Golf

Kingscote Golf Club

[1908] A meeting of gentlemen interested in the formation of a Golf Club was held at the Kingscote Council Hall last night, Dr. Stevenson in the chair It was decided that a committee select a site for links at an early date.

We understand that the committee selected has decided on a site for golf links at Kingscote, the situation being an excellent one — near the Recrea-tion Ground. The golf fever is catching and the game promises to be a most popular one here and will, no doubt, prove a great attraction for many of the visitors during tbe summer months.

A meeting of those interested in the formation of a Golf Club was held last night at the Ozone Hotel. Dr. Stevenson was unanimously elected president of the Club, and Messrs Partridge and Turnbull treasurer and secretary respectively., Messrs F. C. Addison and J. B. Ayliffe members of committee. The secretary was instructed to write and thank Mr F. H. Ayliffe on hehalf of the Club for permission to play over his grounds. In order to stimulate interest in the pastime it was decided to hold a competition on the links on Thursday afternoon next, 24th inst. Following are the handicaps : — W. V. Turnbull scr A. H. Daw ... 12 H, E. Partridge scr F. Mawby ... 12 E. C. Addison ... 8 A. W. Battye ...15 J. H. Dewar ... 9 J. B. Ayliffe ...15 W. Weetman ... 12 Dr. Stevenson ... 25 A. E. Campbell... 12 G. A. Nicholls ... 25 F, H. Winch ...12 W.H.Strawbridge 25

1929 Opening of Kingscote Golf Links

On Wednesday afternoon, His Excellency the Governor performed the ceremony of opening the Kingscote Golf Links in the presence of a numerous and representative gathering of Island residents and visitors. Unfortunately the weather was not very propitious and a sharp shower some-what marred the proceedings, but even so it could not succeed in defacing the remarkable natural beauty of the site on which the Links are laid out. The President of the Golf Club, Dr. Lermitte welcomed the Governor on behalf of the Club and in the course of his remarks explained the difficulty of laying down Links on a very small sum of money, more especially in these days when the great Golf Clubs are spending thousands of pounds on their Links. These difficulties have been, to a very large extent, overcome and the Grounds Committee has by a deal perserverence now laid down a 9 hole course that surpassed many of the country courses on the main land. Furthermore it was a course that could be played on all the year round as the sandy loam was never too hard in the summer, nor too wet in the winter to actually prevent play. Recently members of the Seaton Park and Kooyonga Clubs had played over these Links and has spoken of them in terms, of the highest praise. Now that Vice-Regal patronage had been conferred on the scheme there could be no doubt that the success of the undertaking was assured. The President hoped that the Governor would return to the scene of the afternoon's gathering often and defeat every member of the Club. Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthven in declaring the Links opened remarked that Golf Links had become an absolute necessity to every town, hoping to rank as a tourist resort. When the question of a holiday arose the first question that the men asked was respecting the presence or absence of Golf Links and only those Tourist Resorts which supplied this need gained the patronage of the holiday-maker. He congratulated the Golf Club on the very fine work that had been done and was convinced that the Club had a brilliant future before it and that it would constitute one of the very greatest attractions which the Island possessed. The Governor then formally declared the Links opened and drove off the first ball with a magnificent drive that nearly reached the first green. The President followed on and played the Governor a round. An admiring crowd followed the Governor round and many who had never seen the game played before became converts to the fascination of the 'little ball' and embryo enthusiastic golfers. Afternoon tea was served in the temporary Club house by Mesdames Lermitte, E. Cook, Neighbour, Marks and Young. On Wednesday evening Dr. and Mrs Lermitte entertained the Premier, the Chief Secretary and a numerous company at a Bridge Tournament at the Ozone Hotel. 

ORIGINAL POETRY.

Our New Game.

There's a new game now we play, through the week and on Sunday,
'Tis a noble, ancient game as all men know
And its reckoned strictly fair to most strongly curse and swear
For the rules of this new game allow it so.

And to play this game so grand you must get a block of land —
You must have a lot of sticks and one small ball —
At the ball you strongly smite, straight, and square, and right
Take vour chances where the blooming thing will fall.

When you play you mustn't joke, musn't talk or smoke —
You must take the matter seriously, you know !
If you chance to make a hole, you must fill it, on my soul.
Ere at your ball you take another blow ! 

Lately, in an aimless way, I stood and watched them play.
And listened to the oaths that rent the air
As I roamed about the land, 'twas an education grand
For thereupon I learnt how men COULD swear ! 

A new-comer on the Isle, by his tricky, natty style,  I reckoned had been at the game before
And when a bull a-stray chanced to wander in his way I turned and fled— scared at the way he swore !
And a doctor whom I know, stood and took a mighty blow
At his ball— it flew gracefully away !
But (ah ! very sad's the tale !) bunkered in a monorail —
Oh, the things that I believe I heard him say. 

There were many others there, men of good repute and fair,
Wildly throwing their good names into the air!
By the way they cursed and swore — I ne'er heard the like before,
'Twas stronger than the roaring of the seas ! 

There were also ladies sweet, clad in dainty costumes neat,
Handling their clubs with pretty, winning care—
But I will not give away what I chanced to hear them say
When they missed — Let their words die in the air ! 

GEO. W. AYLIFFE, Cygnet River.