Captain's Corner
Club Report


Good evening golfers
 
I am late in getting the report out.  There is a lot going on at the club and my day has been quite full as it happens.
 
If you didn't get along to Diplomats Day you missed a great occasion.
 
For the first time that I can remember the Diplomats won going away thanks in no small part to German Ambassador Detlev Gaack who scored a high of 41 points.  I was fortunate to witness his golfing proweress and it was impressive as was the conversation in between the pars and nett birdies.  The Diplomats won the first three places in the men's field with Grant Pollard being the best performed Karori player shooting 76 and gaining 37 points.
 
Well done David Hill and team for coming out and prevailing at our place.
 
We thank the diplomats for their hospitality.  They provided a lunch after the golf, and supplied the prize pool for those who played good golf.  David in his remarks said that the Karori Match was always a highlight of the diplomats calendar and they looked forward to coming out again next year.
 
A big thank you to the Karori players who entered.  It was fun in spite of the wind and we plot our revenge for next year.
 
The best of the Women was Eun Lee who matched the German Ambassador with 41 points followed closely by Helga Karau on 40 points with Women's Club Captain Denise Marten on 39. 
 
The next Special Event is  Easter Monday Ambrose sponsored by Johnsonville Mitre 10.
 
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This event is a fund raiser for our drainage work.  The enrty is $100 per team ($25 for four players) with a $10 green fee for affiliated visitors.
 
You may enter online (https://www.karorigolf.co.nz/event-calendar) or email the clubhouse (clubhouse@karorigolf.co.nz).  There is a sign up sheet in the shop and the foyer.
 
There will be a good prizepool, raffles and as we all know ambrose tournaments throw up some crazy low scores.  It almost feels like playing like a pro for the day.
 
So come one lets get the entry sheet full and enjoy the Easter Monday. 
 
1. Drainage
 
You will notice that Hole number 11 has been drained and there are some exposed earthworks.  These are marked as GUR so that you get full relief from them without penalty.
 
Hole number works 16 start tomorrow and the hole will be closed while work is being carried out, in order that staff and volunteers can work in safety.  Once you complete hole number 15 please make your way to hole 17 avoiding interfering with the work in progress.  As with number 11 simply mark the hole as a nett par on your card.  We will have the hole available for inter club this weekend even if we need to shorten the hole or put in sufficient GUR for the hole to be playable.
 
A big thank you to those of you who tell me that you have made a donation to our callout to fund the drainage.  We continue to search for sources of grants to assist us get to the end of the work before the winter weather sets in but every little bit we get from our members is absolute gold.  I particularly want to acknowledge and thank Twilight for their generous $3k donation and the Division 12 Hillbillies for donating their surplus prize pool of $250.  We are most grateful.
 
We hope that we have enough money available right now to complete hole numbers 16, 4 & 5, and hole number 3.
 
While we have the digger available to us we are also going to investigate a couple of low tech solutions to wet areas in places like the walkway down 12 and the path on 18.  A big shout out to Keith Atkinson for his efforts in identifying what needs doing and some ideas around what might work.
 
One again a reminder that the Ambrose Tournament is a fundraiser for the drainage work.
 
2. Golf this week
 
a) Women
 
Our women are playing a 9 hole Medal and Putting competition while our 18hole golfers are playing the second of their LGU and Putting.
 
Our women always welcome new members to come and join in.  Remember to order your sandwich before you tee off.
 
b) Wednesday Competition
 
Be at the club house by 10.15am for the 10.30 tee time.
 
Please be aware that road works in Karori can delay your travel so leaving home a little earlier to arrive in plenty of time before tee time is a good idea.
 
$5 covers your entry fee and buys you a raffle. 
 
Everyone is welcome so come along and take advantage of the golden weather while it lasts.
 
c) Thursday Twilight...
 
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A reminder that this is still going and continues until the end of daylight savings.  It's a great evening out, the golf is off the short tees and the food is great.
 
