Golf Tourney At Rangiora

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31239, 10 December 1966, Page 11

Golf Tourney At Rangiora

AN impressive array of golfing talent will contest the 36-hole stroke tournament which will be held to mark the official opening of the extended 18-hole course at Rangiora tomorrow. Eighty-four men and 36 women have entered for the tournament, for which Associated Wireless of Australia Ltd. has provided £320 worth of trophies. Competing in the men’s section will be E. H. M. Richards, a finalist in the New Zealand amateur championship; J. R. Broadhurst, the leading qualifier at the championship; most of the Canterbury Freyberg Rose Bowl team; and other leading golfers from Canterbury and Mid-South Canterbury. In the women’s section will be the New Zealand representative, Miss S. Grigg; Miss C. Sullivan, a semi-fin-alist in the New Zealand championships a few weeks ago; and Miss S. Boag, a leading Canterbury player. No charge will be made for spectators and as an aid to spectators, name cards

will be attached to golfers’ bags so that competitors can be easily identified. The sponsored tournament will mark the culmination of several years’ planning and work to extend the course from nine to 18 holes. Work on the extensions started about six years ago, when steps were taken to make the course one of 12 holes by providing three new greens within the existing area. About three years ago another three holes were added within the existing area also, but these were not played on because of difficulties associated with a change from 12 to 15 holes. Four years ago the club was successful in negotiating with the Rangiora County Council for the lease of

some adjoining domain land. After the council had cut and milled timber the club removed the stumps and three new fairways and greens were sown in last autumn after the club had carted in 1500 yards of soil for filling and several hundred yards of soil for green formation. Water has been piped to all the new greens. The new 18-hole course is a par 72. The course has a length of about 6300 yards at present, but permanent sites for tees have not been fixed. Some adjustment may be made as a result of the comments from leading players in tomorrow’s tournament which will be a part of the annual Festivity Week entertainments in Rangiora. The extended course will not come into regular use until npvt March.