Sunday, May 30, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
What's happening Week of 24 May...............
It's raining that's what's happening this week!! Winter definitely seems to arrived with a vengeance although the rain has not as yet been accompanied by a biting cold!
This first deluge is an interesting test for the course firstly into how the greens hold up and drain and secondly as to the advantages of the new fairways and the improved drainage in the absence of the thatch. The condition of the course will be monitored over the next few days to ascertain if weekend play will be available.
As you will be aware I am in favour of the course always being open even if the "match of the day" is cancelled but some realism does have to enter into the equation. It may well be that the course will be open but carts and trundlers will be prohibited, limiting players to carrying their clubs. In any event keep an eye on the website for further information.
Assuming all goes well for the rest of the week a Pairs Stableford is scheduled for Saturday with it qualifying as another Shootout round. Appearing on the horizon is the next Mixed Match a Special Ambrose scheduled for Queen's Birthday Monday so get that noted down.
Apart from that all seems reasonably quiet but then I could be the last to know anything!! In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before!
This first deluge is an interesting test for the course firstly into how the greens hold up and drain and secondly as to the advantages of the new fairways and the improved drainage in the absence of the thatch. The condition of the course will be monitored over the next few days to ascertain if weekend play will be available.
As you will be aware I am in favour of the course always being open even if the "match of the day" is cancelled but some realism does have to enter into the equation. It may well be that the course will be open but carts and trundlers will be prohibited, limiting players to carrying their clubs. In any event keep an eye on the website for further information.
Assuming all goes well for the rest of the week a Pairs Stableford is scheduled for Saturday with it qualifying as another Shootout round. Appearing on the horizon is the next Mixed Match a Special Ambrose scheduled for Queen's Birthday Monday so get that noted down.
Apart from that all seems reasonably quiet but then I could be the last to know anything!! In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before!
Cafe of the Month.............
Both the recommendation and the source of the same are somewhat unusual this month!!
At the conclusion of a membership sub-committee meeting we were discussing the respective prospective dinner menus and the alternatives when Richard Peate extolled the virtues of McDonalds and the Angus Burger - he and Ann having partaken of the same (he refused to disclose where they "parked up" notwithstanding they had used the drive thru). Immediately seizing on this David Page, who had a subsequent meeting and needed sustenance, journeyed to The Palms to purchase the same.
He returned some few minutes later, bag in hand, with the information there were two types of Angus Burger the "Grande" and the "Mighty" he himself had purchased the "Mighty" having been assured by the young attendant that this was a good choice. From a close inspection it was determined that the difference between the two was the presence of salad within the "Grande" moving Kate Johnstone to retort "David obviously enjoys playing on his greens rather than eating them!!'. To be fair David had also forgone the fries!
In any event David confirmed Richard's endorsement but that may well have had something to do with the Pinot Noir in hand. At a cost of $7.20 both considered it extremely good value for money notwithstanding the short wait pending its preparation and delivery. Accordingly head forth to the "golden arches" for your culinary delights.
At the conclusion of a membership sub-committee meeting we were discussing the respective prospective dinner menus and the alternatives when Richard Peate extolled the virtues of McDonalds and the Angus Burger - he and Ann having partaken of the same (he refused to disclose where they "parked up" notwithstanding they had used the drive thru). Immediately seizing on this David Page, who had a subsequent meeting and needed sustenance, journeyed to The Palms to purchase the same.
He returned some few minutes later, bag in hand, with the information there were two types of Angus Burger the "Grande" and the "Mighty" he himself had purchased the "Mighty" having been assured by the young attendant that this was a good choice. From a close inspection it was determined that the difference between the two was the presence of salad within the "Grande" moving Kate Johnstone to retort "David obviously enjoys playing on his greens rather than eating them!!'. To be fair David had also forgone the fries!
In any event David confirmed Richard's endorsement but that may well have had something to do with the Pinot Noir in hand. At a cost of $7.20 both considered it extremely good value for money notwithstanding the short wait pending its preparation and delivery. Accordingly head forth to the "golden arches" for your culinary delights.
Where's Stephanie???............
Don't worry Stephanie is still "the girlfriend" but she has been absent from Shirley and golf because her place of business has been on the move.
Last weekend the BNZ closed the Cashel & Fitzgerald Street Branch where she was the manager and launched a new "concept" store at Ferrymead under her direction. Situated at 2 Waterman Place (just past the Fire Station on Ferry Rd travelling to Sumner - adjoining the Speights Ale House and Winnie Bagoes) in Ferrymead Central it is one of the flagships for the new direction in the BNZ's retail banking.
The "store" is designed to be customer friendly with easy access to tellers and a more open environment floor plan. Community involvement is encouraged with the ability to utilise an electronic flat screen as a noticeboard for the local organisations. In a nice touch free internet access is also available together with a kids area screening cartoon network (I am sure it will also get sport).
If passing drop in and have a look at what new age banking looks like, Stephanie will give you a warm welcome and show you around!
Last weekend the BNZ closed the Cashel & Fitzgerald Street Branch where she was the manager and launched a new "concept" store at Ferrymead under her direction. Situated at 2 Waterman Place (just past the Fire Station on Ferry Rd travelling to Sumner - adjoining the Speights Ale House and Winnie Bagoes) in Ferrymead Central it is one of the flagships for the new direction in the BNZ's retail banking.
The "store" is designed to be customer friendly with easy access to tellers and a more open environment floor plan. Community involvement is encouraged with the ability to utilise an electronic flat screen as a noticeboard for the local organisations. In a nice touch free internet access is also available together with a kids area screening cartoon network (I am sure it will also get sport).
If passing drop in and have a look at what new age banking looks like, Stephanie will give you a warm welcome and show you around!
Looking For A Venue???...........
Looking for a venue to hold that client function, business seminar/workshop/conference or family gathering - well look no further than the Christchurch Golf Clubhouse!!!
Located within an easy commute from the city centre and readily accessible from the outer suburbs the clubhouse is the ideal place for your next function no matter what size and be assured Andrew & Amanda Vincent will take very good care of you.
