Simon Says

Simon Cup & Sam van Hulten..................

2010-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Over the season I have reported on the progress of our very young Simon Team that has competed under the watchful eye Anthony Doyle. While we recognised this was very much a learning year we have been very impressed by the Team's commitment and progress.

The keen attitude of all the players is amply emphasised by Sam van Hulten who has been awarded the Roy Mitchell Salver for the best individual record in the competition - with 8 wins 1 half and a solitary loss. Sam also gained representative honours this year in the U19 team for Canterbury.

Given Sam's young age this all bodes well for the future. Congratualtions very well done!!

(Please note quite often Sam can be seen and around Shirley as he is assisting the Greens Staff on the Gateway Programme and over the summer vaction as one of the "causal" staff.)

Finals Day.......................

2010-11-07T18:07:00.000-08:00

This is the first of many exhortations to support the Club on Finals Day - 21 November 2010 at Waimairi Beach Golf Club 8.00am.

As previously indicated our Woodward Cup team finished second after the Round Robin and will play Waitikiri in the morning semi final. Our Blank team finished strongly to position third and will play the home team Waimairi in its semi.

Please put the date in your diary and commit to getting out in "red & black"!

Thought For The Week......................

2010-11-07T17:56:00.000-08:00

"If profanity had any influence on the flight of the ball, the game of golf would be played far better than it is!"

- Horace G. Hutchinson 1859 - 1932 English author and regarded as an authority in his time on golf and other sports. (Some things endure through the ages!! PS I am sure my golf ball has ears - Ed))

What's Happening Week of 1 November...........

2010-11-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

Inevitably as we move towards the festive season one club event tumbles into another especially as we look to finalise events prior to the course renovation programme.

This weekend looms as another busy two days around Shirley. On Saturday we host the Norton Francis Cup and the Shirley Markers Cup where we invite the country clubs to play in a fourball par teams event - plus, minus, half - format with recognition to those how finish at the head of the field and at the tail.

We have arranged for a shotgun start at 12.30pm and the entry sheet listing the Clubs is in the pro shop. For those who do not wish to participate there will be a separate shotgun start for members at 8.00am.

On Sunday the Shirley Links Golf Shop Shootout final takes place starting with 19 teeing off at 10.00am. It is likely we will be out on the course for over six hours so if you want to watch the final few holes (which are relatively quick) arrive out about early to mid afternoon. The field has been posted (check the website) and a book will operate.

Note that Tony Park as the top qualifier is the only single figure handicapper who made the cut!! Overall the breakdown is 1 Senior, 10 Intermediates and 8 Juniors who will win is any ones guess!! I wonder if we should run a sweep as to who is most likely to go out at the first??

The weekend will see fewer 'lawyers' on the Shirley fairways as they depart for the annual Devils Own tournament in Methven we wish our members all the best for the weekend both golfing and socially.

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.

It's That Time of Year...........

2010-11-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Yes it is "that time of year" again! On Monday 8 & Tuesday 9 November the course will be closed as Mark Lawson and the greens staff core and sand the greens. It is anticipated that all the work will be completed in the two days and hopefully we will mirror the quick recovery that took place during the 2009 programme.

In addition the Club will be proceeding with the renovation of the final 6 fairways - 1, 2, 4, 12, 17 & 18 - on the following Monday namely 15 November. Given that the first two holes to be completed are 1 & 18 rather than move to a progressively reduced course we will make the transition directly to nine holes.

The holes in playing order are 16, 13, 11, 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, & 15. You will note that this gives us a balance of two par three's and five's with an overall par of 36. The course will be rated for handicap purposes and we are currently clarifying tee positions but it is likely we will use two different sets and given the holes involved potentially this will provide a different aspect on the second time around. More information will follow in due course.

We recognise that these tasks,while being completed, do create a level of inconvenience for members we would ask that where possible you continue to support JB & Ant in the pro shop and Andrew & Amanda in the Clubhouse by continuing to play at Shirley whenever possible.

Under The Radar.................

2010-10-31T20:11:00.000-07:00

Over the past week there have been a couple of events that have further added to the illustrious golfing credentials of John "JB" Sanders.

Firstly JB has been selected in the New Zealand Masters Team for the Asia/Pacific competition to be held in Thailand towards the end of November. New Zealand are the defending Champions and JB was a part of that winning combination, I am sure that they will once again do the business and emerge as victors.

On a Club front when JB lined up against Waitikiri on Sunday at Russley it was his 100th appearance as a Christchurch Woodward Cup Player. This is a significant achievement in terms of Club participation and his name will be added to the "Honours Board" recording such relatively rare feats. What is also significant is that breath of time encompassing the matches played, undoubtedly had he not travelled with the National Bank so much in his career this peak would have been surmounted much earlier.

Whatever the reason JB thanks for all your efforts on behalf of the Club, I know that both now and in the past your dedication and commitment has been much appreciated!

More On Gareth..............

2010-10-31T19:55:00.000-07:00

In light of a number of requests for more information about Gareth's fund raising efforts by entering the square circle I attach the following information.

Fight for Youth Charity Boxing Night, Cowles Stadium Friday 26 November 2010 more details as to ticketing and the event view www.fightforyouth.co.nz . For information on Gareth's charity (180 Degrees Trust) please visit www.180dgrees.org.nz . Donations for the charity may be made to Gareth in person at the pro shop or via www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/garethsanders .

I am sure I reflect the views of all the members in wishing Gareth all the best for participating in this event and supporting such a worthwhile cause.

Hill Skinner Cup................

2010-10-31T17:37:00.003-07:00

The Hill Skinner Cup provides married couples the opportunity to play a round together, with the requirement of only one member, while in the company of others. I am never sure if this activity promotes or enhances marital relations or has a derisory effect, but a reasonably full field exhibited obviously keen to put their skills on show in fourball play.

Raising to the occasion Rod & Rose O'Brien came first, if only by countback, on a score of +7 from Kwan Je Cho & Hwa Ja Cho-Shin. In a head to head match up 3 couples finished simultaneously with a measured +5, uncoupling the tie was another countback so satisfying the final positions going down were Barry & Julie O'Neill, Richard & Anne Peate and Murray & Lorraine Smith.

The "Other Pairings" competition was completed by Duck Kim & Mihee Woo with an equally impressive +7, in light of legal advice the prize for hidden pairings was not awarded. On what was clearly a hard day there was only one two holed and that was entered by Murray Smith. Nearest the hole for two strokes on 18 green for Men was David Youn and for three for Women was Mihee Woo.

The Mixed Season now reaches its climax with Closing Day scheduled for Saturday 27 November 2010. The competition of the day will be a Mixed Foursome Stableford and the event is kindly sponsored by Macquarie Private Wealth represented at the Club by Simon Gilroy. Accordingly enter this date as a must attend before that orgy - of extravagance, Christmas .

The Week That Was.............

2010-10-31T17:37:00.001-07:00

A big thank-you to our sponsor for the weekend Bryan Andrews of Bryan Andrews Auctioneers who turned on a wonderful event with a separate prize table for the Morning and Afternoon fields as well as food after the round. In addition a substantial amount of money was raised for a new course mower - for grooming the green surrounds - which will be of great assistance to the greens staff particularly in respect of the holes being renovated this year.

Competition of the Day was the Arthur Donnelly Salver a Pairs Aggregate Stableford. For those of us who have toyed with the fantasy of playing in the Shirley Open it was an opportunity to pit our skills against a layout not too dissimilar to the final day playing from the Blue Tees, increasing the level of difficulty was a very strong north-easterly that took its toll on most participants morning and afternoon. The overall stableford average for the day was 26 points!!! Moral of the story - don't give up your day job as Ant only makes it look easy!!

The winner of the Salver with a score of 63 points was the pairing of Richard Blunt and Tony Park - afternoon players. Running in conjunction with the Salver was the Joe Whitaker Memorial Putting Trophy and this was won by Richard Blunt. The trophy was one of the few items damaged in the earthquake and it is currently being repaired and will be presented to Richard on Closing Day.

The Morning winners were - Ian Dobson & Richard Peate (58), Rob Aitken & Joe Tiller (57) and John & Mark Sanders (54). There were 4 two's and nearest the pins were Milson Thevenard, Martin Toon (on a lucky card draw), & Mark Thompson.

The Afternoon winners were - Richard Blunt & Tony Park, Kerry Haycock & Peter McDougall (62) and Ben Frampton & Mitchell Vincent (57). There were 4 two's and closest to the pins were Charles Whitwham (quite what Charles will do with a bottle of Pinot Noir is a matter of speculation), Peter McDougall, & Bryan Graham. Nearest the pin for two sponsored by Linden Leaves was won by Andrew Topp.

Inter Club Round Up..............

2010-10-31T16:10:00.000-07:00

Woodward Cup

The final day of round robin play was held at Russley on Sunday with only one round scheduled. There was interest focused on both ends of the table as one semi spot remained available to three possible teams and the "wooden spoon" could be visited on one of four clubs.

Our position, for finals day, was secure in that despite the outcome of playing Waitkiri we would meet them in the semis regardless. Both teams had a couple of players out but we were keen to establish a mental edge and were well rewarded with a 4 to 2 victory. Wins were posted by Jordan Bakermans at 1, Nathan Gilbert at 4, & Karl Kitchingham at 8 while Brad Clark (3) and JB Sanders (7) squared their matches.

In the race for the top spot Kaiapoi emerged as the last contender standing and will play Russley in the other semi. At the bottom Windsor will now play in the promotion relegation match in mid December. Given the competition is increased by a further team next year it is to be hoped their status will be preserved.

Blank Cup

Playing Waitikiri at home the Blank Team made no race of the match and stormed to a 7.5 to .5 win. I understand questions are being asked of Simon Yorke whose half saved manager Garry Forward from another shout.

The Blank Team is now also through to "finals day" finishing third behind Russley and Waimairi Beach. In the 2/3 semi we will play Waimariri on their home course which will be no easy task but given the performance of the team over the past two matches it is highly likely they will be in a position to reverse the outcome of the round robin competition.

Presidents

Unfortunately Presidents slow start to the season has continued on the road to Waimairi Beach where they fell to a 6/2 loss. Congratulations to Captain Dennis Doherty and Mark Sanders who posted wins to at least get us on the scoreboard.

I am sure that elusive first win, which will ignite the mid season run, is just around the corner notwithstanding matters become slightly delayed with the course renovations adversely effecting home matches.

Over 50's

It is a bit of a country circuit for the over 50's as following on from Burnham last round this week they travelled to Amberly Beach for the second round. The three counting scores belonged to Tony Park, Andrew Gillespie, and Rod Hayes. After completion of two rounds we lead the Gross competition by 5 shots from Waitikiri and are third in the Nett section.

Thought For The Week............

2010-10-31T15:55:00.001-07:00

"The ardent golfer would play Mount Everest if somebody would put a flag stick on top." - Pete Dye. golf course architect.

What's Happening Week of 26 October......................

2010-10-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is sponsored by Bryan Andrews Auctioneers with match of the day being a Pairs Aggregate Stableford for the Arthur Donnelly Salver. To make matters slightly more interesting we will be playing the Alternative Course from the Blue Tees - a chance to show you too could have played in the Shirley Open.

The field will be organised into two shotgun starts the first at 8.00am and the second at 12.30pm. Bryan Andrews has generously decided that each field will compete for its own prize table to ensure the competition is even across the differing conditions. There will be an entry fee for the day as we seek to raise monies for a new mower - more to be disclosed on the day!!

In addition the Blank Cup team will be playing its final round robin match from the first tee. This promises to be a wonderful fun-filled day so get your name down on the start sheet if you have not already done so!

Sunday sees the playing of the monthly Mixed match for the Hill Skinner Cup - a four-ball par for Husbands and Wives - please note that only one member of the pairing need be a member of the Club. We will also be running a grade for other pairings so that no one is excluded from the day. Please note the entry fee is $25 and includes a meal at the conclusion of the round.

For the first time this year it seems I will be at the match as the Woodward Team plays its final round robin match at Russley against Waitikiri. In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.

The Shirley Open.......................

2010-10-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend for the Christchurch Golf Club in all respects; the course was magnificent, the organisation ran smoothly, the weather held, and the golf was spectacular!!

Congratulations to Anthony Doyle who secured back-to-back titles and demolished the rest of the field by 11 shots posting a four round total of -14 including a course record of 63 in the second round (29 on the back 9!!). Anthony showed himself to be the complete professional with his solid exhibition of ball striking and short game but also with his demeanour on and around the course. As a Club we can be truly proud of Anthony's achievements and to some extent we bask in his reflected glory - lets go for a three-peat!

In addition two of our amateur players were also to the fore. Jess Guenzerodt birdied two of the last three holes to record an 8 over three round total and get into a sudden death play-off with last years winner Emily Perry and Sylvie Williams from Waimairi. Unfortunately Jess could not extend the play-off past the first extra hole but her performance bodes well for the future.

Our Woodward Cup captain Tom Turner had a very steady tournament and amongst a strong field posted a +5 total to finish tied for 17th overall but well within the top ten Amateurs. Unfortunately a couple of untimely doubles cost him a much higher placing. However the experience will add to his skills as he once again seeks to make the Canterbury team for the Toro inter-provincial competition.

We could not run the Shirley Open without the support of Sponsors so a big thank you to all those who made this a success especially our naming sponsor United Fisheries and our associate sponsors Placemakers, The Carlton Bar & Restaurant and the Christchurch City Council. We recognise your contribution over what has been a very difficult time for business in the Canterbury region. We also acknowledge the support of all those members who supported the club and entered a team in the Pro Am. (Yes it was won by the United Fisheries No.1 team which included yours truly and Andre Kotzikas amongst others and recorded a best nett score of 56 a mere 16 under par!!)

