurer, played on the ]( Middle more Links on Saturday. The teams comprised 20 players asUio. the • aj.tain's team winning by 12 games to 4, no less than 4 of the games being halved. rhe course shewed a very great improvement after the large amount of mowing that had been done during the week, and the majority of the greens played remarkably trne. Following are the results of the game, the members of the captain's team beiug mentioned first: — Burns and Colbe-k, all square. and Bamford, all square. MnH'arnin k beat Dargaville, 6 and 4. Sharia nd heat Tonkse, 4 and 3. Nettleton beat Laurence, 6 and 5. K. Ilorh'a and P. Hanna, all square. Pave heat H. Horten, 3 and 2. Stringer beat Kall, 2 and 1. Giifilian bent Jackson, 1 up. Macfarlane lost to Bruce, 1 down. Allen beat J. Bloomfield, 3 and 1H Bloomfield beat Richmond, 3 aud 2. l.»*n«sson lost to Finn, 7 and 5. Rwwh lost to Fairclough, 4 and 3. Gecige beat Barkes, 4 and 3. Kinder and Myers, all square. Storey lent Clark. 3 and 2. Towle beat Gorrle. 6 and 5. Webb beat Owen. I up. Grant lest to Benjamin, 4 and 3. In addition to the above a medal •handicap was played, and was won by E. W. Cave. Following are particulars of the best cards handed in:— K. W. Cave, 96, 16—SO. S. A Louguet, 108. 20-4*3. K. If. Towle. 106, 20 —86. D. XLirCorinivk, 91. 4—87. C. T. Vpton, 98, B—9o. The competition set down for Saturday next is the George Cup. entries for which close at i»o< n on Thursday. The conditions ere bogey handicap, partners being drawn. Mau ugaki ekie. The Manngakiukc Golf Chib's medal handicap vf three rounds concluded on Saturday afternoon at the One-tree Hill links, when about 50 players took part. The winner was Dr. llarke. with a net score of 80, aud as he returned the two best cards in the three rounds he won the handicap The best scores in the third round were as fellow:- Dr. Harke, gross score 95, handicap 15. uet score 80; C. F. Gardner, 102 — 17 -83; Dr. Dudley, 101-15-86; D. F. Reid, 106 20 Mb J. P. Ridings. 105—17—88; AL Ward. 113—20 93; D. Thayer, 113—18—95; A. G. Cooke, 118—22 —96; J. Cochrane, 117 20 —97; R. O. Gardner. 115—14—101; L* Sieur, 119-18—101; G. Morris, 126—25— 101. The best two cards In th.ee were returned by the following:—l >r. llarke. 87 and 80, total 167; C. F. Gardner. 83 and 85, total 168; J P. Ridings 93 and 88, total 181; A. G. Cooke. 87 and 95, total 182; Dr. Dudley, 98 and 96, total 184; D. F. Reid, ICO and 86. total 186; R. O. Gardner. 86 and 101, toial 187. tn the next two Saturdays the Club will huld an eclectic handicap. CHRISTCHURCH. (Special Correspondent.) We have had a considerable amount of rain since I sent last week's notes, and the success of the autumn work on the links is now practically assured. The bad lies on the fairway have always been the worst features of the Shirley Links, and the committee are grappling with the matter in a comprehensive way. The fairway is fir*t torn up with harrows, then manured and sown: a heavy topdresMng with sandy soil completes the op< ration. This plan wa* tried o« several of the worst fairway last year with good results, and we hope for still better rewults this year, autumn sowing being better than spring sowing in this climate. It is intended to do some five fairways each year until the whole course is done. Another advantage of this scheme is that the course will be to aome extent divided into fairway and rough. GoM on New Zealand courses is, gene rally-speaking, open pad .lock golf, where the P-*je* may roam from right to left at his own sweet will, paying no penalty for his vagaries. H. B. Lusk tells me that when playing h Sydney 18 months ago he was in the rough or bunkered at each of the first «ix