The addition of the refurbished Robinson Room adds yet another dimension to the versatility of available space as it is ideally suited to cater for smaller groups of up to a dozen be it for a Board meeting, seminar or workshop, a dining-in or slightly more for an intimate cocktail evening. With in-house food and alcohol supplied at very competitive rates your best decision is to make that reservation now!!
As an aside I recently attended a business dinner in the Robinson Room organised by a Club member for attendees within the commercial community who were not. Not only was it a great success but it was heartening to hear so many complimentary comments about the atmosphere, the food and the service (the Lamb Racks were delicious!). Well done to Amanda and her team on the night clearly a forerunner of things to come!!
Located within an easy commute from the city centre and readily accessible from the outer suburbs the clubhouse is the ideal place for your next function no matter what size and be assured Andrew & Amanda Vincent will take very good care of you.
The addition of the refurbished Robinson Room adds yet another dimension to the versatility of available space as it is ideally suited to cater for smaller groups of up to a dozen be it for a Board meeting, seminar or workshop, a dining-in or slightly more for an intimate cocktail evening. With in-house food and alcohol supplied at very competitive rates your best decision is to make that reservation now!!
As an aside I recently attended a business dinner in the Robinson Room organised by a Club member for attendees within the commercial community who were not. Not only was it a great success but it was heartening to hear so many complimentary comments about the atmosphere, the food and the service (the Lamb Racks were delicious!). Well done to Amanda and her team on the night clearly a forerunner of things to come!!
The Week That Was................
A reasonably full field did battle in a Stableford Competition in 3 grades and the scoring was of a high standard given the on-course conditions especially as they related to length.
Although slipping slightly in the handicaps, he still remains in Intermediates - just, Brian Graham recorded 40 points to lead home Shaun Xiong and Patrick Guo on 38 in that order on countback. In the Seniors it was a battle of the president's where past president Bruce Taylor triumphed over current president Ken Fergus by 40 to 39 with Tony Millar in third on 36. Ken's new putting grip appears to be working and it seems unlikely he will stay on 7 for too long!!
In the Juniors John Sinclair made 39 points to be in front of Mike Ambrose 38, and Dave Morrison 37. The two's pool reached $260 and there were 10 winners (do the math!). The jackpot now stands at $85 as it was unclaimed. Nearest the pins were Emilios Kotzikas on 3 ($40) and Frank Garthwaite on 11 ($40).
Frank was also the winner of the Linden Leaves sponsored prize for being closest to the pin on 18 for 2. Capping off a pretty good fortnight for Matthew Glubb was his win in the nett eagles ($80) after hole 5 was drawn. It has been great to see Matthew on the course over recent weeks hopefully it will continue and we will see him and Louise at the next Mixed match.
Although slipping slightly in the handicaps, he still remains in Intermediates - just, Brian Graham recorded 40 points to lead home Shaun Xiong and Patrick Guo on 38 in that order on countback. In the Seniors it was a battle of the president's where past president Bruce Taylor triumphed over current president Ken Fergus by 40 to 39 with Tony Millar in third on 36. Ken's new putting grip appears to be working and it seems unlikely he will stay on 7 for too long!!
In the Juniors John Sinclair made 39 points to be in front of Mike Ambrose 38, and Dave Morrison 37. The two's pool reached $260 and there were 10 winners (do the math!). The jackpot now stands at $85 as it was unclaimed. Nearest the pins were Emilios Kotzikas on 3 ($40) and Frank Garthwaite on 11 ($40).
Frank was also the winner of the Linden Leaves sponsored prize for being closest to the pin on 18 for 2. Capping off a pretty good fortnight for Matthew Glubb was his win in the nett eagles ($80) after hole 5 was drawn. It has been great to see Matthew on the course over recent weeks hopefully it will continue and we will see him and Louise at the next Mixed match.
Spot the Difference................
What did Simon Carter, Mark Dunn, Jordan Bakermans, Emilios Kotzikas and myself all have in common last Saturday?? Well..... we were the last of the diehards who had persisted in wearing shorts. I think it suffice to say first thing in the morning it looked considerably warmer than it actually eventuated.
A special commendation to Emilios who played in a cart, at the end of the field, in a pair meaning it must have been doubly cold by the end of the round. All eyes now focus on the coming weekend so see if the madness will continue!!
A special commendation to Emilios who played in a cart, at the end of the field, in a pair meaning it must have been doubly cold by the end of the round. All eyes now focus on the coming weekend so see if the madness will continue!!
Interclub Roundup..................
The Metro team came soooo... close to pulling off a spectacular victory!!
Needing to win away at Harewood and other matches to go their way to keep their slim competition hopes alive the team split effectively into two halves. Great wins were recorded by "Captain Fantastic" Steve Ellis, Rod "2 point" O'Brien, Tony "the steady" Park & Dennis "I'm not playing any more" Maguire but unfortunately Harewood were clearly dominant in the other matches meaning a half on the overall game score. The team was ably supported by a gaggle of members who ventured out in the wintry conditions hopeful of seeing a club success.
The sting in the tail was that the other matches did go our way and .5 of a point more would have seen us home. As it was 3 teams, including Christchurch, finished on 12 points and on countback we made third!! While being so near but not getting there is a wee bit disappointing it was a great finish to the season after a few mid round stumbles. Congratulations to Steve and all the team. For a full report see the Club Website.
Unfortunately the inclement weather meant the Women's semi finals were postponed a week therefore this Monday will see another early start as our 36 hole Silver and Bronze teams as they travel to Avondale. All the best we look forward to two Christchurch teams in the finals.
Needing to win away at Harewood and other matches to go their way to keep their slim competition hopes alive the team split effectively into two halves. Great wins were recorded by "Captain Fantastic" Steve Ellis, Rod "2 point" O'Brien, Tony "the steady" Park & Dennis "I'm not playing any more" Maguire but unfortunately Harewood were clearly dominant in the other matches meaning a half on the overall game score. The team was ably supported by a gaggle of members who ventured out in the wintry conditions hopeful of seeing a club success.