We must also recognise the efforts made by the greens staff who toiled tirelessly to turn out the course in its best possible condition- smooth quick greens, manicured fairways and penal rough!! Well done to Mark Lawson and his team. To our back room staff well done, I doubt the Open would have proceeded had it not been Struan Cain as he left no stone unturned in securing contributions to the tournament.

Finally a big thank you to all the volunteers, not least of all the referees, who turned out over the four days, your efforts were much appreciated by the players and was the subject of very favourable comment. Our thanks to New Zealand Golf and the NZ PGA who ensured we had a seamless operation. We now draw breath for 12 months and look to do it all again.

What's Happening With Gareth.................

2010-10-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

The more observant of you will have noticed that Gareth Sanders, from the pro shop, is a mere shadow of his former self having shed a significant amount of weight.

Gareth has put his efforts to good use partaking in the "Fight For Youth" programme to assist in raising funds for organisations interested in promoting youth based charities. Gareth nominated the 180 Degree Trust as his benefactor and although the fight has now passed he would welcome any support by way of donation to this very worthwhile cause.

For further information please speak directly to Gareth.

Saturday 16 October ..........................

2010-10-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

The Humphreys Cup is a four ball par competition and we looked for a close competition with the usual score of +8 or 9 being good enough for a win.

Well..... were we in for a surprise as two stellar rounds from Barry Fletcher & Tony McKeogh in tandem blew the field out of the water with a +14 earning them $35 each. In a respectable second with +10 were Lawrence Wong & Clifford Chan ($25 each) from Grahame Buist & Chris Richmond ($15 each) on +9. Following close behind, but no prize money, were on +8 by countback - Ron Williams & David Young, Richard Blunt & Peter Davey, and Tony Millar & David Youn.

The two's pool collected $320.00 and there were nine winners, including Bruce Cooper at 2, each receiving $35.55. An expanding jackpot climbed to $265 and was not struck. Nearest the pins were worth $45 and were paid to Brian Ronan on 3 and Dave Morrison on 11 while closest to the pin on 18 for two, sponsored by Linden Leaves, went to Gerard Osborn. Nett eagles had amassed $70 and was distributed to John Sinclair after hole 15 was drawn.

A Tip From Liz Douglas.............

2010-10-27T19:54:00.000-07:00

As you will be aware club member Liz Douglas is a former Ladies Club Champion and a long time Canterbury and New Zealand representative who currently sits on the Board of New Zealand Golf. We were fortunate to have Liz at the Club on Sunday to present the prizes for the Women's section of the Shirley Open.

During the course of the afternoon Liz dropped the following tip and no it does not relate to golf but rather to the sponsor of the weekend United Fisheries! Liz's dog, an 11 year old Boarder Collie - Brandie, suffers from arthritis and she has found that treatment with Nutri-Zing a green lipped mussel based product produced by United Fisheries has provided substantial relief and allows for a fuller more active life.

For further information on Nuri-Zing check out the United Fisheries website - www.unitedfishereis.co.nz apparently it is effective for cats as well!

Inter- Club Round Up..................

2010-10-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Woodward Cup

The trip to Coringa proved fruitful for the boys in that for the first time this season two wins were recorded albeit both by the narrowest of margins 3.5 to 2.5 with both matches going down to the wire on the last hole and the final putt.

In the morning we were drawn against newcomers Rangiora and wins were posted by Tom Turner at 1, Nathan Gilbert at 6 and Brad Clark mixed with a vital half by Jordan Bakermans who got out of the trees and then up and down from nowhere to half the hole and stay all square on the last.

In the afternoon we were pitted against an improving Clearwater side. We were again strong at the top of the order with Tom Turner and Jordan Bakermans getting us off to a healthy two up start and Nathan Gilbert was again victorious at 6 but then we seemed to falter in the middle order. The key match involved Andrew Caldwell who was in a battle that ebbed and flowed; having got back to square after 16 Andrew lost 17 to go one down. Playing the par 3 5th as the last in reply to the Clearwater player's short right tee shot Andrew went long left and when his opponent couldn't get up and down Andrew faced a 12 foot uphill right to left putt to par the hole and square the match giving us an overall win. Needless to say much, and to the relief of the assembled Christchurch team and supporters, he smacked it straight into the centre cup!

Overall this result had a huge effect on the competition. With one round to go we are now through to the finals in the "two/three semi" against Waitikiri notwithstanding we play them in the last round at Russley this Sunday in a match which although psychologically important is now of only academic interest. Well done so far but their is still the title to play for!

Simon Cup

Our Simon Cup team wound up their 2010 competition with a match against Waimairi Beach which despite their best efforts culminated in a close loss. The experience gained by the team over the season will prove to be invaluable in the years ahead and we look forward to success beginning in 2011.

Blank Cup

Check on the website for Paul Dunn's report on the latest Blank Cup victory 8 zip away at Windsor. While a finals day position is on the cards a good result against Waitikiri at Shirley on Saturday is required to put the icing on the cake.

President's

Our President's team made the short journey to Windsor for the third round of the competition but unfortunately the form of last season is yet to be reproduced! Good wins were recorded by Jim Paulsen, David Young and Shaun Xiong but the team fell 5/3 to a team that is highly competitive on their home track. Some of the home scores were a nett 64 and 2 nett 66's pretty good scoring even around Windsor.

Apology..............

2010-10-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

Generally I try to ensure the Blog accurately reflects the happenings in and around the Golf Club but unfortunately occasionally I get it wrong - let me know and I will rectify the situation asap.

Last week I recorded Peter Sim's win in the Tuson Cup was his first individual win in four years; this in fact is incorrect - his win over Tim Wilton was the first in four matches against Tim the three losses having been away at Royal Wellington once in singles and twice in foursomes.

Peter assures we that when at "home" at Shirley he is unbeaten in both foursomes and singles - apologies for impugning your form (Ed.)!!

Thought For The Week..............

2010-10-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Life is unsure: always eat your dessert first!

What's Happening Week of 11 October........

2010-10-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

We are in a busy period of usage for the course with the PARNZ Mainland Masters for 3 days this week and the Shirley Open next week, your patience with us over this time would be greatly appreciated as we strive to satisfy all needs and interests and present Shirley in its best pristine condition.

On Saturday the talking finishes and the scores count as we move to the last round of The Shirley Links Shootout. The current qualifying score is 78 so work out what you need and go and get it as there are no tomorrow's at this stage of the competition. The final is scheduled for Sunday 7 November so if you are the running diary it ahead now!! Saturday also doubles as the Humphrey's Cup a Four-ball Par match although I suspect for a number of people this will be of only secondary importance.

For those with an eye for the dollars please note that the 2's jackpot is continuing to grow and will pass $200 this weekend, nett eagles will be a new pot. A number of other club events reach their zenith this weekend the least of which is not the Top Dog final. Can the Cain/Gloury combination prevail or will the pairing of Maguire/Keen prove too strong. I am not sure that at even this late stage the TAB can separate them for the purposes of odds, the only given is that "red red wine " will be the winner on the night. Good luck to both teams!

Two of our inter club teams have critical matches this weekend as on Saturday the Blank boys visit Windsor in a must win and Woodward travels to Coringa (see below). The Board meets this week so look for the President's report on the website later in the week.

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.

The Shirley Open...............

2010-10-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

As well as being a key component of the Charles Tour the Shirley Open provides the club with the opportunity to generate a significant amount of extra income and profile so accordingly we need the support of all members in a variety of differing tasks.

We are still taking entries for the Pro/Am day for Thursday 21 October where your team of 3 will be paired with a leading pro and amateur in a best ball net competition. As with last year their will be refreshments served on the course together with your opportunity win some money at the par 3. Please see Struan for an entry form.

Once again we will be running a raffle in conjunction with the tournament and at $10 a ticket this is great value so buy up large and be in to win!! Finally we do need some volunteers to help with the smooth operation of the tournament - many thanks to all those who have offered to help so far but we still need a few more hands. Either see me or expect a phone call in the next few days.

If you doubt the power of the Shirley Open log on to www.golf.co.nz and you will see Mark Purser playing into 18 with the Clubhouse and crowd in the background - great publicity for us.

It's All About Me..............

2010-10-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

Given my recent excursions in, on and around golf courses I should in all respects have a svelte like figure. I followed last weekends marathon with 10 holes on Friday, 18 on Saturday, 14 on Sunday morning caddying for the Woodward team and then 18 on Sunday afternoon. I am drawn to the inescapable conclusion the amount of fuel - liquid and solid - consumed after these outings must be having a detrimental effect given my increasing girth. Does this seem a plausible explanation; I don't think so!! Clearly there must be some other rationale otherwise (shock horror) it would seem a summer fitness and diet regime may have to be implemented.

Speaking of which the Food Fairy made a fleeting visit last week but unfortunately "prep"had not been all it should which explains why only the 10 holes on Friday. For those interested the menu consisted of Prawn Pad Thai, a Greek Salad accompanied by pan fried peppered lamb backs, a beef ragout on pasta, with cappuccino chocolate cups & cream for dessert ( I fail to see how any of that can be fattening?!). Further information in regards recipes etc available on request.

Christchurch Does the Business..............

2010-10-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

The focal point of the weekend was firmly centred on the visit from Royal Wellington and while they were not vigorously shaken we kept them guessing with the wild fluctuations of the weather. I can say on both days we had all four seasons although not necessarily in the right order!!

As a "team" Christchurch were seeking redemption from what can best described as an ordinary performance on tour last year after both trophies were left in Wellington. While the Tuson Cup had retained it size of 8 the Clubs had agreed to expand the Veteran Salver to 16 twice the previous size but slightly less than those of the centennial celebrations.

Tuson Cup

In the top 'match' Saturday was committed to a fourball competition from the Blue Tees off the stick and by days end the struggle was delicately poised 2.5 to 1.5 in our favour. Good wins were recorded by the pairings of Peter Sim/Simon Yorke and Peter MacDougall/Charles Whitwham while Bruce Taylor/Nic fry secured a well earned half.

Financial specialist (aka accountant) and captain Charles Whitwham had massaged the figures and concluded a 4/4 split in the individuals would see the team home. Concerns were raised by team members that Charles looked more like Cory Pavin than Colin Montgomery but undeterred he defiantly posted his playing order the night before and dared Royal Wellington to do their worst. I suspect the team were helped by the timely arrival of the southerly at midday on Sunday but for what ever reason the team scaled great heights!

Wins were posted by Nic Fry, Peter Sim (beating Tim Wilton for the first time after losing to him three times away in Wellington once in singles, twice in foursomes - not his first individual win in four years as originally printed!!)Mark Dunn, Paul Dunn and Peter MacDougall however unfortunately after leading most of the way Charles got run down in the home straight although given his slight stature he was probably lucky to retain both feet on the ground given the gale that was blowing!

All in all a 7.5 to 4.5 win to Christchurch and the Tuson Cup now safely ensconced in our trophy cabinet.

Veterans Salver

After the success of the centennial celebrations it was decided to expand the numbers in the Veterans Salver to give more people the opportunity to play the event. In total Christchurch fielded 6 new caps after absences and unavailability's were taken into account. Having been responsible for selection I passed over what I believed to be a winning combination to Peter Guthery to allow him to formulate the pairings for the fourball.

Traditionally Royal Wellington has dominated this match but as twilight settled on Shirley at the conclusion of Day 1 Christchurch had established an early 5/3 advantage. The winning duo's were Bryan Andrews/Peter Law, Peter Guthery/Ben Frampton, David Blair /Grahame Buist, Andrew Hopkins/Dave Morrison and David Wallace/Simon Fraser. Keeping his cards close to his chest Peter Guthery refused to reveal his individual playing order until Sunday morning which appeared to be a "cunning plan".

In an inspiring team talk Peter emphasised we needed just 7.5 points from a possible 16 to secure a well deserved, albeit rare, Salver victory. Needless to say the team rallied with wins being posted by David Wallace, Bryan Andrews, Dave Morrison, John Dickson, Andrew Hopkins, Steve Hicks, Glenn Keen, Grahame Buist, and Simon Fraser with three others Peter Law, Peter Guthery, Ben Frampton finishing all square. In total a win in the individuals 10.5 to 5.5 and a convincing scoreline of 15.5 to 8.5 in the overall standings - another piece of silverware now residing in Christchurch.

Other Matters

Spare a thought for Royal Wellington player Brian Kane who came and played consistent golf from an 11 handicap unfortunately on Saturday in the fourball I played the back nine in 35 off the stick to a secure a win and then on Sunday he drew Steve Hicks who posted a 36 off the stick to secure another win - rolled bowled and rissoled. As Mr JD would say "There are no easy games at Christchurch Golf Club. Cry a river, build a bridge and just get over it!".

It would not be an inter club event if there was not at least one Peter Guthery story - on Saturday Peter posted the Veterans fourball playing order on the Tuson Cup Sheet under their pairings apparently bemused by the existence of the 8 required spaces clearly without his glasses he couldn't read the 6 cm high print that clearly said Tuson, or reasoned that Tuson would have 8 players on Sunday, or observed the different coloured and prominently marked Veterans Salver sheet pinned to the board next to it. Thank you to Struan for remedying the error while we were out on the course.

