Paraparaumu Beach wins Watt Cup
Cup title winners recognised as the standout junior team in the Wellington district
It was the end of a highly successful season for junior golf at Paraparaumu Beach, with the top team successfully defending their Watt Cup title and the club’s two pennant teams registering high finishes in their competitions.
For the Watt Cup-winning captain, Alec Prentice, the resounding 5/1 victory over Masterton was a fantastic way to sign off before setting off for a college scholarship in the
United States later this year.
The Watt Cup is a prestigious competition in the Wellington district with the winning club recognised as the standout junior team in the region, which covers the Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, Wellington and the Kāpiti Coast.
Watt Cup manager Jenni Prentice described the win “as a tribute to the commitment and effort each player made to the development of their game and also the local coaching programmes where four of the sixperson squad were coached by PGA professional Kevin Smith”.
In the pennant competition where matches are played based on handicaps, the 18-hole team lost their semifinal in a playoff after finishing tied with Shandon who went on to be eventual winners.
Gary Young, who managed the team, noted there will be a couple of players now on single figures who will be pushing for Watt Cup slots next season.
The nine-hole pennant team finished second out of the 11 teams in their division with a great showing in the final held out at Boulcott Farm Heritage Golf Club.
There will be likely progression to the next division for some of these kids, providing a good opportunity for more kids coming through the system to get a taste of competitive golf.
Glen Mitchell, president of the
Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club, said, “Winning the Watt Cup three years running is a great achievement.
“Some of our great Wellington players such as Michael Campbell, Mark Brown and Daniel Hillier played in this competition, making it an early platform for the identification and development of young talent.
“These boys should all be looking forward to a great future in the game of golf.”