Itwas a par three of just 125 metres.
But the first shot went into the water.
So it was down to the drop zone which was just 70 metres from the hole.
But just like the first shot, the second spun back off the green and again into the water.
It was reload from the drop zone and this time the ball didn’t even make the green. A third shot into the water.
For you or I this would be di saster. Imagine what it would be like for a golfer like Rasmus Ho jgaard from Denmark on the DP World Tour. Calamitous is prob ably a word that goes half way to describing it.
Hojgaard finally put his fourth shot on the green, which with the penalty shots was his sev enth. To his credit, Hojgaard holed a lengthy putt for a score of eight.
All this occurred in the third round of the French Open last month which Hojgaard started with a six shot lead. That lead was gone in the space of one hole that wasn’t even as long as the shortest hole at my golf course from the men’s mem bers’ tee.
Hojgaard and his twin brother
Nicolai are both beautiful swing ers of the golf club. But the quin tuple eight of Rasmus under lines how fine the lines can be between a good and a bad shot. Rasmus’ first shot, for example, landed well onto the green but spun back into the water.
But what impressed me was that Rasmus maintained his composure and went on to fin ish second in the tournament, just one shot behind the winner.
If you didn’t see Hojgaard’s calamity click on the following link. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=SIgJqIhCTKM.
If that incident wasn’t bad enough there had been a most bizarre event on the previous day of the same tournament.
It came from Thomas Piet ers of Belgium. Pieters, anoth er beautiful swinger of the golf club, had about a 40-foot putt but hit the ball perhaps only five or six feet.
It was sort of a mishit but it wasn’t sort of a mishit.
Pieters tried to stop his put ting stroke because, he said, a kid in the audience coughed.
Unfortunately, Pieters couldn’t stop quick enough, gracing the ball with his deceler ating club. The ball looked like it had been chunked, moving only about six feet from its original spot.
Pieters called in an official to
explain what had gone on. The official initially said that unfortu nately that stroke would count.
Pieters sought a second opin ion and the second official was more willing to take into account Pieters’ thought that he was no longer trying to hit the ball. The second referee decided un der rule 13.1d that Pieters could return the ball to its original spot and putt again without penalty. Here’s the language of that rule.
There are two specific rules for a ball or ball-marker that moves on the putting green.
(1) No penalty for accidentally causing the ball to move. There is no penalty if the player, oppo nent or another player in stroke play, accidentally moves the player’s ball or ball-marker on the putting green.
The player must:
* Replace the ball on its original spot (which if not known must be estimated)
* Place a ball marker to mark that original spot.
Television commentators were astounded at the ruling and Pieters went ahead and two-putted for a par. He went on to shoot a one-under 70, 10 strokes back of 36-hole leader Rasmus Hojgaard, but the inci dent on the third hole wasn’t en tirely closed.
After reviewing the incident
soon after Pieters had played the hole, Mark Litton, the DP World Tour chief referee on site, de cided that under the definition of a stroke, Thomas’ attempt not to strike the ball failed and the fact that he made contact with the ball meant the stroke should have counted. Litton was not present for the original rul ing, according to the DP World Tour. The ball should have been played from the position where it came to rest.
However, because Pieters had played on, and because he had been incorrectly advised by an official to play without pen alty, Pieters was not retroactive penalised for what happened. A DP World Tour official said the tour used guidance from The R&A that says:
“Where a referee in strokeplay incorrectly advises a player that his or her stroke does not count and to play again without pen alty, the ruling stands and the player’s score with the replayed stroke is the player’s score for the hole.”
Pieters went on to finish third in the French Open. Click on the following link to view the incident: https://youtu.be/uTn 0w40hK34
It never ceases to amaze me what can sometimes happen on a golf course, even by the best players in the world.
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COVER PHOTO: Napier golfer Mako Thompson with his trophy after the Mount Open in Tauranga last month. Photo credit: Golf New Zealand.
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Unfortunately, Jones couldn’t get up and down, leaving Thompson with two putts for victory.
Thompson used the two putts he needed to card a final round of three under and finish with rounds of 67, 66, 65, and 68.
He said it was a great feeling to get it over the line.
“It’s all happened very quickly; it’s all a bit of a blur, to be honest,’’ Thomp son said.
“I’m just stoked with how I held my self over the last nine holes with Sam [Jones] and Kazuma [Kobori] chasing me down. I’m just over the moon to get the job done.”
Thompson is the third amateur to win on the Charles Tour, sponsored by Jennian Homes, since 2020, with his good mates James Hydes and Kazuma Kobori winning the Muriwai Open in 2020 and earlier this year.
ities Mount Open, played over the weekend alongside the main event.
Harrison won by a shot after rounds of 81 and 83 to hold off a fast-finishing Wayne Eder (Waimairi Beach).
There was a lot on the line for the all abilities golfers, with EDGA world rank ing points up for grabs.
Harrison said it was a great feeling to win and secure some needed ranking points as he aspires to compete over seas in the near future.
“It was a real battle out there. Wayne [Eder] played unbelievably well, but it feels so good to get over the line to day,’’ Harrison said.
“The nerves were okay during the front nine, and then I started to feel them when I got to the 14th as I knew what was on the line with world rank ing points. To be able to hold on feels really nice.
Thompson gained his first win on New Zealand’s Charles Tour when taking out the Mount Open at Mount Maunganui in Tauranga.
It didn’t come easy as Thompson had to hold off his fast-finishing Golf New Zealand national academy teammates Sam Jones (Manaia, Taranaki) and Ka zuma Kobori (Rangiora, north Canter bury), who threw everything at him over the final nine holes.
Thompson started the final round of the tournament, sponsored by Chris ties’ Flooring, with a two-shot buffer over Jones and managed to build his lead to four early on the front nine after opening with birdies on the first and fourth holes.
The gap was reduced by a shot through nine after Thompson, from the Maraenui Golf Club in Napier, dropped shots at eight and nine.
Jones and Kobori started throwing everything at the overnight leader in the back nine.
In the penultimate group, Kobori
rattled off four birdies in a row from the 11th hole to tie the lead midway through the back nine. Unfortunately, he bogeyed the par five 15th, which took him out of a share of the lead, and he couldn’t recover despite making a birdie on the next hole.
Kobori finished with a couple of pars to finish in third place on 16-under par.
Jones, playing in the final group alongside Thompson, did everything he possibly could have to lift his first Charles Tour event. The pair went shot for shot, but it was Jones who was light ing the course up on the back nine, making birdies at 10, 12, 13, 15, and 16 to tie Thompson, who was playing solid golf of his own.
Thompson birdied 12 and 15 and stood on the 17th in a share of the lead. They both made birdie, meaning they headed to the last at 18 under par.
Unfortunately, Jones leaked his tee shot left and had to pitch out short of the green. Thompson found the fair way and hit his 40-metre pitch to eight feet to put the pressure back on Jones.
Thompson says it was great to have a Charles Tour event of his own.
“I don’t know if I can throw shade at Jimmy [Hydes]. I think I need about ten more victories to equal him,” Thomp son said with a laugh.
“He’ll be loving it, and I’m sure we’ll be celebrating when he gets here to morrow.”
The amateurs dominated at Mt Maunganui Golf Club, occupying the top four places on the leaderboard.
Thompson said it was not surprising given amateurs’ success in big events this year.
“It’s amazing. It’s a real testament to the amateur players that are coming through in New Zealand.
“We’re all starting to play really well, not just here in New Zealand but in ternationally as well. It’s great to see that three national academy amateurs were the leaderboard’s top three play ers.”
Munchin Keh from Auckland finished as the leading woman at even par in equal 18th.
Guy Harrison (Napier) took out the inaugural Christies Floorings All Abil
“I have a few events in November; one in Christchurch and another in Wellington. I’m going to make sure I work hard and practise to make sure my skills are refined so when I go to these events, I’m able to shoot lower than what I did this week.”
Christies Flooring Mount Open scores: https://www.golf.co.nz/tourna ment-detail?tournamentid=321&com petitionid=922975&clubid=271
Christies Flooring All Abilities Mount Open scores: https://www.golf.co.nz/ tournament-detail?tournamen tid=321&competitionid=942782&clu bid=271
Mako Thompson, winner of the Mount Open in Tauranga last month. It was Thompson’s first win on the Charles Tour. Photo credit: Golf New Zealand.
Guy Harrision who won the disabilities divi sion of the Mount Open in Tauranga. Photo credit: Golf New Zealand.
promoted him to 13th on the Chal lenge Tour’s overall standings with just four tournaments remaining in the 2022 season. The top 20 on the Chal lenge Tour gain full status to the DP World Tour.
Hillier, from Wellington, posted a sen sational eight under par round of 64 in the final round to win by two shots.
He entered the final round four shots off the lead but after carding 10 birdies and two bogeys he reached 14 under par and moved to the top of the leaderboard, two shots clear of over night leader Jeong weon Ko who fin ished second on 12 under.
Hillier, 24, had won on the Challenge Tour last year but finished outside the tour’s top 20 and failed to make it onto the DP World Tour. It, however, looks like he has done enough this year to step up a grade.
He was proud of his final round in France.
of my last six holes.
“It was a crazy day and I felt like I was on auto pilot. I’ve been working on my short game a lot in the last couple of years and it’s something that has really let me down in the past. To be able to hole those putts under pressure today just shows I am doing some of the right things and now I just need to keep my head down and hope the wins keep coming.
“This is massive for me being towards the end of the season. I’ve moved in side the top 20 and now I’m in a strong position to get my DP World Tour card for next season. The job’s not done yet so I need to play as well as I can for the final few events.”
Daniel Hillier is headed towards the DP World Tour.
The New Zealand golfer won a Challenge Tour event in France last month which will most probably se cure him full status on the DP World Tour, the world’s second-most import ant golf circuit which was previously known as the European Tour.
Hillier’s victory came in the Swiss Challenge which was played at Golf Saint Apollinaire in Folgensbourg which is in north-eastern France.
The tournament’s prizemoney was 250,000 euros and Hillier’s winning purse was 40,000 euros which is about $NZ67,000.
But more importantly Hillier’s win
“That was pretty unbelievable,” Hill ier said.
“I played really solid on the front nine and didn’t miss too many greens. I hit some of the best wedge shots I’ve hit in a long time and gave myself a lot of really good chances. I holed a couple of clutch putts to keep the momentum going and then managed to birdie five
Daniel Hillier of New Zealand is all smiles as he poses with his trophy after winning the Swiss Challenge at Folgensbourg in France last month. Photo credit: Johannes Simon/Getty Images. Daniel Hillier lines up a putt at the Swiss Challenge in Folgensbourg, France, which he won last month. The winner’s purse was $NZ67,000. Photo credit: Johannes Simon/ Getty Images.Sam Marsters and Amy Han played some of their Sunday-best golf to win the men’s and women’s divi sions of the North Island Strokeplay and Bay of Plenty Open last month.
Marsters, from Miramar in Welling ton, came from behind to beat Rob by Turnbull (Remuera, Auckland) by a shot after four rounds at Whakatane Golf Club. Han, from Titirangi in Auck land, romped to a 12-shot victory, dominating the women’s field to cap ture her first national title.
Marsters made it two victories in as many weeks, shooting 72, 70, 65, and 68 to finish at five under par. He had won the Wellington Strokeplay the week beforehand. Marsters also has a North Island Age Groups title on his mantelpiece.
In the North Island Strokeplay, Marsters started the final round two shots behind Turnbull but reduced the difference to one with nine holes to play, after going out in even par and Turnbull turning in one over.
The Wellingtonian then turned the tournament on its head when he chipped in for birdie on the par three 14th to take sole possession of the lead after Turnbull dropped another shot. Marsters birdied the 16th and parred his way home to post the club house lead at five under par for the tournament.
Turnbull continued to fight and also birdied the par three 16th to get with in one. After a par at the tough 17th, Turnbull needed a birdie on 18 to force extra holes. His eight-foot putt slid by, crowning Marsters the 2022 North Is land and Bay of Plenty Open Stroke play champion.
To win in consecutive weeks was fan tastic, Marsters said.
“It feels great. I won the Wellington Strokeplay last weekend, so to go away from home and win another national and district stroke play title feels amaz ing.
“I felt more comfortable coming from behind [today]. I’ve had a couple
of overnight leads going into the final round this year, and I felt freer and could attack much more, which meant I made more birdies out there today.
“This feels awesome. I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped me get here.”
Meanwhile, Han dominated the women’s division, winning her first na tional championship by an astonishing 12 shots.
She fired 74, 72, 71, and 72 to finish three under par, well clear of Rianne Li, her nearest rival.
