21-05-2025
News and results from around Gisborne, East Coast golf courses
Under a blue-blanket sky and amid rolling green hills that made city slickers envy the rural life, Brown crooned his way to a 6-under 64, including seven birdies and a single bogey, and featuring nines of 33, 31.
His score was two better than the official men's course record, but was categorised 'unofficial' due to a couple of local rulings on the day.
Still, 64 was a feat that deserved the almost standing-ovation prizegiving recognition for a man who knows how to go low – having shot a record 59 at his home Patutahi track.
Brown's performance earned him the unique American whiskey glass bottle trophy while the more standard silverware for the best overall net went to Ross Chalmers – one of a minibus-load of Poverty Bay players who have made the open an annual pilgrimage.
Chalmers, who has won the gross in his heyday, won with a net 68.
A 39-point haul from Waikohu's Tipi Ruru was another highlight of a tournament noted more for its social atmosphere than as a competition.
This year also featured a special after-round, winner-takes-half approach contest on Tahunga's famous par-3 bridge hole.
Poverty Bay's Gray Clapham deserved an award for an almost obsessive determination to win it. He entered 12 times ($5 a pop), only to be denied by Electrinet Park's Heath Tupara.
SATURDAY - Tahunga Men's Open, gross: H. Brown 64 from S. Jeune 73, H. Harris 75.
Net: R. Chalmers 68, W. Brown 69, P. Tuapawa 70 on c/b.
Divison 1 Stableford: R. Clark 33, J. Van Helden 32, E. Brown jnr 31, C. Taewa 30.
Division 2 Stableford: T. Ruru 39, R. Langlands 37, B. Johnson 36, B. McKenzie 36.
All-in approach: M. Long.
Long drives: B. Morgan, T. Sherratt, C. Smith.
Best second shots: B. Morgan, T. Sherratt, R. Langlands.
Approaches: K. Goldsmith, H, Harris, R. Langlands.
Twos: H. Harris, C. Taewa.
Poverty Bay
Auckland-based father and son David and Glenn Solomann are returning to Gisborne this weekend to once again represent Waikohu on finals day of the Tairāwhiti men's interclub pennants.
But before they raise the battle flag in Waikohu's playoff against Poverty Bay for third place at the Electrinet Park course on Sunday, the pair will be combining their widely recognised talents at the Enterprise Foursomes open tournament at the Awapuni Links on Saturday.
The 'Sollies' look the combo to beat when it comes to the gross.
Foursomes, though, is a fickle and at times merciless beast – known as the most challenging format in golf.
And there are several other duos lined up and keenly motivated to get their skilled hands on the silverware.
Among the frontrunners should be Jace Brown and Dan Collier, Matt Henwood and Craig Christophers, Collin Jeffrey and Brent Colbert, Craig Palmer and Ian Loffler and former foursomes winners Simon Jeune and Rowan Clark.
The tournament also features mixed and women's sections.
Entries are still being taken. Contact the pro shop.
TUESDAY - Gisborne East Coast veterans' Stableford: T. Goldsmith 36, M. Garewal 36, K. Goldsmith 35, C. Dean 35, L. Foster 34.
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Next Tuesday competition is at Poverty Bay, 11am tee-off.
SUNDAY - Men's Stableford, division 1: D. Bullivant 37, D. Pirimona 32.
Division 2: C. Hensley 42, P. Rickard 35, K. Travers 35.
Twos: R. Norman, L. Pollitt.
Approach: A. Lawler.
SATURDAY - Men's Stableford, division 1: S. Andreassen 38, J. Situ 37, R. Morley 36, A. Abrahams 36, P. Clayton 36.
Division 2: D. Raggett 36, W. Thompson 34, A. Carrie 33.
Twos: N. West, P. Clayton, J. Situ, A. Carrie.
Approach: N. Richardson.
THURSDAY (May 15) - Thursday Throne men's par, division 1: C. Dean +2, T. Williams +2, P. Clayton +2, S. Rimene-Albrett +1, G. Udall sq, H. Williams sq.
Twos: P. Clayton.
Approach: P. Clayton.
Patutahi
Suzy Gardner was a rose among the thorns in the Friday meat pack 9-hole Stableford last week.
