Nasty weather for women’s champs
“Nasty” was the only way to describe the weather on Sunday, September 2 for the 2018 Ladies Club Championships — the most important fixture in Waihi Golf Club’s programme.
Frequent, heavy, squally showers made conditions very challenging. Wet weather gear soon became saturated and sudden gusts of wind did not help.
Despite the unpleasant weather, many club members came to watch the matches, and were treated to some excellent and exciting displays of golf.
In the early stages of the
36-hole Silver Championship between Carol Leary and Jackie Robson, when Jackie was one up on the second hole, Carol immediately turned on the pressure to square the next, and did not ease off, playing superb golf to go four up after 18 holes, and finishing the match on the
27th hole.
In the Bronze 1 Championship over 36 holes between Karen Roche and Susan Mustard, the two players were evenly matched for the first few holes until Karen surged ahead to go five up after
18 holes. Well-known for her dogged determination, Susan fought back to all square on the
30th hole, with Karen again taking the lead, but it was anybody’s match until Susan’s ball landed in the water-logged bunker on the 34th (16th), costing her dearly, and put Karen two holes up with two to play. Karen held her nerve on the 35th hole, and with a par to Susan’s five, took the match and her first ever Waihi Championship, 50 years after winning the title at Raglan. Bronze 2 Championship over 18 holes: Mavis Bruce playing like a demon, showed her sister Viv Gunn little consideration by finishing the match on the 12th hole. Bronze 3 Championship over 18 holes: Penny Joyce b Jenny O’Dwyer on the 11th.
Championship Plates Silver over 18 holes: Jenny Tubman b Wendy Matutinovich on the 15th. Bronze 1 over 18 holes: Helen Baynes b Phillipa Harvey on the 15th. Bronze 2 over 18 holes: Dot Ramsey b Denise McConnon on the 20th. Nine hole Championship Ladies Division 1 over nine holes: Lorraine Myer b Eda Pipe 3 up. Division 2: Jeanette Culton b Helen Brady 3 up. Men: Peter Madsen b Tony Skelton by default.