hole- at Rose Bay. after which he realised the importance of keeping straight. Undoubtedly a course consisting of a two to three-chain fairway will improve the standard of golf of members to a marked degree. If it only has the effect of arousing ambition in the player and driving him to the professional much good will be done. Later on the Shirley committee should try to find some scrub of the nature of heather which will grow readily on the links, and sow tire rough with it. Half the fun of the game is lost if no sporting difficulties are to be met with. Last year the committee of the Christchurch G.C. brought D. G. Soutar over from Australia to advise on the re-laying out of the links. Soutar’s opinion is certainly one of the best in Australasia, and be drew up a plan which shows dearly his grasp of the subject. It is intended to play a course closely approximating to Soutar’s as soon as the new greens in the north paddock are playable, probably about July. A permanent course will then be finally decided upon, but in all probability it will follow closely on Soutar’s ideas. He found the chief faults to be bad lengths, cuppy greens and dangerous crossings. All these faults will be eliminated under the new scheme, except that our dry climate rather restricts us in the matter of green formation. Undulating greens tend to scorch in summer though the hollows remain green, and, good as the water supply is, it cannot prevent this. Last Weeks Play. Saturday last was an ideal day for golf—dull and calm; but the scores were not so good as might have been expected. The second qualifying round for the Borthwick Vase, the final round for the Cox Cup, and a medal handicap were played. The Borthwick Vase match consists of two qualifying rounds, medal play, the best 8 net scores playing off by match play. The Cox Cup is a two-round medal match for juniors, 10 and over. The first round of the day was a 77 by IT. E. Wright. On his day Wright would hold his own with any New Zealand amateur, but, though in the club championship he has done well he has not done so well in the N.Z. Championships as might have been expected. He has a graceful and effective style, and may yet reach the highest honour in New Zealand golf. B. B. Wood fell off, taking 80, and, as he is handicapped at plus 5, he failed to qualify. B. C. Rutherford played excellent golf through the green, but inability to putt the short ones dead eau-sed him to take 83. Some of the middle handicap men are doing creditable rounds just now. C. F. Thomas, playing off 13, did 85, which, leaving a net score of 72, would give a plus man something to think about. J. Anderson (10) won the Cox Cup with a net return of 153, which augurs well for future improvement. H. H. Knight won the sen or medal w*th 85—3. net 70. He was for two years champion of Hagley, and is making steady progress towards a short handicap. At Hngley Park. The Hagley players are having rather a strenuous time. The exceptional growth of grass which our wet summer brought about is their trouble. The lessees of the grazing rights on the park object to grass-cutting, and the sheep cannot get it down. Until the frosts come they will be playing under difficulties. Golf on a public park has its drawbacks, as One Tree Hill players probably know. The softening of the ground has emphasised the work of the divot fiend. I counted in a apace of three square yards three holes of one nch to throe nohow deep and proportonate area. Verily a spade would hardly do more damage. If players would only realise the importance of replacing divots, or, if that is impossible, of pressing down

the sides of the holes, they would confer • boon on all golfers. Unfortunately, the majority don’t worry alwut divots until they find their balls in aa unplayable lie. later-club Matches at Dunedin. Much interest is being taken in the interdub games with Dunedin. It is a great pity Wright is unable to go, aa be is in good form, and would bring our team to our full representative strength. We have a private opinion in Christchurch that in an 8 or 12-aside match we could hold our own with any chib in New Zealand. We may be wrong. Wellington play us at Shirley during May for the Tuson Cup. Last year-the Christchurch match was spoiled by the unseemly conduct of the weather, which delayed the ferry steamer several hours and cause dour guests to be rather below their form. Hosking-Campbell Shield. On Thursday morning the HoskingCanipbell Shield was played for, and the same afternoon the Hamner Shield. Tire weather was very unfavourable for golf, a high wind from the south-west making play difficult. The wind increased during the day, and in the afternoon some apparently disgraceful performances were put up. The difficulty was greatly increased by the keen putting greens, which were so bare that it was a matter of extreme deleacy to putt the ball dead, lire wind on some occasions accelerated the run of the bril to such an extent that it frequently was as far past the hole as it started from. This induced nervous putting, and to tire three or four spectators who faced the weather the exhibition must have been deplorable. In the Hosking-Campbell Shield, 8 men a-side, played for by singles, the Christchurch Chib bad a fairly easy win. The match results are as follows:—Wood (C) beat Dr. Ross (O), 3 and I: Lusk (C) beat H. C. Smith tO). 6 and 5; Rutherford (C) beat Park (O), 3 and 1; Fisher (O) beat Harman (C), 5 and 4; Forbes (C) beat Stronach (O). 6 and 5; Trotove (C) beat Brasch (O), 3 and 1; Sleigh (Cj, all square with Rattray tO); E. Smith fO) beat Brittain <C), 4 and 2. Christchurch, therefore, won '5 matches and Otago 2, the other being halved. In the Hanmer Shield, played in foursomes, the results were as follows:—Dr. Ross and H. C. Smith (O) beat Lusk and Wood by 7 holes; Park and E. Smith (0) beat Rutherford and Trolove by 2 holes; Fisher and Brasch (O> beat Forbes and Brittain by 2 holes; Harman and Sleigh (C) squared Stronach and Rattray. The rather remarkable reversal of form may be accounted for by the local players being less affected by the gale of wind and by the consequent peculiarities of the putting greens. Otago players never play foursomes nowadays, nor do the Canterbury men, four-ball matches having quite ousted them, so that no advantage exists there. Wood and Dr. Ross had a great game in the morning, Wood being rather erratic for him. The Doctor, who is at Seacliff, gets very little golf, which is a great pity, as he is obviously a player of parts. He gets well down to it, and, despite his small build, he hits a fine long ball. Hamilton Smith has played little of late, the rival eharms of motorboating being the cause, so that he fell rather easily to Lusk. The latter's round of 80 (apnroximately) was very useful under the adverse circumstances. Sleigh drew square with Rattray at the home green after making a gallant finish from the 15th. He holed the last 4 in 13, doing the last in 2. In the foursomes Lusk and Wood were annihilated by their victims of the morning. Neither played well, the putting being the chief weakness; but the excellent, steady play of the Dunedin pair was the main factor. The harder it b’ew the better Dr. Ross putted and the better Smith drove. The Doctor in particular played brilliantly

