Talented young golfer

Press, 30 August 1980, Page 24

Talented young golfer

From hack to scratch in four years. That’s the accomplishment of 17-year-old Debbie Randell, of Richmond, Nelson, who last week easily 7 retained her Nelson women’s provincial match play title at the Nelson club course. A month before the tournament she had her handicap reduced from 1 to scratch to become the .first woman golfer in the province to play off this figure since Nicki Campbell left for Australia in 1962. Miss Campbell, a member of the Nelson club, won the national women’s title in 1958, 1960 and 1961. The national women’s title is now the target that Miss Randell has set her sights on. In anticipation of the tournament in Wanganui next month, she is spending an every-in-creasing amount of time at both the Greenacres and Nelson courses, and on their practice areas. And the practice ■ does not end during the daylight hours. The Randell household carpet is believed to be showing some effects of the hours of chipping and putting they bear each night. Last year Debbie sat and passed four subjects for School Certificate while a pupil of Waimea College. She returned this year to work for the University Entrance exam-

ination, blit her heart was not in school work. She left school, and is looking for a job. While awaiting one, her game has had the benefit of the extra time being spent on it. She now plays four full rounds a week, three half rounds, and ‘spends at least 10 hours a week at practice. The willowy young golfer has a power in her hitting that totally belies her 55kg . (8-1 stone) weight. She attributes this to the clubs she is now using — between a women’s and men’s set — and the competition offered by Nelson club professional, David Hartshorne. Hartshorne is one of the longest-hitting professionals in New Zealand. When the two play together, Debbie plays from the men’s tee, forcing her to compete for length with Hartshorne. “Now, when I get on the women’s tee, it feels so easy,” she confessed. She proved this in tlie recent provincial tournament. She outdrove every opponent and on the longer par 5 holes was left with only a chip or short iron to the green. In the final round against Mrs Judith Parkes (Fairhall. Marlborough), she hit a tremendous drive into the wind at the 337 m par 4 13th, and sweetly hit an 8-iron to the green.

Hartshorne has also done wonders for' Debbie’s short game, especially her putting, possibly the weakest part of her game. Yet, in disposing of Mrs Parkes 5 and 4, she putted only. 20 times in the 14 holes — including eight one-putt greens. That day, with a 7 and 6 win in the morning and her afternoon

victory — a very sweet one since Mrs Parkes had beat her 6 and 4 two years- previously — she was one under the card for the day. At this stage Debbie is not looking beyond the New Zealand women’s championships next month and the Marlborough women’s match play titles straight afterwards, and, in January, selection in the New Zealand junior team to travel to New South Wales to play the Australian juniors.