Club amateurs back in NZ champs after 30 years

It is almost 30 years since the Masterton Golf Club had a member play in the New Zealand Men's Amateur Golf Championships, but last week, in Palmerston North, we had not one, but three players compete in this prestigious event. Brent MacKenzie, Robin Smith and Courtney Gane all entered and were accepted into the field of 140 of NZ's elite players.
The format of the championship is quite a marathon as it is played over 8 days and can involve up to 10 rounds. The first Saturday is a practice day, followed by 36 holes of foursomes, then on the next two days (Monday and Tuesday) all competitors play 18 holes of stoke play each day, a cut is made and the top 70 players have another two rounds of stroke play. After this the top 32 players from the stoke play compete in match play for three more days.
Unfortunately our players found the pace very tough and none of the three 'made the cut' for the last two stroke play rounds, with Brent and Robin missing the cut by three shots and Courtney being 'pole axed' before he even got to the competition. During the Saturday practice round Courtney was struck on the top of his head by an errant golf ball and had to be rushed to hospital where the wound was stitched and treated. He was subsequently discharged and played the next day, with a headache!
The mid week nine holers group is getting bigger all the time and last Wednesday 17 women competed in a stableford round. 1st equal on 20 points were Nolene Eastwood and Errol Warren whose round included a birdie on No 4. The 9 holers are looking forward to the Masterton Ladies 9 Hole Golf Tournament on 11 May.
Last weekend, Anzac Weekend, is usually a very busy time on the course, but with winter arriving on Saturday night, the usual Sunday and Monday activities were reduced to the 'hardy few'.
The Anzac Day, Margaret Wallace Tournament, usually a very popular event for both men and women, was postponed to a later Sunday date. It is never easy being on the cancellation committee and the organizing group made a number of calls on Monday morning before deciding on the postponement and must have wondered if they had made the right decision when the sun came out in mid morning, but it was only a brief interlude and their decision was proved the right when, later in the afternoon the 20 or so players who believed the weather forecast were struck by a vicious 15 minute hail storm, which caused Cor van Kestern to have to be taken, by ambulance, to hospital with Hypothermia. He was later discharged but didn't complete his round!
On Saturday the men's club field played a Top 10 Stableford competition, while the women had a par round.
Results were-
Men Group 1 1st Geoff Masters 27points
2nd Gavin Harris 27 points
Men Group 2 1st Ben Griffith 30 points
2nd Arthur Sandford 28 points
Women 1st Jane Buchanan 2up
Alex McLeod No 8 Derek Clarkson
Office Products Depot No 8 Sereana Phillipps
Fire Services No11 Geoff Masters
Money Managers No 18 John Lyle
This Saturday the club competition is a stroke round with another qualifying round in the Markham Shootout, while on Sunday there is a shop tournament.
Last Saturday the Waikanae Cup 36 hole interclub team played a 'catch up round' at Hutt against Te Marua. The team was severely weakened by many of the regular team being selected for a Wairarapa junior representative team on the same day, so the overall result of seven and a half points each was a good result.
At lunchtime they must have been very satisfied with a four one lead after the foursomes, but only three players won their afternoon singles, Simon Dew, Peter Jackson and Alan Sandford while Brent MacKenzie recorded a half. Otaki scored another good win and are the 'runaway' leaders in this competition.
This weekend sees another full round of interclub with Div 2 playing Hutt at Otaki. The team (not in playing order) is- Simon Dew, Brent MacKenzie, Robin Smith, Courtney Gane, Brian Campbell, Ben Campbell, Michael Schofield, Euan Macdonald, Alan Sandford and Ben Harrowfield.
Div 3 is playing Te Marua at Te Marua and the team is Kevin Mackay, Nigel Udy, Ian Buchanan, Peter Jackson, Ash Peterson, Herb Ruhe, Murray Wolland, Paul Fouhy, Jeff Ogg and Bob Hill.
Div 6 is due to play Paraparaumu Beach at home with a tee off time of 9.30. The team, not in playing order, is Tony Iggulden, Mike Dixon, Barry Smith, Robin Carseldine, Ithiel Stya, Bruce Watkins, Brian Leighton, Joe Tuoro, Jeffrey Tuoro, and Tony Roseingrave.
This Sunday sees another round of the Wairarapa interclub competition, the WBS Marquis Shield. Masterton is currently 3rd in the Marquis Shield, but has got a 'hard ask' this round, playing Eketahuna on their home course. The team is Peter Forrester, Shane Grant, Colin Hicks, Mike Dixon, Danny Clarkson, Robert Stewart, Innes Kennard, Rod Garden, Alex McLeod, Alec Tulloch, Tala Mapusua, and selector/coach Steve Hemingway.
The Wairarapa Open is less than 10 days away and already there are over 82 entries with a capacity field of 96 (64 seniors and 32 intermediates) expected. The draw will be published next week.
On Tuesday a small but enthusiastic women's field took part in the 36 hole Nancy McCormack Foursomes. This annual event was played in perfect conditions with the winners being Edith Clarkson and Rachel Monk on a combined net of 149 while Marilyn Strang and Lusiana Williams were the only pair to have a two.
Next Monday the Pennants teams will play at Paraparaumu with the silver team playing the hosts and the bronze team v Te Marua.
Good luck to the four girls, Carolyn Springer, Megan Barker, Janna Blundell and Marilyn Strang, representing the club at the District Final of the NZ Teams event at Royal Wellington on 5 May.
With Anzac Day on Monday the usual Monday vets will be played on Wednesday, too late for this report.
Off The Fairway
Last week the funeral of Sally Blathwayt was held and it is a tribute to Sally that the church was 'full and overflowing' (in fact not only the church and the hall next door, but a large crowd outside).
Everyone has a good story to tell about Sally and it is remarkable the way someone's face lights up when her name is mentioned and the number of times the word 'fun' was repeated when I was 'asking around' about a good story for this piece. Whether I was told about the 'fun' minutes she wrote in her years as secretary of the Ladies Committee, often including cartoons or pictures, and once a cryptic crossword, or her exploits as a caddy as she chatted and joked around the course, everyone grinned and smiled, but I have chosen the eulogy given by sister in law, Judy Fyfe as the most appropriate for Sally, as, to me, it sums her up. Judy said at the celebration of Sally's life, 'Sally loved the 'f' word- family, friends, and fun.'