The sting in the tail was that the other matches did go our way and .5 of a point more would have seen us home. As it was 3 teams, including Christchurch, finished on 12 points and on countback we made third!! While being so near but not getting there is a wee bit disappointing it was a great finish to the season after a few mid round stumbles. Congratulations to Steve and all the team. For a full report see the Club Website.
Unfortunately the inclement weather meant the Women's semi finals were postponed a week therefore this Monday will see another early start as our 36 hole Silver and Bronze teams as they travel to Avondale. All the best we look forward to two Christchurch teams in the finals.
Thought For The Week............
Well, he had the software, but he didn't have a computer. The label on the package said that the software required "Windows 3.1 or better". So be bought a Macintosh.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Whats Happening This Week.......
Not one of the great weeks of recent times but at least it is now nearly over hence the late publication of the blog!!!
This Saturday sees the third round of the Shirley Links Shootout with a Stableford 3 grade competition. If you have not already entered the Shootout Saturday is the day to stump up with your $20.00. Completed as one of the last events of the golfing year the Shootout final is a highlight for the participants and always has an intensity not found elsewhere in the calendar.
We continue to try and expand the website and are currently in the process of adding the matchplay draws and the ringers competition. If there is anything you believe would add to the website feel free to speak either to me, Glenn Bongartz or Struan.
After good progress a fortnight ago the pace of play faltered a little last Saturday!!Remember a good game is a fast game!! As well as not wanting to be the fashion police I do not want to be a traffic officer but it seems this may well be my lot in life. This week I am playing at the back of the field as the afternoon starter so I will be well positioned to observe any slow play - watch this space!!
In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.
This Saturday sees the third round of the Shirley Links Shootout with a Stableford 3 grade competition. If you have not already entered the Shootout Saturday is the day to stump up with your $20.00. Completed as one of the last events of the golfing year the Shootout final is a highlight for the participants and always has an intensity not found elsewhere in the calendar.
We continue to try and expand the website and are currently in the process of adding the matchplay draws and the ringers competition. If there is anything you believe would add to the website feel free to speak either to me, Glenn Bongartz or Struan.
After good progress a fortnight ago the pace of play faltered a little last Saturday!!Remember a good game is a fast game!! As well as not wanting to be the fashion police I do not want to be a traffic officer but it seems this may well be my lot in life. This week I am playing at the back of the field as the afternoon starter so I will be well positioned to observe any slow play - watch this space!!
In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.
New Club Shirts.........
Over the past few weeks you may have noticed that our inter club teams have had a sartorial elegance not previously exhibited. In part at least this new look is due to the sponsorship of AMI who have undertaken to provide our club shirts in a new age material and a 'hot' red colour. This generous support of AMI is greatly appreciated by both the club and the players. (As a hint going forward watch out for a change in the pin flags in the near future!!)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Shirdale Cup..........
On some Sundays it is simply better to stay in bed and let the day pass you by - last Sunday was such a day. Not only did the Summer weather come to an abrupt halt but in the distinctly winterish conditions we were given a golfing lesson by Avondale.
The only bright spot on an otherwise dull, dreary, dank, damp and drizzly day was our Junior team of Jack Harling, James Nunan, Tom Pearson & Sam van Hulten who managed to half their match and retain the trophy by dint of being the current holders. The top pair of Sam & Jack won their foursomes match in the morning and Sam followed that with an individual win in the afternoon as did James. Overall it was a strong performance away from home in difficult conditions and at least got us on the score board.
We were not so fortunate in either the Seniors or Masters competitions. As the players dried out for lunch both teams faced an uphill battle trailing by 3/1. A sterling effort by Steve Hicks and Garry Forward had seen them squeeze to a one up win for the Masters while the top Senior combination of Jordan Bakermans and Andrew Caldwell had a solid 3/2 victory.
After lunch as the weather continued to deteriorate so did the overall Christchurch position. In the Seniors Andrew Caldwell followed the morning round with a half while wins were recorded at 7 & 8 by Simon Yorke 2/1 and Mitchell Vincent 4/2. While the other matches went at least to the 16th we were unable to score any more points so in the Shirdale Cup it was a decisive 8.5 to 3.5 win to Avondale.
That scoreline was mirrored in the Masters section where Garry Forward and Andrew Gillespie recorded wins with a half to ever steady Tony Park but it was again a disappointing result.
Congratulations to Avondale they played better on the day and were deserving of their victory and certainly they knew how to celebrate such an auspicious occasion as the wine, beer, and food flowed freely. We will have to wait 12 months to seek revenge at home and recover the silverware.
The only bright spot on an otherwise dull, dreary, dank, damp and drizzly day was our Junior team of Jack Harling, James Nunan, Tom Pearson & Sam van Hulten who managed to half their match and retain the trophy by dint of being the current holders. The top pair of Sam & Jack won their foursomes match in the morning and Sam followed that with an individual win in the afternoon as did James. Overall it was a strong performance away from home in difficult conditions and at least got us on the score board.
We were not so fortunate in either the Seniors or Masters competitions. As the players dried out for lunch both teams faced an uphill battle trailing by 3/1. A sterling effort by Steve Hicks and Garry Forward had seen them squeeze to a one up win for the Masters while the top Senior combination of Jordan Bakermans and Andrew Caldwell had a solid 3/2 victory.
After lunch as the weather continued to deteriorate so did the overall Christchurch position. In the Seniors Andrew Caldwell followed the morning round with a half while wins were recorded at 7 & 8 by Simon Yorke 2/1 and Mitchell Vincent 4/2. While the other matches went at least to the 16th we were unable to score any more points so in the Shirdale Cup it was a decisive 8.5 to 3.5 win to Avondale.
That scoreline was mirrored in the Masters section where Garry Forward and Andrew Gillespie recorded wins with a half to ever steady Tony Park but it was again a disappointing result.
Congratulations to Avondale they played better on the day and were deserving of their victory and certainly they knew how to celebrate such an auspicious occasion as the wine, beer, and food flowed freely. We will have to wait 12 months to seek revenge at home and recover the silverware.
