This, though, is foursomes – the most notorious and psychologically destructive format in the game. Alternate shots means you’re not only worrying about your own performance, but that of your partner.
“No apologies” is often said before players tee off. But when you snaphook a driver into the murky depths of the lake or yip a 50cm putt, the guilt level can’t help but sharply rise.
The Enterprise Motor Group Open Foursomes gross winners Jon Jenner (left) and Stefan Andreassen with Steve Shields of Enterprise.
The Jenner/Andreassen combo had its teeth-clenching moments – the wheels wobbling after a triple bogey 7 on the ninth (the 16th hole of the day).
The men ended up winning comfortably, three strokes ahead of two-time gross winners Simon Jeune and head greenkeeper Rowan Clark.
Craig Morton and Mike Lewin were heard making a bet with a couple of their cohorts before teeing off. They responded with 86-16-70 to win the overall net (and pocket $5 for the haggle) by one shot from Peter Hakiwai and Lou Kriel and Manav Garewal and Ross Chalmers.
Hakiwai admitted afterwards he “chopped it”. Kriel agreed, but they still picked up the mixed pairs Stableford honours.
Enterprise Cars Motor Group Open Foursomes net winners Mike Lewin and Craig Morton.
Garewal and Chalmers won the men’s Stableford although the burning question many had a stab at answering was what was the actual colour of Garewal’s striking pants. “Watermelon”, “flamingo” and “ballet slipper” were among the guesses.
Marg Colebourne and Pen Wanklyn (75) won the women’s net and newbies Kristina Williams and Vanessa Vette were rewarded for having to traipse all the way to the 14th to tee off their round with victory in the women’s Stableford – 32 points good enough.
As usual, tales of woe significantly outnumbered the stories of success.
Paul Rickard and Brad Morgan stunned the golfing world (okay, community) when they won the gross with an 8-over score (78, 74) in the 2018 foursomes when it was a 36-hole tournament.
On Saturday, they had 8-over again … a 12 on the par-4 fourth hole on their way to 103.
Sponsor representative Steve Shields, whose name appears more than once on the net trophy, scythed a drive off the 16th tee and on to the roof of a neighbouring business. He and partner George Brown walked off the green with an 11.
Chris Taewa and Jason Phillips started their round with the game plan of “no bogeys”. Three double bogeys, two triple bogeys and a quad followed.
Victory celebration … Jon Jenner drinks from the trophy after he and Stefan Andreassen won the gross in the Enterprise Motor Group Open Foursomes at the Poverty Bay course on Saturday.
WEDNESDAY – Nan Carmine Cup 9-hole golfers’ Stableford, overall winner: J. French 19 from J. Hall 18.
TUESDAY – Veterans’ Stableford: J. Jenner 35, D. Pirimona 34, P. Clayton 34.
Twos: J. Jenner.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: J. Situ 38, M. Harris 35, J. Willoughby 33.
Division 2: M. Norman 37, M. McMenamin 37, G. Marchbank 34.
Twos: M. Gemmell.
Nearest to pin: M. Gemmell.
SATURDAY – Enterprise Motor Group Open Foursomes, men’s gross: Jon Jenner/Stefan Andreassen 80 from Rowan Clark/Simon Jeune 83.
Men’s net: Craig Morton/Mike Lewin 70 from James Witika/Ed Pirini 72, Brent Colbert/Kit Goldsmith 72, Stu Harbottle/Andy Hayward 74, Allan White/Willie Mortleman 34.
Women’s net: Marg Colebourne/Peri Gayford 75.
Women’s Stableford: Kristina Williams/Vanessa Vette 32 from Viv Bell/Marg Lane 31.
Men’s Stableford: Ross Chalmers/Manav Garewal 37.
Mixed Stableford: Peter Hakiwai/Louie Kriel 38 from Carol Wells/Richard Foon 36.
Nearest to pin: G. Clapham.
Pro’s twos: B. Colbert/K. Goldsmith, S. Pohatu/G. Clapham.
THURSDAY (May 21) – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: P. Clayton 35, S. Jeune 35.
