The month at the club started with a celebration of the life of one of the club’s life members, Bill Jones. Sadly Bill passed away in April and it was wonderful to see so many people recognising the last 21 years of his life spent at the club. He set up a junior programme and was known for shooting his age – which he did 347 times.
It was a huge day on the last Sunday of April in glorious weather with the annual Grandmas and Grandpas competition, newly-sponsored by Greytown Orchards Lifestyle Retirement as the Grand Day of Golf. To mark the sponsorship a few new categories were added to the traditional Grandmas, Grandpas, Non Grandmas and Non Grandpas and the Ngahau Trophy for committee, employees and life members. The aim was to get inter-generational involvement and this really worked with a big field of juniors for the junior prize and around fifteen teams in the inter-generational competition. There was also the inaugural awarding of the Bill Jones Shoot Your Age Challenge trophy.
Winners: Men’s Ngahau Trophy Tim Loe with 41 points; Women’s Ngahau Trophy Jo-Anne Loe 40 points; Grandpas was Barry Johnson 48 points; the Grandmas winner was Lorraine Little 50 points. Non-Grandpas winner Brett Abercrombie 42 points; Non-Grandmas winner Julie Warner 44 points. Best Junior, Hunter Smith; Best Inter-generational pair Hunter Smith & Andrew Smith; Nearest to the Pin went to a Junior, our own Freddie Gloag. The Bill Jones ‘Shoot Your Age’ winner: Ro Griffiths who actually shot under his age.
Sunday 4 May saw the enormously popular Beef and Burgundy ambrose tournament held. Thirty teams of four took to the course in cold but at least dry conditions. Poppies of Martinborough sponsored the event and a tasting of their Pinot Noir along with a delectable mini beef pie designed by Tennessee was waiting for players when they arrived into the clubhouse. Following prizegiving the players feasted on Tennessee’s offering of roast beef and salads.
It was a hotly contested competition with winners, father and daughter Doug and Olivia Clark, Brian Russo and Mike Charteris shooting a net 56. A close second on 56.25 were Anna Possenniskie, Deb Donaldson, Amy Linton and Pip Mackie. It must have been hard for Amy Linton (the national speed golf champion) as she had to play at normal speed! She did manage the longest drives for ladies on the 13th and 18th holes. Some of the annual interclub competitions have come to a close with the men’s Division 9 team winning the division and Division 2 runners up. On the ladies’ side, the Tilson Salver concluded with Martinborough being pipped at the post by Castlepoint.
A big thank you to all players who represented the club.