The Week That Was............
Saturday saw the continuation of the Indian summer and once again the transition to long pants was postponed for another week. The benign climes boded well for scoring in The Otago Salver a teams event Best Ball Stroke Nett. I had initially thought my teams score of 59 would be competitive but alas we were amongst the also rans!!
The first 4 teams all finished on a nett 57 and countbacks were required to determine the final positioning. Emerging from the arithmetical conundrum were the team of Ken Fergus, Matthew Glubb, Guy Hargreaves & David Moore, from Peter Law, John Carthy, Stephen Hicks & Andrew Hopkins. Relegated to third were David Robinson, Martin Toon, James Wells, & Graeme Thompson with Peter Hollister, Don Rae, Garry Urlwin and Peter Wardell back in fourth.
This competition format seems to be universally popular and the result is always fiercely contested - it must be the lure of finishing in the fifties and the fact it keeps everyone involved!! The two's pool accumulated $250 for the 12 winners each getting $20.85, the jackpot was not struck and $35 carries forward. Closest to the pin on 3 was a newer member Andrew Caldwell while a longer serving member Bryan Graham was closest on 11 both receiving $45. Nearest the pin on 18 for 2 sponsored by Linden Leaves was Aidan Millar. Nett Eagles was not struck after hole 1 was drawn so next weeks pot starts with $30 in the kitty.
The first 4 teams all finished on a nett 57 and countbacks were required to determine the final positioning. Emerging from the arithmetical conundrum were the team of Ken Fergus, Matthew Glubb, Guy Hargreaves & David Moore, from Peter Law, John Carthy, Stephen Hicks & Andrew Hopkins. Relegated to third were David Robinson, Martin Toon, James Wells, & Graeme Thompson with Peter Hollister, Don Rae, Garry Urlwin and Peter Wardell back in fourth.
This competition format seems to be universally popular and the result is always fiercely contested - it must be the lure of finishing in the fifties and the fact it keeps everyone involved!! The two's pool accumulated $250 for the 12 winners each getting $20.85, the jackpot was not struck and $35 carries forward. Closest to the pin on 3 was a newer member Andrew Caldwell while a longer serving member Bryan Graham was closest on 11 both receiving $45. Nearest the pin on 18 for 2 sponsored by Linden Leaves was Aidan Millar. Nett Eagles was not struck after hole 1 was drawn so next weeks pot starts with $30 in the kitty.
Interclub Roundup...............
On Sunday 23 May the Metro team travels to Harewood in search of a win that will possibly put then in a position to win the overall competition. For those that have donned the "jersey" during the year and even for those that haven't I urge you to go out and support the team - tee off is from 11.00am on the "new" course.
Blank now disappears off our radar until the 4 September and our Simon team has a bye this weekend so there is not too much action there, but this is not the situation for two of our Women's teams. In the mid week Bronze and Silver 36 holes section we have made the semi finals to be played at Avondale on Monday 24 May. Our Silver No.1 team takes on Clearwater while our bronze team plays Waimairi Beach, we wish the players and supporters all the best as they seek a finals berth!!
Blank now disappears off our radar until the 4 September and our Simon team has a bye this weekend so there is not too much action there, but this is not the situation for two of our Women's teams. In the mid week Bronze and Silver 36 holes section we have made the semi finals to be played at Avondale on Monday 24 May. Our Silver No.1 team takes on Clearwater while our bronze team plays Waimairi Beach, we wish the players and supporters all the best as they seek a finals berth!!
Thought For The Week...............
In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship them and a cat that will ignore them."
Monday, May 10, 2010
Week of 10 May..............
As potentially we move closer to the Winter months the Club programme begins to thin out slightly and this week looks exceptionally quiet unless you wish to play in the Ladies Open Tournament on Friday 14 May for the Moya Nutt Salver for handicaps 0 - 23.5.
On Saturday Match of the Day is a teams best ball stroke for the Otago Teams Salver. Scores in the high 50's or low 60's are required to be in the money and as always the Rountree, Brown et al combination will take some beating.
Sunday sees a strong Christchurch contingent head over to Avondale for the annual Shirdale Cup competition with matches at Senior, Junior, & Masters level. This is an important event to get an early handle on possible inter club selections for later in the year. All the best to the players and remember at Avondale you need to hit it straight not long!!
This month's Board meeting has been postponed for a week because of some absences so look for President Ken's report on the website late next week - in a similar vein the Men's committee meeting has moved back as well. If you wish to provide any feedback on the Alternate Course could you please do so by the end of this week either to the office, myself, Ken or any Board member should you be able to locate such said persons.
In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.
On Saturday Match of the Day is a teams best ball stroke for the Otago Teams Salver. Scores in the high 50's or low 60's are required to be in the money and as always the Rountree, Brown et al combination will take some beating.
Sunday sees a strong Christchurch contingent head over to Avondale for the annual Shirdale Cup competition with matches at Senior, Junior, & Masters level. This is an important event to get an early handle on possible inter club selections for later in the year. All the best to the players and remember at Avondale you need to hit it straight not long!!
This month's Board meeting has been postponed for a week because of some absences so look for President Ken's report on the website late next week - in a similar vein the Men's committee meeting has moved back as well. If you wish to provide any feedback on the Alternate Course could you please do so by the end of this week either to the office, myself, Ken or any Board member should you be able to locate such said persons.
In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.
Care of the Course..........
Just a gentle reminder that Shirley is our golf course and we have a responsibility to ensure that we do nothing to detract from the efforts of our greens staff. Accordingly please remember to replace and sand divots, repair pitch marks on the green, and rake bunkers returning the rake to the middle of the bunker.
Combine these few simple tasks with maintaining the pace of play and golf will become a much more rewarding experience for you and all the other members.
Combine these few simple tasks with maintaining the pace of play and golf will become a much more rewarding experience for you and all the other members.
A E G Rhodes Bowl..............
