Fresh from winning the men’s gross at the Patutahi Christmas tournament on Saturday, Pete Stewart’s Smith and Wesson went off in its holster and shot him in the foot as he lost an eight-man putt-off on the fourth.
The man known as Legend was followed soon after by Damien Pilitati (No 5), Warren Muir (No 6) and Bailey Matoe (No 8).
Tony Leggett had come out all guns blazing but ran out of bullets on the eighth hole — a triple bogey-8 sealing his six-foot-under fate.
Ian Loffler went on the ninth, newly elected club president Josh Hayes on the 10th and brother Luke Hayes the 11th.
When Craig Christophers was sent to the big prairie in the sky on the 12th, it left Henwood as the sole flagbearer for the “pro golfers”, aka teachers.
Jason Lloyd’s run ended on No 13 and intermediate club champion James Witika departed on 14.
Chris Fox had had several birdies up to the 15th only to produce a terminal three-putt.
Brad Reynolds’ worst shot of the day was followed by a three-putt for triple bogey on 16 — Henwood’s double bogey enough to avoid a chip-off.
But Henwood needed his short-game skills to see off Mike Bond in a chip-off on the 17th.
That left Henwood and Quentin Peneha the last two breathing, staring each other down, hands hovering over their six guns.
Henwood, off a 3-handicap, drew first and ultimately fastest with a deadly second shot on the 18th to about four metres from the pin, then sank the putt for birdie.
Peneha had a seven-metre putt to send it to a chip-off but pulled it wide.
Patutahi
Patutahi take a bow.
‘Tahi’s 2024 Christmas tournament was hit by a power outage and an afternoon squall but it proved only a hiccup in what was otherwise a brilliant event put on by an equally brilliant crew of volunteers.
Patutahi is the epitiome of a country course... arguably with a difference.
The track is in supreme condition — rivalling many a big-city course with greater resources.
The greens on Saturday were superb and the course layout is such nowadays that for what it lacks in distance — bar the 180-metre par-3 ninth — it makes up for in creative challenge.
For some on Saturday, it was a piece of Christmas cake.
Tolaga Bay’s Joe Sheridan mixed it with the big-hitting “skinners” boys and finished with a career-best 76-18-58, including four birdies, to earn himself a ham. His gross was the same as Patutahi senior club champion Hukanui Brown, off a +4 handicap.
It wasn’t the low net of the day. That went to Poverty Bay’s Jonty Van Der Velde, who carded 84-27-57.
Locals also ran hot. Kim Dogshun shot 86-27-59, Colin Kirkpatrick 87-26-61 and club secretary and vice-president Dave Quinn 88-25-63.
The men’s gross was keenly contested. Electrinet Park member and Tairāwhiti masters representative Pete Stewart won with a 1-under 69 that featured five birdies.
He was one ahead of Jason Devery, Collin Jeffrey and Laurie Owen, who had five birdies, including two twos, in his 70-9-61.
Poverty Bay’s Skylah Pohatu topped the women’s gross with 75. Home-course players Jill Smith (95-30-65) and Denise Johnston (80-13-67) and Waikohu’s Cheryl Te Rito (95-27-68) also featured prominently.
But the day belonged to the club....the club members’-provided smorgasbord meal, not to mention sandwiches and a barbecue over the course of the day, was worth the $30 entry alone.
Add to that $5 beers and the special 19th-hole atmosphere that country courses invariably produce, and it made for a great day out for the more than 150 who took part — most of who intend to be back for the 2025 edition.
Poverty Bay
Keith Marshall doesn’t play a lot of Sunday golf, but it clearly agrees with him.
Having overindulged in festive cheer on Friday, he gave his regular Saturday golf a miss and turned up instead for the Sunday School Christmas pairs tournament.
It proved a trophy-winning decision as Marshall was drawn with Al Baldwin and the pair went on to win the 6x6x6-hole net competition.
Mark Jefferson had five birdies in his division 1 men’s Stableford-winning 74-4-70, for 38 points, on Saturday.
Saturday — Men’s Stableford, division 1: M. Jefferson 38, W. Mortleman 36, R. Foon 35.
Division 2: A. McIntosh 38, D. Bayley 38, K. Gunness 37.
Twos: T. Goldsmith, M. Jefferson, D. Bayley.
Approach: T. Goldsmith.