But more was to follow immediately prior to tee time on Sunday panic ensued amongst the few remaining waiting players as Peter announced he had "lost" his wallet. The golf bag was searched, the locker room was searched, the jacket was searched, the locked car in the car park was searched, the car relocked and then the wallet located perched on the roof of the car - Peter's comment "Wasn't it lucky I hadn't driven off". Charles Whitwham's enigmatic response "Peter, clearly you have been attending too many meetings and not doing enough work!!"

Many thanks to everyone who made the weekend a great success but in particular to David Page who manned the Pagoda both days in spite the of all climatic conditions, Amanda and Andrew who together with their staff kept us all well fed and lubricated during the weekend, Mark and his team for presenting the course in perfect order and for the work of the staff at the Proshop and of course Struan for all the admin.

Next year our goal will be an away win hopefully with an increased margin.

Members Invitation Day - 9 October

2010-10-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

A full field took to the Alternate Course on Saturday in a Pairs Aggregate Stableford for the Members Invitation Day. Once again the scoring was of the highest calibre and we may have to look to growing the rough and narrowing the fairways to bring some semblance of order to the otherwise outrageous results.

Regular golf seems to agree with Toby Giles as he posted 40 points ably assisted by Bentley Seeto - 39 points (79 total) to collect $40 each. Geoff Baldwin 37 & Kevin McSoriley 38 were in second with 75 points and $30 each. On countback and receiving $20 with 73 points were Richard Blunt (38) and John Edwards (35) bad luck to Jim Paulsen (38) & Bruce Johnston (35) who missed out on a collect.

The two's pool was $283 and the 15 winners each received $18.86 the jackpot of $195 was not struck and carries forward. Nearest to the pins were worth $50 and won by Andrew Hopkins on 3 (normal 11) and Philip Hong on 12 (normal 3). Mike Kirkland struck it lucky and picked up $125 for nett eagles on 11, the normal 2. Please note I birdied the same and on the Alternate layout received a shot unfortunately I "forgot" to put in my money given I was playing in the Wellington match (bugger)!!! Simon Yorke was nearest to the pin on 18 for 2 sponsored by Linden Leaves.

Woodward Cup...............

2010-10-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

A solid weekend but no 'gold watch' as the Woody team continued to place itself under pressure as the final rounds draw neigh.

Under a changed playing schedule we drew Avondale on their home track and given they "dealt" to us in the Shirdale match this was never going to be an easy game. Liam Cumberpatch produced his best form to dispatch Avondale stalwart Murray Turnbull 6/5 while Jordan Bakermans beat the Christchurch Club champion Richard Reed 3/2. The other win was recorded by Brad Clark and Andrew Caldwell got up for a vital half.

In the afternoon Waimariri Beach were the opposition but for the third time in the season the match ended in a half - three all. At the top of the order wins were recorded by Tom Turner at 1 and Jordan Bakermans at 2, continuing his good morning form Brad Clark posted another victory but unfortunately we could not scrap together another half point.

The team is now tied for third but fourth on games with its destiny still very much in its own hands. In a quick turn around the team travels to Coringa next Sunday to play two vital matches first against Rangiora and then in the afternoon Clearwater who are just a head of us on the table. Two wins are critical to gain momentum going into the final round against Waitkiri at Russley. Given our game score we need to make every post a winner!!

I am sure the Team would appreciate any support members could provide over the weekend!!

Thought For The Week...................

2010-10-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

Slightly more philosophical this week:

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy" - Martin Luther King (Jr.)

What's Happening Week of 4 October............

2010-10-06T02:09:00.000-07:00

We are moving into a busy period on and off the course so there is hardly time to draw breath!!

This Saturday we are once again playing the Alternate Course so we can accommodate the visit from Royal Wellington with a two tee start. The Tuson Cup is contested with an eight man team off the Blue Tees while the Veteran's Salver has an expanded/reduced team of 16. Currently both trophies are held by Wellington and we will be looking to redress that balance over the weekend.

Fourballs on Saturday and Individual on Sunday, in between much eating and drinking. In a break with tradition Royal Wellington do not arrive until Saturday morning so we will be unable to rely on the normal "travel" sickness that seems to stem from a Friday start! As well as Charles Whitwham and Peter Guthery having their teams fired up we plan to open the Pagoda to beguile the visitors on the way round and with the Alternate course some may get lost!!

Saturday sees Members Invitation Day where you can invite a guest to play at no cost - membership application forms will be available at the conclusion of the round just ask Struan!! Please note the field looks pretty full so if you have not got your name down do so as soon as possible.

Our Over 50's team start there 2010/11 quest on Sunday at Burnham, Woodward is at Avondale, Blank has been postponed and Simon was brought forward! Next week we have the PARNZ Mainland Masters and the following week the Shirley Open. The Volunteer list will be out this weekend together with the raffle so expect to be approached.

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before!

A Bit Like a Professional...............

2010-10-06T01:56:00.000-07:00

It seemed like a very long weekend: on Friday afternoon I played 9 holes after work with a friend visiting from Canada. NB her sub for a nine hole course playable for 8 months of the year was a"steal" at $1200 plus an entry fee, plus a clubhouse charge!!

On Saturday 18 holes in the Teams Bamboozle Stableford, Sunday travelling to Timaru 11 holes foursome then 18 individual both going the full distance. Monday saw a day's annual leave to play in the Amicus Golf Day through the kind offices of Andrew Sloane. A total of 72 holes in 4 days and no wonder my little legs were tired.

On Monday I managed 40 points to finish third and receive an Installer Services (Dean Corry) sponsored prize of a Caron Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kit. It is very impressive and after Dean programmed it I think I may be able to get it to work!!

The Orbell Cup & Centennial Salver.............

2010-10-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if it is just that time of the year or as a result of the earthquake but our members seem to be fleeing the City. A big thank you to all those who made themselves available to travel to Timaru your support was greatly appreciated, we were actually 1 woman short but Grace Cowan from Timaru stepped up to fill the gap so we were a group of 31 traveling south.

We were greeted at Level's by a fine calm day, a course in challenging condition and what looked to be a highly competitive Timaru combination dedicated to regaining both trophies. The morning was designated as Mixed Foursomes played over 11 holes. In the top competition we went to lunch at four all well pleased with victories to Russell Fildes & Sue Townsend, Struan Cain & Olwyn Rae, Tony Park & Alison McMillan and Rod Hayes & Linda Sumner. We were not so lucky in the Salver being on the wrong side of a 6.5 to 1.5 scoreline - well done to Tony McKeogh & Rose O'Brien who secured our only win and a great putt on 18 from my partner Robyn Fletcher secured a half in a match that looked to have slipped away!!

It was all to play for in the afternoon. The bottom order of the Orbell Cup men's contingent peformed admirably to secure 4.5 points with wins to Tony Park, Charles Whitwham, Rod Hayes and Joe Tiller with a half to Chris Richmond. However the Timaru Women proved too strong on their home track and only Sandra Standage supported by Alison McMillan were able to post wins in the afternoon and the Orbell Cup moved residence on a 13.5 to 10.5 score.

Worse was in store for the Salver players as we received what can only be described as a whipping 17 to 7 with only 5.5 points from a possible 16. Well done to Grahame Buist, Russell Standage, Tony McKeogh, Janet Osborn and our import Grace Cowan the half was secured by yours truly when my opponent imploded on the final two holes.

After the match we were treated to some true South Canterbury hospitality with a sumptuous four course meal at the very reasonable price of $25. It was a weary group that headed north in the early evening. A big thank you to Alison McMillan who provided transport in a mini van for a number of the female participants. Revenge for next year is already on the drawing board.

Saturday 2 October................

2010-10-06T00:53:00.000-07:00

The next best thing to foursomes to test a friendship is a Teams Bamboozle Stableford especially if you all play bad golf on the same hole!! Well maybe multiplied stableford is worse but only just?

The team of Ian & Jack MacDonald with Dermot Martin and Milson Thevenard emerged as the winners with 124 points and were rewarded with $20 each. Second on 121 and $15 each were Barry Fletcher, Stu Kemp, Vaughan McMillan & Tony McKeogh close behind in third $10 each on 120 were Phil Loughnan, Mark Shearer, John Sinclair, & David Young. In fourth by countback also on 120 were Clifford Chan, Raymond Liong, Jin Ho Neoh and Lawrence Wong.

It was a good day to score a two as there were only 3 sharing a pool of $240 at $80 each. The nearest the pins were Shaun Xiong on 3 ($35) and David Wallace on 11 ($35) but neither could convert. The jackpot was not struck and $130 carries forward. Net eagles was not struck and at least $60 will be at stake on Saturday. In an otherwise forgettable day Brian Ronan shot his lights out, lost moneyin the haggle, collected a two and did win the Linden Leaves sponsored prize for closest to the pin on 18 x 2.

Some Random Thoughts...........

2010-10-06T00:37:00.000-07:00

Often we don't know what we've got till its gone. It was a strange experience to be in the Kaiapoi Recovery Assistance Centre drinking bottled water labelled "Fiji Natural Artesian Water".

Unique cellphone rings can provide a topic of conversation but in open plan offices like the Recovery Centres they soon become very wearing when they are the only means of agencies speaking with their staff. I quickly became a fan of "silent vibrate" mode.

I am aware that diverse parts of the city have been adversely effected by the earthquake but this is especially so of the part I call my local village - Colombo Street between Kilmore & Peterborough. My early morning coffee shop Underground has temporarily closed as it is rebuilt along with the organic cafe the Orange Tree next door. The Scottish Shop has moved to New Regent Street while I see that the Kitchen Shop is also on the move. Metro while open has its veranda held up by scaffolding

Johnson's the grocer closed briefly but much to my relief has now reopened along with the Cake Tin but a couple of the other eating houses have not been so lucky. I suspect it will be a long time before this precinct regains its previous atmosphere - in the interim I now have a much longer morning walk for my fix (Victoria Street).

Canterbury Matchplay Champion.............

2010-10-06T00:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Jordan Bakerman's who won the Canterbury Matchplay title held at Shirley over the weekend and is a good match for the Women's Provincial title earlier won by Jess Guenzerodt.

It was perhaps unfortunate Jordan met the other Christchurch entrant Andrew Caldwell in the semi. The match was exceptionally close that went to the 20th with some great golf - both players birdied the final three holes for halves!

This close competition bodes well for the coming Woodward rounds where we are sure both Jordan and Andrew will come to the fore. Congratulations also to Tom Turner who made the cut at the Taranaki Open and has been rewarded with a place in the 8 man Canterbury team for the Quadrangular Tournament. I am sure with their performances both Jordan and Andrew are in the frame if not at this stage the team!

Saturday 25 September 2010...........

2010-10-06T00:11:00.000-07:00

Every now and then there is a round that catches the eye unfortunately in a Pairs competition so often your partner fails to deliver. Not so in the PP Hall Trophy Tom Maling's 44 points was well supported by Phil Loughnan with 35 and good enough to be clear winners and collect $20 each.

In second place on a combined 74 by countback ($15 each) were Shane Gloury 40 points and Toby Giles 34 from Tony Park 42 points (even par) and Shaun Xiong 32 ($10 each) in fourth close behind but no cigar were Tony McKeogh 40 & Grahame Buist 32 for an even 72. Tom Maling's run continued with nett eagles on 7 ($70) and one of the 11 two's winners sharing the pool of $250 at $22.75.

Special mention to Takahiro Koyama who aced 3 and was accordingly closest to the pin ($35), Brian Adams was closest on 11 another $35. Meanwhile in another good showing Leon Thom was nearest to the pin on 18 for 2 sponsored by Linden Leaves. All in all it was another great round for the Shirley Links Shootout and the qualifying score continued to climb!!

Those Tourists in North America..................

2010-10-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

By way of brief update we were unsuccessful in holding the Shirley Trophy away at Claremont but for a full rundown of that match and the Tour in general both Glenn Bongartz and Dave Robinson have posted items on the website. Suffice to say it sounds a wonderful trip!!

Inter Club Round Up............

2010-10-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Blank Cup: Captain/ Manager Paul Dunn has posted separately a wonderful report of the match against Russley on the Website so I suggest you head there for further information. Unfortunately we were not victorious but not for want of trying.

Presidents: A slow start to the season with a second loss, to Russley again - 4.5 to 3.5. Good wins were recorded by Jin Ho Neoh, Jim Paulsen, and John MacVicar while the ever consistent Jeff Gray got up for a half. Better luck at Windsor on the 17 October.

Simon Cup: Simon slipped in two rounds a win at home against Waitikiri and a loss away to Coringa. Ant Doyle has posted full reports on the website for those who wish to follow in more depth the efforts of this talented group!

Woodward Cup................

2010-10-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 26 September the team travelled to Clearwater for two rounds of Woodward Cup. The course was in good order although it was a pity that the greens had undergone coring in the recent past.

The morning round saw an excellent win over Templeton 5.5 to 0.5 with the whole team showing strength and commitment especially as three games went down 18. A special thanks to Karl Kitchingham who answered an SOS and secured a great win over an old rival Peter Fox.

The afternoon round saw a titanic struggle against Coringa where fortunes ebbed and flowed for the whole match. Standing on 18 tee we were tied 2 games each with the top pairing both all square - a chance to win, lose, or half. I think it would be a fair summation to say both Tom Turner and Jordan Bakermans chopped it up the last but in the end good recovery shots ensured a half on both games and the match. A very well deserved point when it looked all maybe lost.

This Sunday we make an unscheduled stop at Avondale after Waitikiri became unavailable due to a double coring. In the morning round we play Waimariri Beach and in the afternoon Waitikiri so it is another big day! Currently having had the bye we are in third place with Waitikiri in second and Russley leading the field. A solid effort will do much towards our push for a place on finals day! Good luck to the team any support would be greatly appreciated!!

