WAIHI GOLF
A busy weekend for Waihı Golf as the 2023 season starts to wind down. On Tuesday, after the Labour Day holiday weekend, the nine-hole section played a stableford haggle. In division one, Lynda Thomson led the field with 21 points, closely followed by Tukatara Tangiia and Helen Brady with 20 points, and Glen Bennett and Jenni Mora both had 18. In division two, Eleanor Koedyke was first with 18 points, with Sue Ryan, Jill Mason, and Christine Mercer all with 14 points. WEDNESDAY LADIES: Had a Play for Pink day to promote and raise funds for cancer. It was a stableford competition with random teams but, alas, the light drizzle turned into a more wetting occasion, and only nine holes were completed — a shame for such a worthy cause. The Dreamers Player of the Week was the club vice-president Karen Roche for her fine 65 nett. MONTHLY HUME MEAT PACK TOURNAMENT: A field of 84 players contested this tournament on Thursday. The major winners — for the gross with a 75 was Allen Smith, while the best nett was recorded by Peter Spiers with a 65. The stableford winner was Paul Stops (Omanu) with 39 points on countback. The rest of the prizes were on stableford, and in division one, Brian Baynes (who had only two), Bill Young, and Roy Hutch (Paeroa) all had 39 points. Next was Alex Standfield with 38, with Andy Roche, Maurice Stafford (Tahuna), and Graeme Parkinson all on 36. In division two, John Saunders took out the top spot on a countback with Craig Sandlant, both scoring 39 points, with Jill Morrison, Pos Hurley, and Mike Rose all having 36 points. All with 34 points were Gyan Prole, Rodger Bagshaw, Mark Mora, and Stuart Carney (Tahuna). MEN’S SECTION AGM and PRIZEGIVING: On Saturday morning prior to golf, the men’s section AGM was held, and after the captain’s report was read and approved, the election of officers for 2024 had Andy Roche returned unopposed as the men’s captain. The entire 2023 men’s committee were also all re-elected unopposed. The trophies for the season’s competitions were presented at the completion of the day’s play. Following the meeting, the competition of the day was a president’s team (which consisted of the usual morning players,) versus the captain’s team (afternoon players) in a four-ball best-ball format. The captain’s team, who were the holders of the trophy, again proved too strong for the president’s team, and as a member of the president’s team, the writer cannot recall the score!
The leading individual scorers of the day were: in division one, captain Andy Roche took the top spot with 37 points on a countback from Greg Mcdonald, and Gary Choat, with the same score. Next was Grant Robson with 36, then Malcolm Coldicutt and Wilson Mcgillivray with 35. In division two, Charles Gurr had the round of the day with 38 points, well ahead of John Burns, Terry Mischefski, Russell Dewey, and Jock Stronach all with 34 points. On 33 were Frank Van Hattum, and Mike Rose. Winter shootout finals were played on Sunday. This is a competition where the top 19 players are whittled down by one each hole until there is only one unbeaten after 18 holes.
In the ladies shootout, it got down the two finalists on the 18th tee, after Shelly Lithgow had been eliminated on the 17th. Then Karen Roche and Jill Morrison tied the 18th, and after a chip-off, Karen Roche was the winner over Jill in what had been a great battle.
In the men’s shootout, from the original 53 entries, the final 19 battled it out until Wayne Brierley was eliminated on the 17th, leaving Logan Phillips and Mark Bryant to tackle the 18th. Drama was to unfold when Logan put his first ball out of bounds, but he then parred his next ball, and managed to head off Mark, so Logan Phillips takes the title this year, with Mark Bryant runner-up.