$20 pays for the evening.  Its a great way to chill in to the weekend.
 
c) Autumn Cup...
 
Round 4 of the Autumn Cup is this Saturday.
 
Make up your own fours and play away.  There are two golfers on 10 points and one on 9 so its anyone's cup.
 
Select Autumn Cup when you print your card. 
 
This Saturday you are playing a par match.
 
d) Sunday Golf
 
This Sunday is Monthly Medal for Men and LGU and Putting for our Women.
 
As well as that it is also Sunday Club Day.
 
Everyone is welcome to come along.  There are three regular groups on Sunday, Shirties (these players tee off very early so if you need to be home early for any particular come join with them), Matts Mob (almost straight after Shirties - for similar reasons) are also happy to have new faces among them.  They are a bunch of characters. 
 
And then there is the Gaskies.  Everyone welcome. 
 
Be at the picnic table by 8.45am for the card draw prior to the 9.06 tee time.
 
I often hear players saying that they are not good enough to join in anything like this.  Not only are you good enough, your handicap means that you play as equal with everyone else.  Golf is likely the only game where a handicapping system smoothes out the ability range so that everyone is equal.  You will always be made welcome. 
 
Why not invite a friend or two from another club to join us on a Sunday too.  The more the merrier - literally.
 
3. WGI Inter Club - Round 4
 
Teams are starting to stake their claims for divisional honours even at this early stage of the competition.
 
Division 2 are playing away to Te Marua the team most favoured to win the division this year, but this team is not going there to make up the numbers.  A good result away from home at Boulcott last week indicates that Division 2 want to be contenders at the sharp end of the season.  Our new faces are preforming well and have settled in with our regular players who keep notching up the points.
 
Division 5 have an important match this week against Carterton at Karori.  The Division 5 team is in good spirits and will be looking for a couple of handfulls of points at home.  Good luck to them.
 
Division 9 are away to Waikanae and following a really good performance away in round 2 will be looking to replicate this.  No doubt they are capable of causing the odd upset or two.
 
Division 12 have a "bitter sweet" match at home against Otaki where former Hillbillies Stalwart Nobby returns to compete against his old comrades.  This will be a bundle of fun and one thing about the Hillbillies, no one has more fun than they do.  They will welcome back Nobby and maybe Gail will be playing him.  We'll see in time.
 
Good luck to all our teams this weekend.
 
Sunday Golf Results
 
Miners Arms:
 
The Miners Arms concluded with the final match being played on Sunday.
 
After three rounds over three months the winners for 2023/24 are Kevin Kane and Garth Mickell on 134, from Victor Diem and Vinh Phan on 132, and Terry McAlister and Ossie Santos on 132.
 
Well done Kevin and Garth.  You will be amazed at how big the trophy is when it gets presented.
 
Grant Keats Trophy
 
Leading the way is Garth Mickell 65 nett, from Gary Wellbelove 66 nett and Saint Kennach 68 nett.
 
Round two of the Grant Keats is Sunday 10 March.
 
Twelve shots covers the field from first to last.
 
Nes Beard Trophy - Playoff
 
Three players tied for first so a playoff was held Sunday. 
 
The winner was Garth Mickle on 41 points from Gary Wellbelove on 40 points and John Stubbe on 39 points.
 
A worthy playoff and once again this week Garth, congratulations on your win.
 
Sunday Club Day
 
Not a lot of point highlighting the leading scores in this round as they have already featured in the results but worthy to note that Victor Diem scored 39 points.
 
Best of the women was Gail Kirkland on 37 points.
 
Hot scoring this weekend.
 
And that's a wrap everyone.
 
The weather is going to be good in parts this week but do enjoy your golf this week.  Be kind to those working to get our course into shape.  One thing you can do as you move around, if you see any stones or debris in areas where mowers may be operating take a moment and move them to somewhere away from the traffic.  That would be helpful.
 
Mark Peck
Club Captain
 
 
 
 
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