Han began the final day with a 10shot lead and had one hand on the trophy after her two under par round in the morning of the final day. Avoid ing disaster was all that was required in the afternoon to get the job done, and she was able to do just that, mak ing three birdies and three bogeys in her opening nine to turn in even.
Han’s stellar golf continued into the back nine. She made back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12 and another at 17,
with bogeys at 15 and 18.
Not even a bogey at the last was enough to wipe the smile off Han’s face.
“I’m really honoured to win the Bay of Plenty Open and North Island Strokeplay,’’ Han said.
“Firstly, a huge thank you to every one who was involved in running this event, it was such a great week.
“All my hard work paid off. I’m really happy to win and I’ll make sure I keep practising to improve my game so I can feel like this plenty more times in the future.”
For full results:
North Island & Bay of Plenty Men’s Stroke Play: https://www.golf.co.nz/ tournament-detail?tournamen tid=463&competitionid=874689&clu bid=485
North Island & Bay of Plenty Wom en’s Stroke Play: https://www.golf. co.nz/tournament-detail?tournamen tid=463&competitionid=874690&clu bid=485
Amy Han from Auckland is all smiles after winning the North Island Strokeyplay at Whakatane last month. Photo credit: Golf New Zealand and BW Media.
Sam Marsters from Wellington after his win in the North Island Strokeplay at Whakatane last month. Photo credit: Golf New Zealand and BW Media.
Four new age group champions emerged after a final day full of drama at the Pukekohe Golf Club in Auckland.
Zack Swanwick (Napier), Amy Im (Pu puke, Auckland), Cooper Moore (Clear water, Christchurch), and Yoonae Jeong (Wakatipu Junior, Queenstown) prevailed after three days at the New Zealand Age Group Championships and can now call themselves national age group champions.
However, they all had to face some adversity to get their hands on the sil verware.
Swanwick, winner of the New Zea land under-19 boy’s championship, started the final day five shots behind overnight leader Stephen Liu after shooting 75 and 71 to be four over par. He knew it would be a tall ask to catch the leader but devised a strong game plan to get the job done.
He got off to a slow start, playing his opening three holes in one over. He then found his groove, making three birdies on the trot from the fourth and would make the turn a couple under par. With Liu shooting one-over in his opening nine, Swanwick had cut the lead to two shots.
After making seven pars and a birdie on the 17th, the Napier golfer had taken sole possession of the lead and stood on the final hole four shots in front.
Packed full of adrenaline, Swan wick blasted his third shot to the par five final hole over the green and out of bounds, leaving the door ajar for Liu. However, he kept his composure, hitting his fourth shot short of the green, where he was able to make up and down to save his bogey and win by three.
He said it felt great to come from be hind and win a national title.
“I’m really stoked. It was a tough fight out there. I really had to work for it, but it was awesome,’’ Swanwick said.
“I just wanted to hit 18 greens — that’s all I was working on. If I’m hitting lots of greens, it minimises the chance of making bogeys, so that was a big part of the game plan today.”
Swanwick said his heart rate in creased after hitting his second shot on the last out of bounds but is happy with a final round of 69.
“That was tough. My heart was in my mouth for a second there. Thankfully I
hit my provisional short, so I could chip it up to the hole and hole the putt. I’m smiling.”
In the under-19 girl’s division, Amy Im led from start till finish, shooting 70, 74, and 74 to finish one under and win by three over Espirito Santo Trophy team member and fellow North Har bour player Eunseo Choi.
Im began the day three shots in front and played exactly how she needed to secure the title.
She made two bogeys and a birdie on the final day, keeping a relatively clean scorecard throughout the final round to win her first national title.
Im said she was stoked to get across the line.
“It was another new experience for me out there today, I had a really fun round,’’ Im said.
“I just tried to focus on my own game. I did what I needed to do over the last few days.”
Like Im, Clearwater’s Cooper Moore was dominant all week but needed to hold his nerve up the 18th to capture the under-16 boy’s title.
Moore shot 65 and 70 to be sev en-under and lead by two heading into the final round at seven under.
He opened with even par in his open ing nine to retain his two-shot buffer. However, the back nine is where things got interesting. Moore made five pars and a birdie to start his back nine, in
creasing his lead to four with three holes to play. However, a double at 16 and a bogey at 17 meant he stood on the last with a one shot lead.
He hit a clutch approach shot to 15 feet to set up a birdie, which he rolled in to seal the title, followed by a mas sive fist pump.
“This feels awesome,’’ Moore said.
“I’ve been playing really well recent ly, and I played this week with a lot of confidence. I had a great start to the tournament, and I managed to carry it on for the remaining couple of days.
“I was a bit nervous standing over the final putt, but I was still feeling really con fident. My putting was really good the whole day, and the whole week really. I was quietly confident that I could hole it.
“It’s great to win the national title. I came second at the South Island un der-16s, so I really pushed myself to win up here. I’m really happy.”
In the under 16 girls, Yoonae Jeong came from seven shots behind to win her first national title.
After shooting 78 and 73 in the open ing two rounds, she knew she’d need something special to get into the top three, let alone win.
She did her job, firing an incredible four under 69 to win by four shots.
Jeong said it was great to get the vic tory.
“I honestly didn’t think I could win as I was seven shots behind entering the final day. I just wanted to come in the top three,” Jeong said.
“My putting was really good; I didn’t have any three putts. I also drove the ball really well today.”
For full results, please see the follow ing links:
Under 19 Boys: https://www.golf. co.nz/tournament-detail?tournamen tid=497&competitionid=917199&clu bid=338
Under 19 Girls: https://www.golf. co.nz/tournament-detail?tournamen tid=497&competitionid=917201&clu bid=338
Under 16 Boys: https://www.golf. co.nz/tournament-detail?tournamen tid=497&competitionid=917200&clu bid=338
Under 16 Girls: https://www.golf. co.nz/tournament-detail?tournamen tid=497&competitionid=917202&clu bid=338
Amy Im, winner of the under-19 girls’ division at the New Zealand Age Group Champion ships. Im plays out of the Pupuke Golf Club in Auckland. Photo credit: BW Media / Golf New Zealand. Zack Swanwick from the Napier Golf in Hawke’s Bay. Zack won the under-19 section of the New Zealand Age Group Champion ships last month. Photo credit: BW Media / Golf New Zealand. Cooper Moore from the Clearwater Golf Club in Christchurch. He won the under-16 division of the New Zealand Age Group Championships. Photo credit: BW Media / Golf New Zealand. Yoonae Jeong from the Wakatipu Junior Golf Club in Queenstown, who won the under-16 division girls’ division of the New Zealand Age Group Championships last month. Photo credit: BW Media / Golf New Zealand.The world is open to travellers again and we would love you to join us in re-discovering these magnificent countries and their golf courses! From Tasmania, Asia and onto Europe and South America, experience the cultures and traditions, the landscapes and cities. Return to NZ enriched and rewarded by your encounters.
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New Zealand’s best golf clubs, fa cilities, and people in the wider golfing industry have been rec ognised at the national golf awards for their outstanding work and contribu tions to the sport and its wider com munity.
The national golf awards is the in dustry’s chance to celebrate the ded ication, commitment, and excellence displayed across the whole golf com munity. The awards were presented at Golf New Zealand’s annual conference in Christchurch last month.
Golf New Zealand chief executive Dean Murphy said that in 2021, the golf industry once again faced covid-19 challenges yet had come through stronger and with more participation than ever before.
Said Murphy: “Golf New Zealand is immensely proud of how the sector navigated through these challenges, and is happy to see golf thriving again, highlighted by a 12-year membership high, and sustained by a catalogue of all the great stories we hear from golf clubs across Aotearoa week in, week out.”
Nine awards were given to various people, golf clubs, and facilities around the sector, encompassing aspects of golf in New Zealand. The full list of win ners is:
CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD:
GERALDINE GOLF CLUB
The most sought-after accolade is the club of the year award, presented to a club which not only demonstrates excellence but also has an outstanding record of achievement across all as pects of its operations.
Murphy said: “Geraldine Golf Club is a small club of 200 members that punches way above its weight class and deserves the prestigious award. The club has made changes to its board structure and is now financially stable.
“The club is now a vibrant facility that encourages participation, and engages positively with the community, enrich ing the lives of Aorangi people through golf.”
The leadership in golf award is pre sented to a leader who not only in spires others, but also drives mean ingful improvement or change for the betterment of golf.
Murphy said: “There is no denying that Remuera Golf Club general man ager Chris Davies is an inspirational leader. Through his leadership, his golf club engages and inspires the commu nity to participate in golf.
“The club’s facilities are open to the public, and Chris has led the develop ment of new innovative facilities that encourage golfers to participate in a
social and fun environment – debunk ing the typical golf stereotype that it’s an exclusive sport for the rich.
“With the public eye looking closely at the club, Chris Davies continues to prove his golf club is a valuable com munity asset.”
GOLF ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD: LINDA SUDDABY
The golf administrator of the year award is presented to an administra tor serving the sport at club, region al, or national level, who has made an outstanding contribution to the growth, success, enjoyment, or pro file of the game in their administrative role.
Murphy: “Working from Dunedin, Linda Suddaby has been nothing less than an unsung hero for Golf South land for the past 13 years, and embod ies everything a great golf administra tor should be, and more -- constantly working far longer than the 20 hours a week she’s required.
“Linda recently retired as adminis tration officer for Golf Southland, and she’s undoubtedly leaving the district in a better place than when she found it.”
This award is presented to a volun teer who is not only inspirational in their commitment to their organisa tion but contributes outstandingly to the game. Golf is lucky to have many volunteers investing time and energy back into the game.
Murphy said: “The contributions of Riverton Golf Club’s Lloyd Blakie stood out in 2021. He is at the heart of this small golf club at the bottom of the South Island.
“Lloyd has been a member for 36 years and has been on the committee for 21 years. Lloyd spends an average of three days per week volunteering at a club which relies on its members helping out. He’s supported the green staff by implementing a greens’ plan and has several other projects on the go.”
The community coach of the year award is presented to a volunteer who successfully contributes to the growth of participation in an enjoyable, engag ing, or innovative manner.
Murphy: “Micky Huriwaka is the ju nior convenor and a committee mem ber at Opotiki Golf Club, and through his passion and love of golf, he inspires participation in the small Bay of Plen ty town. This passionate golfer is con stantly going above and beyond for young golfers in the region, even driv ing them to and from local golf tour naments.
“Micky started the Rangatahi junior
golf development programme, which has grown to approximately 40 people -- with participation growing month by month.
“Micky’s passion for supporting young people became abundantly clear three years ago when he trans ported six youth and supported six others at the New Zealand Maori Golf Championships in Taupo -- where he organised the group’s accommoda tion, meals, post-round activities, and took them to the New Zealand Maori Golf Association awards evening.”
Huriwaka said it was an honour to win the award.
“I was really surprised,” Huriwaka said.
“Golf itself is such a good social net working opportunity, and it teaches a lot of the young ones a lot about them selves which is why I love teaching young kids about a sport that I love. When I found out, I was really touched. I actually thought people were pulling my leg and that it wasn’t true. It’s very humbling to be recognised for doing something that I love.”
PROFESSIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD – ANDREW HENARE
Along with developing one of the top junior golfers in New Zealand, Napier Golf Club professional Andrew Henare has developed and grown one of, if not the, largest junior development pro gramme in the country.
Every Sunday morning, Andrew has 60-70 junior golfers out on the prac tice facilities and golf course at the Napier Golf Club -- not only passing on his knowledge but also motivating kids to become better people through golf.
Said Murphy: “Andrew also passion ately promotes golf through school visits, has an incredible love for the game, and inspires participants to be the best that they can be. Isn’t that what it’s all about -- helping raise funds for juniors to travel to the New Zealand Junior Championships and provincial events. He’s an amazing allround life coach.”
The environment club of the year award recognises the golf club and its superintendent, who demonstrate excellence and leadership in environ mental stewardship. The purpose of the award is to improve the environ mental management of golf course fa cilities in New Zealand.
The award also serves to initiate in dustry self-regulation, and improve public confidence in turf and amenity environmental management, while simultaneously identifying leaders in environmental stewardship within the
golf course environment.
At the Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club, superintendent Mark Hook er has integrated environmental fac tors into golf course operations and business decisions – setting high envi ronmental targets and standards, and achieving them.
“Mark has taken Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club well above and be yond the judging criteria – particularly in the aspects of water, chemical, fer tiliser, turf, waste, energy, education and nature management,” said Dean Humphrey.
“Mark and the club continue to sup port and enhance integrated pest management strategies by their com mitment to training and awareness programmes, in conjunction with iden tifying and improving pollution pre vention strategies and initiatives.”
