Golf roundup

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

POVERTY BAY

A new name will appear on the Barns-Graham Cup after the 32 combinations were whittled down to eight  at the weekend.

The Gisborne Motors-sponsored men’s pairs event produced a multitude of nerve-testing matches off handicap over the two days.

All but one of the 24 matches played went 16 holes or more, including two sudden-death playoffs.

By Sunday afternoon there were eight duos remaining, and of those 16 players only one has his name engraved on the silverware — Ron Young, who won it in 2008 with Heang “Ian” Ou and in 2015 with Pete Stewart.

Young has joined forces with Glenn Morley this year and gave due credit to his partner for getting them across the line in the weekend doubleheader — 3 and 2 over second seeds Lee Pollitt and Keith Daniels in Round 1, and 1-up over Steve Berezowski and Stephen Francks in  Round 2.

Lying in wait for them in the quarterfinals are rising stars Zach Rolls and Marcus Gray, whose ages combined come to less than half the years Young has been breathing.

Rolls calmly slotted a clutch

10-foot putt for par in Round 2 on the 18th, then watched as opponent Frank Ball — partnered with Peter Hakiwai — missed a tricky must-sink birdie attempt.

The teen machine ejected greenkeeping duo William Brown and Rowan Clark 3 and 2 in Round 1.

Top seeds Phil Allan and Chris Shaw were banished to the Bryan Cup subsidiary ranks after a first-round 18th-hole loss to 32nd and bottom qualifiers Carl Carmody and Dean Robertson, who went on to beat Kurt Summersby and Shaun Boyd 2 and 1 in Round 2.

The third seeds — 2021 BC champs Andy Hayward and Mark Stewart — were also dismissed in Round 1, losing 1-down to brothers Tene and Kit Goldsmith.

Lee “Pikey” Hewson and Chris Taewa, after sneaking past Peter Graham and Willie Mortleman on the 20th in Round 1, eliminated the Goldsmiths 2 and 1 the next day.

The “And Ands “— Stefan Andreassen and Brian Anderson — saw off Neville West and Richard Foon on the 18th, then red-stickered Greg Hawea and Ross Chalmers 3 and 2.

Dave Pirimona and Murray Parkes made sure Barry Brown would not be filling up the BG trophy a third time — beating Brown and Ross Gibson 2-up after a 5 and 3 Round 1 win over Stu Harbottle and Andy Abrahams.

Richard Owen, off an 18-handicap, went out in 41 for the front nine much to the delight of partner John Van Helden as they knocked out danger men Collin Jeffrey and Brent Colbert 3 and 2 in Round 2.  Owen and JVH beat 2022 champions Mark Hunt and Peter Clayton in Round 1.

Anthony Battistella — after sitting through 2½ hours of the final Indiana Jones movie on Friday night — produced a 21st-hole Temple of Doom-like escape alongside Bruce Talbot in their Round 1 encounter with Hamish Williams and Pat Butler.

They won in more conventional style in Round 2 — 2 and 1 over George Brown and Don Griffin.

SUNDAY — Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs, round 2 (matchplay): Dean Robertson/Carl Carmody def Kurt Summersby/Shaun Boyd 2 and 1; Stefan Andreassen/Brian Anderson def Ross Chalmers/Greg Hawea 3 and 2; Dave Pirimona/Murray Parkes def Barry Brown/Ross Gibson 2-up; John Van Helden/Richard Owen def Collin Jeffrey/Brent Colbert 3 and 2; Chris Taewa/Lee Hewson def Tene Goldsmith/Kit Goldsmith 2 and 1; Zach Rolls/Marcus Gray def Peter Hakiwai/Frank Ball 1-up; Glenn Morley/Ron Young def Steve Berezowski/Stephen Francks 1-up.

Twos:  K Goldsmith, B Morgan.

Approach: C Taewa.

SATURDAY — Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs, round 1 (matchplay): Dean Robertson/Carl Carmody def Phil Allan/Chris Shaw 1-up; Kurt Summersby/Shaun Boyd def Tim Sherratt/Mark Gemmell 3 and 2; Ross Chalmers/Greg Hawea def Keith Marshall/Nigel Jones 2 and 1; Stefan Andreassen/Brian Anderson def Neville West/Richard Foon 1-up; Barry Brown/Ross Gibson def Vance Richardson/Cliff Poole 2 and 1; Dave Pirimona/Murray Parkes def Stu Harbottle/Andy Abrahams 5 and 3; John Van Helden/Richard Owen def Makr Hunt/Peter Clayton 1-up; Collin Jeffrey/Brent Colbert def John Williams/Clive Dean 2 and 1; Tene Goldsmith/Kit Goldsmith def Andy Hayward/Mark Stewart 1-up; Chris Taewa/Lee Hewson def Peter Graham/Willie Mortleman on the 20th; Don Griffin/George Brown def Duncan Bush/Colin Christie 3 and 2; Bruce Talbot/Tony Battistella def Hamish Williams/Pat Butler on the 21st; Peter Hakiwai/Frank Ball def Reid Fletcher/Gerald Kemp 1-up; Zach Rolls/Marcus Gray def William Brown/Rowan Clark 2 and 1; Steve Berezowski/Stephen Francks def Craig Christophers/Deevon Gray 3 and 2; Glenn Morley/Ron Young def Keith Daniels/Lee Pollitt 3 and 2.

