Representative golf fixture called off

Press, 18 July 1979, Page 13

Representative golf fixture called off

A proposed representative golf match between Canterbury and Otago this year will not be held. The match committee of the Canterbury Golf Association ruled against the fixture because of a number of factors that it felt made it impossible to arrange this season. They included a lack of a suitable date before the Freyberg Rose Bowl tournament, the cost involved, and the lack of benefit to the players. However, the selection panel did not see eye to eye with the decision of the match committee. In a letter to the chairman (Mr G. P. Walker), the selection panel termed the decision “thoughtless.” The selectors felt that such a game would be most valuable to the Canterbury team and it deprived the players of playing a top province. The convener of the selectors (Mr M. J. McNally) said that the fixture has also been put off last year. “I realise the difficulty with finding a date but it is a bloody shame that we are denied an opportunity of playing the strongest province in New Zealand.” “If the players are billetted what costs would be involved?” asked Mr B. V. Glubb. Mr D. N. Cresswell mentioned that from August the top Canterbury golfers had a demanding programme and he felt that it was too late for the match to be added.

: However, the meeting agreed I to place the matter on the . agenda for immediate considerai tion for next season. i A former Christchurch pro- > fessional, Lindsay Gitsham, has i applied for reinstatement to i amateur status. Gitsham has ' been invited by the amateur > status and rales committee of i the New Zealand association to ; renew his application during : May, 1981, to the Canterbury association for its recommendaI tion and forwarding. ! Gitsham, who has joined ■ Russley, is not precluded from membership of a club and he i has been asked to act as an i amateur until his application is i again reconsidered. ’ The Canterbury team will play . its annual match against Wel- ’ lington over 18 holes on Novem- , ber 4 the Sunday before the J Freyberg event. ’ The promotion committee out- . lined plans in which the Cant terbury association intends to . actively assist in the national 1 golf promotion week from ; November 14 to 21. s The following managers were i appointed for Canterbury teams . for representative matches next month: v. Buller-Westland at I Westport on August 11 and 12 ■ (Mr J. T. Gregg); v. Mid-South ! Canterbury at Ashburton on t August 19 (Mr R. T. Challis); v. i Country at Harewood on August 26 (Mr I. M. Wright).