Akaroa’s clean sweep of country golf

Press, 1 September 1982, Page 26

Akaroa’s clean sweep of country golf

There were no butchers or bakers or candlestick-makers in the Akaroa golf team which completed a highly successful season recently, but there was a mixed bag of occupations among the 17 players used. Not surprisingly, farmers made up the majority of the team. There were 11 of them, but there were also two fishermen, a sawmiller, a plumber, a stock agent and a steel worker.

The club’s leading administrators did not devote all their energies to running the club; Keith Vogan. the president, Barry Brownie, a vice-president, and Dale Marshall, the club captain, proved their capabilities on the fairways and greens. In spite of one loss against

Tai Tapu B. Akaroa won its other four contests in the Peninsula zone of the Patterson Cup by big margins. The team won 27 of the possible 40 individual games and qualified to play the Selwyn zone winner, Burnham, in the final of the Patterson Cup. That match was drawn, four-all, and Akaroa responded better to the pressure, winning the suddendeath play-off, 4-1. Its victor}' gave Akaroa the right to represent the Central Canterbury area against the North Canterbury champion, Kaikoura B, for the Ashby Bergh trophy. Akaroa was in command for most of the final but a late change in fortune hinted towards a four-all draw. Marshall admitted that he

could feel ulcers starting again, but the team rallied to win, 6-2, and the trophy belonged to Akaroa for the first time in 23 years. Marshall attributed much of the team’s success to the tremendous support from its club members. Even the golfers who had played just one game volunteered to caddy for the team, as did club members who were not selected. Their presences lifted team spirit immeasurably. Only once before had Akaroa reached the final of the Peninsula zone and it was beaten in 1976. This season was one to savour: not only did Akaroa win the Patterson Cup but it added the Ashby Bergh trophy, as well.