GOLF

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 150, 21 December 1929, Page 24

GOLF

*v "CMtPSHOT**

HOLIDAY PLAY

MIRAMAR TOURNAMENT

news am) notes

'At this time of year the game of golf to a very large extent has to give place to summer sports, such as cricket, tennis, and bowling. But there are always a number of keen golfers who prefer to play all the year round in spite of summer being a more.or less off season as far as gol. is concerned. Around Wellingtoi this is usually possible, as the ground does not get too baked and it is possible to keep the fairways in reasonably good order. Hence, on summer evenings a number of golfers will be found indulging in the royal and ancient pastime. At Heretaunga there will be no more competitions under the auspices of the Wellington Golf Club until February, but that will not prevent friendly matches. At Miramar the good work will continue, culminating at the New Year in a three days' tournament. This includes the Miramar open amateur championship, a series of group handicaps, bogey handicaps, and four-ball bogey handicaps. The tournament takes place on Ist, 2nd, and 3rd January, entriea closing on Christmas Eve. Probably quite a number of holiday visitors in Wellington at the time will be playing, and all leading local players who are not away will be there it is hoped. Holiday play on the other golf courses around Wellington will also take place. Several local; players are journeying to Christchurch for the holidays, and will be playing there. The course at Shirley promises to be in the best of shape for the annual Christmas tournament, which will be played on Thursday, Fri_day, and Saturday, the 26th, 27th, and 28th inst. Entries are coming to hand from many points throughout the Dominion, as well as from the various clubs in Canterbury. The programme is one of interest both to ladies and men, and the tournament affords an opportunity to members of clubs where play is suspended during the summer to get some play and keep their game on edge for next season. Popular Four-Ball Game. Among men. the most popular form of golf now is the four-ball, best-ball competition, says a South African writer. A few like an occasional Canadian foursome, ■or an ordinary foursome, but the vast majority favour the four-ball match. One reason is that a competitor gets continuous play in the course of the: match. People who are not oVer-young or robust like the alternate-stroke game, as they have less to do, and are not kept so continuously keyed lip. Played in the right spirit, a foursome has. a charm of its own. Not much is proved by foursome play' in these selfish days, although onco it was a recognised and honoured feature' of the game' that was studied and had a technique of its own, just as ordinary .-'match- play or any other form of the game. It is the nearest approach to team play of which golf in the nature of things is capable and success depends on observation and knowledge of the partner's':,game, and —all other things being equal—trying to leave him the shots he excelled at for the benefit of the side. For years now it has fallen into desuetude and disrepute, replaced .by the "four-ball," .the reason for the popularity of which is that you get-"all your golf" and don't have to pay for the mistakes of somebody else—a selfish view, but there it is. But of the comparative value to golf of the two forms there can be no^ question. The four-ball matehJ breeds irresponsibility and dependence, many players shining in this form of the game who are quite unable to come off in any other. Viewed from this angle, it is. possible that the fourball form has even done some disservice to golf.: But foursome play breeds exactly the opposite qualities by making one think and play with regard to somebody else, and the next shot; and news is to hand that it is rapidly coming into' favour again at Home. To Tour England. ;;' ; A party of 20 Australian golfers will tour Great Britain next summer with a view to gaining experience on tho championship ( courses and at the same time seeking acquaintances with the historical spots of England and Scotland, says an English paper. The party will arrive in England at the end of May, 1930, and hope to be in time to view the early championship competitions. After sampling the best of the English courses they are due in Scotland on sth July, where.they expect to play over Old Troon, Pitlochry, Cruden Bay, Gleneagles. and- St. Andrews. The tour will conclude in London on 2nd August. What Will the Progeny Play? . Two of tl-e best-known players in French tennis and golf circles, Rene Lacoste and Mile. Siinone' Thion de la Chaunie, are engaged to' be married. Mile, de la Chaunie, who. is 20, and the daughter of a leading Parisian banker, won the British Women's Open Golf Championship at Newcastle, Co. Down, in 1927, defeating Miss Dorothy Pearson in the final. She also won the British Girls' Championship in 1924, again beating Miss Pearson in the final. Eene Lacoste, who is 24, won the Wimbledon Championship in 1925, but was beaten when he next competed in 1927. A year later, however, he regained the title. In 1926 he won the American Championship, and bat Tilden in the Davis Cup challenge round, while, with very little practice, he secured the French tennis championship this year. Woman in National Golf. -, . For the first time in national golf a woman, Mile. Genevieve. le Derff, has invaded men's preserves Twenty years of age, she made a serious attempt to enter into competition; with* the leading professional golfers of Britain and France for a championship which Hagen, Duncan, Braid, Mr. Tolley," and others in the past have won. There is a touch o,f romance about the career of Mile, le Derff, who has taken up golf as a profession. At the age of twelve she was a caddie on the Dinard links, carrying clubs mainly for English visitors, from whom she was quick to pick up the essentials of the swing. Mile, le Derff made such rapid progress that she applied for, and obtained, the post of lady professional at Fourqueux, where most of the day she is busy. Attired in a bright yellow jumper, a tweed skirt, blue beret, and black and white shoes she presented a picturesque figure among the ninety men competitors. A small stoclcingless girl acted as caddie for her. With a score of 92 for the first round, Mile, le Derff expressed keen disappointment. ■ but hers was not the worst round.