Masterton Golf Club

The final of the men’s Captain’s Trophy, a combined fourball event, was played on Saturday and it proved to be a very tight affair. With Kevin Mackay and Peter Jackson playing Rob Blackett and Jim Kettle there were no shots involved. After 8 holes Mackay and Jackson were 2 down and then proceeded to win the next three holes. The ‘middle’ holes proved a see saw tussle but Kettle and Blackett emerged from ‘Amen Corner’ 2 down with four to play. However the match reached the 18^th all square and was eventually decided in rather unfortunate circumstances when Kettle’s shot into the 19^th green buried itself in the rank grass on the knob on the left side of the green and after a long debate over the ruling he had to play it and took two to get on the green. This was enough for Jackson and Mackay to win possibly the hardest competition in the men’s club calendar. Incidentally the trophy they won is actually called the ‘Captain’s Booths Gin Trophy’ and was, from 1976 to 1982, played for on a sponsors day and in 2003 the Men’s Match Committee re allocated the then unused trophy to the Captain’s.

The rest of the men’s Saturday field played a stroke round. Results were-

Men

1^st        Mike Dixon                            70 nett

2^nd       Ash Peterson                        70

3^rd        John Francis                                    71

4^th        Carl Christensen                 71

Women (stableford)

1^st        Nooroa Rota                         38

The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin’s on No 8 went to Harry Quinn and Jenni Johnston and No 18 to John Francis.

The New World Thursday competition was won by Michael Batley with 40 points from second placed Derek Clarkson, also with 40. Third was Gavin Harris on 39, followed by Murray Wolland on 38. The All Teed Up Nearest the Pin was Derek Clarkson. The highlight of the day was that the maximum birdsnest was finally struck by Peter Forrester.

The vets played a stableford round on Monday. Results were-

Women

1^st        Gail Freeman                        21

2^nd       Julia Moore                           20

3^rd        Jill Chandler                         13

Men Group 1

1^st        Brian Pollock                                    28

2^nd       Jamie Brunton                      26

3^rd        Ash Peterson                        26

Men Group 2

1^st        Robin Whitehead                24

2^nd       Ian Hull Brown                     24

3^rd        Brian Veitch                          23

The Fagan Ford Nearest the Pin was Alan Sadler.

The Wednesday 9 Holers played a PGG Wrightson medal round which was won by Errol Warren with 35 nett. Second was Geri Southey on 37.

On a beautiful ‘summers’ day a good field of ladies played for the Eunice Robieson Trophy, over 27 holes. Results were-

1^st        Jenni Johnston                    107 nett

2^nd       Jan Tatham                           110

3^rd        Pam Griffith                           111

The women’s club championships start next week.

This Saturday the men will play for the Sellar Trophy, the men’s stroke play championship. Entry sheets in the various divisions, Senior, Intermediate, Junior A, Junior B and Masters, are on the noticeboard, along with the conditions of play. The Sellar Trophy is also the qualifying and seeding for the men’s matchplay championships. The women’s field will play a bisque bogey round.

 

Off the Fairway

The long debate and subsequent ruling over the position of Jim Kettle’s ball in the long grass on the mound beside No 18 proved a major talking point in the 19^th and the general consensus was that it was grossly unfair that, with the current unevenness of the grass on the mound, you should have to play’ as it lies’. Jim’s ball had dropped down in a bare patch, surrounded by 20-25cm long, rank grass, making it virtually unplayable. A similar situation had decided the Maunsell Trophy the week before.