GOLF EVENT OF THE YEAR – THE FOX
Held at Waihi Beach in summer, The Fox Fishing & Golf Festival is hosted by leading New Zealand professional golfer Ryan Fox and combines fishing prowess, golfing skill, and plenty of bragging rights.
Teams are treated to an entertain ing, all-inclusive event with Foxy and his celebrity fishing boat skippers featuring such Kiwi sports legends as double Olympic rowing gold medallist Eric Murray, former All Blacks coaching guru Wayne Smith, and former Black cap cricketers Neil Wagner and Mark Richardson.
“Funds raised from the event went specifically back to the local Waihi Beach community, with proceeds be ing shared between the Waihi Beach Coastguard and Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services. Last year’s The Fox Fishing & Golf Festival raised $47,000 for the charities, adding to the $24,000 raised in the inaugural year.”
GOLF PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – LYDIA KO
New Zealand’s number one female golfer, Lydia Ko, became the first golf er to win multiple Olympic medals –when she came back from the Tokyo Olympics with a bronze medal, adding to the silver medal she won in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.
She carded an impressive 16-un der par total at Tokyo to finish sec ond-equal, and finish with bronze fol lowing a playoff. It was New Zealand’s final medal of the Tokyo Olympic Games, and added to Lydia’s glittering career which includes 17 wins on the LPGA tour.
In 2016, Lydia Ko was named Young New Zealander of the Year, and in the 2019 new year honours’ list she was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to golf.
ONLY 10 HOMES LEFT!
ONLY 10 HOMES LEFT!
*Includes house and land. Some conditions may apply. Image is artist’s impression only.
Living From $1,034,000
We have made great progress at The Greens, Fairview Estate over the winter months.
We have made great progress at The Greens, Fairview Estate over the winter months.
Earthworks were completed in April and our Civil Works are now well underway.
Fairview Estate has an outstanding café/restaurant with indoor and outdoor bars, as well as a Country Club which boasts a wealth of facilities that currently includes a health studio, tennis courts, golf course, and an indoor pool and spa complex for sport, tness, and socialising. This is community living at its best.
Fairview Estate has an outstanding café/restaurant with indoor and outdoor bars, as well as a Country Club which boasts a wealth of facilities that currently includes a health studio, tennis courts, golf course, and an indoor pool and spa complex for sport, tness, and socialising. This is community living at its best.
Earthworks were completed in April and our Civil Works are now well underway.
The Greens is the latest residential subdivision at Fairview Estate and features architecturally designed, freehold, townhouses with off-street parking – perfect for motorhomes or caravans –making it an ideal base for lifestyle and retirement adventures.
The Greens
Fairview
The Greens is the latest residential subdivision at Fairview Estate and features architecturally designed, freehold, townhouses with off-street parking – perfect for motorhomes or caravans –making it an ideal base for lifestyle and retirement adventures.
Centrally located in the sunny Bay of Plenty, Katikati is a thriving hub with supermarkets, a medical center, library, and all levels of schooling.
Fairview Estate has an outstanding café/restaurant with indoor and outdoor bars, as well as a Country Club which boasts a wealth of facilities that currently includes a health studio, tennis courts, golf course, and an indoor pool and spa complex for sport, tness, and socialising. This is community living at its best.
Centrally located in the sunny Bay of Plenty, Katikati is a thriving hub with supermarkets, a medical center, library, and all levels of schooling.
With house and land packages from $1,034,000, all including Country Club membership, these high-quality packages won’t last long so get in touch and chat to our expert team today.
Centrally located in the sunny Bay of Plenty, Katikati is a thriving hub with supermarkets, a medical center, library, and all levels of schooling.
With house and land packages from $1,034,000, all including Country Club membership, these high-quality packages won’t last long so get in touch and chat to our expert team today.
With house and land packages from $1,034,000, all including Country Club membership, these high-quality packages won’t last long so get in touch and chat to our expert team today.
Brian Hainge Karlene Blair *Includes house and land. Some conditions may Image is artist’s impression only.We have made great progress at The Greens, Fairview Estate over the winter months. Earthworks were completed in April and our Civil Works are now well underway.Brian Hainge Karlene Blair
and shortly after for the Mulgrave Shire Council (in Cairns). It was fasci nating because at that time in 1990 with such a lot of development hap pening in Queensland, the Japanese in particular, invested a lot of money. So, there was no shortage of opportunity for strategic planning.
By Neville IdourKerr is widely travelled in her career in landscape architec ture and golf course design.
From New Zealand to Australia, En gland, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Italy, Thailand, China, Egypt, Borneo, Saudi Arabia (not necessarily in that order) and now back in New Zealand, her story so far makes fascinating tell ing. We caught up with her at Kerikeri in Northland recently for a chat about her life and interesting career path.
“I was born in Whangarei and when I was 10 years old we moved to Auck land. We had a farming and construc tion background and moved to the Gold Coast (in Queensland) in 1980. My family were involved in the develop ment of Palm Meadows, Queensland’s first golf country club. With all the Gold Coast activity, choosing to do a threeyear bachelor of applied science de gree at the Queensland University of Technology seemed a good idea,” Kerr explains. Her degree also included built environment-landscape architec ture/urban and regional planning
“From there my first job was in town planning in Cairns (north Queensland)
“Shortly thereafter I went on my OE (overseas experience). I was 21 and mostly nannied in London. I had an En glish grandmother so having an ances try visa I could work quite happily there. I also worked for a planning and archi tectural consultancy. After a couple of years my parents were living in Singa pore during construction, so I joined them to get some work experience in Asia. I worked for a small practice of an Australian landscape architect who had three golf courses on the go so as a 23-year-old I worked on the design of those three new courses. Two were in Malaysia and one in Vietnam. It was probably Vietnam’s first five star golf course, Song Be, which is still there.”
Leaving Singapore at the age of 27, Kerr’s next career move took her to Nelson Wright, now Nelson Haworth, which is a specialist golf course archi tect company renowned for top qual ity work. So, she worked on high-end championship courses largely associat ed with hotels and residential develop ments although some were simply golf courses. The work was very much for the destination and Asian golf market which was flourishing.
What was your role in all of this?
“I was there as an apprentice design er and because I grew up on a farm, I have a very good eye for large spaces and shapes and contours of land which is pretty much what golf course design entails. We would do site visits, walk and plan the course. Putting the mas terplan together could be like a jigsaw puzzle with the things that had to fit. Often you would start with the location of the clubhouse and make a routing with a lot of variety and work out the sequencing of holes and the flow of any undulations.
“In those days we did contour plans
by hand and subsequently had to do the cut and fill earthworks quantities by hand as well, so I became very profi cient at that. It was great learning, prop erly from the best, and being part of a top team. That was really fun and my favourite course at that time was one called Shan Shui (means mountain and river) in Saba on the island of Borneo off the east coast of Malaysia. Like much of golf in those days, courses were built in spectacular destinations so our site vis its would entail a bit of diving or deepsea fishing plus of course great Asian food. During that time, I worked on a number of courses in Malaysia with them and also Thailand and China.”
The next move was to London and following her heart where she worked for an American international landscape and planning firm as their golf course specialist in Europe. Kerr worked on planning of golf resorts.
“One in particular, a friend of mine who was a Gary Player designer, had introduced me to a Gary Player project in Italy which was simply stunning.
“There was an old palazzo (a large and beautiful Italian house) that had been turned into a farmhouse. The client was the baron and the land had been taken from the family during the
war. He had bought it back and wanted to set up something that was a legacy for his son who at the time was only about 10 years old. So, he developed a beautiful hotel and spa with an 18-hole golf course and a nine-hole course as well. I worked on the master planning, layout and landscape design and Gary Player design of the nine-hole course for what would become Palazzo Arzaga Hotel Spa and Golf Resort.”
It needs to be said that Kerr’s work on this course garnered acclaim. It is rec ognised as one of Italy’s finest courses. Luxury Magazine said: ”It provides a rich and challenging golfing experience with four tees for all. The layout maxi mises views to the stunning backdrop of the alps.”
Guy Hockley Golden Age Golf Ar chitecture Ltd and architect partner to Nick Faldo had this to say: “Kristine brought a fresh, constructive and inno vative approach … she was able to lead teams and command warmth from her colleagues and clients. Kristine is amongst the most professional and competent individuals it has been my pleasure to have encountered in the fields of design and planning.”
High praise indeed.
Kerr continues: “Around that time with
my golf experience and working in Europe I worked for Gary Player in England. As a 29-year-old I flew from London to the coast of the Red Sea in Egypt for the first time by private jet for what was probably Egypt’s first international golf course at Sona Bay. We were on our best behaviour at the opening party with Gary present.
“Golf was booming again in China so I went there to work for another large American landscape planning company EDSA in Beijing. It was quite staggering in the early 2000s as they were working on the designs of new cities and towns. I had a year with EDSA while they were doing this work designing complete cities. I did the golf course design on a large number of those throughout China and travelled almost weekly.
“One of the competitions we won was the master planning for a new golf resort in Nanjing (the old southern China capi tal). Gary Player was going to do the golf course design and because our master plan was so similar to the golf course lay out, we got that job and I then went to work for Gary Player again being their onsite design representative. I stayed there for a year while it was being built.”
Nanjing Zhongshan International Golf Club is a 27-hole tournament course with every facility. Kerr was based on site as the design co-ordinator, liaising with all involved in the construction to ensure a course of the highest quality. It opened in 2005 and was quickly voted in the top 10 courses in China.
“After that I came back to New Zealand in 2005. Being in New Zealand, I thought I would look for a job around the Pacif ic and I was introduced to Boffa Miskall who were New Zealand’s leading envi ronmental planning landscape company.
“They offered me the job to work on Pegasus (in north Canterbury) with them and after several years I set up my own company in 2008, Kura Golf Course De sign. There was still the lure of China as there was a lot of work there and I loved experiencing different cultures, but to be offered your own golf course in New Zea land was very special. After Pegasus was completed I then had the contract to do Whisper Creek, another new golf course
in Christchurch. I decided to collaborate with Nick Faldo on that project but the earthquakes brought an end to it with fi nance proving too difficult even though consents had been granted.
“I have done a lot of remodelling for example, Waimairi (in Christchurch) be ing a flat low lying course was wrecked by liquefaction but we created a lot of wetland areas, raised the fairways and greens to be above liquefaction levels. The course had been a very old fash ioned backwards and forwards design with pine trees aplenty. We removed a lot of the trees and reshaped the dunes underneath to re-route the course and make it more interesting. We got 15 holes re-done but the club decided to leave the remaining three holes (Nos 2, 3 and 4) as they originally were. A bit of a shame but with golf clubs it is often important to just keep playing rather than understanding that the overall look of the golf course is important.
“After Waimairi, I moved up north and worked on Waitangi (in Northland), large ly the 11th hole which was a par four but is now a par five with the green appear ing as if it is right on the edge of the sea. I also worked on master planning of re sorts and residential developments with
golf courses involved that may be for the sale of land for private clients to show what can be achieved on the site.
“Most recently, in 2018, my mother and I bought some land for subdivision and immediately after, I was offered a job in Saudi Arabia for a public investment fund company for a resort development and for being a golf course development manager. I did that for 18 months work ing with top architects and international designers globally. I found it fascinating culturally and enjoyed the time. It was an easy place to live in and the people are genuinely very kind and thoughtful and friendly. It is part of what is called Vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia to refocus some of their GDP (gross domestic product) based on oil and tourism.”
So what took you away from there be fore completion?
“Timing wise I came back to New Zea land to do the subdivision with my moth er. Actually, originally my OE was only supposed to be for a couple of years so it kind of got stretched. It is quite fun ny as going back to the Gold Coast in Queensland was part of the plan as it was such a fabulous place to grow up. Back here remodelling at Omaha (north of Auckland) also was unfinished business
and we have built two par threes, the 15th and 17th. Next is the par four 18th, lovely alongside the harbour. Currently it is very flat but looking forward to doing something interesting with that.
“We recently completed the new prac tice putting green after the merging of two golf clubs in the Lower Hutt area, now called the Boulcott’s Farm Heritage Golf Club. The putting green is 500 square metres outside the clubhouse and a new bunker on the 18th is also a feature. I have just been commissioned to remodel six holes and design new practice facili ties there as well.
“The new first green at Akarana (in Auckland) is under construction too. I also provided a concept sketch for the third at Waitangi plus I did a plantings’ scheme for St Clair (in Dunedin) after the removal of large numbers of pine trees.”
What lies ahead for Kristine Kerr?
“Obviously I would like to do another brand new golf course in New Zealand. But after doing the subdivision and proj ect managing as well as designing, I have a bit of a taste for that too. There is a new course design on the horizon but nothing I can reveal.”
Is it more difficult for a female course designer to get work in New Zealand?
