The winning team on Waihī Golf's opening day. Norm Sanderson (left), Jason Baldwin, Nita Dalley and Jenny Tubman. Photo / Kaylene Croker
The winning team on Waihī Golf's opening day. Norm Sanderson (left), Jason Baldwin, Nita Dalley and Jenny Tubman. Photo / Kaylene Croker
Waihī Golf Club: The 2023 season is under way with all the sections now starting their individual competitions.
VETS: For the second time in the first three weeks of our season, the Monday morning Vets were washed out with the weather. However, a team of six players, plus one reserve, travelled to Tahuna to play the first round of the Coromandel Shield. This is a round-robin competition among the seven Thames Valley clubs during the season. On a dreary, showery day on their home course, Tahuna took the early lead with 38 points, with Paeroa on 32, and Waihī in third place with 28 points, but with still a further six rounds to be played.
NINE-HOLE SECTION: The weather cleared for the section to play their weekly competition.
In division 1, Jean Cotterill with 35 had the best score of the four players in the division, with Lorraine Meyer second on 39. For the rest of the ladies being in division 2, Jenni Mora had an outstanding round of 30 points, well ahead of Maureen Vautier, and Vicky Knight on 40. They were followed by Lynda Thomson, Christine Mercer, and Anne-Louise Erceg all on 41. In the men’s division, John Vautier easily prevailed over Taniia Tukatara and Garth Pritchard.
WEDNESDAY LADIES: A lovely fine, sunny day, had this week’s Stableford results showing Karen Lee to be a clear winner with 42 points, with Sharon Deacon next with 37. They were followed by Adrienne Lynch, and Carol Leary, and Kaylene Croker, all with 35 points. The winner of The “Dreamers Player of the Week” the previous week was Heather Watters, while this week Karen Lee won the honour.
THURSDAY MEN: A glorious fine Thursday at last, resulted in some hot scoring in the morning haggle. Alex Standfield had the best score (and only 2) with 42 points, with Bill Lind just behind with 41. They were followed by Jock Stronach, John Drent with 40, Mark Mora, and Greg Rosevear at 39. In the afternoon competition, the scoring was also good, with Paul Weaver, and Peter Spiers scoring 41 points. Next was Murray Butterworth (39), and Albertus Potgieter, and Jonathon Clare both with 38.
SATURDAY LADIES: This week was the opening day for their season, however, due to many of the ladies being away, or at other events, it was a smaller-than-usual field to start the year. The winner of the nett haggle was Kathy Ashton with a very good 68, well clear of Phillipa Harvey, and Shelly Lithgow on 73, and Jane Wordley on 80.
SATURDAY MEN: Delayed from last week due to the weather, the first of two qualifying rounds of the much sort after Beach Cup was played this week, and the early leaders are Jock Stronach, and Earl Hoskins, both with nett 68s, with Paul Weaver, and John Eliott on 70, and Mark Mora 71.
In the morning haggle the scoring was tight at the top with John Giffney (plus the only two), Jock Stronach, and Earl Hoskins, all scoring 40 points. They were followed by Mark Mora and Stephen Bailey with 37, and on 36 were Ross Sayer, Jim Powell, and Graham O’Dwyer.
In the afternoon haggle, Paul Weaver continued his good for from Thursday, being a clear winner with 39 points, next was David Morris, and Nigel Sanderson, both with 36, followed by David P Campbell, and Terry Gerbich on 35. Russell Dewey had the only two on hole 15.
by Rodger Bagshaw
Whangamatā Mahjong
Forty-five players were treated to a lovely afternoon tea from Nancy Gerrand who is celebrating her 90th birthday next week.
Thank you Nancy. It was delicious. We hope you enjoy all your birthday celebrations.
Black Fern Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu coaches the Te Tai Tokerau Natives under-18 side. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The first-ever New Zealand Harlequins XV women’s team will face Te Tai Tokerau Natives women in a curtain-raiser match ahead of the first Waitomo Chiefs Manawa home game next week.
The Harlequins XV team will feature some of the best women’s rugby ability from the Waikato region with Te Tai Tokerau Natives representing talent from across the Northland region at FMG Stadium Waikato on 11 March.
Both clubs are providing a further important stepping stone to foster women’s rugby talent within the regions from grassroots through to FPC and Super Rugby, with the goal of wearing the black jersey more alive than ever for these players after last year’s home Rugby World Cup.
The Natives Rugby Club was established in 2018 by former Black Ferns, Aroha Savage and Rawinia Everitt, who saw a gap in the pathways of women’s rugby within their Northland community. “We knew there are great people in the north, with huge hearts, all with their own special talents – they just needed to be given the time and space to celebrate this and grow,” said Everitt.
“This is what Natives’ kaupapa does. It provides a space for people to connect and encourages growth. It celebrates, not only in rugby and with physical activity, but in leadership for others taking up the wero of giving back to their community.”
Waitomo Chiefs Manawa lock Harono Te Iringa also plays for the Natives and Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu coaches the Under-18 side. In 2018 the Harlequins Rugby Club began to engage in the development of their female players through the selection of their first Harlequins women’s sevens team that toured Japan. The club also established a Harlequins under-17/under-18 girls’ team to further develop young rugby players at the school level.
“The New Zealand Harlequins women’s team are excited and looking forward to the opportunity of pulling on the jersey and continuing the proud legacy of the club,” said Harlequins XV head coach David Fox who will be assisted by former Waikato and Black Ferns representatives Regina Sheck and Honey Hireme-Smiler in the coaching group.
The game will kick off at 11.45 am on Saturday, March 11 at FMG Stadium Waikato ahead of the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa vs Matatū at 2.05pm. Tickets for these games are on sale now from chiefs.flicket.co.nz.