under the circumstances. The otheS matches were well contested, but the Otago pairs were too steady. Orbell Cup Stacies aad Mixed Foursomes. Otago won by 15 holes. The Christchurch men held their own, but the Otago ladies proved too strong, and in the foursomes Otago had the advantage, Ross (Otago), doing 77, beat Wood, 2 upp Luek (Christehureh), was 8 up ott Park doing 78. The scores were as follows (Christchurch being mentioned first in each instance): —Miss Campbell t). v. Mrs. Dodshun 2; Miss Wilson 2, r, Mrs. Ward 0; Miss Rutherford 0 v. MiS4 Gould 8; Miss Wood 1. v. Miss Scott 0; Miss Cowlishaw 0, v. Miss K. Rattray 3; Miss Fisher 0. v. Miss Mill 4; IVood O, v. Ross 2; Lusk 8, v. Park C; Rutherford 5. v. Stronach 0; Hannan 0, v. Brasch 3; Forbes 4. v. Scanlon 0; Trolove 0, V. Gale 3. Totals: Christchurch 20, Otago 25. Foursomes.—Miss Campbell and Lusk 0, v. Mrs. Dodshun and Ross 2; Miss Wilson and Wood 3. v. Miss Gould and Park 0; Miss and B. C. Rutherford V.

Mrs. Ward and Stronach, sq.; Mis? Wood •nd Forbes 0. v. Miss K. Rattray and Brasch. 8; Miss Cowlishaw and Harman 0, r. Miss Scott and Scanlon 3; Miss Fisher and Trolove 0, v. Miss Mill and Cale, sq. Totals: Christchurch 23, Otago 38.

The fast greens again caused trouble to the Christchurch players. A dinner to the visitors was given in the evening in t-he Otago Club, which function proved most successful. WANGANUI. The mixed foursomes played on the opening day of the season by members of the Wanganui Club resulted as follows: Miss Montgomery-Moore and Mr. D. Ritchie were the winning couple, two up on bogey; Mr. Bruce and Miss P. Nixon came second, all square; Mr. Harold and Miss Christie, and Mr. Cave and Miss Cave were each one down. NELSON. A mixed foursome bogey competition was played at the Tahuna links last week, and resulted in a win for Mrs. Bigg-Wither and T. Bigg-Wither with a score of 1 up. The following cards were handed in:— Mrs. Bigg-Wither and Bigg-Wither, handicap 36, 1 up. Miss Sutherland-Smith and R. Dodds, handicap 28, 1 down; Miss Hair and A. E. Jackson, handicap 18, 2 down: Miss G. Cook and J. Cock, handicap 27, 2 down: Miss Ledger and N. McLaren, handicap 17, 3 down; Miss Bamford and R. 8. Booth, handicap 23, 4 down; Miss Maginnity and C. W. Brown, handicap 17, 5 down: Miss A. Dodson and A. Alaides, handicap 29, 6 down; Mies Lucas and J. H. Cock, handicap 35, 7 down; Miss Booth and C. R. Felt, handicap 18, J down; Miss E. Ledger and H. Robison, handicap 12, 8 down; Mrs. Thomae and J. Houlker, handicap 30, HL down; Mrs. Dodson and P. Dalziel, handicap 32, 10 down; Miss E. Hair and B. Bkdey, handicap 30, 10 down; Mrs. Lewis and W. Squires, handicap 22, 11 down; Mies Adams and 8. Tyreman, handicap 12, 11 down; Miss Dimant and T. Houlker, handicap 27, 11 down. TEMIIKA. . The election of officers of the Temuka Club took place at the annual meeting which was held last week and resulted as follows: —President, Mr. E. James; vice-presidents, the Hon. T. Buxton and Mr. J. T. Maling; captain, Mr. W. Pearse; handicappers, Dr. A. H. Curtis and Mr. A. Bushell; secretary, Dr. B. Volckman; treasurer, Mr A. Bushell; committee. Messrs. Scott, Paterson, Guild Drs. R. Volckman and A. H. Curtis, and Mr. R. Pearse. NEW PLYMOUTH. A bogey' handicap was played last week in very stormy weather, and, in consequence, the entries were small and the play not up to the usual standard. The prize presented by Mr. Standish was won by J. Johnston, with a score of 4 down. The five best cards put in were as follows:—J. Johnston, 13, 4 down; W. C. Weston, scr, 5 down; R. A. Gray, 6, 6 down; K. Bain, 15, 8 down; A. Bewley, scr, 9 down.