“Not really. Even though I am a New Zealander, because I haven’t spent as much time here and most of my work has been overseas, I don’t think I have as high a profile as other New Zealand designers. Even though I have probably worked on more golf courses around the world than all of them put together I am just not known here. I think you have to be meet ing people and networking. However, I am happy just doing good work whatever that may be within my abilities.”
Kerr was the first female member of the Australian Society of Golf Course Ar chitects and as we have seen, from the palm plantations of Borneo, the golf boom in China, the lakes of northern Italy to the rural plains of north Canterbury, Kerr’s depth and variety of experience in her chosen fields is probably without equal in New Zealand.
We should look forward to her next ma jor project with our golf clubs at the ready.
According to the late Arnold Palmer where do we find the best natural par three golf hole in the world?
Believe it or not, at the Taihape Golf course in cen tral North Island of New Zealand. That was Palmer’s assessment when he visited the course in 1970. More on that hole later.
After driving through Taihape so many times in my lifetime and being aware of the golf course, the last such time recently it was on my bucket list to stop and find out just what this course was like and in par ticular the famous drop down par three.
My wife and I were fortunate to have the clubhouse manager Marian Cleaver drive to the course to pro vide us with a cart and bring us up to date with hap penings in the last few years.
This is actually the third site for the club which was established in 1960 and the clubhouse was built not long after that. Cleaver said membership numbers had been dropping for some time, but had stabilised now, although there were not too many younger club members.
The club, however, is in good heart and there were several other visitors playing when we were there. There is no detailed history of the club available but some memories of the early days by Albert Evans are well worth relating.
Apparently the first course was at Beban’s Hill on Steve Beban’s land. Evans doesn’t remember any clubhouse but thinks they may have used one of the farm sheds. Nor does Evans remember mixed foursomes being played, although women turned up playing their own game.
“The nineteenth was restricted to any bottles of beer or whiskey brought to the course or perhaps at the hotels in town,” Evans said.
Evans relates about Tom Garrett, the local chem ist of the day, who had a new ‘brassy’ club and was prone to get annoyed over a bad round.
“My father Jack had picked out the club for him. He
was trying out the club one morning.
“When he got to the fourth hole his drive just trickled down the hill. He walked across to a near by stump, smashed the club across it, picked up the pieces and broke them again across his knee.
“Then he said that is what I think of your club Jack Evans. I watched in astonishment as I could not under stand anybody smashing a brand new club like that.”
This course was grazed by sheep. A free drop was allowed from a sheep track or a rabbit scrape. The greens were cut with a hand mower and occasionally rolled with a roller.
The course was then moved to Sam Shergold’s property on Papakai Road. The fairways had to be cleared of logs and stumps. A team of bullocks were hired to pull logs to the side of the fairways.
Greens were dug, levelled, sown and enclosed in square shaped fences as the course was now on a cow farm. Although there were only six holes it was still set up for 18 holes.
“Most players carried about seven clubs and played half shots with their irons when necessary. This art is now lost with 14 clubs.”
This next anecdote is priceless.
“Another problem with playing on a cow farm was whether to take a free drop or not.
“A ball touching dung could be lifted and dropped no nearer the hole.”
There were other scenarios as well, as Evans relates.
“Fortunately the players made up their minds quickly. Had they behaved like a lot of our modern golfers before they played their shots, the day would not have been long enough to complete the round in daylight.”
These were the days when players walked or rode a horse to the club. There were also quite a few cad dies back then. They received a shilling a round and if they kept an eye on the caddieless opponent’s ball they often collected a shilling from him as well.
The six hole course was getting too small for the growing club which made the move to the current site. Time now for a brief look at the course.
The first hole plays down to the flat and needs some accuracy to avoid off fairway trouble. The par five dogleg second hole is quite tight with trees right and trouble left. Holes three and four are doglegs left and five is a dogleg right. Six and eight are challeng ing long par threes of more than 170 metres. Nine is a long 479-metre straight par five.
No 11 plays uphill to the green and the famous par three 12th tee, with it’s 15-metre elevation.
Its world ranking billing would always be up for de bate. So we came to it with some anticipation. It did not disappoint.
I have no qualms admitting that my wife and I drew a deep breath at first sight thinking how in the heck can we negotiate our ball to the narrow green which seemed to be guarded, to a degree, by trees and the Hautapu River which had to be cleared. Add to that the green falls away on three sides.
If that isn’t enough it is 133 metres off the white tees and 154 metres from the blue. From the yellow tees it was 94 metres and the access was narrow in the ex treme. Quite a daunting challenge. Somehow we both managed to escape without damaging our scorecard.
No 13 is a pretty 298-metre par four while 14 is a short 115-metre par three to a very raised green with a difficult, virtually blind tee shot requiring a shaped shot. Hole 15 is the big daddy being a pretty 493 metre par five with a gentle double dogleg. No 16 is another gentle dogleg with trees to be avoided while 17 was the third par three of more than 170 metres. A tough ask.
Interestingly the 18th is a par five although only 389 metres from the white tees. Trees either side and a narrow entry for the shot to the raised green are probably the reason. A good finishing hole.
All of the greens were in wonderful condition, mainly flat with not too many contours.
All in all it was an excellent experience and if Tai hape is on your route make the time to play golf. It is worth it for the 12th alone. Green fees are a steal at $20. Carts are $40 and I suggest you phone in ad vance for them.
The par three 12th hole at Taihape, which Gary Player once described as the world’s best natural par three. The 12th hole at Taihape from the yellow tees. The par three sixth hole at Taihape.
Get your group of 4 mates, or golfing partners for your chance to win this fabulous golfing experience. Enjoy early check in and late check out, a stunning 2-bedroom villa with breakfast, and unlimited golf with a shared cart included!
Waipu Golf Club manager Doug Gordon brought us up to date with the latest developments at the attractive coastal links course about 30 minutes south of Whangarei.
The last time I played the Northland course a few years ago it had placing on the variable dry fairways but boast ed superb greens. However, according to Gordon, it is fast becoming a very different proposition.
First a little history. The club was founded in 1934. It was on three dif ferent local farms before it found its home on the coast in 1966. It is on crown dockland so after 20 years of leasing it, an arrangement was made to purchase the land.
“So for the last 56 years we have
been battling away with dry summers and parched fairways,’’ Gordon said.
“But now, thanks to the generosity of some members, we were able to irri gate all 18 fairways and we are reshap ing five of the holes.
“It should be finished by the end of September. It is an extensive project and through this summer we will start to see a massive return with the grass staying as cover and then by next sum mer we should have 100 percent cover right through the season.
“It should open up the course to a lot of people who were formerly reluc tant to play it because of the parched fairways, including myself. As a golfer I didn’t enjoy the summers there. But now I don’t think there will be anything better with our world class views and
I think it will appeal beyond New Zea land’s shores.”
The greens have always been top class?
“Yes, they have always been well complimented and now the fairways are going to match those greens. We want people to come off the course saying great course not just great greens because that will mean we have great fairways and greens.”
How does the future look now?
“After nearly 100 years of battling, the club is about to turn a corner and reach another level. We will be partner ing up with the likes of Te Ari Links and Kauri Cliffs as destinations to drop off on your way through.”
Membership?
“Our membership is very strong at
around 450 and is increasing. I think we will get more next year when the fairways start to show people they can come and enjoy it. People are already coming in droves just to see what is go ing on. Annual membership subs are $900 and green fees are $50 affiliated and $60 non. We also have 22 carts available.”
Any plans to run a Charles Tour type event?
“We have plenty of plans to run some national event like that or a pro-am. We do have the Bream Bay Classic, a big event for players with a maximum five handicap. It is a very popular twoday event which we run every year.”
It certainly is a course this writer will have on his bucket list next time he is golfing in the north.
Sunset at Waipu Golf Club in Northland.
A stunning backdrop from the Waipu Golf Club in Northland.
Kereyn Smith is without doubt one of the world’s leading sporting admin istrators.
It would be difficult to find anyone with a more comprehensive, varied and suc cessful record in her field over the period of her 30-year career to date.
Smith was born in Clinton, South Ota go, part of a rugby playing family. After leaving school she obtained a diploma in physical education in 1981, followed with a diploma in teaching from Christchurch Teachers’ College where she played both netball and rugby.
Smith taught physical education in New Zealand and the United Kingdom before taking her first administration role with a management position at Sport Manawatu.
She was then appointed to the board of Netball New Zealand which she chaired for six of her 11 years on it.
Then she became a trustee for Dune din’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, a director of the Highlanders rugby team and a coun cil member of the University of Otago for a decade. She would also become gen eral manager of the Hillary Commission and in 2000 chief executive of the New Zealand Academy of Sport (South Island).
In 2010 Smith was appointed secre tary general of the New Zealand Olym pic Committee which she retired from in 2021. She oversaw the organisation for three summer Olympics, the last in To kyo, along with two winter Olympics and three Commonwealth Games including the recent Birmingham games.
Along with her involvement with the International Olympic Committee she is also vice-president of the Common wealth Games Federation board. She is a life member of Netball NZ and in 2015 she was made a member of the New Zea land Order of Merit (MNZM). These along with other awards speak volumes of her contribution to sport.
Smith is a relative newcomer to golf and because of her busy life it has been very much spasmodic.
“I love the game but with all the travel and busy schedule in recent times it has been difficult to find the time to play,’’
Smith told Golfer Pacific.
“However, I am hoping to play more this summer and get some coaching.”
This writer can confirm Smith has the ability, if a round with her at St Clair in Dunedin last year is anything to go by.
Smith was a keynote speaker at the re cent Golf Matters’ Conference in Christ church. Her interview with Kay Gregory reveals why she is the consummate ad ministrator, with her many insights about the sporting spectrum. We relate it here with Gregory asking the questions.
Can you talk about the challenges of the Olympics in Tokyo?
“Seeing our athletes achieve in that fo rum was probably a particular highlight, not only those achievements but also because of the complexity that went in behind and around covid and because of the leadership challenges that we were facing at that time.
“If you had been a listener to talkback radio then, there was quite a ground swell to say that the team should not have gone to Tokyo and there were many views as to whether that was the right thing to do or not.
“So many challenges with that, from a complexity, safety, health, leadership, moral questioning aspects, and then ulti mately an amazing performance. So that was probably pretty much the culmina tion of my efforts in the Olympic move ment which I am really proud of.”
What about the Laurel Hubbard situa tion and the implications of that and the bigger picture? How big a challenge is that sort of thing and is it going to con tinue to be?
“That’s the society we live in, support ing Laurel in her competition was really challenging for sport, for New Zealand ers, for our team. As a sports leader in the international domain that is part and parcel of the challenges you confront so I was really proud of our team and how they worked together to support Laurel and her participation. She just wanted to compete in sport like everyone else.”
That was a situation where you are nev er going to please everyone and I guess that would be one of the lessons that you have learned in your roles?
“Leadership is like trying to move things
forward. Sport is often at the front of con versations. Part of leadership, in my view, is making good solid decisions, taking good advice, having high standards and being ethical and doing the right thing by the athletes and participants and I have been fortunate to be able to do that over a lengthy period of time.”
You have said that one of your aims is to increase the number of women in volved in sports administration in NZ. Where are we at with that?
“We have made considerable progress in terms of women fully participating in sport in the way that is appropriate. We have seen that at national level, in terms of the number of women sitting around board tables and part of decision making. Probably the area where we are strug gling to make progress is in coaching and getting as many female coaches for our teams as is ideal. We are seeing a lot of great sports events for women with the cricket world cup, obviously the rugby world cup is coming up, we have got the FIFA womens’ world cup. Those events bring a real spotlight onto female ath letes and women leaders and long may it continue but we are not there yet, there is more work to be done.”
Obviously we are in a room predomi nantly full of men, what can we as golfers do to change this?
“I think it is about the environment you create for all New Zealanders. Your golf club environment needs to be as wel coming for young girls as it is for young boys, it needs to be as welcoming for women as it is for men. Perhaps it’s not only about women. New Zealand is a very diverse country and it is important that we check that we are providing the same support and opportunities for men and women, so that’s my advice.”
In 2015 you were awarded the Order of Merit for your services to sports gover nance, what did that mean to you?
“It was pretty significant in terms of the values I learned as a child and just mov ing things forward, being proactive in making things happen.”
What do you see as the main character istics of a good leader?
“On the pathway you find yourself very much in the public domain, so I think for me leadership is always being mindful about how you act, to walk the talk and try and make good decisions that will have a positive influence on what you are doing. Leadership is very much about being honest, open and respectful, have high integrity in sport, that really mat ters, and ultimately to care about people. Those are values that I hold dear and live everyday.”
I guess you have to be able to roll with the punches because not everyone is go ing to appreciate the decisions that you make along the way?