The clement conditions rolled over into Sunday for the Mixed match a fourball par handicap with the A E G Rhodes Bowl as the trophy. This match has been contested within the Club since 1913 and the winners read like a "Who's Who" of the Christchurch Golf Club.
As is always the case in mixed matches the competition was fierce and some very respectable scores were posted. Recovering from his sick bed and navigating the course in a cart David Robinson, ably supported by his wife Stephanie Beth, racked up a score of +10 with David having his best round for sometime with a 76 off the stick. Playing as their partners I am in a position to verify that the honours were evenly shared with Steph holding her own on some crucial holes where David did not get a shot.
Following close behind on +9 were Robyn & Barry Fletcher on countback from Pip & Neville Idour with John and Gill Sinclair close behind on +8. There were 3 two's to Diana Taylor (at 3), Chris Richmond and David Robinson. Closest to the pin for 2 on 18 for the Men was Tony Park while Barbara Thompson was closest for three for the women.
The day concluded with a lovely meal of salmon supported by a salad and potatoes with a creamy Swiss roll as a dessert - needless to say everyone departed replete. The next Mixed match is scheduled for Queen's Birthday weekend on Monday 7 June an Ambrose Teams event with tee off from 11.30 on 1 & 16. If you are not departing the city this will be the ideal way to celebrate the last statutory holiday until Labour Day in October.
As is always the case in mixed matches the competition was fierce and some very respectable scores were posted. Recovering from his sick bed and navigating the course in a cart David Robinson, ably supported by his wife Stephanie Beth, racked up a score of +10 with David having his best round for sometime with a 76 off the stick. Playing as their partners I am in a position to verify that the honours were evenly shared with Steph holding her own on some crucial holes where David did not get a shot.
Following close behind on +9 were Robyn & Barry Fletcher on countback from Pip & Neville Idour with John and Gill Sinclair close behind on +8. There were 3 two's to Diana Taylor (at 3), Chris Richmond and David Robinson. Closest to the pin for 2 on 18 for the Men was Tony Park while Barbara Thompson was closest for three for the women.
The day concluded with a lovely meal of salmon supported by a salad and potatoes with a creamy Swiss roll as a dessert - needless to say everyone departed replete. The next Mixed match is scheduled for Queen's Birthday weekend on Monday 7 June an Ambrose Teams event with tee off from 11.30 on 1 & 16. If you are not departing the city this will be the ideal way to celebrate the last statutory holiday until Labour Day in October.
The Week That Was.............
Normally by the month of May I have clothed my legs in longer trousers however the increasingly settled clement weather encouraged me on Saturday to the view that the time to dispense with shorts had quite yet arrived. Having said that as the round drew to a close it was noticeably colder from the knees down!
The benign conditions that prevailed obscured the fact that a Stroke round was in progress inevitably causing some scoring to blow out howsoever notwithstanding the competition of the day a high standard of golfing excellence was achieved. This was most notable in the Juniors where Alan Masters recorded the best round of the day a nett 63 to be 3 shots clear of Don McEwan on 66 with a further 2 back to Dean Sweetman in third.
The score of 69 was popular in the Seniors with all 3 placegetters posting the same score with final positions decided on countback being Tony Park from Alan Scott with Peter Sim third. Martin Toon as a regular morning player showed good form in the Intermediates with a nett 68 from another morning aspirant David Kerr on 69 with Frank Garthwaite & Graham Watson on 70.
The top 16 scores qualified for the matchplay rounds of the Denniston Cup and it looks like an even par score of 72 on countback was the cut off mark. Watch for the draw to be posted both in the locker room and on the website. A pleasing aspect of Saturday was that there seemed to be an improved pace of play but more work is still required.
The two's pool was $170 and there were 18 winners - so the best you can say is you just got your money back at $9.45 each. Kevin McSoriley captured the jackpot for 2x2 which stood at $80. Nearest the pins were worth $30 and won by Tim Evett at 3 and Tony Park at 11. The Linden Leaves sponsored prize for closest to the pin on 18 for 2 was won by Gary Hooper. Nett Eagles had accumulated to $50 and when hole 16 was drawn David Barley & Takahiro Koyama split the money.Sunday, May 9, 2010
The Perils of Dunedin..............
Unexpectedly I had a very pleasant four days in Dunedin. With settled fine autumnal weather I begin to understand why its inhabitants are so vociferous in their protestations as to the mildness of the climate enjoyed year round.
For those of you who may know Dunedin the Department office is located at 1 Bond Street, one back from the main drag, my motel was in High Street a mere 250m stroll up a slight incline. However to reach such residence I had to walk past - a brothel (La Maison - The House of Pleasure), a Pub (The Duke of Wellington - purveyors of fine ales) and the Casino. Some may well believe this closely resembles heaven!
Fortunately on the return journey, in the morning, all these establishments were closed which meant I only had to circumnavigate the Classic Cafe Coffee Cart before arriving at work. In fact for once in my life I was the "model" employee being first to arrive and last to leave on consecutive days!
For those of you who may know Dunedin the Department office is located at 1 Bond Street, one back from the main drag, my motel was in High Street a mere 250m stroll up a slight incline. However to reach such residence I had to walk past - a brothel (La Maison - The House of Pleasure), a Pub (The Duke of Wellington - purveyors of fine ales) and the Casino. Some may well believe this closely resembles heaven!
Fortunately on the return journey, in the morning, all these establishments were closed which meant I only had to circumnavigate the Classic Cafe Coffee Cart before arriving at work. In fact for once in my life I was the "model" employee being first to arrive and last to leave on consecutive days!
Inter Club Roundup........
Given Team managers are posting separate reports on the Club website I record here only the briefest of details for those who do not wish to delve further!!
Metro kept alive its title chase ( a bit like Man U before the weekend) with a splendid victory over Coringa at Coringa 4.5 to 3.5. I understand putting became a major component in the final outcome especially under the pressure of the closing 18th hole. With 1 round to go Christchurch lie second one point behind Coringa - in the final round we travel to Harewood another team still in the title race (Arsenal) while Coringa take on Windsor (a fast finishing Spurs). Some of the teams have a game in hand so the final picture is not yet determined especially taking into account Waimairi (Aston Villa) who might still throw a spanner in the works.