Division 2: B. Read 40, G. Udall 40, D. Mettrick 37, M. Lewin 37.
Twos: J. Rowe, M. Lewin.
Nearest to pin: C. Poole.
WEDNESDAY (May 20) – Pharmacy 53 women’s open tournament, overall net: K. Sarich 72 on c/b from V. Bell.
Gross: J. Kerr 86.
Stableford: M. Shanks 36, P. Dymock 35, S, Adam 35, S. Spence 35, C. Holland 34, B. Whyte 34, J. Muir 34, M. Allen 34 on c/b.
9-hole Stableford: L. Haisman 18, J. Newman 18, N. Johnson 17, R. Dymok 17, S. McLaughlin 16.
Nearest line: P. Denigan.
Approaches: S, Robertson, D. Brown, P. Summersby, S. McLaughlin, S. Jefferd.
Longest putt: D. Johnson.
Twos: S. Spence, V. Bell.
Pātutahi
Toa 1, Toa 2, Toa 3 … a small Sunday field was dominated by the Toa boys.
Beau Toa won the net with 75, brother Blue was third and father Shannon second.
Friday’s meat pack 9-hole Stableford was also a family affair – Dean Pohatu winning Division 1 with 21 points and his auntie Kelly Utting winning Division 2, also with 21.
SUNDAY – Net competition: Beau Toa 75, S. Toa 76, Blue Toa 77.
FRIDAY – Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, Division 1: D. Pohatu 21, R. Mottart 20, P. Molloy 20, T. Green 20, B. Cameron 19, B. Williams 19, T. Sharp 19.
Division 2: K. Utting 21, A. Zame 19, D. Niven 18, R. Evans 18, C. Kirkpatrick, M. White 17, S. Gray 17.
Te Puia Hot Springs
Hiria McClutchie ended the Tairāwhiti women’s pennants with a victory on Saturday and carried that winning form into Sunday.
McClutchie won the women’s net with 88-21-67 while James Forrester’s 82-13-69, for 33 points, won the men’s Stableford.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford: J. Forrester 82-13-69, 33; H. Rasmussen 89-18-71, 31.
LGU and net: H. McClutchie 88-21-67, H. Miratana 91-23-68.
LGU putting: H. Miratana 30, A. Cook 31.
Electrinet Park
COMING UP: SATURDAY/SUNDAY, May 30-31 – Treemarkables Men’s Strokeplay 54-hole Open, first round and first nine holes of second round on Saturday, from 9am and 1.14pm, second-nine of second round and final round on Sunday, from 9am and 11.45am, prizegivings on both days, inquiries to (06) 8679849 or admin@gpgolfclub.co.nz.
The Wairoa squad who won the Tairāwhiti women’s seven-round interclub pennants series are, back (from left): Teina Paku and June Underhill. Front: Carol Cullen, Dardie Brown, Louise Tana and Tina Duncan.
Women’s pennants
Wairoa didn’t have to swing a club in the last round to win the 2026 Tairāwhiti women’s pennants on Sunday.
But the title race still went down to a photo finish.
Hosts Wairoa and Pātutahi finished the seven rounds locked on the same points.
A countback was required and the honours went to Wairoa by a mere point.
The last two rounds of the pennants were held in the space of four days.
Pātutahi and Wairoa met in round 6 at Poverty Bay as part of the Pharmacy 53 women’s open tournament and tied 5-apiece.
With Wairoa hosting round 7 and receiving the maximum 10 points as the bye team, Pātutahi needed nine points.
They went close, defeating Te Puia Hot Springs 8-2 to end tied with Wairoa on 45 points, with Mahia third on 42.
Flying the Wairoa flag over the series were Louise Tana, Dardie Brown, June Underhill, Tina Duncan and Taina Paku.
Underhill was their individual star with an unbeaten record of five wins and a half. Tana and Brown had three wins apiece.
Charlie Holland had a successful series for the Tahi, winning four of the five matches she played.
RESULTS – ROUND 6, at Poverty Bay
Mahia 8 Waikohu 2 (Mahia names first): Rene Hiko lost to Ella Wynyard 3 and 2; Elaine Westwood def Odette Thompson 3 and 2; Susie Adam def Audrey Tamanui-Nunn 4 and 3; Viv Bell def Penny Rutene 3 and 2.
