ACES HIGH IN WAIMAIRI BEACH HOLDEN SCRAMBLE
Tuesday, Jul 30, 2002
As if we have not had enough of the Crusaders from this part of the Country teaching us how to play rugby, it took a smallish golf club in metropolitan terms to show us all how to run a great golf tournament. Located in the Eastern Suburbs of Christchurch, probably not known in the top level of golf courses in this southern city, Waimairi Beach Golf Club is a very busy place.
Not only that, it combines all that is a links course with superb greens and enthusiastic people. PGA Professional Philip Skeers had the tremendous support of the club's elected officers and committee who, while they may have doubted the viability of such an event, got right behind it and finished up with very big smiles on their faces. The hierarchy were heard to say, in the din of a very full clubhouse, that they had never seen anything like it on their premises, and they will be back next year without any doubt.
PGA Holden Scramble Coordinator Jim Clelland could not stay away when he heard that the entries had hit the maximum for a shotgun start with 64 teams lining up, and spent the full day enjoying the southern hospitality. Not only double the size of an average event, but twice as many holes-in-one, the first one by local member Peter Shankland on the ninth hole, finding the cup with his 3-metal as we must call them these days, for his first ever ace, and winning a set of golf clubs for his troubles, courtesy of Sharpies Golf Superstore. Within the hour Rangiora member Phil Agent repeated the deed on the 17th hole with a six iron, his first round of golf with a new set of clubs. (Apologies Phil, technical limitations prevent our showing your happy face here.)
Amongst all of this excitement, four teams progressed through to the Regional Final in October at Clearwater Resort, venue coincidentally of another Holden tournament, this year's buy.com Holden Classic. The team of Ted Carmichael, Gary Briggs and Peter Griffiths showed the way with a gross score of 63, netting 56.5, with Joseph Begej, Peter McCarthy and Thomas Elliot 66-8, nett 58 finishing second. Third place was shared by Emerson Hall, Mervyn Rodgers, Grant Dickey, and Peter Rainey, Ron Archer, Pip O'Connell, on the same score of 65-6.33, nett 58.67.
While this is the Holden Scramble, other sponsors do get involved, and the Waimairi Beach Golf Club do wish to acknowledge the support they received, firstly from Blackwell Holden, then Sharpies Golf Superstore, Lifestyle Concepts Ltd, Woolston Tavern, The Vic and Whale Bar & Restaurant, Parklands Tavern, Queenspark Automart and Wilson Golf. An enormous amount of work was also put in by PGA Pro Phil Skeers, Match Convenor John Henry, and Club Captain John Dwyer.
As PGA Coordinator Jim Clelland commented at the prizegiving, the real winners were the people behind the Waimairi Beach Golf Club, so refreshing to see grass roots golf organisation on a voluntary basis.
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