The final of the Otago Ladies’ Golf Championship tournament, in which Mrs Dodgshun met Mrs R. Orbell, of North Otago, was played under favourable conditions. This match provided a mixture of extraordinarily good play and somewhat inferior play, the good play, however, greatly predominating. The round began auspiciously for Mrs Dodgshun, for, playing the odd, after two good strokes to each, she hit the flag with her approach, and the ball, after seeming to run up and down the pin, dropped into the hole. The second hole was played rather weakly by both. Mrs Dodgshun, after driving past the third green and finding herself in a bad position close to the fence, retrieved herself gallantly and secured a half in a good 3. Neither competitor did herself justice at the next hole, Mrs Dodgshun pulling her drive and Mrs Orbell sending her ball into the bunker. Mrs Orbell won this hole, and the fifth was halved after moderate play. The sixth also was halved in 4. At the seventh, both had good drives, and Mrs Orbell’s second stroke placed her in a comfortable position, about 40 yards from the green. Mrs Dodgshun was unfortunate with a good midiron shot, the ball over-running the green, and Mrs Orbell replied by approaching to about seven feet from the hole. Mrs Dodgshun chipped her ball beautifully back to a few inches from the pin, and secured the hole in 4. The eighth ("Monastery") was cleverly played, and both were on the green with their second shots, but Mrs Orbell won on the green. Mrs Orbell pulled her drive from the ninth tee into the rough, and lost the ball, involving the penalty of loss of the stroke and distance. Mrs Dodgshun having driven a beautiful ball, Mrs Orbell played her third from the tee, and made such a wonderful recovery that she holed out in 5. She lost the hole, however, which Mrs Dodgshun appropriated in 4. The tenth was halved in 3 and Mrs Dodgshun fared badly at the long hole, which fell to Mrs Orbell, who followed up a beautiful drive with an equally attractive second. Mrs Dodgshun’s lead was now reduced to 1, and the next two holes were also secured by Mrs Orbell, who thus took the lead for the first time in the match.
Playing to "Roy’s," Mrs Orbell hit a tree with her tee-shot but the ball forced its way through and lay clear of the flax. Mrs Dodgshun drove nicely, but the wind carried her ball to the left of the green. In a good recovery Mrs Orbell got close to the edge of the green with her second. Mrs Dodgshun, playing the like, approached weakly, and Mrs Orbell ran her third to within a few inches of the green, but Mrs Dodgshun succeeded in holing a 14ft putt, which gave her the hole and placed her again in front. Both had good drives to the fifteenth, and followed them with fine second shots, Mrs Orbell’s being a particularly meritorious stroke. Mrs Dodgshun approached to about 10ft from the pin, but Mrs Orbell duffed her next shot and, playing the odd, left herself about 7ft from the hole. Mrs Dodgshun holed out in 5, and Mrs Orbell missed her putt, and, instead of winning the hole in 4, as she might have done, took 6 for it. This may be said to have been the crucial hole in the match. Mrs Dodgshun topped her drive to "Hawthorn," while Mrs Orbell drove finely into the hollow. Mrs Dodgshun, weighing the possibilities, boldly took her brassey for her second, and a beautiful shot left her clear of the rough. Mrs Orbell chipped her ball over the ridge to halfway down between the road and the green, and Mrs Dodgshun played a finely-judged shot on to the green, several feet from the hole, which was halved in 6. To a good drive from Mrs Dodgshun at the 17th Mrs Orbell replied indifferently, and she played her second shot loosely also, and sacrificed her chance of carrying the match to the last hole, Mrs Dodgshun winning by 2 up and 1 to play. — by ‘Divot’
Contrite payment to DCC
A quaint and brief anonymous letter was read at the close of the City Council meeting last night by the acting Mayor, Cr W. Begg. It had been received by the chairman of the Reserves Committee and was to this effect: "Enclosed please find 5 shillings conscience money. Not that I have any conscience, but still. .." Councillors for a few moments made merry over the unexpected addition to the civic income, and made many inquiries and suggestions as to its use. The chairman of the Reserves Committee, Cr Hancock, with due dignity, assured the council that the sum would be thankfully received and faithfully employed. — ODT, 8.5.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
