Time-honoured trophy goes up for contention

One of the oldest trophies in the Carterton Golf Club's competitions, the W.J. Feist Memorial Cup, was at stake in the opening day mixed Canadian foursomes stableford event.
Popular winners of the trophy for 2006 were Barbara and Eddie Birchall, with their stableford total of 42 points.
Runners-up were Marge Robson and Ray Clarke, just one stableford point behind the Birchalls.
June and Ken Prince filled third slot on countback from Vicki and Nigel Bain, and Verna Parker and Chris Ranish. All three pairs scored 39 points.
Lesley Sadler with Steven Larsen were sixth with 38 points while seventh place went to Marion Mathieson and David Wills on the same score.
For the men without partners for the trophy event the competition was a stableford round.
Larry Gray won the day with the respectable total of 45 points but was just one point clear of Graham Hutchby in second place.
Russ Morgan filled third place with 42 points, Hugh Rolls fourth with 39 and three players ? Brayden Maizey, Brian Field and Tom Bingham ? all returned 38 point totals. Stu Ingham completed the prize list with 36 points.
The Marquis of Normanby Hotel Nearest the Pin competition was won by Corrie van Zanten while holes in two were achieved by the pairings of Eddie and Barbara Birchall and Grant Smith and Christine Butler.
In the men's competition, holes in two were recorded by both Eric Behringer and Adam Brunton.
SUNDAY:
The stroke and shootout round on Sunday, February 5, drew a small field but nevertheless Matt Casey did his prospects no harm by winning the day with a nett 67.
Both George Rink and Peter Mallitte scored 70 and Ray Clarke filled fourth slot with his nett 71.
MONDAY:
The Waitangi Day stableford mini tournament drew a reasonable field.
The best stableford score of the day was posted by R. O. Bentley whose 43 point total won the men's second division.
Brian Field was just one point adrift in second place in that division with D. Field third with 41
Tim Carr's 40 point total was good enough for fourth while both Jim Juno and John Braiden scored 39.
Whana Rohe won the men's first division with 40 points from Barry Bentley on 39. Both Bevan Lambess and Matt Casey scored 38, R. Gerrand, 37, and Tim Druzianic, 36.
Bev Todd was a popular winner of the women's division with 40 points just one clear of Margaret Bradshaw in second slot.
Anne Brewer's 38 points placed third with Corrie van Zanten, fourth, with 37.
Sherie Walls finished fifth on 35 while Lyn Andrews, Kate Keen and Pauline Craig all came in with 34 points.
Nearest the pin prizes went to Brain Craig, on hole 12, and to Allan Heffer, on hole 15.
Brian Craig and E. Collinge were the only players to achieve a hole in two.
VETERANS ? TUESDAY:
The opening day for the official programme for the veterans group on Tuesday, February 7, was also a Canadian foursomes stableford event in which Ray White and Garry Smith combined well to win the day with their 39 point total.
Russ Morgan and Graham Steffert were runners-up with 38 from Bill Armstrong and Hugh Rolls on 37. The other Russ (Sadler) with Jim Juno came in fourth with 36 while Ralph Day and Chris Connor completed the prize winners with their 35 point score.
FOOTNOTE:
Every year it seems odd that we hold an "Opening Day" when play has been continuous since the previous year.
It is, of course, probably inherited from the northern hemisphere where, for some months of the year, play may become impossible.
Indeed a member of the Carterton club spent some time a while back in the central part of Canada where, he was told, for at least three months of each year golf was no more than a wishful thought.
Now I would think that, after a winter such as that, a golf club opening day would really be something to celebrate.
To some of the players out on the course over the last few weeks a little snow would have been very welcome indeed!