Waihi Golf Club member Rodger Bagshaw reports on the week that was on the golf course, where weather knocked out the first half of the week, but closing day brought out a good field.

The wet weather remnants of the passing cyclone caused the cancellation of all the organised golf at the Waihi Club last week from Monday through to Wednesday.

There was good news for the Ladies section when two of our ladies had success at the BOP ladies Bronze 2 & 3 championships held at Ohope on Monday.

Kathy Ashton won both the Bronze 2 Gross and Nett, while Megan Jowsey also won the Bronze 3 Gross and Nett.

To top it off the Waihi team came second overall. A great result for the Waihi Ladies Section.

Waihi Ladies during the play for Pink Breast Cancer week where $1474 was raised at Waihi Golf Club. Photo: Rosalind Giffney.

Waihi Club 2023 Closing Day

As all the Club competitions have been completed for the year, the Club held the annual closing day on Saturday, November 4, with a mixed stableford haggle, run in two mixed divisions.

This was run in conjunction with the Top Cat and Top Dog competition.

A great field of 74 members turned out to compete, and in Division 1, the ever reliable Allen Sarjant took the top spot with 38 points, with Richard Taitoko and Jackie Robson close behind on 37 points.

Next all with 36 points were Terry Gerbich, Tim Parish, and Chris Pilmer, while all with 35 were Tayla Turbull, Graeme Culton, Allen Smith, and Wendy Matutinovich.

In Division 2, having a great day was Mark Mora with 38 points (and a two), just heading off Peter Dagg and Peter Wright. Then Rex Knight had 36, while Jill Morrison with 35, and Chris Hale, David Campbell, Avon Gordon, and Jane Wordley all on 34.

2023 Top Cat and Top Dog competition

Run in conjunction with the closing day competition is the Top Cat (lady) and Top Dog (man) final, where all the winners of the daily haggles through the year are eligible to win the top spot based on the closing day haggle.

The 2023 Top Cat is Life Member Avon Gordon, while the Top Dog is Mark Mora.

Thursday Men

At long last a clear warm day greeted the players for the day’s two haggles.

In the morning nett haggle, the clear winner, and scoring the only two, was Lucky Ted Murray with a fine 66 nett. Some distance back with nett 70’s were Earle White, John Saunders, and Mathew Guptill. Following them were Vince Jones and Tom Rowbotham with 72, while Michael Bonnici had 73.

In the afternoon stableford haggle, the solid morning practice session proved successful for Johnathan Clare who came home with 41 points, just ahead of Murray Fraser with 40.

Chris Pilmer had 38 points, while Mark Hope and Kevan Stewart both had 37 points, with Rob Page, Sam Gurney, and Nigel Sanderson all having 35 points.

Rodger Bagshaw, November 6, 2023