Pahiatua Golf men's team win Marquis Shield

Pahiatua Marquis Shield 2021 winners at Mahunga Golf Club, Masterton, the venue of the finals: Peter Bourke (president, left), Steven McHardy, Jason Smith (club captain), Todd McHardy, Noel Coombe, Danny Pierey, Tony Kerins, Peter Timmins and Nigel Pearson.

Pahiatua Golf men won the Marquis Shield on Sunday, February 27, playing Masterton at Mahunga in this six-team round-robin competition, also featuring Eketahuna, Mahunga, Masterton, Martinborough and Carterton clubs.

The team took maximum points in four of their contests, losing only one, their away match to home team Martinborough.

Marquis Shield 2021 rounds began 12 months ago and should have been completed on June 27 last year, but the competition was thwarted first by the weather and then by Covid-19.

The 2022 season begins on Sunday, March 22, at Eketahuna. The prestigious Marquis Shield, which was first played for in 1951, is the overall team shield in a unique competition of match play.

Representing their clubs, teams of 12 players in three divisions contest the Workman Cup (senior section "off the stick") and an intermediate and junior section on handicap for the Intermediate Cup and Sutherland Trophy respectively.

Pahiatua last won the Marquis Shield in 1995, according to then club captain Ivan, Fraser of Woodville, and had won it 17 years earlier in 1978. The club pulled away from the Wairarapa sub-association to try its luck in pennant competitions available in Manawatu-Wanganui with varying degrees of success. Eventually, the lack of players in various grades prevented the club from fielding teams.

When the Featherston Golf Club closed in late 2018, Pahiatua was approached to rejoin the Marquis Shield competition, thereby preventing a bye. Pahiatua took the opportunity to give their members a chance to play on the best Wairarapa courses and after a season with nothing in the trophy cabinet, the team won the Sutherland Trophy for most points in the junior section in 2020.

Along with winning the Marquis Shield, the team also retained the Sutherland Trophy for 2021, previously winning this in 1992, 1995 and 1996. This handsome trophy was presented in 1981 for junior team match play by Basil and Colin Sutherland, long-time members and stalwarts of the Eketahuna Golf Club.

The teams for the final round were:

Seniors: Danny Pierey & Shaun Smith, Jason Smith & Noel Coombe; Intermediate: Nigel Pearson & Steve McHardy, Peter Timmins & Tony Kerins, Juniors: Fred Potini & Mark Hemopo, Peter Bourke & Todd McHardy.