Visiting clubs turn Saturday into big day

Saturday, May 6, was a big day for the Carterton Golf Club.
In addition to the members who turned out to play in the club competition groups from both Palmerston North and Napier also joined in the competition to make up a Saturday field of over 90 players.
With a multiple tee start at 12.30 the field flowed well and this meant that all competitors were in the clubhouse within a relatively short time to engage in most enjoyable after match festivities.
MEN ? SATURDAY:
A stroke round ? being round one of the Springhill Trophy competition ? was the order of the day for men.
The best nett score of the day was posted by Ash Braggins whose 67 won the 15 plus handicap division. Steven Larsen, with a nett 69, filled second slot in that division with Wayne Taylor third with a nett 71.
Countbacks were necessary for all remaining places in this division with a visitor ? Maurice Tribe ? taking fourth place with his nett 72. On the same score were both Kevin Hooper and Trevor Clayton.
Both Steve Willis and a visitor, Basil Dynan, scored nett 74's and Chris Connor completed the prize list with his nett 75.
In the lower handicap division John Lett scored a steady nett 69 to take the honours but only by one stroke from both Brian Field and Stu Ingham.
Both Lance Sayer and Ray Clarke came in with nett 73's, and four players ? Nigel Bain, Grant Julian, Neil Thomson and Tony McCarthy ? all returned nett 74's.
The Marquis of Normanby Hotel Men's Nearest the Pin prize went to a visitor ? Glen Signal ? while the "All Teed Up" ball, on this occasion for the lower handicappers, was won by Ray Clarke.
Holes in two, or eagles, were achieved by Fraser Smith, who scored a two on hole 15 and an eagle three on hole 18, B. Hargreaves, Matt Casey, Kevin Hooper, Alistair Smith, Glen Signal, Bill Morgan and C. Diack.
WOMEN ? SATURDAY:
A stableford round (round 2 of the Captain's Trophy) , also counting for the Home Pennant stableford event, was played by the women of the club last Saturday.
Susanne Fuller, with 34 points, won the day from Barbara Birchall, 33, Jeanne Taylor, 32, Shirley Carew, 31, and Lyn Andrews, 30.
The New World Carterton Women's Nearest the Pin competition was won by Lyn Andrews but the "All Teed Up" ball for women was not won on this occasion.
VETERANS ? TUESDAY:
The stableford round played by the veterans on Tuesday, May 9, was the fourth and final round of the Autumn Cup.
With the best three rounds of each player counting for this trophy Ray White was leading the field going into Tuesday's play with a three round total of 121.
Ray's final round did not improve his score but this was not fatal for his chances as no other player was able to muster sufficient points to head Ray off.
Final points were Ray White, 121, Frank Delaney, 120, and Cyril Burling, 119. Very close, but, as they say, no cigars for either Frank or Cyril.
The day's competition was headed by John Mahupuku with 41 stableford points from both Tim Carr and Trevor Clayton on 40. Close behind, on 39, were both Mike Newport and Cyril Burling.
WOMEN ? WEDNESDAY:
A stableford round, round 2 of both the Captain's Trophy and the Gaille Jury trophy, and also counting for the Home Pennants event, was played by the women of the club on Wednesday, May 3.
The best score of the day was posted by Shirley Carew, with 39, from Honey Presow, 38, Marion Matheson, 34, with both Bev Tregurtha and Margaret Thompson scoring 33.
Long driving competitions were won by Vicki Bain, Marion Matheson and Honey Presow, while the "All Teed Up" prize for the day was claimed by Flo Watkins.
Holes in two were achieved by both Flo Watkins and Kate Keen.
FOOTNOTE:
It was noted above that Fraser Smith scored an eagle 3 on hole 18 last Saturday.
What made this occasion remarkable was that Fraser had only a very short "tap in" putt for his eagle.
Hole 18 at Carterton is 485 metres long and the course, while in very good condition, certainly does not have the run that it had only a few short weeks ago.
This means that Fraser's approach on this hole had to be from a range of at least 200 metres and it finished probably less than one metre from the hole. Even the best of the professionals would be proud of that shot. Well done, Fraser!