Sports features Nelson girl has bright future in golf

Press, 5 December 1979, Page 30

Sports features Nelson girl has bright future in golf

Four years ago, 12-year-old Debbie Randell was given a $5O set of golf clubs so that she could hive a hit around while her parents. Ciarrie and Rose, concentrated on the game they had just taken up. Four seasons and several sets of clubs later, 16-vear-old Debbie could be excused if she expressed some satisfaction and pride in her achievements on the golf course. Those who have watched her progress down the handicap ladder from 36 to her present one. appreciate the exciting potential this girl has on the national golfing scene. In the season just ended Debbie won almost every major title in the Nelson district and then crowned a most successful year by winning the Waddell Rosebowl at the national women’s golf championships at St Clair. She so impressed the selectors in winning the rosebowl that she was included in the New Zealand junior team to play Australia next month. When she was given that first set of clubs she was also given the choice of pottering around on a Saturday, or getting to grips with the clubs and the game. As in the case of most golfers, the game got a grip on her. It soon became obvious she had a natural aptitude for the game and the tem-

perament for it. She was doubly fortunate in that her path crossed that of Mr Don Heale, known around Marlborough golfing circles as an amateur coach of professional ability. Under his tutelage Debbie made swift progress. It took her little time to acquire a 36 handicap, a much shorter time to have it reduced to 24. The next year it dropped again and by the time the family left Blenheim for Nelson, it was down to 11. Living at Richmond, Debbie joined the Greenacres Club, which at the time, was puttiftv a lot of effort into fostering juniors. Mid-way through her first year her handicap was reduced to five and her play caught the eye of the Tasman Russell Grace selectors. Chosen at No. 5 in the Tasman team, Debbie had a personal triumph. The team was not particularly successful, winning only two of its six matches, but Debbie lost only one of her games, winning four and halving one. But, more importantly, this 15-year-old golfer, the youngest in probably the toughest competition for women, earned the admiration of the gallery and

fellow competitors for her attitude on the course, her extremely pleasant personality and unruffled temperament; important equipment in every aspiring national golfer's bag. This year, she was promoted to No. 3 in Tasman’s Russell Grace team, but with unhappy results. She won only one match, although losing most of the others very narrowly. Without making excuses for her performance at the tournament, Debbie blames her poor form on a new set of men’s clubs she had

bought not long bef ert After the tournament these were quickly sold and replaced with women's clubs. Her record this year been quite astounding, r reached its zenith at the women's championships at St Clair. She missed quali. fying on the count -a back after one disastrous round, but then went oa to win the rosebowl and in doing so won selection in the national junior aid* She won her first game a the rosebowl only i- u J but then proceeded to ht her opposition out of con? tention in the last threi matches, winning 7 and ft 8 and 6 and in tha final, f and 4. Earlier, she had won the Greenacres senior title fo? the second successive year, won the Wainfag championship and broke the Greenacres course record, was runner-up tft Jan Arnold (Waikato) at the New Zealand junior Booth Shield tournamen| at Rarangi won the Tasman district champion of champion| title and helped her club team into the final of the Peter Stuyvesant fates club tournament, breaking the Rarangi course record in the process. Practice takes up a left of Debbie’s spare time an) that of the Greenacres professional. Stephei Adams, who is putting ii two to three hours a week at present perfecting a new swing that will givj her extra length. “Ift working well, too.” said Debbie earlier this week. , Debbie takes her golf very seriously, but not a) the expense of her school, work. As a fifth form sta» dent at Waimea College Debbie, like many thot> sands of fifth formers, has just completed her Schod) Certificate examination She is keen to acquire her University Entrance pasij next year and a year fa the seventh form afts that. Golf certainly has .a place in her life, and het prospects for the fututi appear bright. But, at this juncture, Debbie sees golf as a sport to be enjoyed.'

Story and pictures by

BARRY SIMPSON