Canterbury Foursomes Golf Title Shared

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 8

Canterbury Foursomes Golf Title Shared

Storming through the murk and misty rain of Russley in a final nine holes of 3, R. K. Atkinson and P. K. Cleland yesterday retained a half-share of their Canterbury men’s foursomes golf title.

They tied with the first round leaders, the seasoned pair who are green-keepers at the Shirley links, M. W. Stanley (Kaiapoi) and R. B. Townsend (Avondale). These partnerships were also prominent last year, the Russley pair of Atkinson and Cleland winning, and Stanley and Townsend sharing second place. There was some drizzle in the morning, when only 11 combinations broke 80 on the par-73 course. But in the afternoon, when the rain set in with all seriousness, the par-fours assumed even more menacing proportions and while many of the teams with more illustrious names were struggling to get into the 70s, Atkinson and Cleland were going methodically about their task of overhauling Stanley and Townsend. This they did with a 75, catching four strokes on the leaders in the last seven holes. There was much to admire in the golf of Stanley and Townsend, especially in the morning. They played sound, reliable golf throughout the day and with Stanley putting extremely well at' crucial periods. always looked strong contenders. The championship was very nearly won on the eighteenth in the morning when Stanley's birdie putt rimmed, and botinced away from the. cup; Townsend missed the return, and instead of a one-under 72, the pair had to be content with a 74 and the lead by a stroke.

Stanley and Townsend kept the pressure on in the third nine holes and although they had lapses on the fourth, fifth and sixth, where they dropped three strokes, they gained another stroke on Atkinson and Cleland, who went out in 40. They also kept their two-stroke lead on D. R. Hope (Harewood) and J. F. Logie (Russley), who were still challenging strongly. But as Stanley and Townsend faltered slightly in the final nine, dropping a stroke here and there, Atkinson and Clelfand played with cool precision and, after birdying the sixteenth, needed par figures on the last two holes to share the title. This was duly accomplished on the seventeenth and at the last, Atkinson putted from 15ft for a birdie three and outright victory. The ball sidled past the hole and the championship was shared. Hope and Logie were well in the running throughout, but under the pressure of Atkinson and Cleland they, too, faltered. Strokes were dropped on the tenth and eleventh, one retrieved on the thirteenth, but two more strokes lost in the final four holes—when regulation golf would have made a three-way tie—killed their chances.

JUNIOR 166: P. McHerron and L. J. Hartley, 79, 87. 168: S. V. Crisp and R. M. Collins, 82, 86. 170: G. Black and R. Leckfe, 84, 86; G. A. Burton and M. Munnerley, 81, 89; F. Williamson and R. K. Olcland, 83, 87. Mixed Title The Templeton pair, R. E. and Mrs Clements, won the Canterbury mixed foursomes golf title on their home course on Saturday. They came away strongly from the first round leaders, I. D. and Mrs Dobson (Christchurch), who collapsed to an 83 after leading the field with 77 in the morning. The young Amberley team of R. H. Bradley and Miss V. Stokes also had a bad second round, adding an 86 to their 78. Results: SENIOR Championship: R. E. and Mrs Clements, 79, 77—156; F. W. Roberts and Miss M. Doherty. 79, 79—158: T. M. Stout and Miss C. Boyce, P. J. Amos and Miss J. Davidson, and C. H. Johnson and Miss C. Sullivan, 159. Handicap: I. D. and Mrs Dobson, 67, 73—140; Amos and Miss Davidson, 75, 72—147. JUNIOR Championship: M. and Mrs Parker, 85, 86 —171; L. J. and Mrs Roy 87, 89—176. Handicap: C and Mrs Wright, 71, 69—140; P. R. Parkyn and Miss J. Russell, 72, 72—144.

Two young players, R. E. Hobbs and R. H. Bradley, were, apart from the top three teams, the only combination to break 80 in both rounds, which is an adequate reflection on the abysmal weather and loose golf. A. K. Hynd and T. M. Stout, J. Allin and D. L. Beggs, and J. A. Orr and R. M. Farrant were all the leading bunch after the morning round only to go into the high eighties after a meal. Conversely, R. E. Clements (Templeton) and J. R. Broadhurst (Russley) played almost hilariously bad golf in the first round—Clements first hitting the fairway with his drive at the sixteenth —but with the Canterbury captain sporting a damp and bedraggled white-sun-hat to keep out the afternoon rain, they improved to a 78. Results:— x SENIOR 152: M. W. Stanley and R. B. Townsend, 74, 78: R. K. Atkinson and P. K. Cleland, 77, 75. 154: D. R. Hope and J. F. Logie, 76, 78. 156: R. E. Hobbs and R. H. Bradley, 77, 79. 161: A. K. Hynd and T. M. Stout, 76, 85. 162: J. Allin and D. L. Beggs, 75, 87; J. A. Orr and R. M. Farrant, 76, 86; B. T. Quirke R. S. Peate, 81, 81. 163: R. E. Clements and J. R. Broadhurst, 85, 78. 164: E. H. M. Richards and R. Sweet, 82, 82; M. D. Palmer and G. A. Coombe, 83, 81. 166: B. W. Johnson and J. Alexander, 81, 85. 167: F. T. Hobbs and B. Russell, 83, 84. 168: C. H. Johnson and J. A. Jordan, 85, 83. INTERMKDIATE 168: L. Ryde and C. G. Reid, 83, 85. 169: T. L. Gibson and J. M. Hurley, 81, 88; M. F. Hobbs and G. C. P. Beadel, 82, 87. 170: C. J. Snell and D. Robertson, 86, 84; R. Duncan and J. Rowe. 86, 84; M. Ruddenklau and S. Dickson, 84, 86.