“I think that is true. I had the opportu nity to work with Sir Wilson Whineray, a great All Black captain and a wonderful person, and he talked a lot about judge ment of our people. We have really high expectations but we have great leaders.
“I am involved in international sport and
we have many New Zealanders leading on the international stage. So I think daily we get good advice from people around us. It’s all about having your own standards and knowing when is the time to move on. But as a leader it is important to make sure you do a great job, do the best you can and you leave when the time is right and not outstay your welcome. For me in leadership it is all about trying to create a legacy, and supporting other people to make sure that we have leaders that can step forward. So I think it is incumbent on us to make space for others.’’
So what do you hope to achieve next Kereyn? Big picture, where are you go ing? What haven’t you done?
“There are always things that are chal lenging, working in different cultures and I will be thinking about what opportuni ties might come my way. I also just want to make a difference for other people in their leadership journey and to help peo ple step up and realise their potential.”
Why do you believe so much in sport?
“That’s a very good question. At a very foundation level you see what sport does positively to communities, bringing peo ple together at the local sports facilities on a Saturday. The children learn to play, mums and dads come along to the side line and get involved, volunteers make sport happen. A million people in New Zealand volunteer for sport every year, make their lives better, meet people and do things they would never otherwise do. So at a foundational level, sport real ly brings people together and kids learn a lot. I think people learn a lot about them selves, learn teamwork, self-discipline and training about winning and losing in life.
“On the international stage I think that sport shows the best of New Zealand. I have seen our team here in Birmingham (Commonwealth Games). The team base is at Edgbaston Golf Club where mums and dads come in. There was singing, laughter, happiness, us showing our Maori culture to the world. It was an ab solutely stunning expression of who we are as New Zealanders. I can’t tell you how many people have said to me just how amazing the New Zealand team has been in terms of their demeanour, their sportsmanship and their performance and that makes our country feel proud. We stand tall on the world stage.”
Just on a personal note, you have a re ally high powered job, what do you do to relax, can we interest you in golf?
“Well it is funny you should ask this because I have started golf several times and never got lift off actually. So definite ly keen to play golf and see the best parts of New Zealand by travelling around and playing and enjoying myself. When you say why am I so passionate about sport I say it makes a difference to people’s lives and it has to mine.”
As for the future Smith was recently appointed to the position of transforma tional director for Cycling New Zealand. It is a one year appointment and her role is to focus on a culture rebuild and improv ing the high performance program along with community trust and engagement.
Iwrote this before the Presidents’ Cup had begun so I cannot be accused of hindsight.
I am still trying to understand how the International team captain, South Afri can Trevor Immelman, could leave not only Ryan Fox, but also Aussie Lucas Her bert, out of his team. The world rankings must have been screaming at their omis sions.
Let us consider some facts. Normally in these events the top eight are based on world rankings in which case Fox
would have been the seventh ranked player. Herbert would have ranked ninth.
However, apparently in his wisdom, Im melman wanted six captain’s picks hence he could leave Fox out. He did have the decency to ring Fox to give him the bad news. You would expect Fox to be think ing he was in. Fox has reacted admirably to the disappointment.
The six players ranked below Fox who made the team were ranked 50, 62, 64, 65, 75 and a whopping 118. Perhaps you could understand a couple of them heading Fox and Herbert, who ranked 52. But surely not 118 Taylor Pendrith
who had played 20 events for three top 10s and several missed cuts. Not even 75th Si Woo Kim had a great season with 20 events producing an eighth and two top 20s.
South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, ranked 62nd, had managed a solitary top 10 for the season. Aussie Cam Da vis, ranked 65th, had five top 10s so had some consistency while 64th Sebastian Munoz played 25 events for three top 10s. So the stats don’t scream you must pick me.
On the other hand, Fox has produced a win and three second placings plus sev
eral other solid efforts. Herbert produced his first PGA Tour win plus a seventh and four top 20s, most recently a solid 15th at the BMW PGA.
Apparently, Immelman favoured those players on the PGA Tour, not exactly a global perspective. Whatever the out come the facts remain. Both Fox and Her bert are long off the tee, have good short games and putt well. Good attributes for fourball and foursomes.
Surely there is a point where results and rankings should take preference over personal opinion or prejudice if that should be the case.
Golf New Zealand recently re leased a new inclusion charter which has created some reac tions. For those who may not be aware of it here is the opening statement.
“We believe golf provides lifelong en richment to all involved with the game and we wish to share this value with as many people as possible.
“We believe that diversity and inclu sion create a richer environment with in our sport and that by actively foster ing diversity and inclusion, we enhance the inherent value of the game to ev eryone involved.
“We are committed to proactively en couraging the inclusion of under repre sented populations and people within our game.”
No one will disagree with the senti ments of making the game available and welcoming to all, irrespective of position in society, age, gender, or any thing else.
Apart from a few clubs, which are still what you might call exclusive and de mand multiple references from mem bers to join or even play, the game of golf is certainly maturing in its ap proach to people of all persuasions, shapes and sizes who wish to play.
Strict and outdated rules regarding dress have been relaxed by proactive clubs to allow more casual but tidy at tire.
I well remember at the first club I joined, longer ago than I care to re member, I went into the clubhouse af ter my first game there with my cap on and this voice bellowed at me across the crowded lounge to take it off. I did not know it was taboo.
He was an officious committee mem ber well known for his unpleasant
manner. I even had the misfortune to be in his group on a club day and had to put up with some unhelpful dispar aging advice as well. Such members are anathema to a club. I weathered the storm and stayed a member avoid ing him at all costs.
I digress, so back to the point. One club in Dunedin has responded by changing the colour of its tees. The stated aim is “To remove all references to gender when referring to the tees used at the golf club.”
So its answer to removing the “stig ma” of ladies’ and men’s tees was to change the colours from yellow, white, blue and black to bronze, silver, gold and black. I can’t understand why the black hasn’t been changed to diamond or platinum to fit in. They contend the new colours are gender neutral but the previous colours were not. I cannot see the difference.
My question is how does changing the tee colours change that perception of ladies’ tees and men’s tees. Surely bronze sounds pretty bland compared to yellow. All over the world the colours are fairly common although some courses such as Tieke Golf Estate near Cambridge have no colours just names for their tees which reflect the course environment. Very innovative and re quiring some thought when deciding which tee to play from. Definitely made you think of distance rather than co lour and seems a more relevant meth od than changing colours. I can think of several courses that could use their special environment to emulate Tieke Golf Estate.
I have been playing the game for more than 50 years and have always felt free to play from any tee and have never seen a card with ladies’ tees and men’s tees. They only refer to colours.
Same now when you get your card printed and it comes up with all the colours and asks which tee you wish to play from. No mention of ladies or men. If the current colour order is a problem why not reverse them and make the back tees yellow and the front black. So this stigma of the exist ing colours demeaning a male playing off the ladies’ tees is in reality a figment of the mind. That is what needs to be changed, but how?
So with all the foregoing in mind, I canvassed several golf clubs through out the country and one in the United Kingdom to get their thoughts. They shall remain anonymous for obvious reasons.
One southern club is having nothing to do with it at this stage and others are not aware of it, have not even thought about it or are unlikely to. Reactions varied but apart from the club that has changed tee colours none in the north or the south that were spoken to felt it was something that the charter it self needed immediate attention. The clubs spoken to are all fully aware of the need to be welcoming and encour aging and are actively promoting the game to all.
One club has introduced family golf where families can play a four-hole ambrose on one half of the course while the semi serious can play twilight on the other nine. Another club man ager offered an excellent suggestion regarding the tees saying: “Why not just call them 1, 2, 3, 4.” Far too simple.
One club ran a men’s event recently, playing from the yellow tees. It was a successful day with many of the better golfers finding their miscues got them into more trouble than usual.
A spokesperson from the UK club Rushmore said: “Even now tees can be
designated gender neutral and I see no reason why a men’s competition could not be played from the red tees. Sim ilarly you can run a ladies’ comp from the white tees which our club did suc cessfully recently.”
What is the answer to this perceived problem of diversity and inclusion? When I play with others the only things that concern me are that my partners play fairly and are pleasant company, not whether they are male, female or other as some institutions now have on their personal detail forms.
There is so much that is positive be ing promoted by Golf NZ and districts and clubs throughout the country. There just needs to be a countrywide goal to make golf welcoming to all peo ple, whatever persuasion, ethnicity, status or physical limitations they may have, along with some clear guidelines.
As the saying goes, keep it simple.
I well remember playing a round many years ago at Terrace Downs, south of Christchurch, with a fellow with just his left arm. He had lost his natural right arm but left me for dead on his remarkable 10 handicap. This is inclusion at it’s best.
Two of the most successful promo tions in New Zealand are she loves golf and the gradual rollout of the unique Wakatipu Junior Golf Club template. These various initiatives are likely to be more useful than changing tee colours. The Tieke model makes more sense in that regard.
In conclusion, golf seems to be in good heart at present with many clubs busier than ever growing the game by welcoming all who want to play golf, so the question is, do we need a diversity and inclusion charter?
The Asian Tour’s ground-breaking Interna tional Series has expanded its schedule, confirming that it will visit Egypt for the first time this year. By taking place at Ma dinaty Golf Club in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, the tournament will be one of the most exotic destinations the new series has visited.
To be staged from November 10-13, the International Series Egypt will boast prize money of $US1.5 million and play a key role in determining the Asian Tour order of merit champion, as well as the International Se ries money list winner.
Asian Tour chief executive and commissioner Minn Thant said: “This has been an unprec edented season and we are de lighted to be able to announce
exciting news about the Asian Tour’s first visit to Egypt.
“The International Series Egypt is a spectacular addition to our schedule that will provide our members with a unique opportunity to compete some where new while allowing the tour to broaden its reach.”
The announcement of the event coincides with the country re-emerging following the covid pandemic and the International Series is set to be the largest pro fessional golf staged in the coun try this century. Madinaty Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones jun, and opened in late 2020, is already playing an active role in the Egyptian golf scene, having hosted the Egyptian Am ateur Championship.
Mark Chapleski, executive vice president of Troon Inter
national, who is a veteran when it comes to overseeing Troon venues hosting large scale events, said: “We are incredibly excited to be hosting the Inter national Series for the first time in Egypt and we thank the Asian Tour for their trust in Madinaty and Troon to host this event.
“Madinaty Golf Club is a spe cial venue and Troon would like to congratulate our team and ownership for being selected to host this major golf tourna ment.”
Josh North, general manag er of Madinaty Golf Club, said: “All of us at Madinaty Golf Club are delighted to be hosting the International Series at the club for the first time. Our agronomy team is already closely co-oper ating with the Asian Tour to en sure that the course is in peak
condition come November.
“This will be an exciting ex perience for our wider team, too, and we are already hard at
work to ensure that we hit our targets and achieve the same goal in making this the very best tournament it can be.”
The Madinaty Golf in Egypt which will host an Asian Tour event in November.The World Amateur Team Cham pionships (WATC) will be held in Singapore in 2025.
The tournament features the best male and female amateur golfer from around the world and the Singapore event will be staged on the Tampines course of the Tanah Merah Country Club.
Singapore Golf Association president Tan Chong Huat said: “We are hon oured to be selected to host the World Amateur Team Championships in 2025. We would like to thank the Internation al Golf Federation (IGF) and all national federation members for giving us this opportunity to further our mission to promote the game of golf in Singapore
and the entire region.
“This will be the first time Singapore will host this prestigious event and we look forward to welcoming top golfers and officials from around the world to our island.”
At the IGF’s biennial meeting in Paris last month it was also decided that the 2027 championships will be staged at Morocco in north Africa.
IGF executive director Antony Scan lon said: “The IGF was fortunate to have two outstanding members bid for the 2025 World Amateur Team Cham pionships. The biennial meeting rec ognised this and selected Singapore Golf Association as the host for 2025 and Royal Moroccan Golf Federation as
the host for the 2027 World Amateur Team Championships.
“We have no doubt that both federa tions will be outstanding hosts for the leading amateur players in the world and that our athletes will be warmly welcomed and have a fantastic experi ence in both countries.”
Jalil Benazzouz, president of the Sports Commission of the Royal Mo roccan Golf Federation, said: “The Roy al Moroccan Golf Federation, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, is honoured to host the World Amateur Team Championships in 2027.
“These championships are the flag ship events of world golf, to which Morocco has attached great value for
more than 50 years. The hosting of WATC 2027 in Morocco is an important part of our strategy to promote nation al golf on a large scale and to signifi cantly increase the number of licens ees, especially among ladies and young people, and make Morocco known as a quality golf destination. We are excited to receive all the players.”