Blank was back on home turf playing Templeton on Saturday afternoon and looking to right the ship before the winter break after their last disappointing showing. A solid effort from the team that included a number of halved matches saw a well deserved 5 to 3 win. The team will return in October to recommence the search for the title having had 2 wins a, a loss, and the bye in the first four rounds.
Simon travelled to Russley on Saturday afternoon and despite a strong showing they unfortunately ended up on the wrong side of the ledger 5/3. Again the team competed well and were still in with a chance of victory going through 16 but they were just unable to close it out. Given the spirit they have exhibited to date with a little more experience they are still in with a great chance of making top 4 and finals day.
Metro kept alive its title chase ( a bit like Man U before the weekend) with a splendid victory over Coringa at Coringa 4.5 to 3.5. I understand putting became a major component in the final outcome especially under the pressure of the closing 18th hole. With 1 round to go Christchurch lie second one point behind Coringa - in the final round we travel to Harewood another team still in the title race (Arsenal) while Coringa take on Windsor (a fast finishing Spurs). Some of the teams have a game in hand so the final picture is not yet determined especially taking into account Waimairi (Aston Villa) who might still throw a spanner in the works.
Blank was back on home turf playing Templeton on Saturday afternoon and looking to right the ship before the winter break after their last disappointing showing. A solid effort from the team that included a number of halved matches saw a well deserved 5 to 3 win. The team will return in October to recommence the search for the title having had 2 wins a, a loss, and the bye in the first four rounds.
Simon travelled to Russley on Saturday afternoon and despite a strong showing they unfortunately ended up on the wrong side of the ledger 5/3. Again the team competed well and were still in with a chance of victory going through 16 but they were just unable to close it out. Given the spirit they have exhibited to date with a little more experience they are still in with a great chance of making top 4 and finals day.
Monday, May 3, 2010
What's Happening Week of 3 May.........
Despite the belief I would be resident in Christchurch for the next couple of months I find myself having been deployed to Dunedin for the first four days of the week. Both Dunedin mediators are absent as is the support officer so I am a bit of a "Nigel no friends" surrounded by Labour Inspectors and Health & Safety Officers!!!
On the golfing front (& no I didn't bring my clubs) this Saturday we play a stroke qualifying round on handicap for the Denniston Cup . The Cup is subsequently competed for by the top 16 qualifiers in matchplay on handicap. This is another of the important individual trophies available for competition so make sure you get your name down.
Sunday sees another Mixed competition with a four ball par handicap (pairs with + - 0 applicable on each hole) for the AEG Rhodes Bowl. Tee times are from 12 noon and as usual there will be dinner to follow with an entry fee of $22.50 per player.
Hopefully the Indian summer will continue for another few weeks allowing us the opportunity to enjoy the golf course during the change of season when it is playing near its best before the winter finally descends upon us.
I will see you at Shirley if not before.
On the golfing front (& no I didn't bring my clubs) this Saturday we play a stroke qualifying round on handicap for the Denniston Cup . The Cup is subsequently competed for by the top 16 qualifiers in matchplay on handicap. This is another of the important individual trophies available for competition so make sure you get your name down.
Sunday sees another Mixed competition with a four ball par handicap (pairs with + - 0 applicable on each hole) for the AEG Rhodes Bowl. Tee times are from 12 noon and as usual there will be dinner to follow with an entry fee of $22.50 per player.
Hopefully the Indian summer will continue for another few weeks allowing us the opportunity to enjoy the golf course during the change of season when it is playing near its best before the winter finally descends upon us.
I will see you at Shirley if not before.
The Dress Code.....................
I have never regarded it as part of my brief to be the fashion police and in fact increasingly I am of the view that any form of dress code is both out dated and, excuse the pun, out moded. I am no longer sure of what comprises an acceptable standard of dress and while I previously understood such terms as "semi formal" and "smart causal" my mind now cringes when I consider how others may interpret the same.
Are we in fact deluding ourselves into believing that by formulating and incorporating a dress code we are maintaining standards, standards that are no longer accepted within wider society or in fact by us in different circumstances. I accept sole responsibility for my appearance and attire but so long as it is not indecent, immoral or offensive should anyone have the right to dictate what I wear and when I wear it.
At a time when we are seeking new and younger members are we simply erecting more barriers to membership and creating an obsolete atmosphere that no longer has appeal? Is it time we had a look at ourselves and decided what is important and what is not as we move forward? Are we too afraid to have the debate or just of the possible outcome and what that might mean in defining us?
Are we in fact deluding ourselves into believing that by formulating and incorporating a dress code we are maintaining standards, standards that are no longer accepted within wider society or in fact by us in different circumstances. I accept sole responsibility for my appearance and attire but so long as it is not indecent, immoral or offensive should anyone have the right to dictate what I wear and when I wear it.
At a time when we are seeking new and younger members are we simply erecting more barriers to membership and creating an obsolete atmosphere that no longer has appeal? Is it time we had a look at ourselves and decided what is important and what is not as we move forward? Are we too afraid to have the debate or just of the possible outcome and what that might mean in defining us?
Pollock Cup.............
Congratulations to our Women's Pollock Cup team who emerged as winners after a very close final on Sunday. In the morning the team saw off a competitive Waitikiri 4 -0 in a result that did not reflect the true nature of the tussle with all matches going to 16 or beyond. The other semi was even closer than that with Waimairi eventually emerging victors over Country in a hole countback after finishing tied 2 all.
As the gloom gathered on Sunday evening and a biting chill began to pervade the air an anxious group of supporters and spectators began to ring the 18 green. News from the course was sparse apart from it was very close with perhaps Waimairi having their nose in front. Amidst the falling darkness only two players emerged up the fairway and it was established Waimairi had won the bottom match on 17 with Dabin Kim now 1 down playing the last.