Thought For The Week.........

2010-09-26T16:06:00.001-07:00

An earthquake theme - sort of:

What happens if you get scared half to death twice.

What's Happening This Week................

2010-09-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

This week is a bit of a mix and match for me as I have been deployed as a Department of Labour representative in the cross government agency Recovery Assistance Centres. I spent last Thursday at Central City and then Friday at New Brighton. Monday sees me at Kaiapoi and on Tuesday I move closer to home by being stationed at Linwood. On Wednesday I have a days special leave and I have been assured by Steve Ellis there will be a place for me in the Wednesday group.

In golfing terms matters now heat up until early December so I have a reasonably full calendar. This Saturday match of the day is a Pairs Aggregate Stableford for the PP Hall Trophy doubling as Round 14 of the Shirley Links Shootout. Our Simon team plays a catch up match against Waitikiri at Shirley so the Men's field closes at 12.24. Already the field is filling up so book in as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. I am the afternoon starter so make sure you get to the tee on time!!

On Sunday our Woodward Cup team journeys to Clearwater to play Templeton in the morning and Coringa in the afternoon. This is an important day in the context of the competition and two wins will put us in a position to press for qualification in one of the two top positions for finals day.

The following week we travel to Timaru for the Orbell Cup match and there are still a few vacancies especially for Women players. If you know of anyone interested please give me a call.

The second weekend in October sees Royal Wellington arrive for the Tuson match and then we are into such things as the Mainland Masters closely followed by the Shirley Open. At this stage we are planning to core the greens on the week of 8 November and the fairway project will begin on the week of 15 November. Just before then we have the final of the Shirley Links Shootout and the Norton Francis - don't blink or you will miss something!!!

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before!

On Tour......................

2010-09-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

This Friday a contingent of 8 under the direction and leadership of Dave Robinson heads to San Francisco to visit former club member Chris Woodward at the Claremont Golf Club. Two years ago Chris's group made a visit to Christchurch on their New Zealand odyssey and this is the reciprocal trip. We currently hold the Shirley Trophy and confidently expect it to return with the team.

The group plans to play Roddy Ranch on Saturday and then I am told there is the possibility of a mystery match on the Monday after Claremont on the Sunday. While different members of the party have separate agendas a number of them are then heading north of the boarder to Canada where they will catch up with Marty Holman and Patrice and play Royal Colwood and Victoria before heading back to Vancouver and some more golf at the weekend.

Effectively it is a hit and run affair with most of the team being back in New Zealand in nine days - Monday week!! To Dave, Rex, Tracey, Glenn, Grant, Keith, Bruce and Ahmad all the best have an awesome time and do not forget we expect a report for the blog/web site.

Odd Spots...................

2010-09-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago a group of members made the trek to Hanmer for the annual 54 hole tournament. Unfortunately no one made it to the podium but the weekend was not without incident!!

Paul "special" Needs had been allocated only one task - when he arrived - namely to turn on the hot water cylinder. Having located the switch he swears he turned it on but it appears he pushed it the wrong way as Rod O'Brien and the others found out the following morning when confronted with an exceptionally cold shower!!

At the same residence Grant Osborn was in charge of cooking Saturday morning breakfast which I understand was of top quality however the diners may have preferred the sausages and hash browns to be only the plate rather than left under the grill from whence they were rescued just before the smoke alarm kicked in in a distinctly blackened state.

The Shirley Open..............

2010-09-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

We are fast approaching that time of the year when we host the Shirley Open over Labour weekend 22 - 25 October 2010. This is a showcase event for the Club and provides us with not only an opportunity publicise our course but also raise funds from the associated activities.

At this stage we are looking for support in three areas - firstly in the pro-am event which will be held on Thursday 21 October so if you wish to enter a team please speak with either myself or Struan.

As always the succes or otherwise of the tournement depends on the organisation which in turn is dependant upon the voluntary assistence that is provided by Club members. If you are available to help out over the weekend please drop me a line. The whole team is looking forward to the return of "Scoreboard Steve" hooked up and reporting from his post in the distant outside paddock!

Finally due to a last minute withdrawal we are seeking some "associate sponsors" with some very flexible packages available if you are interested please speak to either Struan, myself or Ken Fergus.

Islington Cup.............

2010-09-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday saw a slightly smaller than normal mixed field line up for the Islington Cup - a teams best ball stroke event. This year we were very lucky to have the support of Little India Bistro and Tandoor as sponsors and we thank Sukhi Gill and Jose Pallippat for their contribution not only to the prize table but also in providing "A Taste of India" for the aftermatch meal (a Rojan Josh Lamb, a Butter Chicken and a Spiced Vegetarian served with basmati rice).

With a nett 55 the successful team was Tony & Annette McKeogh, Vaughan McMillan and Linda Sumner. In second place was the team of Richard & Rosemary McElrea and Peter & Kathryn Phelan on nett 59 - they completed the front 9 in a nett 24 but faded somewhat on the homeward 9. Bruce & Ruth Cooper accompanied by Shaun & Cher Xiong were third on nett 60 just one ahead of the Gillespies - Andrew & Robyn and the Richmonds - Chris & Helen on nett 61 (at the front of the field they finished in 3 hours 40!!)

The individual prizes fell as follows; two's were recorded by Linda Sumner and Dodge Healey - 3 balls each while Tony Park was closest to the pin for two for men and Terry Cain secured the women's prize being nearest for three.

The next Mixed event is the Hill Skinner Cup for Husbands and Wives a four-ball par on Sunday 31 October. Please note only one of the pairing need be a member of the Club so it is a chance for you to show your spouse Shirley at near its best if your partner plays somewhere else. In an inclusive spirit there will be a section for"other pairings".

The Week That Was.............

2010-09-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

The good scoring of a week ago was mirrored in the second round of the War Memorial Cup on Saturday no doubt helped by the clement weather conditions. In fact I was joined by Simon Yorke and Mark Dunn in baring my legs to the spring sunshine, here's hoping for a long hot summer. And yes along with a number of others I used the nor'west to good advantage and drove over the creek on 17.

Once again the leading score came from the ranks of the Juniors with Michael Kirkland ($50) crafting a round of 64 to be 8 shots ahead of his nearest grade rival, Rob Aitken ($30) 72 on countback from Jin Ho Neoh($10) with Grant Mitchell and John Sinclair on the same score. Peter Sim ($50) was first in the seniors with a 70 closely followed by Chris Richmond ($30) on 71 by countback from Tony Park ($10).

Club stalwart Ian Dobson ($50) was the winning Intermediate on 71 on countback from Ross Campbell with a plethora of players on 72 Mark Sanders ($10), Vaughan McMillan, Cowan Leckie, and Brian Adams. The two's pool was $220 and was well distributed with 17 winners each collecting $12.95. Making his return debut to Shirley after a European sojourn was Ray Vivian who collected the jackpot for 2x2 only $70 this week.

Nearest the pins were worth $40 and picked up by Bryan Andrews (no.3) and Brian Tyro (no.11). Nearest the pin on 18 for two sponsored by Linden Leaves was captured by Bruce Taylor. In what was a good weekend for Mike Kirkland he was fortunate enough to have 18 drawn for nett eagles and was the only candidate taking away $140.

Mike's good luck continued as he was the winner of the War Memorial Cup with a nett score of 138 over the two rounds. The top eight scores qualify for the Borthwick Vase - matchplay on handicap, the cut off point was 144 on countback (even par - not too bad) participants will be notified.

President's Grade Round 1...............

2010-09-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

Presidents finished the 09/10 season with a rush compiling a run of seven unbeaten games, hopes were high that this form would flow over into the 10/11 competition especially as the first round was at home against Everglades.

Unfortunately this was not to happen and the team suffered a severe early setback being on the wrong side of a 6/2 scoreline. Congratulations to Jin Ho Neoh and Jeff Gray who secured the only wins I am sure the Team will rally for its next match against Russley away on 3 October.

Thought For The Week............

2010-09-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

Real golfers don't cry lining up their fourth putt!!! (Speaking from experience!!!)

Two Weeks On...............

2010-09-16T01:55:00.000-07:00

I have and still am procrastinating in the production of this blog on the basis I do not yet know how to express my perceptions and feelings to the events of 4 September in a coherent manner but recognising that to say nothing would be inappropriate.

"The quake" has affected Cantabrians in many differing ways and perhaps it is the indiscriminate and random nature of the consequences that have been hardest to comprehend. While most of us have emerged relatively unscathed the damage to property across the City has been both comprehensive and widespread; recovery and rebuilding will take time, healing of the spirit while well underway may take slightly longer.

Our thoughts go out to those who have not been so fortunate especially to Simon Robinson, who was badly injured, and to his family at this difficult time. Thankfully we are able to say there was no loss of life but I am reasonably sure this was due in a large part to good fortune - as they say of nearly all things "Timing is everything".

While most of us harboured concerns as to the stability of the Clubhouse and its chimneys at this stage no significant damage is evident but for safety reasons and as apreventative action one chimney will come down, in a similar vein the course appears untouched. Both facts give pause for thought given the destruction that took place in close proximity to our locale, just ask Peter Davey whose business premises were destroyed or those in the streets off New Brighton Road.

Notwithstanding the losses that have been suffered I am drawn to the inescapable conclusion we were and all are very very lucky!!

What's Happening This Week...........

2010-09-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we tee it up for the second round of the War Memorial Cup so once again it is a stroke round. The top eight qualify for the Borthwick Vase matchplay on handicap. The clock in timing system seemed to work well last week notwithstanding the small field so we will be continuing the trial in the interim. The field looks very full so this should provide us with a better opportunity so ascertain its success or otherwise. I will be out marshalling in the morning before teeing off just after 11.00 (a chance to see how the middle of the field travels!!).

This Sunday sees the next in our schedule of Mixed events with the Islington Cup a Teams Best Ball Stroke Nett. The day is being sponsored by Little India Bistro & Tandoor who in addition to providing the prize table will be the caterers of the day with a Taste of India - the next in our series of different cuisines. The entry fee is the same great value as normal of $22.50. Entries are being taken at the pro shop so get your names down as soon as possible!!

No more stroke events for a while - promise!

Orbell Cup.......

2010-09-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Our Annual Mixed Match against Timaru is scheduled for Sunday 3 October, away at Levels. If you were not in the team last year and if I have not spoken to you already if and you are interested in playing please drop me an email as a matter of urgency. In the absence of a suitable response especially in respect of female participants expect phone calls!!

Saturday 11 September............

2010-09-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing other than earthquake to get the nerves jangling it is a stroke round!! Saturday saw the first of 2 rounds for the War Memorial Cup and qualifying for the Borthwick Vase. Match of the day was stroke three grades.

The Juniors lead the way with Ian Matthews ($30) recording the low round of the day with 64 one ahead of David Blair ($20) on 65 with Clifford Chan on 70. Good rounds were also posted by Stewart Sinclair and Jim Glass with 70's. Scoring was just as competitive in the Intermediates where Brian Tyro ($30) was out in front with 68 closely followed by Richard Blunt ($20) on 69 by countback from Tony Millar, Steve Hicks, Ross Campbell, & Leon Thom. It was great to see Leon back on the course playing so well after his recent health problems.

Garry Forward ($30) headed the Seniors with 69 from Ken Fregus ($20) on 70 with Tony Park 71 and a host of players on 72 - Bruce Taylor, Henry Pearson, & Edward Henley. Wonderful to see good scores from two young players Henry & Edward.

The twos pool grew to $276 which is just as well given there were 24 winners each recouping just $11.50. The jackpot topped out at $500 and was split between Ken Fergus and a young Simon Cup player Sam van Hulten. A $70 jackpot carries forward for the nett eagles. Ending the week on a positive note Peter Davey put his second in the hole on 18 to collect the Linden Leaves prize.

Good luck in the coming week as stroke round 2 commences.

Wednesday Winner............

2010-09-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

The winner of the August Wednesday compeition, Ross Campbell, submitted the following contribution.

If you've the time & space,you might include a big thank-you in your blog to Amanda & her team for our wonderful luncheon on Sunday 5 September.

I was joined by my Wed golfing buddy, Richard McIntosh and our wives for a quite memorable dining experience in the Sir Bob Charles Long Room. Richard & I played a leisurely 9 holes am to sharpen the appetite, and were joined by Sue & Madeline at the appointed hour. Bubbles to greet, a wonderful rich tomato soup & croutons to start, followed by herb-crusted rack of lamb, accompanied by a very good Waipara Pinot Noir.

Between the sunshine, good company,panoramic vista of golfers playing up the 18th, all thoughts of the earthquake were well and truly set aside by the time the chocalate roll & boysenberries arrived. Coffee to finish, then a reluctant exit back to reality.

Thank you Amanda & Andrew for your Wed sponsorship; we are very extremely fortunate to have caterers of your personal & professional calibre.

Fathers & Sons / Mothers & Daughters................

2010-09-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Since moving the date of this fixture to September, to coincide with Father's Day, there has been a growth of numbers participating and only a few withdrew on the day.

The competition was pairs best ball stableford. In the Mothers & Daughters Bowl section Janet Osborn and mother-in-law Jan retained their title with Janet collecting the longest drive and Jan nearest to the pin. In the Other Pairings group long time member Colin Caldwell playing with his son-in-law Gareth James were successful with 36 points narrowly heading off Michael Kerr partnered by his granddaughter Emilie Batt.

