Golf: Students in swing of things

Nearly 50 students competed for the chance to represent Northland at the New Zealand National Secondary Schools Qualifying Tournament at Whangarei's Mount Denby Golf Club.

On Monday, the students from 10 Northland schools were chasing a spot in the regional team to play at the national schools tournament, at Waipu Golf Club in September.

Scoring, in the main, was not brilliant but it was a nice day for a walk, Northland golf development manager Bronnie Winter said.

As well as a teams event, there was a competition for the best individual gross score for boys and girls.

This particular element attracted players from schools who had insufficient numbers to make up a team.

Some of the players to follow this avenue of competition were Jodi Macalister (Dargaville High), Brooke Kingi (Whangarei Girls' High), Shanice Croft-Kemp and Ben Croucher (Huanui College), Samantha Kruse and Leesa Paenga (Tikipunga High) and Taimana Ngakuru from Tauraroa Area School. Macalister took away The Meyer Trophy for the girls, with an 85 gross.

The unsung hero for the girls was Ngakuru, who played well under her handicap to card a 63 nett.

Luke Brown from the Whangarei Boys' High School No 1 team had the best individual score of 71 gross to take the trophy from Kadin Neho on 73.

Only four other players managed scores in the 70s - David Collins, Julian Fowler and Jackson Arkle all carded 76, while Ben Bowmar finished with a 78.

Schools entering one team for the Secondary Schools Qualifier were Bream Bay College, Kerikeri High School and Rodney College.

WBHS reaped the benefits of all the work that has gone into the establishment of a Golf Academy at the school, entering five teams and taking out the first three places.

Kamo High School fielded two teams and their No 1 team won the newly introduced competition for the team with the best nett score.

The lowest handicapper, Luke Brown currently plays off +0.4 and a further eight players had handicaps under five. Another 11 were on single figures and 15 more had handicaps in the teens.

"If we can keep these players in Northland, our rep sides will become very competitive in years to come," Winter said.