MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2, 10 July 1912, Page 10

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Restart. Another fatal fault on restarting the game after a long abstention is that of too fast swinging, with resultant bad timing and hopelessly ineffective shots. This comes from a certain over-impetu-ousncss, which seems to characterise the efforts of so many players at the beginning of their season; for the time being they seem to have forgotten the difficulties of the game and the great respect which has to be paid to its principles.— ‘ Colonna,"* ia the “Queen.**

The Monthly Medal Finals.

Perhaps it is quite true that the finals of monthly medal competitions do not excite anything like the same interest as scratch medal finals, but we have not yet arrived at anything like perfect sclienies of handicapping, and, however well a lowfigure man may play, he is always liable to be beaten by someone who, on this occasion only, touches middle-class form when playing off tlie limit mark.— “J.H.5.,” in the “Sheffield Telegraph.”

International Rivalry. There is the question of international rivalry, and in this matter the ladies differ very much in results from the men. No Irishman has ever won the male championship. but five times has an Irish lady won the championship of her sex.—Mr. Henry Leach in the “Sketch.” The Attraction of the Four-ball. When it conies to playing they vote for the four-ball game in preference to the foursome, mainly, we think, because the average man does not like t" miss a chance of playing the maximum number of tee shots. There is no doubt that the importance of the drive has become an obsession with a great number of players. —‘’Referee.'’ Herd’s Little Preference.

Herd is a player who is always bestsuited by hard ground). Herd is a true son of St. Andrews; lie was bred to hard, bare greens, and he likes to “trickle" his putts with a delicate, almost gingerly touch.—Mr. Bernard Darwin in the “Sunday Times.”

The Brave Days of Old. In the good old times which I can just remember the superiority of the foursome was unchallenged. Everyone who called himself a golfer, or pretended to know anything about golf, freely admitted that the foursome was the finest form of the game.—Sir Ludovic Grant.

Miss Leitch's Style. Miss Leitch stands with the ball almost in line with her right foot—not by any means an easy method of playing, as was evident from her persistent topping in the match against Miss Teacher; but on the top of her game Miss Leitch is undoubtedly a splendid hitter.—“ Glasgow Herald.”

Matrimony and Golf. When J. H. Taylor entered the matrimonial market he forthwith carried off the open championship, and so impressed was one enthusiastic golfer with the improved form “J.H.” displayed, that he, too, at once took unto himself a wife, in the hope that he might bring his handicap down! That, at all events, was the story he told—truly a sordid confession. — “Fore” in the "Bradford Telegraph.”

The Spot Stroke. A feature that makes approaching upon hard ground, so excessively difficult is the necessity for fixing on a certain spot of ground for the ball to pitch upon. With the ground soft there is no such necessity; all that there is to do is to pitch the ball practically up to the flag; the flag guides the eye., and does the marking of the spot for one.—“The Times.”

A Putting Hint. The advice of all good putters is, “Let the club do the work.”—“Mid-Iron" in the “Daily Chronicle.” The Popularity of Bogey.

Nowadays bogey competitions are as popular and general as ordinary strokeplay competitions, and it is as ridiculous as it is inconvenient that they should be ignored in the official laws of the game.— Mt. Henry Leach in the “Standard.” The Straying Golfer.

The cardinal advantage of golf over tennis, cricket, croquet, and billiards is that you may stray. You are not confined within a flat and constant area which only subserves the art you practise. Part of the joy of a long drive is the long walk.— “Daily Mail.” The Natural Golfer. Vardon has golf imprinted on his face, and to see him handle a club is to lie convinced at first glance that he is a past master in the art of golf. He is a fine, player, with a fine style—a pleasant combination.—“ Bogeyman” in the “Leicester Mail.” A Long Drive at Sandy Lodge. An extraordinarily long drive has been executed at the Sandy Lodge Club’s course near Northwood. With a strong northeasterly wind behind him, Mr. G. G. M.

Bennett reached the 16th green, a length of 359 yards, with his drive. This distance seems to compare very favourably with the previous “record" drives, the longest amateur drive recorded being 366 yards by Mr. Edward Blackwell.