Twos: N West, Z Rolls, C Carmody.

Approach: C Carmody.

THURSDAY (June 29) — Men’s stableford, division 1: B Colbert 37, P Graham 35,  W Brown 35, J Rowe 34, M Thomas 34 .

Division 2: T Sherratt 37, C Poole 35, B Allen 35, B Read 34.

Twos: W Brown, B Allen.

Approach: P Graham.

The quarterfinals of the Gisborne Motors Barns-Graham Cup men’s pairs and associated trophies are on SATURDAY. The draw is — No.1 tee, 10.45am: D Robertson/C Carmody v S Andreassen/B Anderson. 10.53: M Parkes/D Pirimona v J Van Helden/R Owen. 11.01: C Taewa/L Hewson v B Talbot/A Battistella. 11.09: Z Rolls/M Gray v G Morley/R Young. 11.17: P Graham/W Mortleman v B Colbert/C Jeffrey. 11.25: C Christie/D Bush v B Brown/R Gibson. 11.33: R Fletcher/G Kemp v R Chalmers/G Hawea. 11.41: K Daniels/L Pollitt v K Summersby/S Boyd.

No.10 tee, 10.45am: T Sherratt/M Gemmell v S Berezowski/S Francks. 10.53: N West/R Foon v F Ball/P Hakiwai. 11.01: V Richardson/C Poole v D Griffin/G Brown. 11.09: J Williams/C Dean v K Goldsmith/T Goldsmith. 11.17: P Wauchop/J McGregor v M Callaghan/M Jefferson. 11.25: P Goodwin/C Hensley v  P Mullooly/NMackie.

MAHIA

The Noeline Ellison-sponsored Mahia Ladies 18-hole foursomes is on Saturday, July 22.

Format is stableford, with each player to count at least six drives.

A cup of tea at 9.30am will be followed by tee-off at 10.30am.

Entry fee includes a meal and twos.

Players are encouraged to dress up in anything bright or bold.

Inquiries to Renee 027-371-8682 or Maraea 027-229-2342.

WAIKOHU

Terry Reeves and Larry Green will contest the 2023 men’s handicap singles final.

Reeves ousted reigning champion Tama Brown in their semifinal on Sunday while Green eliminated Richard Reeves.

Penny Rutene and Marg Tuapawa won their women’s handicap singles matches.

Sonny Ritchie (37 points) and Val Grace  (33) won the stablefords.

SUNDAY — Men’s stableford: S Ritchie 37, K Tamanui 34, K Ruru 32, L Green 31, T Reeves 31.

Women’s stableford: V Grace 33, P Rutene 33, A Reeves 30.

Men’s handicap singles semifinals: T Reeves def T Brown; L Green def R Reeves.

Women’s handicap singles: P Rutene def A Reeves; M Tuapawa def A Tamanui-Nunn.

COMING UP: SUNDAY, club competition.

TOLAGA BAY

47 for the front nine; 47 for the back.

Johnny Hale’s consistency won him the net competition on Sunday with 94-25-69 — one stroke ahead of Tere Lincoln.

SUNDAY — Net: J Hale 69, Tere Lincoln 70, J Sheridan 72, T Higgs 72.

Approach: Taine Lincoln.

Twos: M Watts, J Sheridan.

Putting: T Reedy 27.

TE PUIA SPRINGS

evergreen Nehe Dewes added another age-breaking round to his list en route to winning the men’s stableford on Sunday with 80-16-64, for 38 points.

The weather has made for a lot of muddy and wet areas on the course — winter golf for sure — and kudos was given to the men who have been maintaining the course during such a demanding season.

The women struggled in the conditions so decided to call Sunday “a happy practice day”.

SUNDAY — Men’s stableford: N Dewes 80-16-64, 38; P Harrison 93-26-67, 35; B Clark 81-13-68, 34.

Twos: D Goldsmith.

PATUTAHI

DAVE Dodgshun led a keen bunch  hungry for their golfing fix over the weekend.

The course reopened after what locals described as “a golfing recession” due to the weather.

No carts were allowed and the rough and particularly wet areas of fairway were not mown, but there was a clean and drop in the rough.

Members didn’t mind. They were delighted to be back playing.

Dodgshun won with 35 points while Hukanui Brown had two twos.

Carts were allowed from Tuesday although users were urged to drive in the rough and keep well away from the greens and wet areas on the course.

SUNDAY — Men’s stableford: D Dodgshun 35, H Harris 34, C Beattie 33, C Taylor 33, T Sharp 33.

Twos: H Brown 2.

ELECTRINET PARK

With the course draining quicker than expected, Park players were able to walk and play a selection of nine holes on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Greenkeeper Pete Tamatea reported yesterday that they were opening the back nine for play.

“Grounds are still saturated but firming up nicely.”

He reiterated “no carts or scooters please”.

Meanwhile, volunteer work is going on inside the clubhouse on a golf simulator area.