The highlight of a very busy golf week was undoubtedly the very popular Wine and Dine Tournament which attracted a field of 93, including many visitors, enticed by the very generous prizes from many wineries and eateries in Wairarapa including wine tasting with Johner wines.
Overall winner, with 44 stableford points was Jim Kettle. Abbreviated results (as prizes went down to 9th or 11th place in each division) were-
Women
1st Roselee Thurston 37
2nd Nooroa Rota 37
3rd Sue Rutene 36
Men Group 2
1st Trevor Smith 42
2nd Mark Simpson 42
3rd John Francis 41
Men Group 1
1st Simon Buckley 41
2nd Mark Mitchell 40
3rd Jack Forrester 40
The prize list also included nearest the pins for men and women on all the par 3’s.
Interclub dominated the weekend with the women’s Tilson Salver team, all the Pennants teams and the men’s 18 hole teams all playing.
In the Tilson Salver, played at Riversdale Beach on Sunday, the ladies had an excellent 4½-1½ win against Featherston with wins to Lorraine Stewart, Susan Rutene, Lesley Stewart and Julie Hamilton.
This leaves the team 3½ points in front with two rounds to go. On Monday the Div 3 Pennants team, which last round won the ‘round robin’ competition, played a rather confusing final against Judgeford, who came second. Fortunately the team rose to the occasion for a 6-3 win, thanks to wins to Roselee Thurston, Larraine Duckett, Lola Ogg and Trish Newcombe. In Div 2 the Masterton team pulled out all the stops and had a 6-0 victory over Trentham at Masterton. Wins were recorded by Lorraine Stewart, Lesley Stewart, Janna Blundell, Ann Kenny, Marilyn Beetham and Ngaire Stevens. This leaves the team ½ point behind Karori with the round robin over and the possibility of a final, as in Div 3. In Div 1 wins to Sereana Phillipps, Carolyn Stevenson and Jenni Johnston ensured Masterton of a 4½ all draw with Shandon at Te Marua.
The men’s interclub saw two very close wins at home and a heavy defeat away. At Masterton Div 10 played Judgeford for an 8½-6½ victory with singles wins to Sila Fa’aiuaso, Carl Christensen, John Hopkirk, Ian Harrowfield and Ash Peterson and Div 6 played ‘top of the table’ Waikanae and won 8-7. Wins went to Hira Renata, Joe Tuoro, Rob Blackett, Darryl hart and Ray Verhaart. Div 3 travelled to Judgeford and took a ‘hammering’ 12-3 with singles wins to Simon Buckley and Jack Forrester. The 18 hole teams all have two rounds to play.
Last Wednesday the 9 holers had a stableford competition which was won by Rosey Wellbrock and Kate Bunny, both with 19 points. The PGG Wrightsons Longest Drive went to Rachel Blundell.
The Monday vets have been affected by bad weather and women’s interclub lately (although I notice some of them were able to sneak off to Riversdale on Monday) but last Wednesday had a good field for a stableford round. Results were-
Women
1st Isobelle Weaver 25
2nd Pam Sutherland 22
3rd Beryl Stuart 18
Men Group 1
1st Charles Anderson 26
2nd Jack Richmond 25
3rd Brian Pollock 25
Men Group 2
1st Laurie Williams 27
2nd Bill Reid 25
3rd Brian Henson 24
The Fagan Ford Nearest the Pin was won by Ash Peterson.
With the interclub teams playing the men’s Saturday field, which played a stableford round was
reduced to one division. Results were-
Men
1st Alec Ward 40
2nd Allan Ewington 37
Women
1st Edith Clarkson 32
The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin went to Jack Richmond.
The New World Supermarket stableford competition has also had a bad run lately but last Thursday was a ‘good one’ and over 35 players entered. Jim Kettle, warming up for the Wine and Dine tournament, won the day with 41 points, from Harry Quinn on 40, then Ewen Macdonald and Mark Childs, both on 39. The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin went to Murray Wolland. The birdsnest has now reached its aximum total!
This weekend the course is closed for the Trust House Wairarapa Open 72 hole tournament, played in Senior and Intermediate divisions. There are still a few spaces available in the field but with many club members helping on the course things will be very busy. Any members wanting to play and not in the field have reciprocal rights at other Wairarapa courses but should ring before they turn up.
Off The Fairway
Masterton Golf Club played host to the Prime Minister, John Key and Cabinet Minister Chris Finlayson on Sunday when they had an early morning round- Wine and Dine co organiser, Noel Preston claimed the Prime Minister had apologised for not playing in the Wine and Dine Tournament but he had ‘other commitments on that day!’