Celebrating winning the 2024 Tairāwhiti women's pennants golf series are Māhia members Trena Smith (left), Maraea Wesche, Renee Hiko, Jackie Thompson, Viv Kyle and Lee Steel. Kyle won the overall net at the Gisborne Park women's open, of which the sixth and final pennants round was a part.
Celebrating winning the 2024 Tairāwhiti women's pennants golf series are Māhia members Trena Smith (left), Maraea Wesche, Renee Hiko, Jackie Thompson, Viv Kyle and Lee Steel. Kyle won the overall net at the Gisborne Park women's open, of which the sixth and final pennants round was a part.
Tahunga
Aspirations were not high when a minivan-load of Poverty Bay players turned up for the Tahunga Men’s Open on Saturday. It was a gorgeous day, so no excuses there. But for this motley crew, the annual pilgramage from Gisborne is more a social than sporting occasion.
A few beerson the bus. A bit of banter. A lot of fun.
And you certainly had to laugh when your 10-handicap was cut to three at Tahunga because of the course rating.
The region’s No 1 player, William Brown, found himself on a +6. He would have had to break the course record of 66 by two shots to play to handicap.
He didn’t. In fact, only a couple of locals shot net 70 or better. Thirty Stableford points were in the prizes - a rarity.
That mattered little to those who turned up. It was more about supporting the club and enjoying the occasion.
Once again, Tahunga turned it on a year and a bit after the course was devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle, resulting in the loss of two greens and significant silt deposited on fairways after the Hangaroa River breached its banks.
There were fears the course may end up having to close.
The hard work of hardy club members and supporters saw Tahunga rise out of the mud and a few weeks ago it was finally able to celebrate its delayed 50th anniversary.
Here’s hoping 75 will be reached and Mother Nature is merciful over the years up to then.
On the course on Saturday, Patutahi’s Regan Hindmarsh joined an elite group to have won the overall gross.
A two-over par 72 was good enough to win by one shot from clubmate Eddie Brown Jnr, with Electrinet Park’s Craig Christophers third on 74.
Hindmarsh collected the special glass bourbon bottle trophy made by long-time sponsor and joint course record-holder Brent Colbert several years ago.
Local knowledge clearly came to the fore in the net. Mike Gibson’s 69 earned him the victory from fellow Tahungian Tom Sherratt.
Claude Smith and Dylan Young were the Stableford winners.
Young produced the feat of the day. Somehow, on what were challenging greens, Young managed to have twos on the fourth, sixth and ninth holes.
The course didn’t bare its teeth, but a lot of players struggled, including one Patutahi member – who will not be named although he has had an ace on the course – who staggered to 13 points (five on one nine) and a net 97.
Regan Hindmarsh (left) and Ross Chalmers on the 19th hole after the 2024 Tahunga Men's Open. Hindmarsh won the overall gross and bourbon bottle trophy, while Chalmers was the 2001 champion. Photo / Chris Taewa
SATURDAY – Tahunga Men’s Open, gross: Regan Hindmarsh 72, Eddie Brown Jr, Craig Christophers 74.
Net: M. Gibson 69 on c/b from T. Sherratt, S. Kemp 70.
Stableford, up to nine-handicap: D. Young, 10+: Claude Smith.
Twos: D. Young 3, Taine Lincoln.
Poverty Bay
Glenn Morley and Simon Jeune are hat-trick hunting on their home Awapuni Links course on Saturday.
The Morley-Jeune combo are chasing a third consecutive Enterprise Motor Group Poverty Bay Open gross crown.
But a look at the field suggests they are going to need their A-games to get their hands on arguably the biggest piece of silverware in local sport.
One of their main title rivals will be in eyesight over the 18 holes. Morley and Jeune are playing in the same four as William Brown and Hukanui Brown, who have eyes on only one ladder rung – the top one.
Another pair likely to be in the mix are Poverty Bay-Electrinet Park combo Waka Donnelly and Daniel Collier – the pair joining forces after Collier defeated Donnelly in the Oligoi Jug men’s interclub pennants last weekend.
Watch also for Auckland-based father/son duo David and Glenn Solomann, who have been travelling back and forth regularly to play for Waikohu in the Oligoi Jug. Glenn Solomann is unbeaten over the series so far and has been earning big plaudits from this opponents.
Others with the potential to be filling the trophy on the 19th are greenkeepers Brent Colbert and Collin Jeffrey, and Silas Brown and Thomas Donovan.
Donovan and Eddie Brown Jnr shot the lowest round in the history of the foursomes several years ago - a six-under 66.
This time around, Brown Jnr is chasing the net honours alongside son Watene.
Brad Morgan and Paul Rickard emerged from nowhere to win the gross title in 2018 in arguably the greatest upset in Poverty Bay-East Coast/Tairāwhiti golfing history.
The odds of a repeat of that on Saturday would be similar to aliens landing on the course and asking Morgan for one of his beers, or Rickard being asked to manage his beloved Manchester United.
Jan Steele and Sally Spence earned the No 1 seeding in qualifying for the Kahlenberg Cup women’s pairs last week.
The sweet-striking, multi-talented sportsman’s 69 featured five birdies in his opening 11 holes, including the jackpot of two twos.
The open also featured the sixth and final round of the Tairāwhiti women’s pennants and Mahia emerged the champions.
They finished second on the day, which was good enough to fend off Te Puia Hot Springs.
Clubs count their best five of six rounds and Mahia finished top on 26 points, followed by Te Puia on 25, Patutahi 22, Wairoa 19, Poverty Bay 14 and Electrinet Park 13.
Trena Smith, Maraea Wesche, Renee Hiko and Lee Steel were Mahia’s team for the final round. Kyle, Maria Wesche, Susie Adam and Janet Muir also played for Mahia over the series.
While wooden spooners overall, Park took some consolation in winning the sixth round. It was a net round and Park totalled 308 to head off Māhia on 313, Te Puia and Wairoa 314, Poverty Bay 320 and Patutahi 324.
SUNDAY - Men’s Stableford: S. Phillips 39, B. Holt 39, P. Nepia 38, L. Hunt 38.
