Castles blitzes Cup competition

By Russ Sadler It was the third round of the Summer Cup played at Carterton last Saturday, January 15.
David Castles made his presence felt in a very big way by returning a stableford total of 48 points to totally blitz the men's field. David's score was nine points better than second placed, George Rink in the men's lower handicap group. Kevin Hooper achieved the same score as George but was placed third on countback.
In the higher handicap group Richard Chapman won the day with his 42 points score, with Gary Wright placed second with 39 points, just one point clear of both Chris Connor and Steven Larsen.
The women's competition was hard fought with Alison Murrell's 41 points winning the competition but by just one point from both K Wolland and Natalie Mallitte.
The Marquis of Normanby Hotel Men's Nearest the Pin competition was won by Jeremy Ross and the Terry Falleni Property Brokers Ladies' event went to K Wolland.
The two Lyns won the "All Teed Up" balls for the day - Lyn Andrews for the women and Lyn Evans for the men.
Holes in two were achieved by David Castles, Gary Wright, Chris Connor and George Rink.
SUNDAY:
The par competition on Sunday, January 16, was won by Steve Willis with a very creditable round of plus 10! Trevor Cretney's plus 6 filled second slot with Ian Gordon on plus 4 and Emma Wills on plus 3.
The Wills family monopolised the twos competition for the day with David Wills scoring two of them and Emma one.
VETERANS:
The informal stableford event for the veterans on Tuesday, January 18, produced some good scores with Eldert Venema producing the day's best total of 42 points.
Graham Steffert placed second with 39, while both Arie van Zanten and Brian Craig totalled 38 each. Ralph Day completed the prize list with his 37 point score.
In this event Brian Craig's round was, perhaps, the most remarkable. Brian scored just 12 points for his first nine holes but amassed 26 for his second nine. Quite a recovery!
ACHIEVEMENTS:
There were some interesting achievements this week.
First, and most notable, was the effort of Natalie Mallitte on Monday, January 17, when she aced the fifteenth hole to record her first ever hole in one.
Second, and not quite so notable, was David Wills' "air shot" during play on Saturday. David honoured the tradition by shouting his playing partners to the traditional whisky, and also "owned up" very publicly in the clubhouse afterwards.
Third, and definitely not so notable, was Russ Sadler's effort with the lake beside the seventeenth green on Saturday. Russ just managed to avoid the lake while playing the seventeenth. The ball was on the down-slope, but stopped about half a metre short of the water. Russ remarked on his good luck but, on the eighteenth tee, pulled the ball well left and, yes, you've guessed just where it finished!
FOOTNOTE:
My ever reliable spies tell me that another interesting incident happened last Thursday when the normal "Thursday rabble" were playing hole seventeen. Hugh Rolls, a spectator on the tee and not playing in the group, remarked on a particular driver being used by one of the group, and asked if he could try the club.
The owner of the driver graciously agreed and Hugh duly tried the club by hitting a ball down the seventeenth fairway. (I'm told it wasn't a bad shot!)
It was only after the largish group of players had proceeded down the seventeenth, well past the ladies tee, that the owner of the borrowed driver realised that, in the confusion of the multiple shots, he had failed to hit off the tee!
Who was the player?
Well it wasn't William and it wasn't Harry but he had something in common with both of them!