Dabin's drive had found the middle of the fairway and her approach shot put her 5 feet below the front right pin; her opponent meanwhile had chunked her second into the front right bunker and compounded the error by flopping her recovery into the second bunker; notwithstanding a subsequent good up and down for a five Dabin now had 2 putts to win the hole and half the match in what could be a crucial outcome. Her first putt charged past the hole to leave her a tricky downhill three footer coming back for par. While there was some angst amongst the assembled crowd Dabin calmly sunk the putt down the hill and into the hole for a half. The match was still alive from the Christchurch view.
Focus now reverted to the 18 tee which was almost totally obscured in the fading light and it was impossible to see the order of hitting off, then somewhat magically a ball landed in the apron of the green and rolled to the left back portion, initially it was unclear as to the origin of the arrival and everyone waited with bated breath. After what seemed an eternity Monica Tulisi calmly strode forward to line up her eagle putt - in what could only be described as adverse conditions and under extreme pressure in a final Monica had in fact driven the green! Slyvie Williams from Waimairi shot to the centre of the green for her second to leave a longish down hill birdie putt.
Monica struck a superbly weighted putt breaking left to right to leave a gimme birdie three - Slyvie calmly stepped forwarded and slotted her putt to half the hole to put the spectators into a quandary but ultimately it was clarified Monica had won the match for Christchurch 1 up having won17 unbeknownst to those watching. It had been established in the other match that it was all square - Jess Guenzerodt playing for Christchurch against Nellie Tulisi for Waimariri now held the fate of the match in their hands.
Jess had pushed her drive right behind that ever so familiar "blue" tree and was now blocked from playing to the pin and to the most part of the green. Exercising great course management Jess hit her pitch pin high to the left just off the fringe above the bunker. Nellie had slightly misjudged her approach in the bad light leaving it just short of the putting surface but with a straight uphill chip/putt. Playing a delicate chip and run out of the semi rough, downhill and across the slope, Jess landed the ball a third of the way to the hole, watched it release to the perfect distance and finish in the ideal position below the hole albeit just slightly outside the leather.
By now in almost darkness Nellie's first putt was slightly too aggressive and slid past to rest above the hole and she was still away. In the increasingly difficult conditions the return stroke lipped the cup but flipped out meaning if Jess could sink her putt she would win the match and Christchurch the Pollock Cup. Needless to say Jess was up to the task and an extremely close match finished with Christchurch just in front 2.5 to 1.5. While it was an outstanding victory and the conditions were the same for both sides it was perhaps disappointing the players had to conclude the drama in marginal conditions where visibility was clearly impaired.
Congratulations to the team Jess, Monica, Dabin and Rachel together with Pip Idour and the caddies Kate, Helen and Terry who all contributed on the day.
As the gloom gathered on Sunday evening and a biting chill began to pervade the air an anxious group of supporters and spectators began to ring the 18 green. News from the course was sparse apart from it was very close with perhaps Waimairi having their nose in front. Amidst the falling darkness only two players emerged up the fairway and it was established Waimairi had won the bottom match on 17 with Dabin Kim now 1 down playing the last.
Dabin's drive had found the middle of the fairway and her approach shot put her 5 feet below the front right pin; her opponent meanwhile had chunked her second into the front right bunker and compounded the error by flopping her recovery into the second bunker; notwithstanding a subsequent good up and down for a five Dabin now had 2 putts to win the hole and half the match in what could be a crucial outcome. Her first putt charged past the hole to leave her a tricky downhill three footer coming back for par. While there was some angst amongst the assembled crowd Dabin calmly sunk the putt down the hill and into the hole for a half. The match was still alive from the Christchurch view.
Focus now reverted to the 18 tee which was almost totally obscured in the fading light and it was impossible to see the order of hitting off, then somewhat magically a ball landed in the apron of the green and rolled to the left back portion, initially it was unclear as to the origin of the arrival and everyone waited with bated breath. After what seemed an eternity Monica Tulisi calmly strode forward to line up her eagle putt - in what could only be described as adverse conditions and under extreme pressure in a final Monica had in fact driven the green! Slyvie Williams from Waimairi shot to the centre of the green for her second to leave a longish down hill birdie putt.
Monica struck a superbly weighted putt breaking left to right to leave a gimme birdie three - Slyvie calmly stepped forwarded and slotted her putt to half the hole to put the spectators into a quandary but ultimately it was clarified Monica had won the match for Christchurch 1 up having won17 unbeknownst to those watching. It had been established in the other match that it was all square - Jess Guenzerodt playing for Christchurch against Nellie Tulisi for Waimariri now held the fate of the match in their hands.
Jess had pushed her drive right behind that ever so familiar "blue" tree and was now blocked from playing to the pin and to the most part of the green. Exercising great course management Jess hit her pitch pin high to the left just off the fringe above the bunker. Nellie had slightly misjudged her approach in the bad light leaving it just short of the putting surface but with a straight uphill chip/putt. Playing a delicate chip and run out of the semi rough, downhill and across the slope, Jess landed the ball a third of the way to the hole, watched it release to the perfect distance and finish in the ideal position below the hole albeit just slightly outside the leather.
By now in almost darkness Nellie's first putt was slightly too aggressive and slid past to rest above the hole and she was still away. In the increasingly difficult conditions the return stroke lipped the cup but flipped out meaning if Jess could sink her putt she would win the match and Christchurch the Pollock Cup. Needless to say Jess was up to the task and an extremely close match finished with Christchurch just in front 2.5 to 1.5. While it was an outstanding victory and the conditions were the same for both sides it was perhaps disappointing the players had to conclude the drama in marginal conditions where visibility was clearly impaired.
Congratulations to the team Jess, Monica, Dabin and Rachel together with Pip Idour and the caddies Kate, Helen and Terry who all contributed on the day.
The Week That Was...........
Saturday was the day for the older members of the club as those of the age of 60 or above competed for the J O Jameson Cup in a Par handicap format. As is always the situation the competition was especially close and required a countback before a winner could ber determined.