Both championships feature the world’s leading amateurs and are played over 72 holes of strokeplay. Each country is represented by a team of two or three players.
The 2023 championships will be played in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
The eyes of the golfing world turn to Thailand as it gears up to host the richest tournament ever held on Asian soil — the $US25 million LIV Golf Invita tional Bangkok.
Twelve major champions and four former world num ber ones are among 48 golfers that will battle it out for individual and team glory as LIV Golf breaks new ground with Asia’s debut LIV Golf Invitational taking place at Stonehill in Bangkok.
The sixth event of eight in LIV’s inaugural year, the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok (October 7-9) will hold the dis tinction of becoming the first international tournament to be staged at the new Stonehill venue in the northern suburbs of Bangkok, situated in Pathum Thani province.
LIV Golf chief executive and commissioner Greg Nor man said: “Everyone at LIV Golf is enormously excited to bring our innovative format and elite competition to Thailand and the people of Asia, one of the most excit ing and rapidly developing golf landscapes in the world.
“At LIV Golf, we’re committed to creating opportunities that grow the game and reach new audiences around the globe. Thailand is our first Asian stop as we continue our launch, and the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok prom ises to be a truly incredible week for players and fans alike.
“I’ve been looking forward to saying this for a long time: Asia, here we come.”
A stellar field including Open champion Cameron Smith, big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau and multiple
major championship winners Dustin Johnson, Phil Mick elson and Brooks Koepka is confirmed for the tourna ment.
In addition, two-time Masters champion Bubba Wat son will make on-air contributions to the broadcast cov erage and serve as a non-playing captain at the course.
They will be joined by hometown heroes Sadom Kaewkanjana and Phachara Khongwatmai, plus a host of Ryder Cup and major-winning stars including Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Lou is Oosthuizen and Patrick Reed.
The revolutionary tournament format of LIV Golf aims to supercharge golf. Each event sees a 48-man field compete in 12 teams of four, with a shotgun start and on-course music and entertainment.
After three rounds of golf, both an individual and team champion is crowned and a prize of $US25 million paid out.
Thai Phachara has featured in all five of this year’s LIV Golf Invitationals, earning his spot through some top performances in the Asian Tour’s new marquee Inter national Series events, which are supported by LIV Golf.
Phachara said: “To be playing in an event of this scale at home in Thailand is something I could only have dreamed of growing up. The quality of the field is unlike any golf event that will ever have competed here, which makes this a huge moment for not only golf, but sport in Thailand and in Asia.
“These LIV events bring together the best golfers in
the world, in a new format which works for both players and spectators. The atmosphere has been incredible in all the events I have played so far, and to be able to ex perience the same on home turf is something I’m really going to relish. It’ll be something very special for Thai golf and golf fans.”
Sadom, a two-time Asian Tour winner who has also teed it up in all this season’s LIV Golf events, said: “Play ing in Thailand confirms that LIV Golf is a global league, bringing the best in the world to our country and grow ing the game across the region. LIV Golf is something different, something very exciting, and this week is fur ther evidence that the series is connecting with new au diences all around the world.”
Indian Anirban Lahiri is delighted to be bringing the series to Asia. Lahiri, who signed on with LIV Golf in late August, finished runner-up on his Boston debut in a thrilling three-way play-off defeat to Johnson, which also featured Chilean star Joaquin Niemann.
Lahiri said: “From my experience so far, LIV Golf is something very special – I could hardly have got off to a better start. The LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok brings something special to Thailand and also the wider region. There are so many golf fans in the Asian region and they will all be able to enjoy some world-class golf featuring some of the best in the game. The players love the at mosphere at the tournaments, as well as the format, and the fans in Asia are in for a real treat.”
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There has been much disquiet and dismay at the disparity in the new world ranking points alloca tions. It all came to a head at the recent Yeangder TPC in Taiwan on the Asian Tour.
Australian Travis Smyth’s delight at winning his first Asian Tour title was diluted when he found out how few points he gained towards his world ranking.
He amassed a trifling 2.28704 points. Hardly worth the effort. Don’t you just love the decimal points?
American Berry Henson who has been on the Asian Tour since 2011 finished tied third and received a whopping 0.6518 points. Not surprising he took to social networking service Twitter following that dis covery.
Just to highlight the inequity of points now let us make some comparisons.
Guido Migliozzi received 18.54753 points for win ning the French Open while Max Homa received over 40 points for his win at the PGA Fortinet Champi onship. A major championship winner receives 100
The 2022 LIV Invitational Series Team Championship will be played at the Trump Nation al Doral Golf Club in Miami from Oc tober 28–30.
The blue monster course will host the seeded knockout event featur ing singles and foursomes match play over the first two days.
The final day will have the four
teams remaining battling it out in a round of stroke play where all four players’ scores will count, and the team with the lowest aggregate will be crowned Champion.
At stake will be $US50 million. The winning team will pocket $US16 million, second $US10 million and third $US8 million. Not bad for three days work.
points. The 50th placed person at The Open Cham pionship received more points than Smyth. Even the 11th placegetters in France received more points.
Smyth would have to win eight Asian Tour events to match one DP Tour event, 18 to match one PGA Tour event and 43 to match one major.
Lee Westwood made the point that someone on the various tour boards would have voted for the changes made. It is certainly food for thought and even more evidence of the stranglehold the PGA Tour has on the world of golf.
Golf announced support for the Kids’ Golf Foundation of Illinois, a charitable organisation that as sists thousands of children each year. This was LIV Golf’s fifth charitable com mitment made through its LIV to Give platform providing $US100 million sup port for education and career develop ment, environmental sustainability and golf programmes.
Sergio Garcia, Charles Howell III, Hen rik Stenson and reporter Troy Mullins
hosted a clinic before the event for peo ple with special needs. Sam Horsfield and James Piot hosted a clinic for doz ens of youngsters from a local Kids Golf Foundation programme.
The KGF director Michala Mika said: “LIV’s donation will help us reach more than 30,000 children at over 300 pro gramme sites, providing teaching tools, equipment, educational opportu nities, scholarships and more.”
Danielle Kang made a remarkable and inspiring return to the LPGA Tour following a serious health setback.
Supposedly suffering with back pain at the United States Women’s Open in June, it was subsequently revealed she actually was playing with a spinal tu
mour. She finished 63rd then stopped golf to under go treatment.
Three months later she returned and in her third start at the Arkansas Championship last month she came within a whisker of notching her seventh ca reer title.
Atthaya Thitikul birdied the 17th to draw level with Kang then parred the 18th. She then made bird
ie on the second playoff hole to edge Kang who had eagled 18 after a 40 yard chip to make the playoff.
Afterwards Kang said, “Honestly it has been hell to get to this point. I don’t think I have ever cried after los ing. There was a part of me that said I didn’t think I would play again or contend but here I am. To even contend is a win for me. I’m happy about that.”
New research released by world golf governing body The R&A shows golf has surged in popu larity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Research conducted by Sports Mar keting Surveys (SMS) shows more than 23.3 million people across Asia played golf in 2020. That figure is up from 20.9 million in 2016, representing an 11.5 percent increase – one of the most sig nificant in the world.
Countries to have experienced the greatest increase in participation are China (up 43 percent), Korea (31 per cent), Malaysia (25 percent) and India (14 percent).
The total number of golfers expands
to more than 24.6 million when taking in the Oceania region and is part of a record global reach of 66.6 million players.
The measure includes club members and non-member independent golf ers playing nine or 18 holes and users of driving ranges in markets where course availability is limited.
The figure reflects a positive trend with participation levels rising world wide after a period of decline.
Phil Anderton, chief development of ficer at The R&A, said: “Golf is enjoying a real boom in popularity, including the Asia-Pacific. This is particularly evident in the past two years when the sport
could be played safely outdoors during the covid-19 pandemic.
“The new figures are very encourag ing, but we need to work together as a sport to make the most of this oppor tunity by retaining those people who have returned to golf or tried it for the first time.
“We can achieve this by offering a va riety of attractive and flexible options that encourage golfers to play more regularly and enjoy its many health and well-being benefits with family and friends.”
The research showed the growth trend began before covid-19 and then accelerated during the pandemic as
the popularity of golf grew because golfers could socially distance in a safe outdoor setting and stay active to boost their physical and mental health.
The research also outlined recom mendations clubs can take to retain new players, including feeling welcome and valued; a friendly culture and re laxed atmosphere; participation op tions based on ability and experience; good customer service; having an effi cient booking system; the quality and maintenance of the course; and, im portantly, playing in an encouraging environment.
The average number of rounds of golf played at courses across Great Britain was down nine per cent compared to the second quarter of 2021, according to the latest data published by Sports Marketing Sur veys(SMS).
Despite this, the numbers continue to highlight growth above pre-covid pandemic lev els. A strong first quarter for the year means that even with
the second quarter numbers, rounds played in Great Britain are up 24 percent compared to the first half of 2021, al though the first quarter of last year was affected by on-going lockdowns, while April-June benefitted from the easing of restrictions and working from home.
According to SMS, viewed even in their fuller histori cal context, the 2022 second quarter figures represent “a
strong industry performance.”
April and May’s national rounds were the highest in the last five years with the excep tion of 2021.
This explains why rounds played remain up 19 percent in second quarter compared to 2019. That in turn indicates, encouragingly, that many of the new golfers attracted during and after lockdowns, including through successful efforts from governing bodies
to change perceptions of the game, remain engaged.
“We do expect growth against 2021 to continue to slow in the second half of the year,” cautioned Richard Payne, director of SMS.
“The second quarter of 2021 was an exceptional time, with the release from lockdown but still widespread working from home. We also expect the cost-of-living crisis to have an effect on leisure spend, in golf
and other sports.
“This is likely to affect visitor rounds and equipment sales first, with many having already paid memberships for the rest of 2022, but there will un doubtedly be pressure on re newals in the coming months.
“So, whether rounds played can remain above 2019 is, in our view, one of the key metrics to look out for over the next six months and into 2023.”
Alicia:
Tell me about why you got into Survivor Golf?
Sam:
When I first got into Survivor Golf I was a fairly new player and it presented as an exciting opportunity and different format to any other that I had played so far. I was pretty nervous attending my first event and didn’t think I was good enough to be there however Dave and the Sur vivor Golf team helped settle all those nerves and supported me from start to finish. As Survivor Golf transitioned into the current Ambrose format it turned into an opportunity for me to play in a team with my dad, something that does not occur very often due to a lack of mixed events Australia wide.
Survivor Golf was an exciting new for mat that made you want to be apart of something big and take golf to a new lev el. I knew I wanted to be a part of what Survivor Golf was bringing to the game of golf and have played in numerous events trying to earn a spot in the much sought after grand final. Survivor Golf makes you want to be the best golfer you can be and brings out the best of you in an event.
The format encourages golfers of all levels to be apart of something special and unique. It brings a different level of excitement to golf in the region. It gives people with a common interest the op portunity to connect with others and share the experience with like minded people. While we all want to get out there and play our best golf we also want to have a laugh with mates and enjoy the experience. Survivor gives you that op portunity.
What do you like about the format?
Sam:
The Survivor Golf format is open to all amateur golfers with a Golf Australia Handicap which means that you could be playing against anyone from any where in Australia, and of any amateur ability. For this reason it is proving to be the most inclusive golfing event in Aus tralia.
Alicia:
Being a handicapped event and the ability to play from the ladies tees, the format of the event is very inclusive to all genders and skill levels. We wanted to be the first all female team to qualify for the event and I believe our determination got us over the line.
As female golfers, do you feel the format and layout of the day is fair and inclusive?
Sam:
Absolutely. Survivor Golf take into ac count the different between the red and the white par and adjust the tee’s to re flect this as all players regardless of what tee they play off will be scored the same way.
Alicia:
I have played in several Survivor
events and first tee nerves are always present but that makes make the expe rience so real. You are able to feed off your nerevs and play your heart out. Our tactic going in was to have Sam hitting the first shot each time and to make the most of whatever opportu nities came our way while still playing smart where we needed to. The highlight of the day was playing in the playoff at our home course, to have the chance at making the grand final.
Tell us about your Atherton Round with Alicia (tactics, nerves, highlights).
Sam: Alicia and I are Atherton locals and felt confident playing on our home course although, being our home course there was also a lot of pressure for us to do well. As Alicia has more golfing experience than I do, our strat egy was that I would go first every time which gave us a great pre shot routine to follow, something that every golfer knows is a must. Playing in a team is a different kind of pressure as you want to dowell not only for yourself but also for your team mate and my highlight from the day was when the winning putt dropped in the playoff and I got to celebrate with Alicia.
How was playoff – did it make you feel like professionals?
