From the Chair Eagles Supporter's Club Twilight Golf ... - HOBM

...to the following Junior Club RepsBen PowerWellington Regional &Hutt Valley U13 OpenRepresentitveChristo PotgieterWellington Regional, HuttValley U13 Restricted &Hutt Valley U13 OpenRepresentitiveSimaota SuiLogan Ngatuere-OngleyWellington Regional U13Open RepresentitiveInoke TufeleWellington Regional &Hutt Valley U13 RestrictedRepresentitiveJordan ArmstrongHutt Valley U13 RestrictedRepresentitiveVern SosefoBen van OoyenSalesi RayasiHutt Valley U13 OpenRepresentitiveAsapho AumuaHutt Valley U12 & U13Restricted RepresentitiveNathan SterlingCaleb TashkoffLuese MoemaiNick HegartyHutt Valley U12RepresentitiveHOBM Golf OpenFeatherston, Sunday 13th September, 2009A perfect Wairarapa spring morning laid the foundation for aperfect round of golf. Not a breath of wind, clear sunny skies.Mild to warm temperatures. A relatively small field of onlysixty starters, down from 96 the previous year, were set to beannounced by the Starter as they stepped on to the first tee.The usual challenges to allocated golf handicaps were rife inthe clubhouse before the start of play. Punters gathered inhuddles of syndicates to sort out a likely pair of regular oronce-a-year golfers who they hoped might combine to postthe best aggregate score of the day and thereby win a cashprize of considerable size. Let’s say even considering the rateof inflation, much higher than the prize of $150 for the firsttournament at the Whiteman’s Valley Golf Club in 1977. Could afew past winners in the field like John Persico, Paddy Wells, MikeGibson, Ray Thompson or Richard McGillivray repeat the feat, orwould a new champion emerge?The day started brilliantly in the forecourt of the Hotel de Melling(aka the carpark at Melling Station) where a BBQ breakfast ofeggs, bacon, sausages on muffins was prepared on the StevensFord mobile BBQ. Morning tea in the Featherston Clubroomswas a gaggle of voices as players reunited with ex rugby teammates.There was Chris Bryan down from Tauranga in a fourwith Stu Tutt, a mate of his since their primary school days at St.Michael’s Taita. Spud Murphy from Palmerston North pairing upwith John Persico, an ex team-mate of his in an under 17 teamof 1954. Russell Keown looking forward to be able to see theball at his feet again after a successful weight loss programme.Soon after the midday start, rumours began spreading aroundthe course that ex Hutt Old Boys lock Tua Cummings was settinga blistering pace, on his comeback after missing the 2008 eventdue to open heart surgery. Spike Reynolds ex HV Marist playerin mid-1950’s was also steadily amassing pars and birdies.Kevin Leach was using his handicap to the maximum but wasexperiencing putting problems which he put down to his new bifocals.Three putting from four feet can demoralise even HOBMlife members.Club Chairman, Peter McGuinness was suffering his ownpersonal demons. A swing speed that is a blur to the nakedeye; a penchant for venison burgers and Lion Brown that sawPage 5 - October 2009him reluctant to leave the hospitality tent; playing in a four(sometimes a six) that recorded the slowest time ever recordedin a major golf event; a playing partner in ex HV Marist flankerKerry Burt who unceremoniously fell into more of a canal thana creek in an attempt to retrieve an errant golf ball, which bythe end of the evening had been exaggerated into diving intoa raging torrent in an attempt to save his partner’s life. Allthis could be forgiven for Peter’s one moment of glory, when hemanaged to steer his ball off the tee, across two creeks, hit agreen and sink an impossible putt, to par a hole that would haveseen Tiger Woods quiver.Unlucky for some, but in his 13th attempt for the coveted HOBMGolf Shield and the HOBM Green Jacket, Tua Cummings had apopular win with a score of 73 which is exactly half of what aginger-haired lock-cum-fullback from HV Marist’s halcyon daysof the 50’s and 60’s signed for on his card.Other well known HOBM club members at the prize table wereCraig Bailey, Ray Janes, Mike Gibson, Russell Keown, MikeUpton, Spike Reynolds, Kevin Leach, Tony Sellars and a four ofJim McMenamin, Neville Heffernan, Clive Graham and BruceHarris who retained their Ambrose title for the social players –which incorrectly assumes that some of the field were seriousplayers. All in all, a great social occasion for the club and in theprocess, we raised a few thousand dollars which will be sharedbetween Te Omanga Hospice and to support the 2010 SpillaneEaster Tournament.Paddy WellsConvenor, Golf Committee HOBM