Continuing his run of good form (and costing me a bottle of Pinot Noir in the haggle) was Don Forbes with a score of +3 from Warren Glass while the well performed Jin Ho Neoh ran third with +1. Congratulations to Don who this week departs on his annual pilgrimage to follow the sun, we look forward to his return around October - a sure sign that summer will be near!
The younger members of the club amused themselves with a stableford competition over three grades. In the Seniors Joe Tiller prevailed over returning member Tim Evett by countback with 38 from another "renewed" member Guy Day on 37. We look forward to seeing Tim and Guy around the club over the coming weeks.
Following on from a strong showing in the Trowel weekend David Barley was the best of the Intermediates accumulating 37 to be in front of Patrick Guo, Dermot Martin & Raymong Liong all on 36 in that order on countback. Watch out for both Patrick and Dermot in forth coming competitions as their results have been particularly steady especially Dermot whose handicap is currently in free fall - it could well be the time he is spending on the course.
Mark Thompson was the best of the Juniors with 39 from Stewart Sinclair on 36 with club stalwart Peter Guthrey third on 35. It is great to see Peter playing more golf and in the same vein it was wonderful to see Jimmy Keegan at the Club two weeks in a row.The two's pool reached $190 for the 12 winners each receiving $15.88 each while the opening jackpot of $30 was not struck.
One of our Junior members Edward Henley (playing with his dad Mark) was the winner of the Linden Leaves sponsored prize on 18 for two. Nearest the pins were worth $20 collected by Dennis Maguire on 3 & Brownie Kirkwood on 11 (he missed the putt, obviously the broomstick isn't perfect!!). Nett Eagles pool had risen to $250 where hole 16 was drawn with Jim Glass and David Blair being the lucky recipients (N.B. Don Forbes did not put his money in!!).
In addition to fare welling Don Forbes we also said good bye to Marty Holman who is heading back to Canada and Vancouver Island. We wish Marty all the best while Patrice stays with us for a wee while longer we look forward to seeing them later in the year.
Continuing his run of good form (and costing me a bottle of Pinot Noir in the haggle) was Don Forbes with a score of +3 from Warren Glass while the well performed Jin Ho Neoh ran third with +1. Congratulations to Don who this week departs on his annual pilgrimage to follow the sun, we look forward to his return around October - a sure sign that summer will be near!
The younger members of the club amused themselves with a stableford competition over three grades. In the Seniors Joe Tiller prevailed over returning member Tim Evett by countback with 38 from another "renewed" member Guy Day on 37. We look forward to seeing Tim and Guy around the club over the coming weeks.
Following on from a strong showing in the Trowel weekend David Barley was the best of the Intermediates accumulating 37 to be in front of Patrick Guo, Dermot Martin & Raymong Liong all on 36 in that order on countback. Watch out for both Patrick and Dermot in forth coming competitions as their results have been particularly steady especially Dermot whose handicap is currently in free fall - it could well be the time he is spending on the course.
Mark Thompson was the best of the Juniors with 39 from Stewart Sinclair on 36 with club stalwart Peter Guthrey third on 35. It is great to see Peter playing more golf and in the same vein it was wonderful to see Jimmy Keegan at the Club two weeks in a row.The two's pool reached $190 for the 12 winners each receiving $15.88 each while the opening jackpot of $30 was not struck.
One of our Junior members Edward Henley (playing with his dad Mark) was the winner of the Linden Leaves sponsored prize on 18 for two. Nearest the pins were worth $20 collected by Dennis Maguire on 3 & Brownie Kirkwood on 11 (he missed the putt, obviously the broomstick isn't perfect!!). Nett Eagles pool had risen to $250 where hole 16 was drawn with Jim Glass and David Blair being the lucky recipients (N.B. Don Forbes did not put his money in!!).
In addition to fare welling Don Forbes we also said good bye to Marty Holman who is heading back to Canada and Vancouver Island. We wish Marty all the best while Patrice stays with us for a wee while longer we look forward to seeing them later in the year.
Interclub Roundup.................
Our Simon Cup team recorded their first win in a catch up match against Windsor at Windsor by the margin of 5 games to 3 on Sunday. A great effort well done to Ant Doyle and the team! Simon continues their quest with an away match against Russley scheduled for this Saturday and again we wish them all the best in what will be a close contest.
Blank is down to play Templeton at home on Saturday as they look to bounce back from their loss to Waimairi Beach. Tee off is set down from 12.30 so there may be some prior pressure on tee times so get you names down as soon as possible.
The Steve Ellis lead Metro team continue their odyssey against Coringa away at Coringa this Sunday and the selectorial panel has named a strong combination in what is now a key match. Metro currently sit in second placed ensconced on 9 points with 2 rounds to play - Coringa is at the top with 12; given the draw and and a couple of over due matches it is still possible for Metro to emerge as winners but it all hinges on a winning performance on Sunday!! Go Steve and the boys we will await the match report with eager anticipation!
Blank is down to play Templeton at home on Saturday as they look to bounce back from their loss to Waimairi Beach. Tee off is set down from 12.30 so there may be some prior pressure on tee times so get you names down as soon as possible.
The Steve Ellis lead Metro team continue their odyssey against Coringa away at Coringa this Sunday and the selectorial panel has named a strong combination in what is now a key match. Metro currently sit in second placed ensconced on 9 points with 2 rounds to play - Coringa is at the top with 12; given the draw and and a couple of over due matches it is still possible for Metro to emerge as winners but it all hinges on a winning performance on Sunday!! Go Steve and the boys we will await the match report with eager anticipation!
Thought For The Week.............
The journey of a thousand miles starts with a broken fan belt and a flat tyre.
P.S. For those of you who have read to the end you will, of course, realise the Dress Code piece was meant to be intentionally provocative and woe betide any one ventures into the clubhouse in jeans or onto the course in a tee shirt or I am still being provocative or not??
P.S. For those of you who have read to the end you will, of course, realise the Dress Code piece was meant to be intentionally provocative and woe betide any one ventures into the clubhouse in jeans or onto the course in a tee shirt or I am still being provocative or not??
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