Considerable interest focused on the Father & Son competition and there was a wide spread of ages and abilities ensuring a very close competition would ensue. In the end a countback was required to separate the two top combinations with Andrew Sloane and son Alex being the eventual winners with 45 points the same number as Grant and Gerard Osborn as runners up. Close behind in third were Dodge and Danny Healy on 44 just ahead of Dean & Don Corry on 43.

George Sim won the longest drive for a Son with a shot that was only just short of green on 18 and making it a family affair, father Peter was closest to the pin for 2 on 18. The players were all greeted with a fish and chip dinner when they entered the Clubhouse which seemed the perfect way to end the day. We look forward to an expanded event in 2011 and are already considering ways in which to improve the event and make it more enjoyable.

Saturday 4 September

2010-09-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

Given the course and clubhouse had suffered little or no damage it was decided that the Saturday competition would proceed albeit on a reduced scale. While there were understandably a number of withdrawals in the morning a fairly full field turned out in the afternoon.

The competition was reduced to Stableford one grade and Grant Osborn ($30) compiled a healthy 40 points to be the winner one point ahead of Stewart Sinclair ($15) on countback from Toby Giles ($10). Only two twos were recorded each worth $42.50 each, well done JB Sanders & Ross Campbell. The jackpot was not struck.

Nearest the pins were collected by Steve Ellis on 3 ($20) and Ross Campbell on 11 ($20). Nett eagles had climbed to $375 and Steve Ellis after insisting that as a visitor Jan Osborn drew the number he was rewarded when number 14 was picked out and he was the only winner - a shout did follow. Gerard Osborn was the recipient of the Linden Leaves sponsored prize on 18 being closest for two.

Inter Club Round Up............

2010-09-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

Blank and Simon Cup matches were postponed due to the earthquake aftermath and will be rescheduled at a later time.

The second round of Woodward was a week later so on Sunday the competition descended on Shirley. In line with current policy as the home club we had a bye in the morning and then we were drawn against Kaiapoi for the afternoon round. Kaiapoi have been a consistent high performer since entering the competition in their own right three seasons ago and promised no easy match especially after falling to Russley 3.5 to 2.5 in the morning when realistically they could have squeaked out with a half.

Using home course advantage to its fullest the team emerged as a 4/2 victor. Nathan Gilbert returned to form with a vengeance posting a 7/6 win to get us on the board early. Brad Clark put the disappointments of Templeton behind him and secured a 5/3 success. Andrew Caldwell, a new, young, left handed member showed admirable patience and persistence to come from behind and win one up playing 8 as the last.

At the top of the order Tom Turner had moved to a three up lead but two birdies by the opposition on the par fives, 4 & 5, left him 1 up with three to play and the momentum threatening to change. Showing that he is at his best when scrambling Tom got up and down for par on the last three holes to ensure that there was no late Kaiapoi comeback. Well done to all of the team it was a good albeit much needed result.

The next round takes place at Clearwater and promises to pose its own challenges given the greens have just been cored!

Top Dog Finalists Found..................

2010-09-13T22:58:00.000-07:00

Both semi finals turned out, as expected, to be close tussles. In the first semi Dennis Maguire & Glenn Keen prevailed over the Sanders brothers - John & Kim 1 up. A week later Shane Gloury & Struan Cain managed to head off the two Marks - Dunn & Fiebig by the same score.

So in the coming month there will be a clash of the titans and the odds look pretty even at this stage no doubt form and handicaps in the next few weeks will be closely scrutinised. I expect the sledging will be heavy and the side bet to involve more than one bottle of red!!

Thought For The Week................

2010-09-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

Dance, Sing, Floss, and Travel!!!!!

What's Happening Week of 30 August.........

2010-08-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

A number of our club matchplay competitions have a timeline expiring on Sunday of this week. The Campbell Cup first round matches are to be completed as is the fourth round of the Page Trophy - please check the draw so that you are not in default!!

Getting to the business end of the top dog competition interest now focuses on the semi finals also due by Sunday. Dennis Maguire and Glenn Keen take on the Sanders brothers John and Kim in what will no doubt be a hard fought encounter with where the shots fall perhaps being crucial. Meanwhile Struan Cain & Shane Gloury are pitted against the pairing of Mark Dunn and Mark Fiebig although Mark Dunn may well be playing on his own.

For us lesser mortals Round 13 of the Shirley Links Shootout beckons with a Stableford three grades on the side - to qualify it looks like you will need 77 points - I feel a 40 coming on (Yeah right!!)??

Sunday 5 September is not only Father's day but also Fathers & Sons and Mothers & Daughters Golf Day at the Christchurch Golf Club! Competition of the day is Four-ball Best Ball Stableford from No.1 Tee commencing 12 noon.

Matches include: Fathers & Sons Cup (one of the pairing to be a member), Mothers & Daughters Bowl (any member either mother, daughter, daughter-in-law or grand daughter may play with a mother, daughter, daughter-in-law or grand mother/daughter who is not a member). Other Pairings are Father & Daughter, Mother & Son etc and non-handicappers.

The Entry Fee: $20 per pair includes a light meal after golf. What a great way to spend Fathers Day - put your name down at the pro-shop as soon as possible!!

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before!

Shirwater Trophy...............

2010-08-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

Some things are better left unsaid!! In recent times we have generally been on the receiving end of losses in this inter club competition with Clearwater and Saturday turned out to be no different!!

A group of nearly 50 made the journey but were distinctly lacking when it came time to hand out the prizes. In the Women's section there were 6 possibilities but we failed to feature. In the Men's section we did at least get on the board thanks to Guy Hargreaves who was runner up but the other 11 placings all went Clearwater's way.

Needless to say we were well and truly dealt to for the Trophy where the average of top 75% of Clearwater players was 2 stablefords ahead of us. Unfortunately we have been hampered by playing away on the last four occasions so we look forward to getting them on our home track soon!! It was also interesting to note that a large number of their Woodward cup players were in the field and scored particularly well.

There was however one redeeming factor for the Christchurch contingent namely Ant Doyle who shot a great 64 from the white tees - 7 birdies, 1 eagle and only 1 bogey - playing off a +2 handicap recording 42 points. Be it ever my shame I was unable to back him up and we lost the bragging rights in the "Captain's Match". That said much to my chagrin I believe I was out maneuvered on the tee when Barry Johnson stipulated the match to be on second ball counts where the hole is halved with the first ball - methinks he has seen me putt before!!

Well Done...............

2010-08-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

I think it is important that we recognise and celebrate the successes of our members in competitions outside the Club.

Our course was closed at the weekend for the Canterbury Women's Provincial Matchplay Championship so it was fitting that it was won by Christchurch club member Jessica Guenzerodt who defeated Sylvie Williams in the final 3&1 after being taken to the 21st in the semi by Katrina Manaena from Nelson. The competition is a marathon involving two stroke qualifying rounds on Friday and then two matchplay rounds on each of Saturday & Sunday. Given the number of out of town players visiting this was a very good result for Jess and continues the run of good form she has shown in all competitions in the 2010 season.

It is perhaps because of this good form that Jess has been selected along with Dabin Kim in the Canterbury Women's team to travel to Ashburton this weekend to play against Aorangi South Canterbury. Good luck to the both of you!

Not to be left behind congratulations to Tom Turner who has also been selected in the Canterbury Men's team to play Aorangi South Canterbury at the same venue on Sunday. In addition Jordan Bakermans and Sam van Hulten have been selected to play for the u19 team. A really good effort and just reward for some hard work and practice!!

Inter Club Update...............

2010-08-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

This week the Blank Cup competition restarts with our team drawn to play Russley at Russley not perhaps the easiest of starts but we wish Paul Dunn and the rest of the team all the best!!

Simon is scheduled to play Waitkiri at Shirley looking to build on their earlier successes. With Waitikiri situated below them on the table this is a good chance for our young team to establish some superiority and gain a valuable 2 points. Anthony has set the boys some clear goals as the season moves to a conclusion and a victory here will set the stage for the final two rounds.

Woodward cup kicked off on Sunday and it was perhaps a less than auspicious start by the team. In the morning round against Windsor we emerged with a half - 3 games each. Good wins were recorded by Tom Turner and Andrew Caldwell while Liam Cumberpatch held his nerve to beat Ben McMillan 2 up having to play the full 18.

In the afternoon we played last year's winners Russley in what was expected to be a tight tussle. The final score of 5 -1 to Russley did not accurately reflect the closeness of the match but in the end points on the board count. Making a guest appearance (more may be on the cards) Peter McDougall recorded our only win at two but both Tom Turner & Liam Cumberpatch were unlucky to lose 1 down to birdies on the last while Andrew Caldwell put up a stout defence before succumbing 3&1.

With the relatively short nature of the competition the team will look to turn matters around with next scheduled stop being Shirley on the 12 September. unfortunately we have drawn the bye in the morning and early leaders Kaiapoi in the afternoon so it will be a tough day at the office.

September sees the playing of the Junior Teams Foursomes where we have entered two teams of 4. This Sunday we travel to Weedons for Candian Foursomes, followed the next week by Foursomes at Kaiapoi. In October American Foursomes are held at Russley before finishing at Greendale with a 4 ball better ball. All the matches are based on stableford scoring so we are anticipating some good results!! Reports will of course be posted.

Jackpots Continue to Grow.........

2010-08-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

For those of you motivated by money reference should be had to the current state of the Saturday Jackpots - the 2x2 pool currently stands at $400 likely to go close to $500 while the Nett eagles opens at $350. Clearly it will be worthwhile to arrive early and put in some extra practice this Saturday before hitting off!!

G.E. Rhodes Cup..........

2010-08-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

The Mixed event of Sunday 22 August took the form of a Foursomes Flag Match but unfortunately for the groups playing behind the flags were only a blur on the far horizon as the three eventual prize winners were amongst those first or almost first off.

In what turned out to be a close battle Grant Mitchell and Sue Brown finally emerged as narrow victors with their last shot ending 15 paces from the pin on the 19th a mere 2 paces closer than Grahame Buist and Jude Gould. Not so far behind were previous winners Sue & Joe Mullins who were by the right hand side bunker on the 19th. While a few other pairs did tee off up 19 no one could surpass these early efforts.

Nearest the pin on 18 for two was collected by Tony Park and Vivian Kim but two's were a real rarity with Chris and Helen Richmond the only pair to record a deuce. The day finished with a meal styled "A Taste of Korea" with the food being provided by Charles Lee from the Four Seasons in Bishopdale Courts. Given this was an experiment to be more adventuresome in the after match food it was well received and we will look to do a similar format, but different taste, in the future.

The next Mixed Match is the Islington Cup sponsored by Little India Bistro & Tandoor a Teams Best Ball Nett with a multi tee start from 12.30pm.

Saturday 21 August..............

2010-08-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

The competition of the day was Stableford three grades with it also being Round 12 of the shootout. As in the preceding weeks scoring was of a high calibre with the pressure going on to qualify for the shootout given there are only a few rounds left.

Best score of the day was posted by Allan Masters ($40) with 41 points in the Junior grade from John Fogarty close behind with 40 ($20) and Stewart Sinclair 39 ($10). The Intermediates also pushed the boundaries with Nick Sekeris 40 points ($40) in first place followed Brent Musgrave ($20) on countback from Gary Hooper ($10) with 38.

Peter McDougall ($40) played solid golf to record 38 points and lead in the Seniors heading off Edward Henley ($20) on 37 from Paul Vercoe ($10) on 36. The 2's pool was $230 and there were 10 winners making $23 each the jackpot was not struck. Nearest the pins collected $45 with Brent Musgrave on 3 and Dodge Healy on 11.

Nearest the pin on 18 for 2 sponsored by Linden Leaves was taken home by Brad Clark while for the second week in a row hole 10 was drawn out in the nett eagles again with no winners!!

Venturing South............

2010-08-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

My trip to Timaru was brief in the extreme highlighted by some extremely indifferent coffee. Down on Monday afternoon and back on Thursday morning, in between times four mediations. Despite throwing the clubs in the car there was neither time nor conducive climatic conditions to playing a round.

I am of the belief that the Purple Lizard has changed ownership as the coffee was not of its previous high standard and the Rocky Road was absent from the food cabinet!! This necessitated the addition of extra yardage to make it to Ballantynes where the coffee is made from Underground beans and of a much better standard. However it seemed to me that perhaps I am gullible because $4.50 for a large long Black does seem excessive even by Christchurch standards!!

The week finished with two mediations in Christchurch as our office was hit with an attack of the flu - in a rare feat I managed to settle 6 from 6 to at least boost the otherwise dismal August figures.

Thought For The Week.................

2010-08-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.

What's Happening Week of 16 August.............

2010-08-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

This week I am making a fleeting visit to Timaru with 4 mediations in 2 days so I suspect there will be insufficient time for any golfing interlude given the early hour at which darkness falls but you never know!!

The pressure to qualify for the Shirley Links Shootout continues with Round 12 of 16 taking place on Saturday with a Stableford competition 3 grades in place. Currently there are 23 players on 76 or better with 7 tied on 76 so you are going to have too post a good score soon to break into the field! The field will be baulked out by the "Mighty Metro Men"who are having their end of season get together culminating in a late lunch sponsored by the fines collected during the year.

While we may be unable to compete with the rewards of professional golf a cutting edge is entering into Saturday competitions as the jackpots have continued to grow after the last few weeks. The 2's jackpot is now in excess of $325 while the nett eagles is over $275 - you have to be in to win so pay up and get out and sink those putts!!!