Sam:
The playoff was one of the most nerve racking experiences I have ever had. To know what was on the line and to have so many golfers watching your every move truly gave an insight into what the professionals experience on a day to day basis. Survivor Golf really does make you
feel like a professional!
Alicia:
Having to play off against other teams in front of our home crowd was a big thrill. You could feel the support from the crowd barracking for the home town girls to take the win. We tried our best to focus and stay cool, calm and collected to stake our claim in the grand final.
Why should people play survivor golf?
Sam:
All golfers should play Survivor Golf if given the opportunity to help narrow the divide between genders on the golf course.
Alicia:
Survivor golf is a unique experience for the everyday golfer to feel like a professional for the day. Lasting friend ships and memories are made with the opportunity to win awesome prizes and get that all important spot in the grand final.
Can you guys win the final?
Sam:
Hell yeah we can! Up the Dirty Birdies - first all female team to qualify for the Survivor Golf Grand Final.
Alicia:
Our nerves of steel combined with our ability to want to perform under pressure makes us hot contenders to take out this years Survivor Final. We’ve had plenty of experience now with Survivor events and want to show the crowd what the Dirty Birdies are made of!
New Zealand Long Blacks & Aussie Long Ballers smash it out on De cember 1st for the famous Darren Wise Stingray for the Trans Tasman Clash in collaboration with Survi vor Golf.
The long-awaited Asia Long Drive Championship 2022 ended spectac ularly last Sunday with Steffan Scutti from Australia winning the Open division, Phillis Meti from New Zealand the Wom en’s division and Akihiro Hotta from Ja pan winning the Master’s title.
The Championship was held on the grounds of Laguna Phuket Golf Course in Thailand from Sep 16-18, 2022 and throughout the three days 60 players from Asian countries, as well as Austra lia and New Zealand, got to participate in the competition.
The players in each category were di vided into two groups and after the qual ifying rounds on September 16 and Sep tember 17, eight top competitors got to fight for the title in the Finals on Sunday.
One of the highlights of the Champi onship was definitely the moment when Taiga Tazawa, competing in Open divi sion, broke the record with a 400 yard monster ball in the semi-finals. Howev er, it was followed by Steffan Scutti’s 403
yard long drive, who set a new Champi onship record.
It was a weekend full of fun and ex citement that ended with the champi ons being crowned. By winning the Asia Long Drive Champion title, Scutti, Meti and Hotta have secured their spots at the World Long Drive Championship, which will take place in October this year.
Apart from being challenging for the players, it was a fun weekend for all the golf fans as well. The games were broad casted live on ALDA’s official YouTube and Facebook channels, so everyone who wanted a piece of the atmosphere could tune in.
This is the first time a long drive event of this magnitude has ever been orga nized in Asia and if it’s to judge by its success, it won’t be the last. Asia Long Drive Championship is organized by Asia Long Drive Association and Just Play Asia Sport Management, whose representa tives held a press conference prior to the Championship to introduce it and explain
everything in detail.
The competition was originally planned to take place in China, but due to interna tional travel restrictions and strict quar antine policy, the organizers decided to move the Championship to Thailand, which had already opened its borders to tourists. This was obviously a great de cision as it was one of the most popular places for golf enthusiasts to be on the weekend between Sep 16-18,2 022.
Naming Nick Hanna as a New Zealand Long Black was an obvious choice for scouts and the founder Olna Ford. “From the first time I met Nick and saw him perform, I knew he was going to be one of our most outstanding athletes and he’s certainly proven to be that,” says Olna.
Nick has been one of the most consistent competi tors for the national team with a fierce drive that will keep you on the edge as his opponent. A determined athlete with unlimited passion for the sport Nick Hanna is a proud National Team player and a stand out name in his division. The 2022 season has just begun given the lockdowns in Auckland pushing all 2021 events into this year’s calendar. Nick has been chosen to represent the New Zealand Long Blacks on the tee at the Catwalk Golf Charity event this October 06th and will be alongside some other well known names to sport.
We got a chance to catch up with Nick Hanna to see what drove him to Long Drive.
Nick can you tell us what got you into Long Drive?
I got into long drive in a sort of typical way, being known to hit a big ball by all my golfing mates and hear ing through the grape vine about a longdrive competi
tion. Next thing I had thrown my name in the hat and the rest is history. I love the thrill on the teebox and the atmosphere Olna has created around the teebox. My best performance winning was the 2019 North Island championship which included a personal best drive of 360m, subsequently I have followed that performance up with runner up 2 years in a row 2020 and 2021 ad ditionally runner up in the 2021 South Island Champs. These results and the enjoyment of the sport has kept me hungry to train and compete. It has been great hav ing Auckland as the base of longdrive in New Zealand as it has meant my wife has been able to watch all the competitions and support me, likewise having Olna se cure Nelson as the host of the South Island champion ship has been great as it is my childhood home town and I had the opportunity for my family to all watch me compete and come close to victory.
Nick Hanna has been named to represent New Zea land in the travelling team for the famous Trans-Tas man Clash against the Aussie Long Ballers this De cember. The event is in collaboration with Survivor Golf which has Ronan Keating as Ambassador along with famous names in Golf.
Looking forward to keeping our fans updated with more chat on the tee with our champions!
New Zealand Long Blacks are dedicated to the cause and are proud to be part of the CAT WALK Open this 6th October @ Wainui Golf Course
The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Re search Trust (CatWalk) was founded in 2005 by Catriona Williams (MNZM) after a fall from a horse while eventing left her with a C5/6 spinal cord injury resulting in tetraplegia. While golf as a sport does not rank highly on the
cause of spinal cord injuries, many a kilometre is walked between holes and also driving to and from the courses.
Motor vehicle accidents account for 25% of all registered spinal cord inju ries (SCI) in 2020 with the main cause
being slips and falls which account for 46% of all injuries*. The vision of CatWalk is a world free from spinal cord injury paralysis, and since 2005, CatWalk, through the generosity of donors and fundraising events, have directly contributed over $5million to research into finding a cure for spinal cord injury. Current research being funded is based both in NZ and Austra lia, with a significant ongoing funding commitment being made in 2021. As a joint venture with SpinalCure Australia, the eWALK trial, and more recently –Project Spark are being undertaken by Neuroscience Research Australia (Neu RA) , with CatWalk having committed a further NZD$2.8 million between 20212024. The Project Spark and eWALK trials bring together results of years of research into the area of neurostimu lation. ’Neurostimulation’ refers to the modulation of neuro activity which can be through electrical or pharmacolog ical means.
eWALK focuses on the develop ment of non-invasive neurostimula tion treatments to return feeling and function to those that have been par alysed. It is the world’s first controlled clinical trial to determine the precise benefits of neurostimulation. The trial aims to improve or restore the ability of paraplegic patients to stand and walk through the application of neu rostimulation combined with physical therapy. Project Spark will see the re searchers from NeuRA work with Neu roMoves clinics to commence making experimental stimulation treatments available in the community.
Results to date are showing real promise in the aim to improve func tionality. While many think a cure is just about walking again, it is such things as bowel and bladder control that rank highly with those who have an SCI in terms of increasing inde pendence in their lives. CatWalk fund raising events have attracted people from all areas of life – from a black-tie
event, through to running marathons and even cycling from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp! The CatWalk Golf Open on Thursday 6 h October, 2022 is a new event and, as in usual CatWalk style, is going to be a day to remem ber for all the right reasons. Playing on the beautiful Wainui course just north of Auckland, two of CatWalk’s Patrons, Richie McCaw and Dion Nash will be on course alongside some oth er well-known NZ personalities. IF the scores are looking at little high as the teams approach the 18th hole, there will be the opportunity to have one of the NZ Long Blacks take their tee shot and who knows, that could be just the difference needed when vying for the CatWalk Green Jackets along with indi vidual honours. Players can expect to be well catered for throughout, with the day culminating with a charity auc tion of selected items and experienc es - all proceeds going towards this vital research needed to cure spinal cord injury paralysis. If you would like to support this event via sponsorship of a hole or a donation please contact chris@catwalk.org.nz For more infor mation on CatWalk and the research being undertaken please visit www. catwalk.org.nz * New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Registry 2021.
Quote from Richie McCaw: “As a Pa tron of CatWalk, I am looking forward to playing in the inaugural CatWalk Golf Open on 6 th October. While I am able to walk around the Wainui Golf Course, I think of those who currently are not able to do so because of a spi nal cord injury and why it is so import ant to raise funds for the vital research to find a cure.“
Quote from Dion Nash: “As a patron of CatWalk I have; sung, danced, debat ed, run and now it looks like I’m going to swing (my clubs). Looking forward to seeing all the team and to supporting this incredible charity and cause once more. See you on the green!”
PING
introduced 10 new putter models recently, each individual ly designed to achieve the proper balance of feel and forgiveness in a confidence-inspiring look using var ious combinations of the company’s proven putter technologies.
The 10 models, consisting of high mo ment of inertia blades and ultra-forgiving multi-material mid-mallets and mallets, are available for pre-order beginning today. Each model can be custom fit for stroke type, length, lie, loft and grip type.
“What’s most exciting about our new PING putter models is how dif ferent they are from each other,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO and Presi dent. “Rather than applying one com mon technology to every model, our engineers took a more singular ap proach, applying proven innovations to different head styles to improve the performance of our most popular de signs while introducing some brandnew models. For example, several of the new models offer milled faces for a firmer feel and others provide a softer feeling insert. In the blade models, which includes the Tony Fi nau-inspired Anser 2D design, we put a priority on delivering high-MOI, clean-looking designs by placing tung sten weights in the heel and toe. The use of aluminum and stainless steel in the larger mallet designs has resulted
in some of our most forgiving models to date, led by the Tomcat 14. Each model also provides confidence-in spiring alignment cues, from single lines to multi-line alignment aids. It’s a very diverse offering but the one thing they all have in common is they offer precision performance on putts of ev ery length.”
Golfers can choose from high-MOI multi-material blades, mid-mallets and mallets. Traditional blades include the Anser and the Kushin 4 – both original ly designed by PING founder Karsten Solheim – and the new Anser 2D. The new Mundy design, a multi-material traditionally shaped mallet, is named in honor of PING’s first business manag er and long-time employee, Jack Mun dy. The tour-proven DS72 and Prime Tyne 4 return with a new look and feel while ensuring the performance that’s earned them multiple trips to the win ner’s circle in the last few years. Anoth er new entrant to the mallet category is the Tyne G, a hybrid of the original Tyne and popular Fetch (complete with a “gimme” ball-pickup feature). All three stroke types (Straight, Slight, Strong) are represented within the 10-model selection.
From firm milled faces to soft-feel ing inserts, the face technology is en
gineered based on feedback from our tour staff to match a variety of feel preferences and deliver control and consistency on putts of every length. Two face milling techniques, smooth (firmest) or shallow, are found in seven of the models while the rest deliver the soft feel of our PEBAX insert surround ed by the smooth or shallow milling.
Knowing golfers respond to different alignment aids, the new putters offer a variety of solutions. Single alignment cues or multiple lines combine with ap pealing color blocking to match a golf er’s eye to inspire confidence where it matters most – on the green. The use of platinum and matte-black finishes in several models provides enhanced contrast to assist in alignment while creating a premium appearance. For golfers who prefer the simplicity and influence of a matte-black look, the An ser 2D, Mundy and Tyne G will best fit their eye.
Anser Std Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Slight Arc Head Weight: 345 g
The winningest putter in history is updated using tungsten toe-heel weights to provide stability and for giveness, and the shallow milled face
delivers a firmer feel and consistent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. Employs color blocking where the plat inum topline contrasts with the black cavity, drawing focus to the front of the putter for improved aiming.
Anser 2D
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Slight Arc Head Weight: 360 g
Made popular by multiple-time win ner Tony Finau, a PEBAX insert with shallow milled surround ensures a softer feel and consistent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. Tungsten toeheel weights provide stability and for giveness, a single white alignment line contrasts with the matte-black head, and a ball-width cavity floor help frame the ball to make aligning to the target easier.
Kushin 4
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Strong Arc
Head Weight: 355 g
Tungsten toe and heel weights provide stability and forgiveness for improved accuracy, and the shallow milled face ensures a firmer feel and consistent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. A platinum topline contrasts against a black cavity to draw the focus forward, where a short alignment line and ball-width cavity floor frame the ball. Fits a strong-arc stroke type.
Shea
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Slight Arc
Head Weight: 360 g
Forgiveness is high in the mid-mal lets, aided by tungsten toe-heel weights to ensure stability, while the shallow milled face delivers a firmer feel and consistent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. A platinum topline contrasted against a black cavity with its longer alignment line draws the fo cus forward, and the ball-width cavity floor helps frame the ball.
