Hopefully everyone’s body clocks have by now adjusted to Daylight Saving time and are enjoying the extra daylight hours in the evenings. Twilight golf starts next Thursday.

This Weekend’s Events

Tomorrow our women’s Saturday Club are playing the 5th and final round of the Pinfold Cup.

No events have been programmed for the men but it will be a good opportunity for those wishing to compete in the end of year Shootout to get another qualifying round under their belts.

Update on Tree Work

Our tree workers have completed their trimming and felling around the 10th green and up the left had side of the fairway approach and are now focusing on trees encroaching on the 4th blue tee and other trees between the 4th and 5th fairways. As a result, the front nine will again be closed on Monday. We apologise for any inconvenience members may have suffered by having only 9 holes open on Mondays and Thursdays, but hopefully all members will see the benefits of the tree work being undertaken.

Harcourts Twilight

Twilight golf will be starting next Thursday, 10th October – same deal as last year with $10 comp fee and $10 bbq dinner. Prizes awarded each night with overall prizes at end of season. See the attached flyer for further details.

Women’s Tuesday Club

On Tuesday, with the weather forecast threatening everything including torrential rain, hail and gale force winds, the midweek 9 Hole Ladies played the finals of the Club Champs and Flights. After two very close games, Hilary Holm emerged the winner over Loreen Brehaut and Jane Campbell won the Flights beating Susan Wright. Three other players chanced the weather and had a very pleasant stableford game with everyone winning over the elements, with the rain only arriving as we were all finishing on the 9th.

Men’s Wednesday Club

Despite the dire weather forecast to come in the afternoon, 20 brave souls turned up for the regular competition. All of us managed to play until the 13th and 14th hole when a hail storm arrived with strong winds, bringing with it very cold weather and resulting in a wet day. Needless to say, the competition was postponed until the following Wednesday.

All members who paid the entry fee on this occasion will not need to pay next week. Any surplus funds will be refunded to individuals we can identify.

This is also to advise you that we have another Cup to play for on Wednesday 16 October: Makara trophy. This is a drawn pair, best stableford from the team. If there is a draw at the end, a putting competition will be held to decide the winner (with sudden death). The last trophy was won by Mike Cox and Victor Diem who reluctantly give up the glory.

A disc draw will be held at 10:45 due to time taken for registration of the drawn pairs. So, please arrive at the club house early on Wed 16 October.

Regards, Victor

Another Hole-in-One for Ngatau

Ngatau Hemopo has shown that the hole-in-one he scored on Hole 6 back in June was no fluke by scoring another last month, this time on the 13th. Well done Ngatau, so far you are the only person to have scored a hole-in-one on our course this year.

Meridian Open Day Saturday 12th October

Ever wanted to get up close to the windmills that look down on our course? Well, Meridian, who were generous contributors towards the development of our PnP course, are having an Open Day next Saturday, 12th October, between 11am and 2pm:

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With nothing programmed in our Club Calendar that day (we were originally going to hold a spring tournament of some sort) we have decided to hold a couple of nine hole competitions, open to all members, to enable those wishing to go to Meridian’s Open Day to also play some golf while out this way. It will also enable members to get into the draw for NZ Golf’s “Road to the Open” which is part of their recently launched "Make Time, Play Nine” promotion – see below. So for next Saturday, we will set up two 9 hole competitions, one on the front 9 and one of the back 9, and will award prizes for the best net and most stablefords (can’t win both) for each competition. Members and visitors can play either, or both, but if playing 18 holes and wishing to enter, you would need to print out 2 score cards, one for each 9. No need to pre-enter, just click on the competition when printing out your scorecard on the day.

MakeTime, Play Nine

NZ Golf has launched an initiative aimed at those who struggle to find the time to play golf by promoting 9 hole golf. Make Time, Play 9 encourages people to make time in their day to do things that are meaningful to them, to be active, to be with their friends and family, to take on a new personal challenge, and to have fun. What better way to do that than on the golf course?

Nine holes can be played by anyone, is ideal for all ages and skill levels, it’s quick, fun, and flexible as there are many different formats to play.

One of the most exciting aspects of Make Time, Play 9 is the opportunity for golfers to be on the Road to the Open. From 1 October 2019, simply hand in a 9-hole scorecard and you’ll be in with a chance to win a trip to Queenstown in 2020 to play in a special 9-hole event with nine other golfers during the 101st New Zealand Open at Millbrook Resort.

NZ Golf will announce one male and one female winner, randomly drawn at the end of each month with the last player to be announced in February. Every 9-hole round you play will contribute as a new entry, whether it is during a club competition, summer twilight, or a round with friends.

At the conclusion of the Make Time, Play 9 event at the 101st New Zealand Open, two golfers will win a once in a lifetime trip to play in The R&A 9-Hole Challenge on the eve of The 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s Golf Club in 2020. The event will include 42 other club golfers from across the world and each person will receive return airfares, six nights’ accommodation and two season passes to the 149th Open Championship.

Although this initiative by NZ Golf requires player to submit a scorecard to go in the draw for the Road to the Open, it should be noted that golf can still be fun without keeping the score. Dave Sercombe writes:

"Noted today that NZ Golf Inc are promoting 9 Hole Golf. I totally support the initiative but feel there is another contingency for senior (oldish) golfers. The opportunity to swing a club and whack that ball in good company without recrimination we will sorely miss as age comes upon us!

For the past 5 years or so I've promoted to some of like minded members of our club to indulge in a 9 Hole platform without competition, keeping score not mandatory & substantial placing everywhere.

Sound boring? Not on your life, with this casual approach to golf we can enjoy our fantastic environment, good company, no strained muscles and a cup of coffee and biscuit, plus active repartee to wrap it up. They tell me the feeling of the odd well struck golf shot is exquisite!

We replace divots, ours & others and repair pitch marks - we do our best not to hold up play and readily let players through. We're there for the therapeutic value of the fresh air, astounding views and the company + golf - it's often referred to a "well being".

Those on my list get a weather forecast & prospects for play. Monday, Wednesday & Friday - if I get it wrong there's always the rain clause!"

Go David!

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Happy golfing, play safely

Your KGC Committee