Sunday sees this month's Mixed Match the G.E. Rhodes Cup a foursomes Flag Match played in sixes from No.1 tee starting at 11.30. As usual the entry fee will qualify you for not only the match of the day but also the meal afterwards. In a new initiative we have designated the night as a "Taste of Korea" with guest chef Charles Lee. Explanations of the food and customs of Korean cuisine will be provided during the course of the meal. Please support the Club and caterers with this new experiment and we may expand on it during the year with the tastes of other nations.

Shirley hosts the Canterbury Women's Provincial Championships on the 27, 28, & 29 August so the course will be closed on those days. On Saturday 28 a number of members (total yet to be confirmed) will travel to Clearwater an entry sheet will be at the proshop so get your names down as soon as possible at the weekend. If we have excessive numbers we will attempt to arrange reciprocals with some other clubs. More information will follow.

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.

Bouquets and Brickbats..........

2010-08-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

Bouquets - to the first groups on Saturday who all completed the round in well under 4 hours. We know you can do so let us do it again this week - it is a state of mind!!!

Brickbats - to those members who still refuse to repair their pitch marks on greens. Our greens are currently wintering over well and standing up to the heavy rainfall but they are very soft so almost every approach will leave a pitch mark! Just fix them - no excuses!!!

The Woodward Cup Squad..............

2010-08-16T23:35:00.000-07:00

The Woodward Cup squad for the 2010 season was announced on Saturday and is Tom Turner, Jordan Bakermans, Nathan Gilbert, Brad Clark, Liam Cumberpatch and new club member Andrew Caldwell. Manager Brian Ronan has indicated that with the reduced team size he will call on club members on an as required basis should replacements be needed at any stage.

Having won the competition in '08 and been runners up last year we are looking for another strong showing this year. Club support plays an integral part of success and in particular we are looking for caddies for the early rounds. If you are available and would like to help even if only on a limited schedule please speak either directly to Brian or me.

To the team, all the best for the first round at Templeton on 29 August.

All Stars Match..............

2010-08-16T23:12:00.000-07:00

As part of their build up for the Woodward Cup our team fronted up, on Saturday, to play the All Stars to gain some much needed match play competition. We are grateful to the All Stars who gave up their time to play especially the professionals Carl Brooking and Craig Mitchell but also club members Bruce Taylor, Ken Fergus, JB Sanders, and Karl Kitchingham.

For the record good wins were recorded by Tom Turner at 1 and Jordan Bakermans at 2 both being well under par off the blue tees 69 & 66 respectively. Liam Cumberpatch showed good composure to hold on to win 1 up while the other team members are better for the blow out. All-in-all a tied match although the All Stars are claiming a moral victory on the basis of holes won.

A further warm up match has been arranged against the Blank team at Waimairi Beach this Sunday.

Help Please.................

2010-08-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

While there are times when circumstances arise preventing us making it to the tee it would be a great help if as a matter of courtesy you call the proshop as soon as possible so changes can be made to the start sheet. At this time of the year with booking pressure a gap can usually be filled if we have some notice so please help us out.

It would also be helpful if having made a booking to remember the time or alternatively either come early or check and while we on the matter try to ensure your name does not get put down more than once!!

The Week That Was............

2010-08-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Despite gloomy weather predictions and it being exceptionally chilly on the tee at 8.15am Saturday turned out to be a reasonably benign day on which to pursue the golf ball. Notwithstanding the winter conditions and the course playing long a feast of good scores were posted.

Of interest to one of our members, Neil Ockwell, whose health does not allow him to visit as much as previously will be the result of the Sams Cup (we look forward to catching up with you soon Neil). I think it fair to say Dave Morrison ($40) blitzed the field with the best round of the day, for left or right handers, accumulating 42 points and being 7 clear of the next finisher Michael Ambrose on 35 ($25) on countback from Niven Boyle.

Also recording a good score, not that far behind Dave, was Richard McElrea ($40) leading the Juniors home with 41 points while Graham Clark (showing continuing good form - $25) won the countback on 40 points from Graham Panckhurst and Philip Annan - guest of brother Marcus. The high level of stableford points was maintained in the Intermediates with Ben "Iron man" Frampton ($40) notching up 40 points to be in front of Shane Gloury (second on countback $25), David Robinson (making a guest appearance in intermediates???) , Mr JD, and Mark Sanders all on 39.

New member Paul Vercoe ($40) has quickly become accustomed to the course carding 39 points to head the Seniors from Dave Clark ($25) on 37 and Rod O'Brien (whose handicap is continuing to plummet) on 36. The two's pool collected $260 but there were 17 winners (subject to audit) so a return of $15 may be expected. The jackpot was not struck while closest to the pins returned $40 to Simon Yorke (3) and Michael Ambrose (11).

Nett eagles continue to carry forward after Sue Mullins drew out 10 which was unclaimed. Nearest the pin on 18 for two sponsored by Linden Leaves was Dave Clark.

Thought For The Week.............

2010-08-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

No I have not lost my mind - it is backed up on tape somewhere!!

What's Happening in the Week of 9 August..........

2010-08-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

Methinks, perhaps, a few quiet moments in which to draw breath before we begin the hurly burly that marks the forewarning of the change of seasons - Winter to Spring!! For those who stand to the right of the ball Saturday places you in the spotlight with the Sam's Cup for left-handers - the question to be answered is does Peter Guthery count given he putts with a left handed putter (or is it lucky he is now sunning himself in Australia - or where is Don Forbes)??

For the rest of us mere mortals it is stableford three grades and Round 11 of the Shirley Links Shootout - and yes before you ask if you are a left-hander your round does still qualify for the Shootout as well as the Sams Cup. If asked I am sure the proshop will extend a set of left handed clubs (at no charge) to any right-hander who feels disadvantaged and wants to play (so long as you play the full 18) - I seem to recall Ben Fulton doing something similar a few years ago!!

The inter club season draws ever nearer with our Woodward Cup team scheduled to play the All Stars team this Saturday in a warm up match off the blue tees. Making appearances for the All Stars are Carl Brooking, Craig Mitchell, JB Sanders, Karl Kitchingham and Bruce Taylor - all indicators point to a tight match an update will follow next week.

The first round of the Woodward competition is scheduled for the 29 August at Templeton. Meanwhile the Blank competition kicks back into life on the 4 September when our team plays Russley at Russley. In regards our Simon team see further down for a brief update or alternatively speak with Ant who will provide all the low down!

Looking ahead towards the end of August we host the Canterbury Women's Provincial Championship on Friday 27, Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 so the course will be closed. In line with our practice in recent years we will play the second of our matches with Clearwater at Clearwater on the 28th - watch this space and others for further details as the date approaches. While marking events in your dairy please note the next mixed match is the 22 August while Sunday 5 September (Father's Day) hosts Fathers & Sons / Mothers & Daughters - again further information will follow. For those will a busy social calendar you might want to mark the Orbell Cup away at Timaru on Sunday 3 October any one who wishes to play, in addition to those of last year, please speak with me.

The Board has its usual monthly meeting this Wednesday so look for the President's report on the Club Website later in the week for an update of where general matters are situated.

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before!!

Royal Queensland...............

2010-08-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

RQ, to those in the know, had requested that the Queensbury Trophy (Queens-land & Canter-bury) be moved to coincide with the Bledisloe Cup challenge so accordingly on Saturday a team of 10 (only Bryan Andrews and myself carried forward) under the leadership and direction of David Robinson lined up to try and wrest the prize from the Aussie hands.

After a welcoming brunch a four-ball best ball was put into action with some old scores to be settled. It appeared that the competition would be fierce and we were not disappointed. By days end however Christchurch held a slight 3/2 advantage. Rod O'Brien (71 off the stick - on a 5 handicap) and Bryan Andrews(79 off the stick with a 16 handicap) set the early pace and posted our first win. My pairing followed closely behind with Geoff Brodie shooting an 83 (off 16) his second best round ever and my 84 (off 14) paling into insignificance by comparison. Rounding out our success was the Paddy Helmore/Andrew Gillespie pairing who came back strongly after being down early. It was definitely all on in the individuals on Sunday!

At the rugby, during the evening, some tough talking took place between the teams and RQ seemed quietly confident but alas they had not counted on our secret weapon the weather!! Despite a spending spurge at the pro-shop I am not sure the RQ team was ready for the effects of a Christchurch Southerly especially after what seemed to be a hard night!! A hastily organised course inspection together with a review of the rain radar prompted the organisers to reduce the round to the inside paddock with 11 holes.

Paddy Helmore and I lead the charge and subsequently exited the 18 green all square after both being 1 down with 2 to play. The next pairing brought bad news with 2 wins to RQ and one of the other matches firmly in their favour matters were becoming distinctly sticky. However Chris Richmond snuck in a win to right the ship and then our bottom four of Andrew Gillespie, Andrew Sloane, Geoff Brodie and Bryan Andrews came home solid with 4 wins so all in all a comprehensive win to Christchurch albeit on our home track with the weather gods ranged against RQ!!

A late lunch of mushroom soup, a chicken breast and fruit salad brandy snap basket provided a sustaining repast to build up the energy stores depleted by the adverse conditions - many thanks to Andrew, Amanda and their team as they did a terrific all weekend!! Next year sees our team travel to Brisbane and with Bledisloe fixture also there it may be a larger than usual grouping - watch out Australia.

The Bledisloe Cup ..........................

2010-08-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

Aside from the battle to take place at AMI on the morrow, Friday saw Royal Wellington, Royal Auckland, Royal Queensland, Royal Sydney, The Australian, and ourselves gather at Shirley to establish trans-Tasman golfing supremacy. Rounding out the field but unable to compete for the major trophies were an invited composite team from Indrooroopilly and a local (but star studded) Barbarians unit. Each four is mixed so you get to play with people from other clubs rather than your own team mates.

The competition is stableford based, with 5 scores out of the 8 man team counting for the overall total combined score. Apart from the inevitable bragging rights three trophies are up for competition, with the major prize being best club. The outside invitees put up a sensational showing with Indrooroopilly heading the list while the Barbaas were very close behind after some outstanding individual scores. Given both sides were ineligible to win the first of the six regular contenders was Royal Sydney on 179 points from Royal Auckland in second.

Suffice to say Christchurch (164) failed to exploit home town advantage and finished well down the order but ahead of Royal Wellington who held up the bottom of the table. Our best score was Charles Whitwham with 36 points but unfortunately no one else chimed in - the team selection policy may have to be reviewed. The Bledisloe Trophy for the best country calculated by the top 15 scores from Australia and New Zealand was won by Australia (an inquiry into handicaps may have to take place!!).

The final prize is for the lowest score on the day and is the Geoffrey Fusion Hartigan Trophy which this year was captured by Graeme Kershaw from Royal Wellington with 21 points (he scored 9 points in the last three holes to even scramble to 21). In past years two Christchurch players have been the recipients of this dubious honour but on that my lips are sealed.

We played the Alternate Course to allow for a two tee start and nobody seemed to get lost; at the front of the field my grouping was round in 4 hrs.10 mins which was slightly quicker than the group teeing off 10 where Charles Whitwham was the trailblazer. After the golf a formal dinner (salmon followed by lamb shanks and creme brulee for afters) and prize giving was held in the Clubhouse with Reg Garters providing the entertainment by way of a solo performance incorporating speech, humour and song which was very well received by all present.

This event provided an opportunity for the Club to showcase its wares to a hugely influential audience and it is fair to say we were well above the bar from the condition of the course, to the excellence of the catering and to the efficiency of the organisation - all feedback was extremely complimentary and advanced our cause of being one of the leading New Zealand Golf Clubs. The day was highlighted by the convivial spirit that was generated by the players which added to the enjoyment of the occasion. Next year the match travels to Royal Queensland at the end of August and no doubt tales will follow the players home.

A Knotty Problem..............

2010-08-08T18:27:00.000-07:00

Very occasionally I tend to veer off at tangents for what seems to be no apparent reason, I suspect now is one of these times! Having raised "the dress code" in previous weeks my perceptions now appear to have become more acute and need expressing.

Having trodden the streets of Wellington and Auckland in recent months as well as Christchurch and in addition visited those metropolitan hot spots of Timaru & Greymouth: I have noted a distinct predilection for males to have dispensed with the "neck tie" instead favouring the open collar look both in formal and semi formal attire.

I have often wondered what demented sole inflicted this hideous accessory on men, one which I have endured for the greater part of my life - 12 years at school, 18 years of legal practice & nearly 10 years in the Public Service - is redemption near at hand? But then more questions arise: -
Given the ever increasing girth of my neck will I now be able to squeeze another years wear out of my shirts or will they still look too tight??
What will I now do with that box taking up a huge space in my wardrobe holding numerous ties so carefully hoarded waiting for fashion to turn full circle?? (Shock horror I suspect Stephanie will make me throw them out!!)
And how will I express my individuality now one of few socially acceptable dimensions for men has disappeared - socks, shoes, belts, underpants?
Should the Club have invested in a new style and stock of ties?? Can we write them off the balance sheet in one year or do they depreciate over a longer period of time and are there any tax implications?
With ties disappearing why is it the fashion guru's have now decreed it is time for the cuff link to return?? P.S. How do you get double cuffs clean - talk about a dirt trap!! (they also clunk in the washing machine and why do you only lose one!!)

Is it time for the club to have a bad taste tie day??

This, on top of everything else, it is a wonder I sleep at night at all!!

The Week That Was..................

2010-08-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Belying the predicted weather patterns Saturday turned out to be an ideal day for golf and this reflected in the scoring. A special thanks to President Ken Fergus who ''marshalled" all day and ensured an appropriate pace of play was maintained.