Electrinet Park 5 Te Puia Hot Springs 5: Karen Hay def Hiria McClutchie 6 and 5; Min Vette lost to Hazel Miratana 2 and 1; Tai Aramakutu lost to Pauline Summersby 4 and 2; Jo Kerr def Robyn Ngatai 7 and 6.
Pātutahi 5 Wairoa 5: Denise Johnston lost to Louise Tana 2-down; Kennedy Sarich def Tina Duncan 6 and 5; Kim Torrez lost to June Underhill 3 and 2; Charlie Holland def Dardie Brown 5 and 4.
ROUND 7, at Wairoa
Electrinet Park 9 Waikohu 1: Carney Pipi def Ella Wynyard 5 and 4; Raukura Chelsey halved with Cheryl Te Rito; Holly Miller def Marg Tuapawa 5 and 4; Jo Kerr def Penny Rutene 5 and 4.
Pātutahi 8 Te Puia Hot Springs 2: Denise Johnston def Hazel Miratana 7 and 6; Kennedy Sarich def Pauline Summersby 2 and 1; Kim Torrez lost to Hiria McClutchie 3 and 2; Charlie Holland def Iritana Ngarimu 7 and 6.
Poverty Bay 8 Mahia 2: Megan Allen def Maria Wesche 1-up; Maxine Francois def Lee Steel 5 and 4; Janet Muir def Susie Adam 1-up; Teresa Lewis lost to Paipan Denigan 3 and 2.
Overall standings: Wairoa 45, Pātutahi 45, Mahia 42, Poverty Bay 40, Electrinet Park 38, Te Puia Hot Springs 36, Waikohu 34.
Wairoa won on a countback.
Men’s pennants
Consistency and contribution were key to Poverty Bay winning the Endeavour men’s interclub pennants on Sunday.
But the city boys had reigning champions Pātutahi breathing down their necks over the four-round series, which reached its climax on the Electrinet Park course.
Poverty Bay’s six-man team played Tolaga Bay in the final round of handicap matchplay competition.
They went into the round just two points ahead of the Tahi (1) team. One mistake could have been fatal, but to a man they stepped up.
All five PB players contributed to a team total of 20 out of a possible 24. Stu Harbottle, Kelly Spring, Jason Lloyd and Lindsay Hunt posted wins while Andy Hayward and Peter Hakiwai squared their matches.
They needed to be on their matchplay games. Pātutahi (1) also racked up 20 through wins to Shaun Nepe, Antonio Zame, Tom Hindmarsh, Dom Wilson and Michael Broad.
When the smoke cleared, Poverty Bay were on 66 points and Pātutahi 64, with Mahia and Pātutahi (2) a distant third-equal on 50, Electrinet Park fifth on 46, Tolaga Bay and Waikohu sixth-equal on 40 and Te Puia Hot Springs eighth on 28.
The champion PB side were the same for every round. They had a slow start in round 1 at Mahia, scoring just 20 points, but stormed into title contention with a 22-point haul in round 2 at Te Puia Hot Springs.
Lloyd finished the series unbeaten on three wins and a half while Harbottle had three wins, Spring three wins and Hakiwai two wins and two halves.
Hakiwai was a member of the last Poverty Bay team to win the Endeavour (2023) and the previous one as well (2012).
In the other round 4 matches, Pātutahi (2) picked up 14 points through wins to Mike De Luze, Dan Williams and Ashley Hindmarsh, and a half to Tony Green.
Mahia added 12 points to their total with wins to Rusty Smith, Bruce Maher and David Waihaki.
Waikohu also scored 12 from wins to Lawrence Green, Blair Crawshaw and Sonny Ritchie.
Electrinet Park collected 10 points courtesy of wins to James Witika and Damian Pilitati, and a half to Mat Greeks.
Tolaga Bay’s four points came from halves to Murray Yates and Tere Lincoln.
Eruera West’s win gave Te Puia Hot Springs four points and saved the whitewash.