The 2022 Liquorland men's club championship finals can be summed up in two words . . . one-way traffic.
All three finals were dominated by the winners in weather conditions that early in the day had club officials contemplating postponing to Sunday.
The show went on and William Brown, Zach Rolls and Duncan Bush played starring roles.
Defending senior champion Brown had plenty of sympathy for 64-year-old Nick Whyte after a 13 and 12 demolition job in their 36-hole matchplay final.
“I think if it had been a nicer day and the course wasn't playing so long, it would have been different,” said head greenkeeper Brown.
The match was over by the halfway stage.
Brown had surged to 13-up by then including birdies on the 12th, 14th and 16th holes.
“I think I won the last seven holes (of the morning round),”
As they walked off the 18th, it was a matter of where rather than when for Brown.
Teenager Rolls cruised to an 8 and 7 win against 80-year-old Cliff Poole — emulating the result of the 2020 final between the pair.
Poole struggled to feel his hands from the get-go and Rolls, perhaps motivated by losing the intermediate final at Electrinet Park the week before, was in control at 4-up after 18.
His short game was particularly impressive, leaving Poole in catch-up mode throughout the afternoon holes.
It is likely to be the last time Rolls plays in the intermediate division for many years. The senior ranks await him.
For Poole, it was yet another runner-up finish — his fifth from five finals — and he gave Rolls a direct order after the match.
“I don't want to see you in the intermediates next year.”
Duncan Bush outgunned Ray Morgan in a battle of two men who had been there and done that in the junior final over 18 holes.
Bush, champion in 2015, beat Morgan, champion in 2012, 6 and 4 in a one-sided final.
“My putter seemed to behave itself for a change. My ball decided not to get me into trouble,” said Bush, who joined Poverty Bay in 1975.
The retired optometrist was 4-up after nine holes, won the 10th, halved the next three holes and finished it on the 14th.
■ A 10 on the ninth hole cost Kirsty Shaw victory in her division of the LGU yesterday but her 94-24-70, for 40 points, won the stableford.
■ Golf Roundup was sad to hear of the passing of long-time Poverty Bay member and 1989 men's club captain John Leahy on September 3.
John was always a great table-mate on the 19th with his dry wit, turn of phrase and plethora of entertaining anecdotes.
And in his heyday, he was an accomplished golfer — no Poverty Bay Open or senior club champion but a handy player all the same.
Condolences to John's wife Joy and family members.
WEDNESDAY — LGU 6, silver division: C Nelson 90-19-71.
Bronze I: P Gayford 98-27-71.
Bronze II: C Skuse 107-30-77.
9-holers: J French 60-24-36, L Daniels 52-15-37.
Women's stableford: K Shaw 40.
Longest putt: P Gayford.
SUNDAY — Men's stableford, division 1: M Norman 38, W Mortleman 37, B Morgan 37.
Division 2: J Leaf 41, M Henwood 37.
Twos: A White.
Approach: L Hewson.
Thursday (Sept 8) — Men's stableford, division 1: V Richardson 38, C Poole 38, N Mackie 37, B Colbert 37, I Murphy 37.
Division 2: G Clapham 39, S Willock 36, C Christie 36, B Read 35.
Twos: G Morley, M Higham, W Brown.
Approach: M Dodgshun.
Bruce Yates has been playing second fiddle to his sons on the golfing front lately.
Not on Sunday.
“Bruiser” won the net with 71-7-64, one ahead of Mark Watts, with Yates' son Will third on 66.
SUNDAY — Net: B Yates 64, M Watts 65, W Yates 66, Z Horomia 69, J Sheridan 69.
Twos: Joel Lincoln.
Approach: Joel Lincoln.
Friday was the only competitive golfing fix locals received as the weather put paid to any play over the weekend. That included the Ruka Tupara Memorial tournament which has been postponed to a yet-to-be-confirmed date.
Dwayne Russell won the senior division of the Friday meat pack 9-hole stableford with 3-under 32 off a +1 for 20 points. He followed that up with an even-par 70 at Waikohu on Sunday — good enough for second in the men's stableford — and a 2-under 70 at Poverty Bay off the championship tees on Monday.
FRIDAY — Meat pack 9-hole stableford, senior division: D Russell 20, A Hindmarsh 20, M Henwood 20, C Christophers 19, J Brown 19.
Junior division: P Jex-Blake 18, G Maude 18, H Pomana 15.
Val Grace and Larry Green racked up 40 points to easily win the Canadian pairs stableford on Sunday.
Te Rata Ritchie warmed up for this weekend's Waikohu open closing day with 38 points and victory in the men's stableford.
SUNDAY — Stableford, men: T Ritchie 38, D Russell 34.
Canadian pairs: V Grace/L Green 40, M Tuapawa/T Smith 36.
COMING UP: SATURDAY, Waikohu open closing day tournament, cuppa from 10.30am, tee-off 11.30; SUNDAY, club competition.