Gardner harvested 26 points in winning division 2 with 43-16-27 – three ahead of Frank Russell.
John Neilson's 81-12-69 topped the men's net on Sunday while Denise Johnston's 87-10-77 was best of the women.
Gary Watson and Kath McLatchie are the top seeds for two of the club's premier matchplay competitions.
Watson claimed the No 1 spot in the Te Kani Pere men's handicap series and faces Korban Harrison-Allen in the first round of matchplay.
McLatchie is the No 1 qualifier in the McKeague Cup women's handicap matchplay.
The Māori Matariki 18-hole team event being held at Patutahi on Friday, June 20, proved so popular the club decided to add an 8am morning start to the noon tee-off.
More information is available on the Patutahi Facebook page.
SUNDAY - Men's net: J. Neilson 69, P. Johnston 70, T. Hindmarsh 70, Selwyn Skudder 71, G. Brown 71.
Women's net: D. Johnston 77.
FRIDAY - Meat pack 9-hole stableford, division 1: T. Hindmarsh 21, B. Williams 21, M. Owen 21, W. Brown 19, J. Neilson 19.
Division 2: S. Gardner 26, F. Russell 23, R. MacGregor 22, B. Croskery 21, K. Dodgshun 20.
Te Puia Hot Springs
James Forrester put together one of his best rounds of the year to win the men's Stableford on Sunday.
Forrester won with 80-16-64, for 38 points, while Iritana Ngarimu won round 1 of the Captain's competition and the LGU with 99-26-73.
SUNDAY - Men's Stableford: J. Forrester 80-16-64, 38; K. Lewis 91-21-70, 37; JJ Forrester 101-35-66, 36.
Women's Captain's competition, round 1, LGU and putting: I. Ngarimu 99-26-73 (34 putts); R. Ngatai 97-23-74 (29); H. McClutchie 94-18-76, 29.
Twos: K. Lewis.
Tairāwhiti rep women
Tairāwhiti women put 2024 well and truly behind them with a trophy-winning double in the Lucy May and Bays Bronze representative fixture against Hawke's Bay on Monday.
The home province reclaimed both titles on a beautiful day on the challenging Poverty Bay course.
Having lost both 12-women team encounters last year, Tairāwhiti bounced back, with their Lucy May senior team triumphing 8-4 and the Bays Bronze squad pipping their Hawke's Bay counterparts 9-7.
It was the 51st running of the event and the Tairāwhiti teams featured five debutantes – Megan Allen, Jaye McCafferty, Andrea Reeves, Kim Torrez and Audreny Tamanui-Nunn.
All five tasted success on the day – Reeves twice.
Results - Lucy May (points only for a win)
Tairāwhiti 8 Hawke's Bay 4
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Singles matchplay (Tairāwhiti won 5-3): Karen Hay won 1-up; Megan Allen halved; Denise Johnston halved; Lynne Holmberg won 3 and 2; Birgitt Whyte halved; Gay Young won 7 and 5; Kino White lost 1-down; Maxine Francois lost 2 and 1; Janet Muir won 2-up; Mary Allan halved; Sally Spence lost 1-down; Viv Bell won 2-up.
Combined stableford (Tairāwhiti won 3-1): Hay/Allen won; Johnston/Holmberg halved; Whyte/Young lost; White/Francois halved; Muir/Allan won; Spence/Bell won.
Bays Bronze
Tairāwhiti 9 Hawke's Bay 7
Singles matchplay (Tairāwhiti won 6-4): Tracey Ford won 4 and 3; Debbie Kirkpatrick lost 3 and 2; Doris Brown won 2-up; Min Vette lost 6 and 4; Marg Lane halved; Andrea Reeves won 4 and 3; Tina Duncan won 5 and 4; Odette Thompson won 2 and 1; Jaye McCafferty won 2-up; Teresa Lewis halved; Kim Torrez lost 5 and 3; Audrey Tamanui-Nunn won 4 and 3.
Combined stableford (tied 3-all): Ford/Kirkpatrick lost; Brown/Vette lost; Lane/Reeves won; Duncan/Thompson won; McCafferty/Lewis lost; Torrez/Tamanui-Nunn won.
