Another Chch golf success likely

Press, 28 March 1979, Page 22

Another Chch golf success likely

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Christchurch, as the defending champion, the team with the lowest handicap aggregate, and a wealth of representative players in its ranks, must be favoured to win the Woodward Cup inter-club for the fourth successive year when the competition starts with two rounds at Waimairi Beach on Sunday. But the champion Christchurch team trod a tortuous path last year before it gained the trophy on a count-back of individual games from Avondale and the Shirley players are likely to be under the same sustained . pressure this season. Missing from the successful 1978 side are two Freyberg players, Simon Robinson and Joe Whitaker. They filled the second and third positions last year and Whitaker compiled an impressive record, but Christchurch has worthy replacements. Des Turner, the Canterbury No. 1 last season, is available for club competion this year, and the evergreen Andrew Robinson has returned as captain. Chris Barry, who has

shown good early-season-touch, has forced his way into the side. He last played in the competition in 1974 for Avondale. The other team members, Geoff Saunders, John Williamson, Wayne Tucker, Murray Brown, John Parlane and John Orr, who will be out for the first two rounds, have all represented Canterbury. Whatever the playing order, the Christchurch team, with an over-all handicap assessment of 10, will be formidable. The teams rated behind Christchurch on handicap aggregates are Waitikiri (13), Coringa (14), Waimairi Beach (17), Harewood (18), Russley (20), Templeton (22), and Avondale (26). After its second placing in 1976, Waitikiri has been disappointing in the last two seasons, finishing sixth on both occasions. Too often its team members failed to play to their true potential, but the' ingredients are there for a much better performance. , Two good gains for the club are the powerful John McCormick, a former top Freyberg player for Tasman, and Gary Maw, a steady golfer who won the Christchurch club’s 36hole open tournament from a strong field in January. Bob Farrant, beaten by Ross Murray in a play-off for the Russley open title a fortnight ago, Len McKenzie and Ross Griffith form an experienced trio. The in-form Jeff McCarthy, who won the Canterbury, men’s foursomes, and Jim White have gained promotion to

the top team and Murray Palmer completes the eight. Waitikiri has based its selection on form. Stephen Paterson and lan Pollock, both of whom had creditable records last season, have been relegated to the Blank Cup as have the club champion, Malcolm Fry, and the capable Colin McNally. White is well-known in another sport. He was a loose forward in the New Zealand rugby league team that toured Britain and France in 1965. Coringa, which made a belated bid for third last year, has lost its two top members. Stephen Street has returned to Harewood and Dennis Beggs has elected not to play in the championship. The loss of those two Freyberg representatives will pose problems for Coringa. However, the Paterson brothers, Chris and Brent, and Nick Mclvor are three young players of great promise. The experience is provided by Peter Neal and Barry Alexander who, between them, have played almost 130 Woodward matches and John Allin,

John Smale and Frank Borren are other candidates for the top eight. Although seeded fourth, Waimairi Beach may be struggling to finish in the top half. Fred Poskitt is an admirable leader, but the club lacked depth last season and finished last on its return to the premier competition after several years absence. It should be stronger this season with John Carbines, Nev Shackley and Russell Poskitt available, but the sea-side club still faces a difficult assignment to stay with the leaders.

Harewood, fourth last year, is a team to be respected. Harewood faced the same problem as did Waitikiri — who to omit from its final eight. The return of Stephen Street and the presence of his brothers, Mark and Brent, ensure a strong top order along with Noel Bain.

There are many aspirants for the other positions, and most have good claims for inclusion. John Dixon, Barry Walsh,. Nick Horgan and Wayne Maw are no strangers to the Woodward Cup, and they are being challenged by Nigel Cunnington, Paul Shearer, David Marks and Jeremy Gurnsey. Russley, so long a dominant force on the interclub scene, fell from grace last season when finishing fifth. It'is still in the pro-

cess of rebuilding its strength and cannot expect to make further advancement this season. The club has made two significant gains in Paul Atkinson, an accomplished 20-year-old from St Clair, Dunedin, and Alan Borck, a one-handicapper from Bridge Pa, Hastings. But these recruitments have been offset with the decision of James Angus to take a year's break from golf and by the loss of Neville Griffiths and Lionel Martin. Bruce Taylor will have the task of introducing several young players to the fierce competition of Woodward golf. Geoff Black and John Bierwirth will make their debuts and Peter McDonald and Roger Sisson received their introductions last year. Templeton, always a team capable of upsetting, beat only Waimairi Beach last year mainly through its weaknesses in the bottom order. In that respect it still appears deficient and might be struggling. John Prebble, lan Carruthers and Roy Newburn comprise a hard core, and Gary Kirk and Harley

Henderson gained a good background in the competition last year. However, there are barren gaps and Templeton will be hard-pressed to find adequate players to fill them.

Through the handicap system, Avondale, a most gallant runner-up to Christchurch last season and the only team to topple the champion, almost missed inclusion in the championship. Rangiora entered a team in the Woodward Cup and had a better handicap rating than Avondale. The match committee of the Canterbury Golf Association had to make the final decision and it ruled in favour of Avondale only after a split vote.

Avondale deserved to stay in the premier competition. It will field a similar team to the one that performed with such distinction last season. Ricky Vincent, Alan Williams, Alan CrawfordSmith, Lindsay McMillan, Frank Roberts, Don Gaudin, John Hanton, Murray Wright and Bruce Trangmar are all very capable match-play competitors. Apart from Vincent, the team lacks a Canterbury representative-. But it is a side with character, one with wonderful team spirit, and those factors alone should guarantee Avondale a prominent position.