Competition of the Day was for the Watson Cup (four-ball par) and for the first time the winners receive a monetary payout which I have included in brackets. In first place were Clifford Chan & Lawerence Wong ($50 each) on a score of plus ten - very well done!!! Plus 9 was a popular amongst the also rans with places decided by countback; in second were Grant & Gerard Osborn ($20 each) in third were Frank Garthwaite & Keith Love ($10 each) from Raymond Liong & Shaun Xiong and Glenn Keen & Brian Nixey in that order (all the glory but no money). On a separate note congratulations to Grant Osborn who broke 80 for the first time!

The two's pool accumulated $230 with 16 winners each getting $14.40. The two's jackpot was not struck and now stands at $275. Closest to the pins on 3 & 11 were worth $40 and collected by Andrew Fergus and David Isaac neither of whom managed to secure the subsequent putt thereby missing out on the two's! Keith Love was nearest to the pin on 18 for two and received the Linden Leaves prize. In a day when jackpots carried forward nett eagles advanced to $225.

Our Simon Cup team secured a close win over Harewood 4.5 to 3.5, for those who want more detail Ant will be posting a full report shortly. The Team next takes the track against Waitikiri on the 4 September at Shirley. With only three rounds to go the team is looking for a strong finish and this will be helped by the fact two of the matches are home fixtures.

Thought For The Week.................

2010-08-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

There is a great need for sarcasm font.

It's All About Me.............

2010-08-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

It has been with some trepidation that I have sat down (finally) to pen this edition of the Blog and I am keenly aware that some little time has passed since cyber-space was cluttered with my random musings. July somehow seemed to pass in a blur despite all good intentions the creative juices seemed to dissipate prior to reaching the finger tips as they reached to hammer the keyboard.

In part I can reflect on the lousy weather, the quiet before the storm in and around the Club, Struan being away and the particularly unspectacular month of work. Apart from signing off my annual WOF with an insitu mediation I also completed that wonderful process known to those in the Department as a P4O (performing for outcomes - essentially a performance review) which involves dredging through your memory for something you achieved that was significant - in my case no easy task!! It was my worst month for achieved settlements in the near ten years I have been doing the job which resulted in some deep reflective practice.

Apart from that I took some extra accrued annual leave due to a mistake made in allocation by the Department. In a period of 8 days I played 7 times including enjoyable rounds with the mid week men and the Wednesday boys although I did lose a Page Trophy match. The Food Fairy made a fleeting visit for a Luncheon and has now gone into hibernation until October.

From now until the end of November the "pace of play" increases meaning more news worthy items will be occurring. In terms of that well worn phrase from School Report time - "I promise to do better next term!!""

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.

Busy Weekend...................

2010-08-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

The Club plays host to a number of events this weekend - on Friday the Bledisloe Cup competition takes place with teams from Royal Auckland, Royal Wellington, Royal Queensland, Royal Sydney, and the Metropolitan; the balance of the field being made up by way of a Barbarians team and a team based around Indooroopilly. The teams stableford competition is followed by a formal dinner in the Club House.

Saturday and Sunday sees the playing of our match against Royal Queensland for the Queensbury Trophy in a matchplay format. The Trophy is not currently resident at Shirley so we will be looking to remedy that defect by the end of the weekend. On Saturday evening the entertainment is centred on the Rugby with all the teams heading to AMI Stadium to a corporate box so there should not be too many players around after the close of play!!

Hosting these events will place some pressure both on the course, the pro-shop and the Club House facilities so please be aware of the situation should delays occur for any reason. I am sure we will make our guests, even the Australians, very welcome. Remember fostering relationships such as these can pay dividends when you wish to have the odd round overseas!! Full reports will follow in due course.

Match of the Day is the Watson Cup a four-ball par competition so scoring is the best of the pair on a plus, minus or half basis. At the end of the field we will have the Simon Cup team playing against Harewood in what is a key match for our young team - hopefully everyone will be in before dark!!! We had anticipated using the alternate course but given the wet underfoot conditions will will use the traditional layout.

A Couple of Changes...........

2010-08-03T02:59:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned over the past few weeks 'match of the day' fees will increase on Saturday to $8 to allow for a slightly increased 2's pool and prize money for the lucky winners of the weekly competition being deposited directly to your pro-shop account rather than golf balls. If you have been a winner recently check with Struan to collect any outstanding balls.

In a effort to once again speed up play the Committee, assisted by the Board and other interested club members, will be carrying out further marshalling duties in the afternoon. Last Saturday the first five groups were round in either under or on four hours (well done) so the slippage is occurring later in the field!!

Coffee In Wellington.............

2010-08-03T02:41:00.000-07:00

It now seems some time ago but the fleeting overnight visit to the Capital did allow some time to sample the local brews.

I am still of the belief that the best coffee in Wellington is to be had at Astoria on Lambton Quay but of an equal standard was Gasoline on the Terrace at the top of Woodward Street - it also has the advantage of being just downstairs from the Wellington DoL Office - either is well worthwhile.

Proving I am just a hick from the South I got skinned at lunch time when Wishbone relieved me of $11.25 for a cup of coffee and a chicken, brie and cranberry sandwich. I was still shaking my head as I boarded the plane later that evening - definitely worth a miss!!

Mixed Event..............

2010-08-03T02:30:00.000-07:00

The latest Mixed event was held on Sunday 11 July and included partners and spouses of members who may belong to other clubs. Format of the day was an Irish Stableford which seemed to be a very popular choice of competition.

With a very respectable 87 points the winners were Matthew & Louise Glubb and David & Victoria Moore, close behind on 86 followed Richard & Nina Acland accompanied by Graham & Maxine Inglis with Andrew & Robyn Gillespie joined by Helen & Chris Richmond in third.

In what must have been difficult conditions no two's were struck but Andrew Gillespie and Mihee Woo won closest to the pin on 18. The next Mixed match is scheduled for the 22 August and is a Flag Match for the G.E.Rhodes Cup played in sixes from no.1 tee commencing at 11.30am. As usual the entry fee will entitle you to a meal at the conclusion of the round.

What's Been Happening..............

2010-08-03T01:53:00.000-07:00

Given July has passed with the blog being silent here are the edited highlights - apologies to those whose names I have inadvertently omitted!

June 26 Pairs Aggregate Stableford: Andre Kotzikas & Nick Sekeris - 74 from Clifford Chan & Lawerence Wong 71. The two's jackpot was struck with Mike Ambrose & Steve Ellis receiving $17.50 each.

July 3 Irish Stableford: Grant Adamson, Mike Ambrose, Phil Loughnan & Joe Tiller 97 points from Liam Cumberpatch, Steve Hicks, Glenn Keen, Peter Wardell on 92. The two's jackpot was struck again with each of the three winners getting $11.65 each (wow!!).

July 10 Foursomes: Otago Salver best gross Brad Clark & Adian Millar 73, Rod Hayes & Tony Millar 77, and John & Kim Sanders 82. Old Friends Trophy best nett Graham Clark & Ahmed Hosseini67, Peter Davey & David Youn (c/b) 70, from Ross Campbell & Dennis Doherty.

July 17 Stableford 3 Grades: Senior Hiroshi Naka 43, G Sanders 39, Liam Cumberpatch 39; Intermediates Ross Campbell 40, Steve Hicks 39, Dave Barley 37; Juniors`Mike Ambrose 43, A Masters 41, Bob Zhuang 38. Peter Sim struck nett eagles on 9 worth $170.

July 24 Greensome Two Stroke: W.P.Anderson Cup Simon Fraser (moi) & Barry O'Neill nett 66, from Rob Maxwell & Neil Bradley 69 (c/b) from Jim Paulsen & Richard Reed. Qualifiers for the Campbell Cup will be notified in due course.

July 31 Multiplied Team Stablefords: With a score of 377 including 5 no scores was the team of Rob Smith, Mark & Edward Henley and Phil Loughnan, second the team of Grant Osborn, Chris Brockett, Peter Sim and new member Mark Shearing on 316.

Here ends the lesson!!

Thought For The Week............

2010-08-03T01:50:00.000-07:00

Bankers' hours: That part of the day when it is too hot to play golf!

Thought For The Month..............

2010-06-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

My Reality Check bounced!!

What's Happening Week of 21 June............

2010-06-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

It is with some relief that we note the passing of the shortest day and look forward to daylight growing longer over the next few weeks hopefully with more sunshine and less rain!! As you will appreciate the deluge of precipitation that has fallen over the last 4 -6 weeks has well and truly soaked the course and we now need the opportunity for it to dry out so all members can obtain the benefit of access and playing. Thank you for your patience to those who have been worst effected it has been greatly appreciated especially by the greens staff.

This Saturday sees a return to Round 7 of the Shirley Links Shootout with a Stableford 3 Grade competition in place. While there is still considerable time left for qualifying it is interesting to review progress so far and estimate the cut off. Given the number of good scores already lodged I suspect we will be looking at 75 or 76 as a minimum so you had better put your best foot forward as soon as possible.

The Mid-Winter International is scheduled for this Sunday 27 June with a shotgun start at 11.00am with the team competition by way of a bamboozle - best three of four scores on each hole counting. The field is nearly full to capacity so see David Robinson for International team entries and Bryan Graham for Kiwi teams urgently. As usual there will be a meal following the round where no doubt tall tales will be told even after the winners are crowned.

The Men's Committee meets this Wednesday and I will report back any items of interest next week. I think it fair to say slow play will once again be high on the agenda. We will also be looking at the forth coming inter club and international events that are looming large on the horizon.

On a sadder note members will have noted the passing of Harry Wagstaff and I am sure that the Club will support me as I pass on our sympathy and condolences to Ian, Tui and their sons after what has been a long struggle with illness.

Care of the Course.............

2010-06-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

I know that this is a perennial problem and I am probably preaching to the converted but please replace & sand divots, and repair any pitch marks on the greens especially during this period of wet weather when both these issues are more prevalent. To this end it would also be very helpful, to me in particular, if bunkers were appropriately raked after incursions into the sand.

In a similar vein an effort to uplift and deposit rubbish as it appears around the course would greatly enhance the ascetic qualities of the environment in which we partake our game!

The Week That Was................

2010-06-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well I predicted that a score of +9 would be needed to be competitive in Saturday's match of the day The Dominion Cup a four-ball par event, the only fly in the ointment was given the unseasonably mild conditions it might not be enough!

However as anticipated, at least by me, it was bang on the mark. Bringing home the field on that score were Dennis Doherty and Mark Henley on countback from Bill Abrams and Matthew Glubb. Close behind in third on +8 were John Carthy and Murray Smith while one further back again on countback were Marcus Annan and David Isaac in fourth from Raymond Liong & Jin Ho Neoh in fifth.

While not a fan of the "par" competition it does have the advantage of being a quick game provided you pick up after the hole has been won or lost without the necessity of having to putt out. Unfortunately my impression is that most of field ignore this option and seek to finish placing in question the efficacy of such a game during the winter months.

In a smallish field the 2's pool was only $150 but correspondingly there were only 4 collects each receiving $37.50 with Bruce Taylor snaring the jackpot of $250 for 2x2. Making it a good day for Bruce he was also closest to the pin on 3 - $25 while David Barley added to his tally by another $25 for being closest at 11.

Nearest the pin on 18 for two sponsored by Linden Leaves was Paul Dunn and in a week where we had a new starting pot for nett eagles hole 11 was drawn and not struck so $50 carries forward to next week.

It's All About Me...................

2010-06-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

As often happens the proposed/possible mediation for last Friday fell out meaning I was able to return from Greymouth on Thursday afternoon with a record of 4 from 4, all grist to the mill with the end of the financial year approaching and settlement rates being calculated. I am still of the view The Smelting House Cafe supplies the best coffee fix, in and around Greymouth, but Robert Harris further down on the other side of the street provides an acceptable alternative (if you have another view please let me know as I am always open to persuasion). I have a flying visit to Wellington in a couple of weeks and it will be interesting to see how the coffee compares (I doubt there will be time for golf!).

Congratulations or commiserations ought to be extended to Stephanie as by a feat of magnificent endurance and patience or on the other hand plain stupidity she has managed to hold the title of "The Girlfriend" for a period of 12 months (as at Saturday 19 June). The next year will bring a further renewed commitment to...........golf (for the both of us)!

Sometimes you just do not realise how busy things are until you come out the other end. On the family front it has simply been all go. My son Taidhg, in his last year at College, has just completed appearing in the joint St Margret's production of Sound of Music cast as Captain von Trapp. It was an impressive staging of the musical and I was a very proud Dad given his performance.

As some of you may know my daughter, who lives with me, has been suffering from a condition known as ITP that took a turn for the worse in late May necessitating the removal of her spleen. Fortunately a couple of weeks on this looks to have gone well and successfully dealt with the problem. Hopefully she will return to work early next week, a very relieved Dad.

Swinging in the Rain.............

2010-06-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

Given that Monday & Tuesday were fine and clear it was too much to hope that the clement weather would continue on into Wednesday afternoon.

As I reached the empty car park of the Greymouth Golf Club, Kaiata Links, a 10 minute drive from town a wetting steady drizzle permeated the air. Set slightly back up the Grey Valley low misty cloud hovered below the crest of the hills coating the bush line and cloaking the course in an eerie silence (apart from the greenkeeper it seemed I was the only person around) . Undeterred I unpacked the clubs, paid green fees and headed for the first tee.

Greymouth provides an interesting contrast to Hokitika, while Hokitika is very much a 'links' course Greymouth is very clearly a 'park' course. The setup does however have several interesting features: firstly stroke hole 1 is the first and stroke hole 2 is the eighteenth, the four par 5's all come with a rush in the middle of the course in holes 7 - 13, and rather than having tree lined fairways the numerous trees are clumped together in smallish groups so as you walk there is the impression of significant open space but visually enclosed from the tee. This optical effect is a feature on some of the par 5's where your drives are effectively down tights chutes.

