GOLF.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 4 August 1904, Page 15

GOLF.

The links are in good order just now, .and there is usually an average of about twenty players out each week-day, while this number is of course largely exceeded on Saturday. On Thursday the attendance of ladies was above the average, and some good games were played. On Saturday there was a single club competition which attracted a good many entries. The hole known as Jacob’s Ladder proved the chief stumbling block under the circumstances.

Travis, who won the Amateur Golf Championship, in the Old Country recently, putts with what is called a “Schenectady” putter. It is shaped like a croquet mallet. Willie Park says the idea is thirty years old, but its inventor says it is not two years old. Anyway, fifteen hundred of them were sold before noon in London next day after the match. Travis claims that no matter on what part of the face the ball is struck it runs true. It is curious that it is owing to the Americans and their Haskell 'ball that the craving for long driving came in, now it is an American that has shown that it is not long driving that pays. Travis is a native of Australia, but went to America about is years ago. t He has been playing for eight years. He carried off the American championship in 1900, the second year he played for it ; also in 1901 and again this year. He is 45 years of age, is only 5 feet g inches high, but is well-1 nit, and of a powerful build.

The championship of South Australia has just been won by W. J. Gunson, with Julian Avers second.

The victory of J. White, of Sunningdale, in the English open golf championship was intensely exciting, for J. Braid and J. H. Taylor each had a put on the last green to be with him. Braid’s put was a foot short, and Taylor’s only just missed the hole. The scoring, as I said last week, was extremely low, as White’s figures, 296 for the 72 holes, beat the previous record. J. H. Taylor’s last round of 68, a record for the green, was simply magnificent. This is J. White’s first championship.