Highlights of the weekend (apart from the weather and the course presentation) were June and John Winstanley scoring a two on the par four seventh hole and a dead heat for Closest to the Pin between Steve Snow and Steve Haggie.
A full field of five divisions (80 pairs), 32 more than for last year's tournament, included 58 players visiting Mount Maunganui from North and South Island clubs.
Anne and Fred Matenga (regular competitors in the tournament) flew the flag for the South Island/Otago region and were challenged by the players from 26 other North Island clubs, giving a wide representation of clubs.
The 68 Mount Maunganui Golf Club members provided strong support for the tournament along with their close neighbours Omanu (24) and other local clubs.
Cricket: Title defence
Defending Fergus Hickey Rosebowl titleholders Bay of Plenty will have a double agenda on day one of the annual Northern Districts one-day tournament being played at Owen Delaney Park in Taupo from Sunday.
Success against Northland on the opening day should secure an elusive Hawke Cup challenge early next season. The Hawke Cup, which is the symbol of New Zealand Minor Cricket Association supremacy, was first contested in 1911 as a tournament trophy.
Since 1913 it has been played on a challenge basis, with the holders accepting direct challenges during February and March of each season.
To earn the right to a direct challenge, Bay of Plenty must win the ND series that is held within the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl competitions during the calendar year.
Entering the last three rounds of this year's ND Hawke Cup qualifying competition, which will also be played in Taupo, the Bay team are in the box seat. If they can beat long-time rivals Northland they will extend their lead to an unassailable position.
Defeat would still give the Bay a second shot at grabbing the qualifying place on day three. The game against current Hawke Cup holders Hamilton on the second day will count for nothing, with the final match-up with Counties Manukau assuming vital importance if they lose to Northland.
With three Fergus Hickey Rosebowls won in the past four seasons, the Bay of Plenty team have the experience and firepower to make this a vintage period in Bay of Plenty Cricket history.
There are few more wily skippers in minor association cricket in the country than Bay captain Jono Boult. In the past couple of New Zealand winters, Boult has crafted his skills playing in Holland, with previous spells spent playing in Britain.
The Bay skipper set new Bay of Plenty season bowling figures of 33 wickets last season, which broke long-time Bay servant Graeme Aldridge's figures. In addition he sits in seventh place of the Bay's all-time batting totals with 1549 runs.
Last season's top run scorer, Peter Drysdale, who smashed nearly 400 runs during the Fergus Hickey season, was another to play in the Northern Hemisphere last winter. Add in Brett Hampton (Holland), Ben Christensen (UK) and Tony Goodin (Australia,) who have all accumulated overseas experience.
Two of the rising stars of the game in the country have again earned their place in the Bay of Plenty Fergus Hickey team line-up. Joe Carter and Sean Davey from Cadets both played for New Zealand in the 2012 ICC Under-19 World Cup. Carter burst on to the Fergus Hickey scene last season with 322 runs and a sparkling century against Poverty Bay.
Further experience is provided by Tim Clarke, Dale Swan and Bharat Popli so the scene is set for a hopefully vintage Bay of Plenty representative season which could bring multiple pieces of silverware to the trophy cabinet.
Bay of Plenty Fergus Hickey Team to play at ND One-Day tournament at Taupo 11/13 November (BOP Caps in brackets)
Jono Boult (47) (captain) Joe Carter (11) Peter Drysdale (24) Bharat Popli (26) Scott Steward (2) Ben Christensen (26) Dale Swan (20) Tim Clarke (15) Brett Hampton (19) Tony Goodin (22) Sean Davey (5) Tommy Clout (0).
ND One-Day Tournament Schedule
11 November - Bay of Plenty v Northland
12 November - Bay of Plenty v Hamilton
13 November - Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau
ND 2012 Hawke Cup Points
Bay of Plenty 20, Hamilton 15 (defending Hawke Cup champions), Northland 10, Counties Manukau 6, Waikato Valley 4, Poverty Bay 2.
Cricket: Future stars
The two Bay of Plenty teams playing in the annual ND Primary tournament can't wait for the first round to kick off this Sunday.
In a short, sharp season programme, the Bay of Plenty Lakeland and Coastland primary representatives will back up seven days later in round two before descending on the Waikato University ground in Hamilton for a three-day tournament.
The ND Primary tournaments are the first step in the Bay of Plenty Cricket pathway, which has seen Trent Boult, Kane Williamson, Graeme Aldridge and Daniel Flynn play for the Black Caps in recent seasons.
One player to make his mark at the tournament is Kane Williamson. In 2003 the talented youngster finished the tournament with 420 runs from four turns at the batting crease and was dismissed just once.
Russell Williams, who plays for the Mount Maunganui premier team in the Baywide competitions, will coach the BOP Coastland primary side, with Rotorua age-group rep team coach Karl McKnight in charge of the BOP Lakeland primary side.
This Sunday the BOP Lakeland side travel to Gisborne to meet Poverty Bay, with the BOP Coastland team at home in Tauranga against Counties Manukau.
ND Primary Cricket Tournament schedule
11 November - Round One
18 November Round Two
21/23 November Rounds 3-5, Waikato University Ground, Hamilton
BOPCA Primary School Representatives
BOP Lakeland: Liam Hori-Clarke. Dylan MacDonald, Scott McKnight, Dilan Nanayakkara (captain) Ryan Neves, Juan Nieuwoudt, Gordon O'Donoghue, Hayze Perham, Adam Schweizer, Josh Simpson, Kahu Tataurangi, Hamish Watt. Coach: Karl McKnight.
BOP Coastland: Craig Baldry (captain) Sam Averill, Oakley Dench, Sean Dykes, Josh Earle, Reuben Fitzgerald, Kyle Hamilton, Mikaere Leef, Daniel Price, David Rout, Jarod Schneebeli, Iman Singh. Coach: Russell Williams. Manager: Steve Baldry.