In racing parlance the the underfoot conditions would be described as soft and holding and while there was no run also there was no surface water or squelching. The tees had been moved forward on the blocks obviously protecting the ground in the wintry conditions. The greens were reasonably small, understandably soft but with a good covering of grass, generally flat, very true and slightly faster than anticipated.

Playing alone in the late afternoon I got round in just on 2 1/2 hours underlining it is a reasonably easy walk although it does give you the sensation of being pretty much up and down. There a couple of holes worthy of mention being 8- a dog leg left with out of bounds on the left and some cunningly situated trees hampering the line in for the second while 17 & 18 provide strong finishing holes especially the last where there is a premium on the tee shot to allow a long second through an archway of significantly large pines to one of the few sloping greens.

While personally favouring the more bohemian charms of Hokitika, Greymouth with its well maintained and pleasant surroundings should not be discounted if you wish for a quick stress free hit.

Thought For The Week................

2010-06-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose.

What's Happening Week of 14 June............

2010-06-15T01:05:00.000-07:00

As previously indicated I am on the West Coast in Greymouth for the week and appear to have avoided the foul weather that beset Christchurch on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Initially I thought I would be back on Thursday night but it now seems I have another mediation on Friday morning so it will be a quick trip back over the Alps in the afternoon. A full report may be penned next week depending on how the days pan out! Suffice to say at this stage the trip over was uneventful and the weather holds distinct golfing promise.

This Saturday sees the a fourball par competition for the Dominion Cup - a plus, minus & half for the best ball of the pair. I suspect a score of plus 8 or 9 will be required to be competitive but given recent scoring something much better could be on the cards. As we approach the shortest day speed of play becomes even more important so remember a good game is a fast game. Well done to the first four groups last Saturday all of whom got round in under four hours not quite so good for the rest of the field.

A reminder of the Mid Winter International teams event on Sunday week 27 June - International teams of four to David Robinson Kiwi teams of four to Bryan Graham. Apart from that all seems to quiet so in the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before (weather permitting).

Restaurant of the Month................

2010-06-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

Octagon Live has long been a supporter of the Christchurch Casino Masters and last Friday Stephanie and I were fortunate to be part of the Vbase Group that redeemed their Best Dressed Award from the 2010 tournament.

As you may be aware the Octagon specialises in "fine dining" interposed with high calibre entertainment from both established and rising stars all within the lovingly restored grandeur of the old Trinity Congregational Church. The evening opened with Bryan Cairns on piano playing a range of modern and contemporary melodies and he was then replaced at the keyboard by all time favorite Doug Caldwell who mixed in some jazz tunes until he was joined by vocalist Malcolm McNeill.

The musical interlude concluded with a performance on guitar by Geoff Hayward that was truly awesome especially as it was supported by a background video that help place the music in an absolute context. Given the opportunity this is an entertainer well worth making a special effort to see during his season.

For those who are interested the food was not half bad either; for myself I had a Lobster Bisque as an entree, a Lamb Rack as a main and a cheese board to finish - all delicious. As I looked up and down the table the prawns had a fair representation as an entree and there was more than the odd Beef Wellington for main although I did hear good things about the oysters in champagne.

On pain of death I have been denied the right to disclosure what or how much Stephanie consumed but she like all the party enjoyed the wide choice of cuisine which was both beautifully presented and flavoursome. It was a menu that provided more than one option to the diner which ensures that I would be happy to visit again on multiple occasions. A solid recommendation for an evening out or for something slightly special.

Finally my thanks to Vbase for including me as part of the team for the "Masters" and for their hosting of the celebration it was an enjoyable and memorable night.

The Week That Was...........

2010-06-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

It appears that the length of the course makes little difference to the scoring if Saturday's results were anything to go by!!

This week it was the Juniors who set the standard with Clifford Chan amassing a huge 44 points to head off David Isaac on 40 by countback from Mark Thompson with Mark Roundtree following close behind on 39. Only one Intermediate could get to 40 and that was Patrick Guo with Stephen Boyd, despite some tee time problems, recording 39 one ahead of Don Rae on 38 from Mark Henley by countback.

No Seniors made 40 but a visiting Country member Sam Lee got closest with 39 and Ian Currie was solid with 38. Guy Day was officially third on 37 with a number of others on a similar score - David Clarke, Ken Fergus, Phil Loughnan, & Horoshi Naka.

There were 15 two's each receiving $16.65 from a pool of $250. Those of David Clarke and Grant Mitchell require special mention as David holed out on 9, a tricky right mid back position, and Grant Mitchell on 17, a 7 iron that barely left the turf during its entire journey. Well done guys a great score for the Ringers.

Nearest the pins were awarded to Russell Fildes on 3 ($45) and Richard Peate on 11 ($45) but the jackpot failed to fall and $200 carries forward. Andrew Gillespie was the winner of the Linden Leaves prize for nearest to 18 for two. The nett eagles hole drawn was 12 and the pot of $125 was split between Peter Hollister and Joe Tiller.

The first round of the Denniston Cup was concluded with both top qualifiers falling by the wayside although Allan Masters took Barry O'Neill to the 20th. Denniston is another competition we have added to the website so log in and have a look at the results.

Inter Club Round Up.............

2010-06-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

Clearly the Christchurch Ladies are leading from the front in the inter club competitions!! On Monday in cold southerly conditions at Avondale our Women's 36 hole Bronze Division team emerged as winner 4/2 over Templeton. Congratulations to Heather Harman, Phillippa Foulds, Leigh Thevenard and Gill Sinclair it was a well deserved victory!! For a picture of the winning team visit the Canterbury Golf website in the interim it will be on ours soon!!

Unfortunately our Simon Team struggled a little at McLean's Island eventually succumbing 6/2 against a strong and competitive opposition on their home track. Ant Doyle has posted a full report on the website for those who what to read more. The next task facing our young team is they travel to Templeton where they will seek to notch up a further win and move up the points table.

Thought For The Week..............

2010-06-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

Anybody who claims marriage is a fifty/fifty proposition does not know the first thing about women or fractions!

What's Happening Week of 7 June..........

2010-06-10T03:09:00.000-07:00

A combination of bad weather, a short week, family issues and an increasing (but interesting) workload sees a delay in the publication of this edition.

As the week draws to a close we look forward to a break in the weather to allow the course to dry and golf to be played on Saturday and Sunday. Following the deluge on Monday both afternoon and night as a preventative measure the course was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday to protect the playing surface prior to us entering the more traditional wet (??) season. I understand a number of our Wednesday regulars ventured out to Coringa or Pegasus and while we apologise for the inconvenience we thank you for your understanding and consideration.

This Saturday is designated as the Eagles fund raising for Junior Golf and Ken Fergus will be selling raffle tickets on the first tee so please remember to bring plenty of loose change. Match of the day is again Stableford 3 grades and another qualifying round for the Shirley Links Shootout (check out the leading scores on the Club website) we are already up to round 6.

This weekend sees the last opportunity to play Page Trophy second round matches and the final date for the Denniston Cup first round. You may have noted we have now added the Top Dog draw to the website so check out who is still in the competition as we enter the round of 16.

Next week I journey to the West Coast for four days so with an ounce of luck publication will occur in a more timely fashion and undoubtedly there will be reports on coffee and possibly a course in the coming reports. Please note the Mid Winter International is on the horizon so Kiwi teams to Bryan Graham and Internationals to Dave Robinson for Sunday 27 June 2010.

In the interim good golfing and I will see you at Shirley if not before.

Then There Was Monday...................

2010-06-10T02:03:00.000-07:00

Most of you will be aware that my philosophy where possible is keep the course open even if the match of the day is cancelled. To some extent weather conditions make this a self managing process with few willing to test really wet conditions. Given the wet week, heavy under foot conditions and an unsure weather forecast an early decision was made to cancel the Mixed event scheduled for Queens Birthday - a disappointing outcome given the large numbers who had indicated a willingness to play in the Special Ambrose event.

The course however remained open for the completion of previously postponed matchplay events and three groups teed it up for the Top Dog while one group, of which I was a part, did battle in the Page Trophy (I note one match has determined to resolve their game by a coin toss rather than front the conditions in what may have been a very wise decision). Leading off the reduced field Kate Shier and I played Ben Frampton and Anne Clarkson determined to only expose ourselves to the elements only for the minimum time possible. Although windy the rain mostly held off as we scooted around in just under three hours with never more than one hole in it. In extremely trying conditions we were lucky to win 18 and emerge 1 up - the first bottle of red tasted really good and was only surpassed by the second with the view of precipitation on the other side of the glass growing ever heavier.

The next group to make it to the House was the Mitchell/Parkes & Borrie/Sweetman combination whose match finished at 15 with a 4/3 win to Grant & John. Once again 'red' seemed a popular choice. In a similar vein Brownie Kirkwood and Emilios Kotzikas saw off Garry Forward and Bentley Seeto by the same score and once again 'red' was on the menu for Garry & Bentley.

The final match was developing into a game of epic proportions as Steve Savill and Peter Davey faced off against Struan Cain and Shane Gloury. There were several complicating factors - firstly the course was closed to carts immediately placing Steve Savill at somewhat of a disadvantage and secondly coming from sunny Melbourne Shane Gloury had no wet weather gear or umbrella. Eschewing the first four holes Steve joined the match at the 5th tee when it was all square and immediately put his pair 1 up.

In the worsening weather Steve walked the balance of the match, while they slipped to a handy lead in mid round walking to 16 tee it was back to all square and 16 & 17 were then halved - it was all on up 18. I think it fair to say that the gathered multitude in the Dobson Gallery (reds in hand) recognised the closeness of the match especially as all 4 seemed to "chop it" up the last. As the group reached the green hand signals confirmed the match as all square. One overs seemed to be the order of the day with Struan facing a 15 foot uphill putt for par and to win the match.

Despite the rain continuing to tumble and the green moving ever closer to flooding Struan calmly slotted the ball home accompanied by a vigorous fist pump to secure a one up victory. The secret to the putt - a comment by Shane to Struan "Stru if you sink this putt I'll buy you the most expensive bottle of red in the clubhouse!!" Clearly a waterlogged Shane didn't want to go down 19 and subsequently he paid up!!

While not on the winning side of the equation the effort of Steve Savill does deserve special mention as it was a lion-hearted effort to walk 14 holes in what at best could be described as distinctly ordinary weather perhaps a salutary reminder to those of us who might be more fortunate of what grim determination means.

The Week That Was..........

2010-06-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday was scheduled for the first of the winter shotgun starts but a wet weekend the week before meant a rethink and normal tee of times to take account of a number of match play events.

Competition of the day was Stableford 3 Grades and a further round in the Shirley Links Shootout. In the heavy conditions Shirley was playing every inch of its full distance with absolutely no run and a requirement of firing the ball to the pin on holding greens. In the Senior grade 37 points was a popular score with the first three all finishing on that number with positions settled by countback - Phil Loughlan from Tony Park then David Wallace.

The Intermediate grade participants recorded the high points tally. Ross Campbell had the best round of the day with 41 from Tony McKeogh on 39 with David Barley & Ian Walker on 38 in that order again by countback. In the Juniors David Blair was at the head of the field with 38 from a host of others on 35, Chris Barraclough, Don McEwan, Yoshiyuki Tamaki & Alan Day.

For those lucky enough to post a two the pool was $140 with each of the 11 winners receiving $12.75. The jackpot grew to $120.00 and was not struck and neither was nett eagles now with a new total of $35 going forward. Nearest the pins were worth $35 and won by Ian Currie (3) & Sam Hetherington (11) while on 18 Rod Hayes collected the Linden Leaves sponsored prize for being closest to the pin for 2.

Canterbury Golf Awards Dinner..........

2010-06-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

On 3 June I had much pleasure in attending the Canterbury Golf awards dinner hosted and sponsored by Vbase at AMI Stadium in the Deloitte Lounge. Quite simply this was an outstanding success and was an exceptionally convivial evening.

The Christchurch Golf Club featured large in the proceedings on a number of levels. One of our younger members Jordan Bakermans won the Eagles Golfing Society Promising Junior of the Year while Jess Guenzerodt won the Liz Douglas Trophy. In her role of Canterbury Development Officer club member Rachel Thow formed an integral part of the presentation team and carried out her duties in an exemplary fashion.

Tom Turner as captain of the Toro Inter provincial Team provided some insights and reflections on the 2009 tournament and his manner of doing so captivated the audience bringing great credit not only to himself but also by association to the Club. The Guest Speaker was member and Vbase CEO Bryan Pearson who provided a glimpse into the inner workings of Vbase and the concerted efforts needed in completing the Deans Stand project on time and on budget. I think all present now have a better appreciation of the impact of how this and other venues have on the Christchurch economy.

In what was a worthy award Bob Schumacher received a Special Presentation recognising his outstanding service to golf during his career as a journalist and broadcaster. This recognition was warmly received by all present and reflected the esteem in which Bob is held by all of the golfing community.

At times we can lose sight of the fact that as a Club we contribute greatly to the "golfing world" on a larger stage and it is as well to remind ourselves and recognise the efforts of those involved - David Page as Chairman of Canterbury Golf, Glenys Falloon as President of Canterbury Golf, Dennis Maguire as a selector for Canterbury Golf, Kerry Sullivan for his work with the Canterbury referees and Ken Fergus & Liz Douglas serving on the Board of NZ Golf. Well done to each of you!