Masterton Golf Club’s Gibsonsheat interclub team competes in the Wellington Golf Premier Otaki Cup and Duncan Cup competitions which includes the top eight club teams in the Wellington region. Each match is played over 36 holes on neutral golf courses.
Saturday was the final round of the competition which saw Gibsonsheat Masterton play Manor Park at Te Marua Golf Club. The winner of the match would remain in the Premier competition for 2017 whilst the loser would be relegated to the next grade. The morning foursomes did not go well for Masterton and the team trailed by 1½-3½ at lunchtime with a foursomes win to Dean Gray & Kerry Mountcastle and a half to Sam Forrester and Owen Lloyd. The team rallied in the afternoon winning 6½ of the possible 10 points to win overall by 8-7 to retain their place in the Premier competition. Individual wins went to Dean Gray, Kerry Mountcastle, Sam Forrester, Owen Lloyd, Jack Forrester and Toby Tuoro, with a half to Simon Smith.
The Gibsonsheat Masterton team of 10 players included Kerry Mountcastle and Dean Gray, both Wellington representative players. During the season Caleb Everson, John Warner and Rob Blackett also played a number of games for the team.
The women’s Riverside Cup interclub team had an excellent win last Friday when they played Carterton at Masterton for a 5-1 result. Wins were recorded by Brenda Blatchford, Jeanette McNae, Jocelyn Pollock, Janice Hayes and Isobelle Weaver. This result leaves Masterton in 2nd position with two rounds to go.
The other successful interclub team over the weekend was the men’s Marquis Shield team. Playing in the final round of the 2016 Marquis Shield interclub tournament at Featherston Masterton defeated Carterton 6½-5½ in the handicap singles with wins to Dean Gray, Ray Verhaart, Jamie Strang, Steve Hemingway, Darryl Hart and Trevor Smith, but lost the four ball competition 4 matches to 2. With the unusual Marquis Shield points scoring system, the match ended in a 2 points all draw between the two teams.
However, in the ‘off the stick” matches, Masterton won 3 – 1 in the seniors and had 2 all draws in the intermediate and junior divisions. The senior’s victory was just enough for the club seniors to regain the Workman Trophy. Masterton have dominated that event in recent seasons with four victories in the past six years.
Results in the other two interclub matches on Saturday were not so positive. Both 18 hole men’s teams were playing ‘away’ in the last round of the competition and suffered big defeats. Div A1, playing at Manor Park lost 11-4 with the solitary singles win to team captain, Robin Carseldine. This means that A1 will be relegated in the 2017 competition.
Div A4 had the difficult task of playing division leader Paraparaumu at their course and needing a good result to avoid the drop to the next lower grade. However Paraparaumu ‘took no prisoners’ and the 14-1 loss means Masterton is relegated in this division too. The only point came from a fourball win to Allan Williams and Justin Herbert.
The grand final of the women’s Bronze Pennants interclub was played on Monday with winners of Section 2, Masterton playing Section 1 winners, Karori at Te Marua. In a very tight contest Karori won 4½-1½ with Masterton’s win going to Jane Williams.
On the ‘home front’ the Tuesday women’s field played a Home Pennants Stableford. Results were-
Silver
1st Nooroa Rota 36
2nd Jo Philps 33
3rd Brenda Blatchford 32
Bronze
1st Ann Kenny 30
2nd Isobelle Weaver 30
3rd Sue Dalziell 30
The Quilters Lane Nearest the Pin on No 18 went to Marilyn Strang and the New World No 18 to Linda Cameron.
The vets have played two stableford competitions in the last week. Last Wednesday’s results were-
Women
1st Sue Blathwayt 24
2nd Beryl Stuart 22
Men Group 1
1st Alex Tulloch 28
2nd Jamie Brunton 26
3rd Laurie Williams 26
Men Group 2
1st John Whitehead 31
2nd Bill Reid 26
3rd Mac Martyn 24
The Fagan Ford Nearest the Pin was Venetta Justice.
On Monday results were-
Women
1st Beryl Stuart 21
Men Group 1
1st Alex Tulloch 24
2nd Mike Inwood 23
3rd Carl Christensen 22
Men Group 2
1st Pete Smith 26
2nd Bob Macfarlane 24
3rd Rex Fowler 24
The Fagan Ford Nearest the Pin was Alex Tulloch.
The Wednesday 9 holers played a stableford round with Karen Aitkenhead winning with 21 points.
The PGG Wrightson Longest Drive went to Jane Watts.
The New World Supermarket stableford competition on Thursday was won by Simon Buckley with 44 points and a gross 67. Second was Darryl Hart on 40 and third was Jeff Ogg on 38. Harry Quinn was the All Teed Up Nearest the Pin on No 8.
The Saturday club competition was a stableford round. Results were-
1st Rob Blackett 41
2nd Alan Kirkham 36
The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin on No 8 went to Vince Duckett and No 18, to Rob Blackett (who eagled the hole)
This Saturday the men’s club day is a stableford round for the Grandad’s Trophy (but you don’t have to be a grandad to play but you do to win the trophy!)