This Sunday at the Featherston Golf Club the 2016 Marquis Shield Interclub championship will reach its climax with the playing of the final round in the five round tournament. The Marquis Shield is a twelve-man team’s handicap competition which has been played for each year since 1951. This final round sees a head-to-head clash between the only two clubs that can win this year’s event- Mahunga has led the series throughout the year and they are up against Martinborough who are only three points behind. Mahunga has dominated the tournament in recent seasons winning four of the past six years but a clean sweep of all four competition points by Martinborough would see them win the trophy for the first time since 2009. Over the 62 years since its inception the tournament has been dominated by Carterton with 20 victories, well ahead of Mahunga on 15. Masterton are the playing through champions but their victory last year was the first since 1981 and only the third time in the history of the competition. Masterton plays Carterton and any points will ensure Masterton does not win the wooden spoon in the Marquis competition.
The main event last weekend was the All Teed Up Ambrose Tournament on Queens Birthday Monday. Although the weather was magnificent and the course couldn’t be better for this time of the year the event was poorly supported by club members with only 14 teams of three playing. Results were-
1st Ewen Macdonald, Steven Hemingway, Mike Dixon 57.42
2nd David Cook, Gavin Harris, Kerry Mountcastle 58.70
3rd Wayne Robinson, Fraser Smith, Steve Fennell 59.00
4th Jeff Ogg, Lola Ogg, Murray Wolland 59.57
The Tuesday ladies LGU and Putting competition attracted 25 players in pleasant conditions which were not reflected in the scoring! Results were-
Silver
1st Jan McLaren 76
2nd Jo Philps 78
3rd Carolyn Stevenson 78
Bronze A
1st Jane Williams 76
2nd Pam Griffith 79
3rd Janice Hayes 80
Bronze B
1st Isobelle Weaver 76
2nd Anne Smith 86
Putting
Silver Carolyn Stevenson 27
Bronze Jane Williams 31
The Quilters Lane Nearest the Pin on No 8 was won by Judy Nicol and the New World No 18 by Jane Buchanan.
Last Thursday another good field played a stableford round, sponsored by New World Supermarket. The outright winner was Mike Falloon with 41 points, a long in front of Jack Richmond and David Cook, on 37. Fourth was Geoff McKay and Nooroa Rota. The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin was Geoff Masters.
Saturday’s competition was a stroke round for both men and women with the men’s round doubling as a Challenge Shield and Chairman’s trophy round. Results were-
Men
1st Murray Wolland 72 nett
2nd Hira Renata 73
3rd Mike Dixon 73
Women
1st Edith Clarkson 81
Needless to say the Challenge Shield 65 gross set by Kerry Mountcastle in February and the Chairman’s Trophy 60 nett by Ray Verhaart in March were not threatened! The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin’s on No 8 were won by Jamie Brunton and Nooroa Rota and the Alex McLeod No 18 by Mike Dixon.
On Friday the women’s Riverside Cup is being played at Masterton and our team plays Carterton. This weekend sees the final rounds in not only the Marquis competition, but the Saturday men’s interclub as well. Our premier Gibsonsheat team plays Manor Park at Te Marua, the Div A1 team plays Manor Park at Manor Park and the A4 team makes the long trip to Paraparaumu. There will be a club day for members with a disc draw at 12 noon.