DS72
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Types: Straight, Slight Arc
Head Weight: 365 g
Named in honor of Doug Sanders, who served as Karsten’s chief engineer for many years, the DS72 has a shallow milled face to deliver a firmer feel and consistent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. A platinum topline contrasts against the black cavity where a white alignment line and ball-width cavity floor focus the eye. The more squared off profile will be aesthetically pleasing to the mid-mallet player. Fit for straight and slight-arc stroke types.
DS72 C
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Straight Head Weight: 370 g
The center-shafted head offers a visual symmetry, and tungsten toeheel weights ensure stability for im proved accuracy. The shallow milled face provides a firmer feel and consistent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. The color-blocked head features a platinum topline contrast ing against the black cavity with its white alignment line to draw the fo cus forward.
Tyne G
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Straight, Slight Arc Head Weight: 360 g
A trio of white lines, ball-width cavi ty floor and ball-pickup cutout feature distinguish the easy-to-aim Tyne G. The cutout redistributes mass to the perimeter for added stability and for giveness to improve accuracy with the added benefit of a “gimme” ball-pickup feature. A PEBAX insert with shallow milled surround ensures a softer feel and consistent ball speed with pleas ing acoustics.
Prime Tyne 4
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Strong Arc Head Weight: 365 g
A top performer evolves for 2023, featuring the customary twin forks that make the head highly stable to ensure forgiveness and accuracy. The shallow milled face delivers a firmer feel, consis tent ball speed and pleasing acoustics. New color blocking utilizes a platinum topline contrasted against the black cavity to draw the focus forward.
Mundy
Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Straight, Slight Arc Head Weight: 355 g
Forgiveness is driven way up by join ing a lighter aluminum body to a 304 stainless steel sole plate for position ing the center of gravity low/back. A PEBAX insert with a smooth milled sur round delivers a softer feel and consis tent ball speed with pleasing acoustics. Three full-length, ball-width alignment lines draw the eye to the point of con tact with the ball, simplifying aiming.
Tomcat 14 Std. Length: 35”
Stroke Type: Straight
Head Weight: 380 g
Multi-material construction creates extreme MOI in the Tomcat 14, built with a lighter aluminum body joined to a 304 stainless steel sole plate for positioning the center of gravity low/back for for giveness. Ball-width runway-style dotted lines track all the way to the ball to aid in alignment. The smooth milled face deliv ers the firmest feel of the newest PING putters, and slightly faster ball speed.
DS72 Armlock
Std. Length: 41.5”
Std. Loft: 6°
Stroke Types: Straight, Slight Arc Head Weight: 365 g
Built with a longer shaft and grip and more loft to perform for the armlock style of player, the DS72 offers a shal low milled face delivers a firmer feel and consistent ball speed with pleas ing acoustics. A platinum topline con trasts against the black cavity where a white alignment line and ball-width cavity floor focus the eye. The more squared off profile will be aesthetically pleasing to the mid-mallet player.
Get Custom fitted today. For your nearest Ping dealer contact Sports Network Ltd: 0508 776 786.
NORTH HARBOUR
Pupuke Golf club’s Jack Whale recently won the Pupuke Cup fk 4/3. An up and coming and a starter in the in upcoming Charles Tour events.
The 2022 Auckland Men’s Masters de livers again with a race against daylight. Brent Paterson’s master class around the Remuera Golf Club. Paterson went out with a first-round score of 69 (-3) and in with a second-round 73 (+1) crowning him the 2022 Auckland Men’s Masters Champion!
Auckland Golf’s 9-hole district tourna ment was held recently at Wattle Downs Golf Course.
Titirangi Golf’s Carol Keir was the win ner on the day finishing 2 stableford points ahead of Papakura’s Anne Neilson.
hours before tee off.
In true Town vs Country tradition play ers of various clubs from each region were on display with Town having repre sentatives from 10 different clubs (Avon dale, Bottle Lake, Clearwater, Coringa, Templeton, Waimairi Beach, Russley, Christchurch, Harewood, and Waitikiri) with Country having 7 clubs represent ed (Amberley, Amuri, Pegasus, Hororata, Weedons, and Kaiapoi.) With plenty of playing quality across both teams the fix ture, which acts as one of the trial events for the Canterbury representative sea son, was sure to be a tight and impres sive occasion across both the Senior and Masters categories.
CANTERBURY GOLF -TOWN VS COUNTRY 2022
The annual Town vs Country Represen tative fixture was held at McLeans Island Golf course recently in overcast but fine conditions with the course in good con dition with the greens worked on just
In the Senior space, the morning four somes saw Town take a narrow lead 4-2 with the biggest win going to the pairing of Richard Reed and Marcel Boet over Country’s Taylor Hosking and Dominic Brettkelly. With two A/S results too the format was tightly contested. The after noon’s singles format followed suit with each team taking 6 points respectively
Gross Winner - Brent Paterson (69, 73, 142)
with 5 wins and an A/S a piece. Standout performances include Country’s Dominic Brettkelly’s 7/6 victory over Yuki Miya in the battle of the 2’s and Dan Laughton’s 7/5 victory over Jason Sincock at number 5. Alongside the two halves, there two other 1Up results highlighting the tight contest, however, overall Town took out the Senior title 10-8.
In the master’s space, Country took the morning format with a narrow 2.51.5 lead courtesy of two 1Up victories to pairings David Grater/Alisdair Reid and Jonathan Stieller/Shaun Payne. In the afternoon however the Town team man aged to turn the fixture around amassing 5.5 points to Country’s 2.5. Standout per formances included Andrew Dufton’s 7/6 victory over Mike Boshoff with Country’s Alisdair Reid and Simon Edwards also col lecting individual victoreis 3/1 and 2Up respectively. Overall however the Town masters managed to complete the dou ble on the day with 7-5 victory.
The fixture also provided the opportu nity to incorporate a Canterbury Junior Boys trial event with the selectors aiming to see some of the region’s young talent go head to head. Six different clubs were represented amongst the juniors - Christ church, Clearwater, Everglades, Russley, Avondale and Harewood.
CHEVIOT - CANTERBURY
The Final round of Canterbury North Women’s Interclub was played at Scargill
Golf course played recently in sunny con ditions, and after recent rain the course still quite wet underfoot in some areas.
Cheviot and Scargill both went into the last round at the top of the table tied on 13 games, but with hosts Scargill having the bye the title was Cheviot’s to lose and they played fifth placed Culverden. Ha warden sitting third, still had a realistic opportunity to catch Cheviot being just behind them on 12.5 games, and they were up against fourth placed Hanmer Springs.
ment was played at Pegasus Golf Club recently in initially wet conditions, with the rain disappearing but cool conditions remaining.
With the course in great order 29 ladies and 11 men braved the wintery condi tions and posted some excellent stable ford results as follows:
Women’s Grade 1
1st - Chris Whiteside, Templeton ... 22 pts
2nd - Raylene Helm, Pegasus ... 17 pts on countback
3rd - Gaye Harry, Templeton ... 17 pts
1st - Helen Astell, Amberley ... 23 pts
2nd - Kristine Kidd, Templeton ... 20 pts
3rd - Kath Robertson, Everglades ... 19 pts
Men’s Grade
1st - Michael Carpenter, Amberley ... 22 pts
2nd - Ian Pettigrew, Amberley ... 18 pts
3rd - John Walker, Rangiora ... 17 points
Gore Golf Club recently hosted the fi nale of the 2022 MLT Pennant Series.
The final couldn’t be decided in regula tion play with 1s Invercargill’s Liam Bal neaves and Greenacres Country Club’s Tegan Proudfoot drawing swords in a sudden death playoff.
Balneaves made a stunning birdie 4 to win the pennant for his team on the first hole.
The Cheviot team of, from left Trina Reid, Sue Griffiths, Phils Morris and Sue Anderson held their nerve defeating Cul verden 3-1 to claim the Canterbury North Interclub Champions title for the second time in the past three years.
Hanmer Springs with a 3-1 win against Hawarden finished in second place with Hawarden a further game back in third.
The Canterbury Golf 9 Hole Tourna
Overall Winner - Helen Astell, Amberley. Women’s Grade 2
Winning team for 2022 Liam Balneaves, George Prendergast, Tony Clay and Clint Goad.
nament was held at the Rakaia Golf club recently in warm spring conditions.
Colleen Gibbs, of Geraldine won the Hedges-Kennard Trophy (best gross over the field 88), Heather Robertson of Ash burton claimed the Clarkson Tray (best net 65 years and over 73), Felicity Lambie of Grande Vue took home the Euny Peg Trophy (best Stableford 70 years and over 34).
Class A net: C Gibbs (Geraldine) 67. Class B net: B Sutherland (Rakaia) 66, Sta bleford: M Hurst ( Rakaia) 37, Runner up Stableford D McDonald (Ashburton) 34. Grade C net: H Robertson (Ashburton) 73, Stableford: F Lambie (Grande Vue) 34, Runner-up stableford, J Bruhns (Tinwald) 33
2nd Shot nearest the pin: Grade A: A Burrows (Geraldine), Grade B: M Watson (Ashburton), Grade C: J Helmore (Meth ven) Twos: A Burrows (Geraldine).
The Hayes final saw the defending champions, Timaru take on their second Tinwald team of the day in Tinwald A. This was destined to be a tight battle and al though the end score line might not have shown this, it was tight with most match es getting to the 17th and 18th holes. Dan Perham showed his class and beat Nigel Heney on the 17th in a battle of the num bers ones whilst Travis Cook signed off a perfect season with his tenth win. The fourball went Timaru’s way which meant Timaru only needed one more point and with Damian Rodgers 1up playing the last hole, the victory was secured in Timaru’s favour much to relief and adulation from the players after a taxing day! Timaru’s number four and Club Captain Dave McE wing will be extremely proud of this mo ment which will rank highly in his golfing achievements. Well done to Timaru for making it back-to-back, a truly impressive achievement.
The Hayes final saw Temuka take on Pleasant Point where the precursor match in the season went the way of Pleasant Point. Temuka would’ve been aware of
St Clair’s Parker Aluesi on winning the Wanaka 36-Hole Open which was played recently by 1 shot with 73-68 over Luke Murdoch from Balmacewen. Photo: Displaying their trophies at the Aorangi Womens Veterans Tournament are (from left) Colleen Gibbs, of Geral dine, Heather Robertson, of Ashburton and Felicity Lambie of Grande Vue. AORANGI GOLF - HOLMES AND HAYES FINALSthis and started extremely well to en sure their best chance of victory. Dave Cornelius, who will debut for the Aorangi Masters side in a couple of weeks played spirited golf and was well under par in the high winds against Marcus Tessier to claim the first points for Temuka. An other win to Ed Nolloth for Temuka, plus the fourball took them to five points and just a half point away from victory but a win to Blair Struthers ensured their hopes were still alive. It came down to the match between young Mac Kelliher and Masters rep Kevin Teahan. Kevin holed a clutch 10 footer on the 17th hole and then calmy rolled in a testy 6 footer on the last to edge out the young fella and ensure the Hayes Cup went to Temuka for 2022.
Mayfield prevailed over Rakaia in a good battle.
Moyes saw Fairlie take out the title af ter a tough fight with Gleniti.
In the Alexander grade, the men from Ben Ohau did the mahi and managed to get the title after their battle with Gleniti.
Wanaka Golf Club ladies club champs were played recently, in mixed weather conditions.
All winners are listed below:
In the Patterson competition, the two top teams all year met in the final and
Three division Winners today. Centre Liz McRae, Margaret McKenzie on the right and Macy Cameron on the left
Seniors:
Senior Champion: Liz McRae
Runner Up: Nikki Shaw
3rd Place: Anne Moffat
4th Place: Nora Hastings
Senior Consolation Winner: Margot Hewitt
Runner Up: Marg Read
Senior Flight Winner Rae Hammond Runner Up: Susie Ballie
Intermediate Intermediate Champion: Margaret McKenzie
Runner Up: Marg Caldwell
3rd Place: Pamela de Beer
4th Place: Maureen Stewart
Intermediate Consolation Winner: Di Stewart
Runner Up: Jen Milburn
Intermediate Flight Winner: Harriet By
Runner Up: Sue Anderson
Junior Junior Champion: Macy Cameron
Runner Up: Jeanette Gillies
Juinior Flight: Chris Willson
Runner Up: Jenny Pryde
Gordon Plate Winner: Glenys Samways
Runner Up: Donella Fleming
GERALDINE GOLF CLUB Glenda Hamilton recently won the Molly Heron Trophy for best nett by a local play er at the 9-hole tournament on Friday. Glenda (R) is seen here receiving the trophy from the women’s club captain, Avrill Burrows. In the Redpath competition, Methven managed to edge out Highfield to claim the title! The winning team is pictured above: